Adding up the numbers (and letters) of sustainability

Triple-Bottom-Line, or TBL, is a tool for measuring the health of an entity in terms of social, environmental and economic sustainability. In the spirit of Earth Day, we’re calling out a few things you might not know about how the Port is leading the way in caring for our planet.

40,000 pounds of carbon. Did you know that there are 140 Solar panels on top of the glass roadway canopy? They help power the terminal’s Nike store, saving approximately 40,000 pounds of carbon.

57,545 meals. In 2014, the Port and its tenants donated 57,545 Unsold meals to families in the Portland metro area through our food donation program. Not only do we save several thousand in disposal costs, delicious food goes to feed people in our own community.

35 tons of waste. Moving to a virtual Server system hosted by a single physical server has saved nearly 150,000 kWh per month. That’s the equivalent of 35 tons of waste kept out of a landfill.

98.1 percent recycling rate. Our Tenants share our values; Toyota Logistics Services at Terminal 4 is not only LEED Gold certified, but was the first industrial site in the nation to earn salmon-safe certification, and boasts an impressive 98.1 percent recycling rate.

1000-2000 gallons of fuel daily. Thanks to a project to repower the Dredge Oregon, the dredging operations use 1,000 to 2,000 gallons less fuel per day and we all have cleaner Air to breathe. This also reduces operational costs by more than $5,000 per week.

15 seconds. Quick Pay kiosks have cut the average Idle time per traveler from 1.5 minutes to 15 seconds. That’s an 86.5 percent reduction, which means reduced fuel consumption, faster turnover and increased revenue.

1335 Red-Tailed Hawks, captured and translocated since 1999. PDX Wildlife works to keep the air safe for planes and birds alike. The team uses Numerous strategies and a large variety of tools to keep wildlife away from the airfield, as well as helping with less common issues. In recent years, PDX Wildlife has received calls for a barn owl roosting outside Port headquarters, a loose house cat in baggage claim, and several escaped dogs on the airfield.

25-year habitat restoration. This fiscal year is the start of the second phase of a multi-phase, 25-year-long restoration of Government Island. This is just one target of the Airport Futures planning process, which also includes major habitat and tree canopy enhancements in the Columbia Slough watershed.

Policy No. 7.2.16. Our new Port “standard pen” utilizes a body made from recycled water Bottles and accepts cartridge refills, also available in your nearest service center. The switch to these pens is just one way we’re working to improve the environment through sustainable procurement.

750,000 gallons. The Port’s Living Machine treats and reuses wastewater, and is just one of many water-efficiency features that help our Port headquarters conserve more than 750,000 gallons of water a year.

1,840 metric tons of CO2. Our LEED platinum headquarters building and parking structure save the Port an average of $172,000 in annual Energy gas and electricity costs when compared to what a “standard energy code” constructed building would have consumed. This equates to an annual emissions reduction of approximately 1,840 metric tons of CO2.

The bottom line? The Port is an anchor institution in this community, and we aren’t going anywhere. By measuring what matters, we’re sustaining our people, planet and our profit.

Contributed by Tarun Gudz, Corporate Marketing