Tool Libraries: Borrow and Save

At Portland’s community-run libraries, you can borrow tools for your home, yard, and garden – from drills and saws to lawnmowers and weed whackers. Whether it’s a minor repair or a major project, they’ve got tools for carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and more.  

How it works  

1. Find your nearest tool library 

• East Portland 

• North Portland  

• Northeast Portland 

• Southeast Portland  

• Green Lents 

• Southwest Portland  

2. Sign up to become a member 

Go to your nearest tool library’s website and look for a “become a member” section. Many tool libraries ask you to fill out a membership form on their website and then bring an ID and some proof of address (like a bill) to the tool library to confirm you live in the neighborhood to finalize your membership.  

Everyone is welcome to join, whether you live in a house or apartment, rent or own. 

3. Find out when they’re open 

Most tool libraries are open on Saturdays from morning through early afternoon. Some are also open during an evening or two during the week.  

Tip: Check tool availability before you go 

Check your tool library’s website to see if they have the tools you need and if they’re in stock when you need them. If the tools are checked out, you can see when they’re due back.

Save money and space 

You can save money by borrowing tools for free instead of buying them. Just make sure to return them on time to avoid late fees. Some tool libraries ask for a suggested donation when you join, but no one will be turned away for a lack of funds.  

Plus, borrowing tools will avoid cluttering your closet, basement, or garage with tools you only use once a year.   

“Everyone who comes in here says it’s amazing. People can’t believe we have everything they need.” - Thomas C., NE Portland Tool Library volunteer 

Meet your neighbors and get advice 

Tool libraries are a great place to get advice from neighbors on which tools will work best, how to avoid common mistakes, and which local shops offer the project supplies you need. Plus, some tool libraries offer workshops on repair and remodeling.  

Save energy and natural resources 

For every tool that doesn’t have to be purchased new, you’ve saved the energy and natural resources needed to manufacture it, as well as the carbon emissions from extracting raw materials, turning them into new products, and transporting them to the stores where you buy them. 

A 2015 study showed that one year’s worth of North Portland Tool Library’s tool loans was the carbon emissions equivalent of taking thirty-five cars off the road for a full year. 

Keep tool libraries thriving: Volunteer and donate 

Portland’s tool libraries are completely volunteer-run and they’re always looking for more volunteers.  

You don’t need to be a tool expert to volunteer. The most important job at the tool library is welcoming neighbors and checking tools in and out.  

Other ways to volunteer include fundraising, repairing damaged tools, taking photos of tools, managing the tool library’s newsletters or social media, or serving on volunteer boards. 

“I love volunteering here, and so do the other volunteers.” - Thomas C., NE Portland Tool Library volunteer 

Monetary donations go a long way for tool libraries. They allow them to purchase and maintain tools, promote the library to the community, find and train volunteers, and more. Jason Naumann, former Green Lents Tool Library board member, says that funding is critical for “pushing forward our shared objective of waste reduction.”  

Spring cleaning tips: Out with the old, in with the new (to you)

Ready to shake off winter with a good spring cleaning?  

Clean out the old, bring in the new (to you)  

As you clean out closets and drawers, set aside items that are still in good, working condition. Instead of tossing them, donate them to a local nonprofit thrift store – and while you’re there, shop around for items you need.   

Donating high-quality items supports the community, and buying from non-profit-run thrift stores helps fund great local causes. 

Plus, you’re avoiding letting good stuff go to waste, which is great for the environment.  For every item that doesn’t have to be purchased new, you’ve saved the energy and natural resources needed to manufacture it – as well as the carbon emissions from extracting raw materials, processing them into new products, and transporting them to the stores where you buy them. 

Check ahead to see if it’s accepted 

Before taking your items to donate, check the organization's website to confirm what they currently accept: This can change depending on their inventory.  

Shop online  

Did you know many nonprofit thrift stores share their items online or through social media? Additionally, Facebook Marketplace has become a resource for affordable secondhand finds local to your area. Shopping secondhand has never been easier! 

Local spots to shop and donate  

• Community Warehouse shares great items from their Estate Store on Instagram. Or shop in person at their Northeast Portland or Tualatin stores. They accept donations of furniture, mattresses, small appliances, and other home goods.  

