Sustainability and Community Impact
It's impossible to have no impact on the planet. I'm not perfect (is anyone?!) but I know that small changes make a big difference and imperfect progress is still progress. Take a look through some of the ways I show up for my community and Mother Earth.
Impact by the numbers
Throughout 2025, I decided to start tracking my individual impact. You'll find some of the highlights down below.
I may not be a big corporation backed by countless certifications, but I believe in the power community. I hope this inspires you to track your impact too, you might be surprised by the difference you're making.
52+
Volunteer hours contributed in 2025. Dispersed between Portland nonprofits.
15
Socks mended and another 4 items patched, extending their life by at least another year.
6+
Wheelbarrows of weeds removed from local gardens, making way for new growth.
20+
Dog check-ins for friends and family.
Volunteering
AMA PDX
In the fall of 2025, I joined the board of AMA PDX as Director of Agency to provide pro bono marketing services for small businesses and organizations with social impact missions.
Through this program, I work with a small committee to improve operations while supporting four nonprofit clients and 34 community volunteers.
Rhythm Seed Farm
As a core volunteer for Rhythm Seed Farm since fall of 2021, I've been involved in nearly every stage of the seed-saving process, including land tending.
I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty while seeding, weeding, mulching, planting, weeding, harvesting and packing—it's all good for the soul.
Green Lents
I was involved in several Green Lents project last year including, Hummingbird Island. The first day out, we prepped the site for native plants by spreading cardboard and mulching. A few months later, the community returned to plant new trees around the center landscaping.
Also in 2025, I joined a handful of other volunteers for green space cleanup by Lents Park to keep our waterways free of toxins.
Additional volunteering included several work parties at Malden Court Orchard in SE Portland. These include lots of weeding, tending, and mulching.
In the spring of 2026, I joined neighbors at Harrison Park to plant a new grove of trees. It was a beautiful day filled with learning and community. One of the trees is featured on the right.
Additional Volunteering
Free Store Volunteer and sign painting for Frog and Toad Hauling.
Crafting nature-themed puppets on the 350PDX Artbuild Team.
Community cleanups and more.
I care deeply about using my skills for the greater good. When you work with RLC, you allow me to donate more of my time and energy back into the Portland community.
Impact Through Business
1% towards Stripe Climate Contributions
Through every client invoice, RLC contributes 1% towards climate initiatives from all Stripe transactions. These funds are allocated towards carbon removal projects.
Print Sustainably
When designing for print, I always share sustainable printing options with my clients. Alternative paper stocks and FSC certifications are good to consider.
Sometimes the most sustainable option means finding a local printer to work with instead of ordering online because it helps you reduce the carbon footprint that comes with shipping materials.
I also avoid printing unnessesary pages at home to reduce my use of paper.
The Green Marketing Academy
I'm always learning and expanding my knowledge in ethical marketing and sustainable design.
Back in 2023, I took a course through the Green Marketing Academy. This covered a wide range of topics including how to spot greenwashing, ethical marketing, and sustainable printing options.
Although this group is no longer active, I've stayed connected with connections I've met through this earth-loving community.
Renee really outdid herself with my brand identity. I knew Renee would amaze me with the results, but she still surprised me with how divinely beautiful it turned out. I am so in love with it, love that she walked me through not only that, but also where I can find eco-friendly packaging.
Yadira Castillo
Woahdira Healing Beauty
Impact at Home
Plastic Reduction
When I moved to Portland with my dog and husband back in 2020, we started making intentional swaps to reduce our household waste.
Some of my favorites include:
- Bathroom: toothpaste tabs, shampoo bars, soap bars, and safety razor
- Kitchen: shopping bags, baking mats, water bottles, and dish soap block
- Cleaning: wool dryer balls and white vinegar
Low-waste Mindset
More tips for reducing waste at home:
- Consuming what you have to limit new purchases
- Reuse containers like pasta jars for storage
- Find a local refill shop. Been refiling with Simple Sundries, now Simpson's Refill Co. since 2021.
- Give it some time before you buy instead of acting on impulse
Plant Natives and Vermacompost
Although we don't own a home... yet (and for that reason can't do away with a traditional grass yard entirely), I've been passionate about adding native plants around our home.
Aside from filling in bare patches with clover, I've planted a strip of wildflowers that include yarrow and bright orange California poppies.
I also led the charge against removing invasive blackberry vines from the south and west sides of our house. We had one climbing all the way up and through the top of a downspout when we moved in!
A couple years back, I was blessed with a premade vermacompost. It's made up of a few five gallon buckets stacked inside one another with a healthy family of red wigglers that help us break down food scraps. I'm looking forward to gifting our indoor plants with the fresh nutrients soon!
Reuse, Repair, and Repurpose
Last year I took a stab at visible mending. We had a pesky nail leading into our bathroom that kept snagging socks and I was determined to fix all the holes that resulted. Although I haven't gotten through the entire stash, I did manage to complete several pairs that cycled back into our dresser.
I also save sooo many glass jars. If I can't use them at home, I pass them along for community refills at Simpson's Refill Co.
Compost, compost, compost
I'm thankful to live in a city with commercial composting available. Even if you don't compost at home, you can add food waste that would otherwise be sent to the landfill to your curbside green bin.
I also have a corner of my yard that I add yard waste too (the dog won't try to eat that) and I leave my leaves in the fall, so they can break down and add nutrients back into the soil.
Portland Community Resources
Borrow, Thrift, and Buy Secondhand
Thrift, trade, and pass items on to new homes (Green Lents Tool Library is a new favorite resource along with Buy Nothing Facebook groups and OfferUp).
I love restoring old furniture. My parent's reclaimed lots of materials throughout my childhood and it's a habit I've picked up as an adult. Even better? It saves stuff from going to the landfill and allows me to save money.
My primary desk was something I found locally for free and refinished to bring it back to life.
Shop Locally
One of my favorite ways to reduce my carbon footprint is by shopping locally! I support my neighbors and prevent the use of unnecessary shipping resources.
Local shops to check out in Portland include:
- Kate's Ice Cream for vegan and gluten free ice cream
- Coral Story Beauty for green beauty products
- Mister OK Essentials for candles and scents
- Poppy & Finch for living centerpieces and nature-themed workshops.
- Way of Being for sustainable, plastic-free swaps
Let's prepare your roots for sustainable growth.
So you can attract your dream clients, inspire loyal fans, and create a brand that people wear like a badge of honor.
Looking for branding or business advice? Browse the blog for guidance.
