BSTRO Is a Proud Certified SF Green Business

Who has two green thumbs and is proud to be part of the SF Green Business Program? BSTRO! Our San Francisco agency has been a Certified Green Business since 2010, adhering to the program’s strict environmental standards to reduce waste, prevent pollution, and conserve resources.

Even though becoming certified came with challenges, the BSTRO team was determined to make it happen.

“Everybody was happy we were choosing to do a little less damage to the planet, and show our commitment to being on the right side of history,” said BSTRO Chief Creative Officer and founder Jill Tracy. “It cost us some money because we had to do things like change out the toilets and the lighting, and of course stop printing so many documents, but it was an easy decision.”

More than just a piece of paper and a listing on the SF Green Business directory, working for a green business means a lot to BSTRO team members.

“I’ve left companies in the past whose policies/management philosophies were at odds with my own personal values,” said Steve Vezeris, BSTRO’s VP of Accounting and Administration. “As a gay man, I have no business making money for a company that actively/passively maintains a biased position on those issues. Same goes for environmental issues – they’re too important to me and hit too close to home to allow any leeway.

“We are the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat. Our health depends on it. We’re all in this together – or I’m taking my toys and going somewhere else.”

Assistant Account Executive Kendall Beck completely agrees. “Being green and environmentally conscious is something that I’m very passionate about. Climate change is one of the greatest issues of our time, and knowing that I’m doing what I can both at home and at work is something that’s really important to me.

“When you work in an office, where there is food packaging, shipping material, or scraps of paper being tossed every day, having a program to recycle and compost can make a huge difference.”

When asked why it’s important for businesses to have internal environmental programs, Director of Business Development Lisa Schaffer sums it up perfectly: “Because it’s 2017.”

Beasts are still taking care of Mother Earth in their downtime, too! From recycling and composting to upcycling, making donations instead of contributing to landfill, and riding bikes to work, our team members are finding their own ways to help.

“I’m a huge composter!” said Beck. “Once I found out that keeping compostable items in the trash actually creates more methane gas, because the compostable items are trying to decompose but are trapped by all the trash, I knew that I had to compost wherever possible. It’s not always the easiest, and can get a little smelly, but I know that by composting I’m reducing my carbon footprint.”

Vezeris applies the same consciousness to other aspects of his daily life. “Eating and shopping locally and seasonally is also a strong statement with massive impacts to sustainability.”

Schaffer, an avid upcycler, added that there can even be delicious hidden treasures for those who recycle. “Rocket stoves made of old cans are perfect for camping and making s’mores!”

BSTRO is also proud of our continued partnership with Care To Recycle, the dedicated Johnson & Johnson® bathroom recycling awareness project.

Beck advised people to think about one simple fact: “About 50% of our waste can be recycled and about 25% can be composted, so by adding these two simple things to your routine, you can cut your trash down by 75%!”

Tips for Recycling

with Kendall Beck, Assistant Account Executive

1. If it used to be alive put it in the compost
   Food, soiled paper products, wood, chopsticks, flowers, coffee grounds are all compostable.
2. If it’s plastic and can hold its shape: recycling
3. Cans and glass in recycling
4. If there are two types of material on one item, then the item is not recyclable.
   A lot of soy/almond milk products have a foil lining and can’t be recycled. Try to buy products that are packaged specifically to be able to be recycled!
5. Rinse your recycling items out before tossing them into the bin!