• ReClaim It shares items on social media - both Instagram and Facebook. Or visit them in person at their shop in North Portland (at North Williams and Killingsworth – not far from Community Warehouse, so check them both out). They accept donations of furniture, home goods, yard and garden items.  

• ReBuilding Center shows what they sell at their large store on North Mississippi Avenue in Portland. They accept donations of building materials and some home goods.  

• Habitat ReStore has an online store or head to their stores in Southeast Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, or Vancouver. They accept donations of building materials and home goods.  

• The Arc Thrift Store is located on Southeast Stark near 82nd Avenue and highlights items through Instagram. They accept donations of clothes and small household items.  

• SCRAP Creative Reuse has an online store or stop by their downtown Portland store. They accept donations of craft, art, and school supplies.  

• Free Geek offers refurbished laptops, tablets, and phones through their online store. They accept donations of computers, laptops, and other technology at their inner Southeast Portland location.  

Swap, share, and resell  

Check out the Resourceful PDX map to find more ways to save, from swapping unwanted items through a Buy Nothing Group, to getting reused and repaired furniture, household goods, and more.  

Partners activate reuse and resale shop in Old Town

Bullfrog’s Treasure N Trash has opened in Northwest Portland’s Old Town neighborhood. It’s a retail store where you can find antiques along with reclaimed furniture and other goods.

But it’s not just a store. It’s an innovative Reuse Hub focused on environmental justice and workforce development. It was created through a unique partnership between local businesses and nonprofits that facilitates low-barrier job opportunities in reuse, repair, and litter collection.

The organizations that came together to create Treasure N Trash are:

• Trash for Peace, a 10-year-old community-based organization providing hands-on learning, low-barrier job opportunities, and education about sustainability in environments that are peer-led, welcoming, safe, and collaborative. 

• Ground Score Association, a peer-led initiative of Trash for Peace. It celebrated its fourth anniversary in 2022. Ground Score is an association of informal recyclers, dumpster divers and other environmental workers who create and fill low-barrier waste management jobs. Ground Score is collectively organized and seeks to be radically inclusive, prioritizing work opportunities for those facing work and housing insecurity. They aim to build a more environmentally and socially aware community, while also changing society’s perceptions of what and who is considered valuable.

• Junk It Junk Removal, a local, family-owned company that began in 2012 and specializes in residential and commercial waste hauling.

• Frog & Toad Hauling celebrated its third anniversary in 2022. They specialize in waste-conscious junk removal, creative reuse, and home repair. 

These organizations moved into the Old Town warehouse in October 2022 and use the space for many things; a co-working office space, headquarters for Ground Score's peer-led litter collection and reuse/repair program, a meeting spot with a kitchen and lounge; and short-term storage for the two junk removal companies to sort and determine if repairs are needed before moving items to the thrift store.

Reuse has been a large part of both Junk It and Frog & Toad’s business models. Donation and diversion of materials are key elements in how they work with clients to remove unwanted items from homes and businesses. The warehouse provides the companies with a space to inspect and repair items that still have a lot of useful life left in them.

The owners of Frog & Toad, Revel and Sun, shared, “Our goal with the shared retail space is the establishment of a vibrant and useful place for our neighborhood and wider community where ‘stuff,’ which may have once been discarded, can flow towards where it will be treasured, which often is where it is needed the most. We feel that being in collaboration with the other groups in the warehouse is what will make this possible and help our store to thrive!”

Michelle Barrows-Carter from Junk It Junk Removal, said, "We are proud to be a part of a new warehouse space shared with Ground Score Association, Frog & Toad Hauling, and Trash for Peace, where we can prioritize sustainability and creative reuse.”

Low-barrier job opportunities

Trash for Peace partners with local government and other agencies to implement programs for renters in supportive, multifamily affordable housing communities. Based on community interest and initiative, some pilot projects clear unwanted large household items from apartments and homes, like dressers, tables, mattresses, and other furniture. Working alongside the junk removal companies allows thousands of pounds of trash to be diverted from the landfill by utilizing reused and donated materials in other activities that the organization leads.

Ground Score’s G.L.I.T.T.E.R program provides litter collection and tent side waste collection services for members of the houseless community across the Portland Metro Region. The program name was sourced by workers and stands for Ground Score Leading Inclusively Together Through Environmental Recovery. 

