At MHAAO we work diligently towards environmental sustainability in our office and community as we consider it a social justice issue that directly correlates to MHAAO’s mission, vision, and core values.
Our main office building is working towards LEED certification. They have made changes to the building such as energy-efficient lighting and appliances and double-paned insulated windows. There are bike racks outside the building for those who bike commute with nearby access to bike lanes. Our main office is also within walking distance of the bus lines and MAX lines.
Our secondary office building is also working towards LEED certification. They have energy-efficient lighting and appliances and double-paned insulated windows. This office is also within walking distance of bus lines and MAX lines.
Whenever possible, we purchase office supplies made of recycled or compostable materials. Examples of such supplies are recycled printer paper and compostable paper cups and plates for guests. We provide reusable kitchenware (silverware, mugs, plates, etc.) for staff use. We recently adjusted our purchasing practices to seek out products that are either Leaping Bunny or Certified B Corporations. Such examples are Who Gives a Crap, from whom we purchase toilet paper and paper towels. Another example is CleanCult who we purchase our cleaning supplies. We are also looking for a different supplier for other supplies such as pens, pencils, tape, and notepads.
MHAAO also strives to recycle effectively. We provide recycling receptacles in both of our offices and look through the bins weekly to ensure that the bin has not been compromised. MHAAO also provides water stations in both offices to encourage the use of refillable water bottles.
The largest change MHAAO has made is to convert to digital record keeping, data collection, and documentation. MHAAO provides all staff with mobile devices, laptops, and/or tablets to reduce paper use in the field and we have moved to digital onboarding for new staff, online encounter reporting for our front-line staff, and digital person direct planning tools. MHAAO also distributes monthly newsletters and annual reports digitally. Additionally, MHAAO has moved to an online registration platform for peer certification training and our annual conference, Peerpocalypse. All of these changes have resulted in less paper usage.
MHAAO allows for telecommuting and flexible work hours when feasible and trains staff on how to schedule their community-based peer support meetings to optimize mileage utilization and minimize gasoline (fossil fuels) consumption.
We are working to develop a more in-depth green policy that will highlight our organization's commitment to minimizing our impact on the environment while working within our communities. This will include working towards Green Nonprofit Certification and utilize the Nonprofit Guide to Going Green as a reference guide and self-assessment tool to evaluate our progress on becoming a greener organization.