Stoel Rives Launches ‘Go Green Initiative’

July 17, 2008

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Law firm Stoel Rives is furthering its efforts to conserve energy and promote sustainable business practices with its Go Green Initiative. But the initiative isn’t just aimed at educating employees about sustainability and getting consumers to notice its good deeds.

Bob Van Brocklin, managing partner at Stoel Rives, says that the initiative is also saving the company money. The firm estimates a savings of $70,000 per year by switching to double-sided printing, for example. Another $7,000 was saved at the firm’s retreat in May when attorneys used glassware and eliminated more than 2,000 plastic bottles.

Here are some other initiatives:

Electricity: Plans to buy enough renewable energy credits this year to offset 60 percent of the company’s energy consumption, equivalent of taking 414 cars off the road, or not driving 5.2 million miles.

Waste Reduction: Installed dishwashers to encourage use of glass and silverware provided by the firm to reduce the amount of food packaging in cafeterias.

Recycling: Placed recycling centers, including composting areas throughout the office, and eliminated individual waste baskets in most offices.

Online help: Provided attorneys and staff with green tips for both work and home through an internal Web page.

Office reminders: Posted tips, upcoming events or contests on sustainability around the office. Also sends monthly e-mail blasts on tips to live green. One of the contests was an Alternative Commute Challenge. Employees logged more than 100,000 miles of work commuting distance using alternative transportation.

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Reader Comments

Good for you, Stoel Rives. The legal profession is extremely wasteful on a per capita basis (think paper usage) and has been relatively slow to embrace the green movement. This crisis needs leaders, so thank you.

Kent Ragen | July 20th, 2008

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