“It’s incredible to witness everyone’s unique progress. The sense of accomplishment bursting out of each participant when they finish their tote bag is so powerful! We provide a different type of purpose. You are worth the time it takes to learn a new skill.” - Rachel Linden

Many of the litter collection routes are serviced by electric trikes, as part of Ground Score's goal to create carbon neutral litter collection services. As this program is peer-led, most of the litter collection team are currently or formerly houseless. 

New programs taking place in the shared space

Two programs taking place at the shared warehouse offer a glimpse into other low-barrier opportunities with room for skill building and further growth.

Rachel Linden is an artist and founder of Thuja Studios, an independent design studio dedicated to the dissemination of utilitarian sewing education to marginalized communities across Portland. Rachel has extensive sewing production and teaching experience, and with the help of Molly Mattern, has started a sewing and mending education program for Ground Score workers.

The Sewing Department offers accessible, professional machine sewing education where members of the Ground Score community can gain competency and hands-on experience in the field of production sewing. Every participant is guided through the production process of a basic tote bag where they learn about strategic fabric selection, pattern reading, marking, and cutting out components, and sewing processes. Currently, the emerging sewing team focuses on the mass production of hand-mending sewing kits made from discarded fabrics that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. After being produced and filled with relevant, second-hand mending tools, these kits are then distributed back into the Ground Score community through professional, classroom-style, hand-mending workshops offered every other week with a $30 stipend offered to participants as extra incentive to learn.

“I’m in my element.” - Beck, a Ground Score employee

"Here at Ground Score, we're making space for folks to form community. Through jobs we help them reclaim the fruits of their labor stolen by poverty and houselessness." - Toma Solano

Another Ground Score manager, Toma Solano, previously trained houseless community members to design and build structures for several of Portland's tiny home villages while also contracting for private residential clients. At Ground Score, Toma helps provide low barrier jobs to houseless individuals as apprentice carpenters. Together they use donated and salvaged wood to repair and upcycle furniture. They also build trellises, lamps, bookshelves, and flower boxes.

If you would like to get involved or donate, visit the Trash for Peace website at www.trashforpeace.org.

If you would like to visit Bullfrog’s Trash N Treasure retail store, check out the website for current information, contact information, and social media handles.

ReDeploy serves Veterans through reuse and repair

G.I. Junk Removal, and its nonprofit arm ReDeploy, were created by Matthew Calhoun, a former member of the U.S. Army and the Oregon National Guard.

Matt started G.I. Junk Removal in 2018, just a few years after retiring from the military. Three years later, he created ReDeploy as a way to provide Veterans employment, furniture, and other goods.

Creating community and a second life for usable goods

At ReDeploy, Matt employs former military, including his father-in-law, Kevin Knerr, who is active on the board and with Veterans in Vancouver, Washington. ReDeploy is based in Oregon City, but they deliver goods throughout the Portland metro region through their mobile service.

Matt shared his vision of the organization: “Beyond the redistribution of usable secondhand goods from the junk removal service, ReDeploy will also become a place where Veterans can volunteer their time and skills to refurbish and fix up items destined to be donated to fellow Veterans in need. Also, our warehouse will become a place of camaraderie for Veterans to regain that sense of belonging to a group.”

G.I. Junk Removal and ReDeploy owner, Matt Calhoun.

ReDeploy donates directly to Veterans who are getting housed and can benefit from usable, donated household goods and furniture. Items such as couches, tables, chairs, dressers, nightstands, and beds. ReDeploy also donates to partners and other organizations that provide goods to those in need.

The G.I. Junk Removal crew is trained to offer a compassionate approach when working with customers and emptying spaces. They also know how to spot usable items for donation or resale. Furniture that may need a small fix before being donated can get a second chance because Kevin has a wood shop and repair skills.

In the future, Matt aims to build a workshop space within their warehouse for Veterans to fix and refurbish items on site.

Partnerships are key to success

Over the years, Matt has built relationships with social service agencies and nonprofit and community-based organizations, including many that serve Veterans. These include:

• A Caring Closet provides gently used durable medical equipment to those in need at no cost.

• Fort Kennedy provides essential food, clothing, and resources for homeless and low-income veterans and their families living in Oregon and Washington.

