Portland Color has many reasons to operate with sustainable business practices and to adopt a business plan centered on sustainability.. Sustainable practices use fewer resources; therefore, they produce an economic advantage to our business. Sustainable practices are a marketing tool; through them we demonstrate how Portland Color aligns with existing and potential clients. Sustainable products are perceived as having a higher value; therefore they can command a slightly higher price. Sustainable practices are an expression of our company ethos; this ethos is an expression of all our employees, creating a cohesive work force focused on economy. Sustainability requires a long-term vision. It is difficult for companies in our industry, given the need to re-invent our products and processes with such great frequency, to have both the corporate will and the capital to make the rigorous commitments that sustainability requires. But if our clients are making those commitments in their operations, it is necessary that we match their efforts or risk being supplanted by a competitor who does. Sustainable business practices are a necessity to remain successful. We think of sustainability as another way of finding best practices or greater efficiency, not as a way to be

We separate our waste at Portland Color into 4 barrels and 12 \'gaylords\', a term in the industry for large cardboard bins for saving and transporting materials. We have a local company called Re-Harvest who supply the gaylords and pick up frequently. We have bins for HDPE 2, PET 1, LDPE 4, transfer paper from the dye sub printing process, photo paper, inkjet cartridges, cardboard, office paper, metal from shipping and packaging, fabric, and board scrap. We are working on information for the Governor\'s Carbon Challenge that is due on July 1st, so we asked Re-Harvest for some information on how much we are recycling. We were shocked at the numbers they provided. In 2007, we recycled 15.625 tons (that\'s over 30,000 pounds!); in the first half of 2008 we have recycled 39.17 tons - almost 80,000 lbs of waste material that is not going to a landfill, or an incinerator. 80,000 lbs of waste that we used to put in a dumpster is now being recycled! Needless to say, we are thrilled, and proud. Less pollution, more re-use, and a huge reduction in our trash collection costs.

Stay tuned!