⁄From the Editor⁄ Branching Out FREQUENT AIR TRAVELERS KNOW that something big is happening at Portland International Airport, as the air terminal has undergone a massive remodel in recent years. They will soon get to see it with their own eyes, as Phase I of the terminal project is set to complete this August. As Garrett Andrews notes in his first feature for Oregon Business (“Super Fly,” p. 34), Phase I was originally set to complete in May but pushed back due to safety concerns. Andrews describes the massive scope of the project and the way planners sought to use local materials and create a calmer, more naturalistic atmosphere from the beginning. For “Fighting a Plastic Planet” (p. 22), Amy Milshtein looked at Ridwell — the Seattle-based startup that began picking up hard-to-recycle items from Portland-area homes in late 2020. Milshtein detailed the challenges Ridwell has faced in setting up operations, in finding recyclers who will take its scrap (a Styrofoam recycler abruptly shuttered early this year, putting Ridwell in the position of taking Styrofoam to the Seattle area) and in heading toward a viable business model. And on the subject of things that aren’t easy to recycle: For this issue (p. 28, “The Big Fix”) I looked into Oregon’s Right to Repair law, which Gov. Tina Kotek signed into law this spring. This law is unusual in that it contains language that takes direct aim at parts pairing — which manufacturers use to restrict the use of replacement parts for repairs. Along with a set of other complex forces — including offshoring of labor that has made electronics plentiful and cheap — it means consumers are often put in the position of replacing their computers, phones, tablets and other devices rather than getting them fixed. That’s bad for consumers and for the environment (since electronics aren’t easy to recycle and contain heavy metals that are bad for soil and water). But the new law, advocates hope, will make it easier to fix electronics and keep them in use longer. Every June we honor the 100 Best Green Employers in Oregon — a list of companies and nonprofits, ranked based on employee surveys assessing the organizations’ commitment to employing green practices day-to-day and to big-picture sustainability initiatives. This year’s list (p. 43) includes a mix of new contenders as well as repeat honorees, and as always, we recognize a mix of large, medium and small outfits. Congratulations to those organizations that made the list. EDITORIAL EDITOR Christen McCurdy christenm@oregonbusiness.com ART DIRECTOR Joan McGuire joanm@oregonbusiness.com STAFF WRITER Garrett Andrews garretta@oregonbusiness.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jason E. Kaplan jasonk@oregonbusiness.com COPY EDITOR Morgan Stone CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Milshtein, Doug Toomey, Stuart A. Wells PUBLISHING PUBLISHER Courtney Kutzman courtneyk@oregonbusiness.com EVENTS MANAGER Craig Peebles craigp@oregonbusiness.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Evan Morehouse evanm@mediamerica.net ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Greta Hogenstad gretah@mediamerica.net DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alison Kattleman alisonk@mediamerica.net PRESIDENT AND CEO Andrew A. Insinga CONTROLLER Bill Lee BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN André W. Iseli PRESIDENT Andrew A. Insinga SECRETARY William L. Mainwaring TREASURER Win McCormack VOLUME 47 ⁄ NUMBER 5 OREGON BUSINESS (ISSN 02798190) is published 8 times per year, monthly except Mar/Apr, Jul/Aug and Oct/Nov/Dec issues, by MEDIAmerica Inc. at 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223. Subscription inquiries should be directed to 503-445-8811. Subscription charge is $24.95 per year, $49.95 for two years in the USA. Single copies and back issues available at above address and at selected newsstands. The editor is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Copyright © 2024 by MEDIAmerica Inc. All rights reserved. All material is protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed in Oregon. Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Oregon Business, 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223 8
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