Being green and being lean are not exclusive goals. As a Christmas gift, Kitzhaber gave each staff member a ceramic mug. Don't even think about bringing a foam cup full of steaming latte into a conference. Get your latte to go in your mug. Anyone with a foam container pays a fine of 25 cents.
Sustainability requires simultaneously meeting environmental, economic and community needs.
Kitzhaber left the door wide open for ideas. Trucks that delivered supplies to state prisons used to return empty. Gardeners for the Capitol grounds use 20 percent of the fertilizer and pesticides compared to 10 years ago. They're even trying folk remedies, like a mixture of baking soda, water and oil for black spot on roses. Not every option to a healthy future costs big bucks.