• LoveOne Community provides clean laundry, showers, meals, personal care resources, and community connections to those in need in Clackamas County.

• Tools 4 Troops collects and donates tools to Veterans and active-duty service men and women.

ReDeploy also received grant funds from Metro to help set up their warehouse with storage and tools for assessing, sorting, storing, and refurbishing salvaged items.

Contact ReDeploy through G.I. Junk Removal, to set up a donation pick up or clean out service.

A note about clean out companies   

Portland residents have many bulky item drop-off and pick-up options for recycling, donation, and disposal. This includes from many junk removal companies in the region, like G.I. Junk Removal. These businesses will clear out and clean up your unwanted stuff and haul it away for a fee. Do a web search for “junk removal Portland” to find other options. 

Customers are responsible for ensuring your materials are handled legally and taken to a facility. Ask for a receipt with the person or company's name, address, phone number and vehicle and driver's license numbers.  

New Beginnings Market: A new way to support community through donation and reuse

This past fall, IRCO, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, opened the New Beginnings Market in northeast Portland. The Market, located in a large warehouse space, is a no-cost shop offering used and new furniture, clothing, and household items to immigrants and refugees, plus those coming out of homelessness, and domestic or gang violence.

New Beginnings Market allows individuals to choose the items they need as they build a new life in a new place. This “shop-our-store” format has long been used by another local nonprofit, Community Warehouse, and gives individuals a greater sense of choice in how they set up their new homes.

Megumi Harn, IRCO’s In-Kind Fundraising Lead, shared that since the New Beginnings Market opened in October 2022, they’ve served 2,215 clients, with a total value of household items offered at over $135,000.

The Market is a new program from a long-standing Oregon nonprofit

IRCO has deep roots in Portland and throughout Oregon. IRCO Fundraising Manager, Nami Bigos, shared that there are over 100 programs, including 19 food pantries, that serve 20,000-30,000 people a year.

After 45 years of providing refugee employment services, IRCO recently became a refugee resettlement provider under the United States Commission of Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a national volunteer agency. In the past year, they have welcomed over 250 new arrivals from Afghanistan and Iraq. With the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis in February 2022, over 2,000 Ukrainian humanitarian parolees arrived in the Portland-Vancouver area also needing resettlement help, with limited support from traditional resources.  

New Beginnings Market is one of their newest programs and was created to provide a one-stop shop for basic needs. Navigating support services can be hard for anyone, and even harder for immigrants and refugees who are learning a new language and culture. IRCO aims to make the Market shopping experience easy for clients: The Market is located on a TriMet bus line and IRCO will deliver large furniture directly to clients. 

New Beginnings Market allows IRCO to collect and distribute donated goods more efficiently: They no longer must move donations to and from storage units. The space also allows IRCO to collect more items, display them in a more customer-friendly way, and provide clients with a better shopping experience. 

The need for donations is great

Not only are people’s needs greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but resources are slimmer. Also, with the startup of the refugee resettlement program in 2021, placing families in completely outfitted homes has become a core part of IRCO’s service delivery.

In addition to collecting donated goods from Portland community members, the Market receives donations from businesses and corporations including Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Rejuvenation and BedMart. IRCO also relies on volunteer groups and individual volunteers to help organize and run the Market.

How you can support New Beginnings Market

While the Market is not a retail space, or open to the public, a variety of new and gently used donations are welcome!

The most needed items are:

• Diapers

• Laundry detergent

• Mattresses

• Couches

• Dressers

Other items needed include:

• Kitchen, housewares, and décor 

• Beauty and personal care products 

• Cleaning supplies 

• Baby and school supplies 

• Linens and clothing 

See the full list of items IRCO needs. This list is regularly updated, and things may be added or removed from the list based on client needs and current inventory.

For gently used donations, IRCO wants clean and functional pieces, with no stains, tears, or pet hair. The Market Team will check for pest infestation.

Before you donate, contact the New Beginnings Market to describe the items you would like to donate: Donations@IRCO.org or 971-271-6461. Emailing photos of your items helps staff determine which items would best meet their clients’ needs. Once you’ve heard from IRCO staff about which items they can use, you can drop them off Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Market staff will provide the drop-off address.

For larger items, like couches or dressers, IRCO may be able to pick them up from your home for a suggested donation to cover transportation and gas costs. 

