The AAA Portland Service Center has been recognized by the City of Portland as a RecycleWorks business for reducing, reusing, recycling and making sustainable purchasing choices such as paper with post-consumer recycled content.

RecycleWorks is a program of the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development that recognizes businesses for going above and beyond recycling by committing to sustainable business practices.

AAA Oregon/Idaho is also applying the RecycleWorks practices to its other locations in both states.

 

The AAA Clackamas Service Center and the AAA Oregon/Idaho Call Center have earned the right to BRAG. The office has qualified as one of Clackamas County’s Distinguished BRAG Members (Business Recycling Awards Group).

The offices practice waste reduction, recycle and purchase recycled products. As a distinguished BRAG member, a business must recycle all relevant materials regularly, prevent waste with at least six ongoing activities and consistently buy recycled copier/printer paper and other products.

The AAA Wood Village Insurance Sales Center received the GREAT (Gresham Resource Efficiency Assistance to Businesses) Business Award from the City of Gresham for doing an outstanding job in areas of resource conservation. GREAT businesses must meet strict criteria for water conservation, solid waste and recycling, storm water pollution prevention, energy conservation and wastewater pollution prevention. The goal of this program is to help businesses conserve natural resources and protect the local environment while helping their own bottom line.

 

Bring In Your Battery

AAA Oregon/Idaho organizes the AAA Great Battery Round Up every Spring to encourage recycling of used lead-acid batteries, which are one of the most potentially harmful consumer waste products.

Car batteries contain approximately 18 pounds of lead and a pound of sulfuric acid. Proper recycling and disposal of batteries is essential to protect the environment from these hazardous materials.

An estimated five million batteries are not recycled each year. These batteries are at risk to contaminate soil and ground water, explode in a fire or become a source of lead poisoning in humans and animals.

To help with the recycling effort, AAA Approved Auto Repair shops accept batteries for recycling during the entire month of April as part of its Great Battery Round Up. There, they can be safely recycled and formed into new batteries.

Safety First
If you have old batteries that you’d like to recycle as part of the AAA Great Battery Round Up, follow these important safety procedures:

The AAA Great Battery Round Up is one of the activities organized by AAA and coordinated by AAA Approved Auto Repair shops. Approved Auto Repair facilities must meet AAA requirements that include customer satisfaction, trained technicians and proper tools and equipment.

For a complete list of participating facilities, call 503-222-6750 or 1-800-452-1643 or click here.

 

AAA Oregon/Idaho is a major organizer of the Mercury Switch Out Program, designed to help reduce auto-related mercury emissions that occur when scrapped motor vehicles are recycled.

Mercury is a neurotoxin that has been linked to serious brain and nervous system damage in humans and wildlife. Mercury-activated switches can be found under the engine hood and trunk of most US-made vehicles. Proper disposal of these switches is essential but is often overlooked by vehicle owners.

As part of the Mercury Switch Out Program, AAA Approved Auto Repair shops will replace old mercury switches with non-mercury ball bearing switches free of charge. The removed mercury switches are then disposed of in special receptacles at an appropriate recycling facility.

AAA is partnering in this effort with the Oregon Environmental Council and the Northwest Automotive Trades Association (NATA).

AAA Oregon/Idaho is working closely with Oregon communities through its partnership with SOLV, a non-profit organization that provides resources to more than 250 Oregon communities, focusing on cleanup, beautification and enhancement projects.  AAA is a major sponsor of SOLV’s Fall Beach Cleanup and Project Oregon events.

 

AAA’s DriveGreen™ program partners with select Approved Auto Repair locations, which have been Green Certified by the Eco-Logical Business Program, an initiative sponsored by the Portland Pollution Prevention Outreach.

 

 

*SYC&S Discount Partner

 

AAA’s Show Your Card & Save® program offers everyday savings simply by showing your AAA card at participating partners.

 

AAA Oregon/Idaho participates in the Bonneville Environmental Foundation's Carbon Offset program.  Through the program AAA Oregon/Idaho has purchased Carbon Offsets for the carbon emissions of our buildings and fleet vehicles.