Thursday, 4/22 was Earth Day! While we should be kind to the Earth everyday, Earth Day is a day to advocate, volunteer and promote sustainability in our lives and how we do business. SOLVE has numerous opportunities to volunteer for a neighborhood clean-up in Portland and beyond. Portland Audubon has been advocating for our wildlife for more than 100 years and has many ways to get involved, or plant a tree with Friends of Trees. In honor of Earth Day, we are highlighting businesses and organizations that incorporate sustainable practices into their operations.

  • Beaumont: Reduce your pet’s carbon footprint with Green Dog Pet Supply, which specializes in sustainable pet supplies. Many of their products are made from recycled materials such as beds that use fleece made from recycled soda bottles, helping to divert waste from landfills. 
  • Central Eastside: Rather than throwing away your used electronic devices, consider donating them to Free Geek for a second life. They do the good work of sustainably reusing technology and enabling digital access for all. You can also join them for a virtual Earth Day celebration.
  • Cully: Cully Farm Store is an Urban farm store with gardening and beekeeping supplies. Supporting our bees and other pollinators is one of the best things we can do for the planet as they pollinate 90% of the world’s food.
  • Gateway: The Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts donated new and used building materials and other items which makes it a great stop for DIYers. In 2020 their team helped divert a remarkable 6,133 tons of reusable materials from landfills!
  • Hillsdale: Did you know the clothes you wear can also be eco-friendly? Paloma Clothing has been specializing in clothing made of sustainable materials for more than 40 years.
  • Lloyd: If you live or work in Lloyd, be sure to connect with EcoLloyd. They are on a mission to make Lloyd the most sustainable neighborhood in North America. They regularly host volunteer events to create pollinator corridors, clean-ups and park improvements. Go Lloyd is another great Lloyd-based organization that offers programs which encourage commuters and residents to engage in travel options outside of single-occupancy vehicles.
  • Mississippi Ave: For your next home improvement project, try The Rebuilding Center. They divert over 1,800 tons of waste from going to landfills per year! Stop by to have a look at their affordable building materials or learn about home repair at one of their public classes.
  • Overlook: Eat your hot wings guilt free at Fire On The Mountain. They received a Gold Certification from Portland’s Sustainability at Work program by diverting their food and paper waste to composting facilities and all of their packaging is either compostable or recyclable.
  • Soul District: Cars are a necessity for most of us, but we can maintain them in a way that is more sustainable. Green Drop Garage offers eco-friendly oil changes by contracting with companies to recycle waste oils, coolant and other fluids. They will even provide you a loaner bike if they need to work on your car!
  • St Johns: Cut down on your carbon footprint with one of Portland’s favorite pastimes, biking! Stop by Block Bikes for a tune up, parts, accessories or to find an alternative to auto transportation.
  • Williams District: ReClaim It is a place where creative Portlanders can find unique materials to reuse, repair and reimagine. They partner with other organizations to divert materials otherwise headed for a landfill. Check out their Earth Day Piano Upcycling Challenge!

This list is non-exhaustive so if we missed your favorite sustainable business, let us know. Show us how you are celebrating Earth Day on Instagram and Facebook.