To learn more about the New Beginnings Market, how to donate new or gently used goods, or to volunteer, contact Nami and Megumi at Donations@IRCO.org or call 971-271-6461. Monetary and Amazon Wish List donations are also welcome.

No Space for Waste at The Realm Refillery

The Realm Refillery is a package free grocery store in Northeast Portland that provides a more sustainable way of shopping by allowing customers to buy as much or as little as needed, creating less food waste, and less packaging waste.

Owners Brit Snipes and Ryan Knowles work hard to assure the products they sell support local businesses and are sustainably and ethically produced. Ninety-five percent of their products are organic, and they look for items that are fair trade, chemical-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and use minimal packaging. They source products from over 30 small, local vendors and numerous local farms, and purchase from wholesale vendors that share the same values.

Brit said, “We need to all do our best to make sure the choices we make when consuming are focused on going straight back into our local economies as a community. Having the ability to buy local and with a small business is key to doing just that. Large corporations aren't the answers for progress.”

Shoppers are a mix of regulars and new customers who walk in to see what a package free grocery store looks like. Brit says they have an attention to cleanliness of containers, respect for food allergies with no cross contamination, and an intimate community.

Social media has been integral to an increase in young customers, especially Tik Tok which offers another way to share what the store is doing through short videos. Brit and Ryan want to build community by offering events and swaps as ways for customers to get to know each other.

There is a DIY aesthetic in the store, with Ryan taking the lead on building out the space and working with other local makers to complete the look. 

Ryan shared, “The DIY music scene and the ethos that comes with it was very impactful on my life from a pretty young age. Naturally, we wanted to do as much as ourselves, not only to reduce cost and waste, but so we could see out our vision to its fullest. We had never done anything to this level before and thanks to close friends and YouTube, we were able to get it all done ourselves. It's an amazing feeling to walk into the store every day and see our hard work come to life.”

Weigh, tap, tare

The Realm Refillery offers many products, including snacks, spices, baking ingredients, granola, olive oil, laundry and cleaning supplies, bath, and body products – even local, seasonal produce.

For bulk items, all jars have an initial deposit of $2. Once the jar is returned, the deposit rolls over to your new container each time you shop.

The staff are there to answer questions and assist with fast checkout with their weigh, tap, tare process. “We use a system called Filljoy in the store, which allows us to save the weights of all containers we use in the shop so we can easily deduct the tare for the customers. We even have all our paper bags weighed out, so customers won't ever pay for anything except exactly the amount of product that they intended to purchase.”

Brit and Ryan continue to make changes, with a free loyalty program as a recent addition. For every $1 you spend, you receive one point. When you get to 100 points, you receive a voucher to use in the store.

The monthly membership is like a co-op. Members don’t pay the deposit on containers and can take advantage of 20% off rotating items that are marked with a decal. You can also get more bulk items with discounts.

Future changes to bring your own containers

Customers often ask if they can bring their own container, but this is not currently allowed under Oregon Law. As part of the broader reusable container conversation, Brit and Ryan are involved with the Surfrider Foundation on a petition and possible legislation to change this law for the state of Oregon and approve bring your own containers.

You can sign the petition to help change the law.

Learn more about The Realm Refillery at their website, including frequently asked questions, and by following them on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

Just moved? Get thrifty.

Whether you need a lamp for your bedroom, pots and pans for your kitchen, or extra chairs for when friends come over, you can find great deals at Portland’s many nonprofit thrift stores.  

In addition to saving money, you’ll be giving back to your community – your purchases fund great, local causes. 

Out with the old, in with the new (to you) 

As you unpack, you may find that items that fit well in your last place don't work in your new space. Instead of tossing them, donate them to a local nonprofit thrift store – and while you’re there, shop around for items you need to fill your new place.  

Shop online 

Did you know that many nonprofit thrift stores share their items online or through social media? So you can browse from your couch – or that empty spot on the floor that’s waiting for a couch.  

Local spots to shop and donate 

Community Warehouse shares great items from their Estate Store on Instagram. Or shop in person at their Northeast Portland or Tualatin stores. They accept donations of furniture, mattresses, small appliances, and other home goods. 

