Here at Mountain Rose Herbs, we want to minimize our carbon footprint both as a company and as a collective community of individuals. One way we do this is through our Alternative Commute Program. For years, we have been encouraging our team members to stay healthy and reduce carbon emissions by not traveling to work in single-occupancy vehicles. This year, to further incentivize and increase participation, we improved the payout structure of the program.
We now pay staff members who carpool to work 25 cents per mile for each passenger or 25 cents per mile for bus commuters. Those who bicycle or walk to work now earn 35 cents per mile. Additionally, we offer an annual $250 reward for the employee who logs the most miles in each category. And while the cash incentives are the core of our program, Mountain Rose Herbs' participation goes beyond that.
There are invariably challenges that come into play when someone chooses not to drive to work in a single-occupancy vehicle.
Mountain Rose Herbs participates in an Emergency Ride Home Program, through our local public transportation provider, Lane Transit District. This program offers all employees four free taxi rides home for qualifying emergencies such as personal or family illness, personal property damage, or if the person you have carpooled with had to unexpectedly leave. This is offered to anyone who has carpooled, bused, biked, or walked to work that day.
We have found that a major barrier for those interested in commuting without motors is that they don’t want to start their work day directly after exercising. Our solution to that is offering showers, locker rooms, and complimentary tea and coffee to freshen up.
Anyone who rides their bicycle in a city knows that there are issues with bike theft. We remedied that concern by offering an enclosed, covered, and locked bike depot so that our employees can rest assured that their transportation will be there when they are ready to head back home. Not only does our bike depot offer a secure place to store our employees’ wheels, but it comes equipped with a bicycle repair kit in the event something needs adjusting or a tire needs changing.
We are truly proud of our staff members who choose to commute to work in alternative and earth-friendly ways. We promise to keep implementing incentives and support that will make it easier and more beneficial for them to do so.
Have any ideas on how to make our program even better? We are always looking for ways to improve, so feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below.
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