Business make a difference. Our business conservation assistance and recognition programs support making sustainable action an everyday practice. Rethink Business provides free confidential assessments on practical ways to trim waste and save money. The Mayor’s Bold Steps Award celebrates businesses that are making an impact in the triple bottom line of environment, equity, and economy. Love Food Not Waste is a program that allows businesses to easily have their food waste collected for compost production through garbage haulers. Check out information about these programs below!
International market changes are driving changes in the way that recycling is processed in our area. Curbside recycling service is included in the cost of garbage collection. Most materials are commingled, with glass collected in a separate container. Find out what the current list of items are that can be recycled curbside. Printable commingled recycling posters are available on our web pages.
Did you know that each year Eugene puts over 40 million pounds of food waste in the local landfill? Want to do something about it? We did. That is why local garbage haulers, commercial composters, the City of Eugene and area businesses teamed up to make sure that food scraps turn into valuable compost instead of take up space in our landfill. Join the Love Food Not Waste campaign and improve our earth while supporting local businesses.
Single-use checkout bags may offer short-term convenience, but they have long-term costs in terms of litter and impact on wildlife and the environment. In an effort to promote reusable shopping bags and reduce litter, retail establishments and restaurants are not allowed to provide single-use checkout bags to customers.
For the City of Eugene, sustainability means considering and balancing all three aspects of the triple bottom line – people, planet and prosperity – to address the community’s present needs without compromising future generations. The Bold Steps award recognizes businesses that embody this vision and are taking bold steps in each area of the triple bottom line. You can learn more about previous years' Bold Steps Award Winners by visiting the Bold Steps web pages.
Did you know that buildings are responsible for 72% of electricity use, 38% of carbon dioxide emissions, and 30% of waste created annually in the United States? The way that we construct, operate and renovate buildings significantly affects our health, environment and bottom line. You can find more information and resources for building green in the City of Eugene by visiting our Green Building web pages.
As one of the nation’s oldest non-profit recyclers, BRING has encouraged people to rethink what they use and what they throw away. They help our community keep useful items out of the landfill, find ways to use less stuff, reuse as many things as possible, and recycle the rest. For a complete list of local rethink certified businesses, visit BRING’s rethink web pages.