ReClaim It shares items on social media - both Instagram and Facebook. Or visit them in person at their shop in North Portland (at North Williams and Killingsworth – not far from Community Warehouse, so check them both out). They accept donations of furniture, home goods, yard and garden items. 

ReBuilding Center shows what they sell at their large store on North Mississippi Avenue in Portland. They accept donations of building materials and some home goods. 

Habitat ReStore has an online store or head to their stores in Southeast Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, or Vancouver. They accept donations of building materials and home goods. 

The Arc Thrift Store is located on Southeast Stark near 82nd Avenue and highlights items through Instagram. They accept donations of clothes and small household items. 

SCRAP Creative Reuse has an online store or stop by their downtown Portland store. They accept donations of craft, art, and school supplies. 

Free Geek offers refurbished laptops, tablets, and phones through their online store. They accept donations of computers, laptops, and other technology at their inner Southeast Portland location. 

Before taking your items to donate, check the organization's website to confirm what they currently accept: This can change depending on what their inventory is. Some organizations ask that you send photos in for pre-approval. 

Swap, share, and resell 

Check out the Resourceful PDX map to find more ways to save, from swapping unwanted items through a Buy Nothing Group, to getting reused and repaired furniture, household goods, and more.  

Get your food to go, without the waste, with GO Box

Portland has been fortunate to have GO Box, a women-owned and led reusable take-out food container system, for 11 years. To date, GO Box has prevented over 750,000 single-use items from being disposed.

Like many small, local businesses in Portland, GO Box both survived and thrived during the pandemic. CEO Jocelyn Gaudi Quarrell shared that the company pivoted and recovered from the first year of Covid impacts, then transitioned from operating in a small commissary kitchen to a 1,000 sq ft space, and then into an 8,000 sq ft warehouse in July 2021. They also expanded to 10 staff members.

People passing by their Central Eastside location can look through large windows and watch the step-by-step process of how the reusable containers are collected and cleaned with automated commercial dishwashing equipment.

New space allows expansion and more partners

GO Box’s new, larger space has created opportunities to partner with like-minded businesses, such as Utility Zero Waste and Legwork Local Delivery. In total, GO Box has 100 partner vendors, including food carts, brick and mortar restaurants, and regional grocery stores. Jocelyn said she wants to support small local businesses and larger companies transition away from single-use packaging towards durable, reusable systems.

GO Box containers can now be found at the deli counter and in the bulk sections of every New Seasons Market location, from Fisher’s Landing in Vancouver to Happy Valley and Hillsboro.

And GO Box partners with Imperfect Foods to clean gel packs from the grocery delivery business so they can be reused repeatedly by Imperfect.

A new venture called Loop hired GO Box to manage logistics for their first U.S. pilot program of reusable packaging for consumer goods including everything from ice cream to shampoo. Through the pilot, you can buy products in Loop reusable packaging and return the empty containers at any of these 25 local Fred Meyer locations.

Heather Watkins, GO Box’s new Chief Revenue Officer, said, “We’ve seen a tremendous amount of interest to partner with businesses across the region. Companies are really interested to implement reusable packaging and reduce their waste. This is a big win for us all in the community.”

How it works

GO Box makes zero waste takeout easy. With a subscription to GO Box, you can order takeout food and drinks in reusable containers at 100+ restaurants, food carts, cafes, and grocery stores across Portland.

There are various subscription options so customers can borrow what they need when they need it, through the GO Box app:

1. Select the subscription term and credit level which best fits your reuse needs, starting at $3.95 a month.

2. Check out reusables from any partner vendor and return reusables to any drop site using the GO Box app.

Find a GO Box vendor, get your questions answered, and dig into why reuse matters.

Upgrade your coffee with Okapi Reusables

A new cup exchange program makes ditching the disposable easy

OKAPI Reusables is a cup borrowing service designed to make it easy to skip the single-use cup when you get coffee to-go. 

Owners Deb Gray and Emily Chueh started working on reusable cups two years ago and launched OKAPI in four cafes in Portland this January. Over the past three months, the OKAPI network has grown to 11 locations where you can get your drink to-go in an OKAPI cup, then return the used cup and lid to any location within two weeks. The most recent addition is Rohst Coffee Co. in Milwaukie. 

