Sustainability & Our Members

• 2009 Nonprofit TrashBuster of the Year Award from the Lane County Commissioners for Environmental Efforts
• Volunteer Staff, Rick Tromel, received the 2009 Individual TrashBuster of the Year Award from the Lane County Commissioners for Environmental Efforts
• 2009 Register Guard Reader’s Choice Award for most Environmentally Friendly Business 
• 2009 Eugene Weekly Reader’s Choice Award for Most Environmentally Friendly Business Award 
• NextStep’s Executive Director received the 2009 Bohemian Foundation E-Achievement Award
• In 2009 NextStep received 2,250,000 pounds of obsolete electronics and other devices from the community
• 1,800,000 pounds went to recycling in Pacific Northwest processors (not sent over seas for recycling)
• 450,000 pounds went to reuse (20% of items received)
• 2,000 computers were placed locally, 325 were placed internationally

NextStep trained over 700 individuals in recycling, refurbishment, and retail.

Along with trainees from a variety of community organizations we offered training to:
•     12 seniors through the federal Experience Works Program.
•     27 individuals through the State of Oregon Jobs Plus Program.
•     76 students interned from Lane Community College, Pioneer Pacific University, University of Oregon and Prescott University.

NextStep now has the addition of two more Master Recyclers on staff.

2009 was a great year for Eden Advanced Pest Technologies. Yes times were a little tough with the recession,

but it created an opportunity for our the members of the company to develop new ways to improve. Our question was how can we become more valuable to our customers? Eden began a social media campaign, adopted new smart phones in the field, became BedbugFREE Certified and implemented a new way of business that gets everyone in the company involved in "ownership thinking." We also kicked off a "Going Paperless" campaign to get more emails from our customers to use instead of paper for invoicing.

This fall, members of the local media gathered at the site of BRING’s new demonstration garden to witness some history in the re-making.

Four lengths of concrete bridge rails, salvaged from an historic bridge in Gold Beach, were hoisted into place in the Garden of Earthly Delights to serve as garden walls. Donated by Hamilton Construction, the ornate, art-deco style rails were recovered during the restoration of the Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge, one of a string of bridges built along the Oregon coast by famed bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough. The bridge was completed in 1932, one of hundreds of Depression-era public works projects.
Along with the bridge rails, you’ll now find a large central plaza, decomposed granite walkways, and a unique shelter called the Chapel of Second Chances. Our first work of art is in place: since last summer, Jud Turner has been designing and gathering materials for a metal assemblage wall, which serves as the backdrop for the Chapel of Second Chances. Look closely—you’ll find symbols from 12 different sacred traditions integrated into the wall, all made from objects found at BRING.

This fall, members of the local media gathered at the site of BRING’s new demonstration garden to witness some history in the re-making.

Four lengths of concrete bridge rails, salvaged from an historic bridge in Gold Beach, were hoisted into place in the Garden of Earthly Delights to serve as garden walls. Donated by Hamilton Construction, the ornate, art-deco style rails were recovered during the restoration of the Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge, one of a string of bridges built along the Oregon coast by famed bridge engineer Conde B. McCullough. The bridge was completed in 1932, one of hundreds of Depression-era public works projects.
Along with the bridge rails, you’ll now find a large central plaza, decomposed granite walkways, and a unique shelter called the Chapel of Second Chances. Our first work of art is in place: since last summer, Jud Turner has been designing and gathering materials for a metal assemblage wall, which serves as the backdrop for the Chapel of Second Chances. Look closely—you’ll find symbols from 12 different sacred traditions integrated into the wall, all made from objects found at BRING.

Lower waste stream by supplying brewer's grain to local meat company. 

Here's more information about what we're supporting:

LOCAL MEAT COMPANY LAUNCHES NATURAL MEAT LINE
Oregon Natural Meats stresses “upcycling” and “locavore” concepts

Oregon Natural Meats (ONM), a local family-owned and operated meat company, will begin processing and selling natural meat products to Oregon consumers in late January of 2010. ONM’s business model centers around Oregon animals, local feeding systems, local suppliers, local partners and local customers, all in an effort to support the growing “Locavore” movement.
Only pasture raised and source verified Oregon beef cattle are selected for the ONM program, and then fed a high-quality ration consisting of “upcycled” brewer’s grain from local micro-breweries. Upcycling is a conservation technique that re-uses products from one industry to add value to another. “Natural Brew Beef” cattle are carefully processed at a local USDA federally-inspected facility. Carcasses are dry-aged for 6 days before being cut into “restaurant quality” wholesale cuts, aged an additional 7 to 10 days and distributed to foodservice and retail outlets in western Oregon.

Suppliers of brewer’s grain to the ONM include premium local companies, including Ninkasi Brewing Company, located in Eugene. Ninkasi supports localized networks, a sustainable food supply, and the upcycling of millions of pounds of brewer’s grain into ONM’s high-quality natural meats program.

Oregon Natural Meats strives to be the preferred supplier of high-quality meat to local customers who desire food products that are all natural and produced close to home, using sustainable agricultural practices. A full line of beef products will be available for distribution to an area within approximately 100 miles of ONM’s corporate headquarters in Eugene, Oregon. On-line purchasing options within a limited distribution area are also available.

Are you a locavore? A Locavore (n) is a person who attempts to buy and eat only foods grown, produced and processed close to their home. Animals in the Oregon Natural Meats program are born in Oregon, fed and processed within 100 miles of Eugene, Oregon, by a small network of families committed to providing natural restaurant-quality meat with minimal processing, no added hormones or antibiotics, and using sustainable & humane systems.

Buying local reduces the carbon “Hoof Print” associated with long distance trucking of grain and animals, as well as the costly transport of meat products from outside of the area.
ONM’s unique approach to cattle selection, management, feeding, processing, marketing and sales is a perfect fit for the Oregon locavore looking for an excellent product from local suppliers.
Restaurant-quality natural meat products will be available for purchase starting in late January. Interested persons or companies are invited to visit the ONM web site at www.NaturalBrewBeef.com or become a Facebook fan by searching for Oregon Natural Meats.

• Ceased idling trucks in the morning to warm them up, and we turn off motors when making even quick stops.
• We now provide recycling pick to our delivery customers and let customers drop off bottles to recycle at our location.
• Scrap paper is turned into notepaper.