One third of the waste that a typical business throws away is paper that could be recycled instead of buried in a landfill. Portland Store Fixtures and many other Portland businesses are starting a new trend by recycling paper and much more.  Members of the City of Portland’s BlueWorks Business Recycling Program are raising the bar on waste reduction.

BlueWorks Businesses commit to go beyond recycling with activities that range from printing double sided documents to replacing standard paper with post-consumer recycled paper, using durable dishware for catered events, buying green power and offering a subsidy to employees using alternative transportation.

Portland Store Fixtures is committed to recycling as much as we can. As many of our customers know, we use recycled letterhead and envelopes on a regular basis but we take that one step farther and reuse what we've printed (often maps for the drivers or extra copies we don't need) as scrap paper or paper for the fax machine. We will often take items that we know we can't sell to make sure they get recycled, rather than ending up in a landfill. We also recycle packing materials by either re-using them ourselves or distributing them to businesses in our neighborhood. Even acrylic, plastics and styrofoam are recycled.

“We are very proud to be a part of BlueWorks,” said Kat, owner of Portland Store Fixtures. “By taking our environmental program to the next level, we are telling customers we care about our community. We’ve also found that conserving resources is often better for our bottom line.”

Businesses are required to recycle 50 percent of their waste in the City of Portland. Businesses who go beyond by joining BlueWorks are recognized for their accomplishments with a plaque (made locally from reclaimed bicycle parts) to display and receive appreciation from customers and employees alike.

BlueWorks is a program of the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development. Learn more about BlueWorks and other business assistance programs (including green building and energy efficiency) at www.sustainableportland.org.