Deb shared that they have sought out independent, walkable coffee shops. OKAPI provides a cup display, signs, and posters to cafes to help catch your eye as you’re ordering. But it’s the enthusiastic baristas – presenting the reusable option to regular customers – that’s been the key to success. 

“We started OKAPI in part because we both struggle with cutting waste on a daily basis. First, there’s so much plastic packaging in groceries, then there’s all that takeout waste. We wanted an easy way to skip single-use packaging – something we’d use. Given that Portland is such a hub of specialty coffee, it made sense to bring together great coffee with a convenient way to skip the disposable cup.” 

Barista-approved cups 

Baristas here in town helped choose the cups OKAPI uses. The cups are double-walled, stainless steel with silicone lids. They are stackable, washable, and come in 12- and 16-ounce sizes.  

And they’re well insulated, so they keep hot drinks hot longer, and cold drinks colder. And it’s not limited to coffee. Deb said, “Locations like Happy Day Juice Co. serve smoothies and juices in our cups.” 

How OKAPI works for coffee shops 

There is no upfront cost to cafe owners to establish OKAPI at their shops. It’s pay-as-you go at costs comparable to disposable cups. Deb and Emily want to help owners get started with reusables and believe this service helps to change behavior. Each time someone gets a drink to-go in an OKAPI cup, others see it, and it helps make reuse the new norm. 

OKAPI piloted their service at two locations in November 2021: Clinton Street Coffeehouse and Bastion. Both cafes continue to offer OKAPI post-pilot, and Clinton took the extra step of instituting a $0.25 surcharge for disposable cups. Their volume of drinks served in reusables (bring-your-own cups and OKAPI) increased from 10 to 19% in a month. There are 125 OKAPI members today. 

OKAPI is seeking partnerships to increase visibility around town. Moreland Farmers Market is one example. Fetch Coffee Roasters will be serving cold brew in OKAPI cups at the market this season. Fetch offers coffee to-go in OKAPI cups today at their Sellwood cafe. 

Deb shared that clear cups for cold drinks, like bubble tea and smoothies, are being tested too. 

How OKAPI works for customers 

You check out and return the cups using a simple app. Borrow, scan and show, and return. 

There is a membership fee that helps OKAPI expand the network to more cafes, with more convenient drop-off locations, which ultimately means a larger impact on single-use trash. The cost for a one-time membership is $10, then it’s just a quarter each time you borrow a cup. 

The program works if the cups stay in circulation, so just drop the cup back at the cafe where you got it, or at any participating cafe. 

Find a cafe and follow them on Instagram or Facebook. 

Portland’s circular economy: A needs assessment

What does Portland’s circular economy need to survive and thrive? 

In 2021, reuse, repair, and share organizations were invited to participate in a needs assessment project as part of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) sustainable consumption and production work. This process included interviews, small group discussions, and surveys asking leading reuse organizations in Portland to evaluate the needs and current state of Portland’s circular economy.   

Top needs 

Five areas of support were raised by reuse organizations throughout the discussions and survey responses:  

1. Space, location, and storage 

2. Equity, diversity, and inclusion; accessibility; and climate justice  

3. Communications and marketing 

4. Capacity building and staffing support 

5. Funding and grants 

Next steps 

Seven reuse, repair, and share organizations have formed a group – the Reuse Collective – and are meeting regularly to address the needs raised in the assessment. 

To address the need of affordable spaces in convenient locations, BPS is exploring the creation of shared reuse, repair, and share spaces throughout Portland. These spaces would act as community hubs, offering more borrowing and sharing opportunities within neighborhoods. One current place is the Leaven Community in Northeast Portland. This is where many community organizations have space, including the Northeast Portland Tool Library and Kitchen Commons, and could be a model for future hubs.

BPS is also committed to continuing to use Resourceful PDX to share and promote community resources and events, elevate the upstream conversation of thoughtful consumption, and invest in community-led opportunities to rent, share, fix, and reuse goods.  

Read the full report 

2021 Needs Assessment of Portland-based Reuse, Repair, and Share organizations: 

• Download PDF file Executive Summary (947.74 Kb) 

• Download PDF file Overview (1028.08 Kb) 

Learn more about sustainable consumption and production through local circular economy case studies.  

Have an idea about ways to create a more circular economy in Portland, or support an existing reuse effort? Contact Resourceful PDX to share your ideas.