Greg Kamerer at their southeast
Portland location.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)
Rejuvenation, the Portland-based retailer of vintage lighting and housewares, has launched an ambitious program to encourage more employees to get to work by bike.
The company — which has been in business since 1977 and employs 200 people between its manufacturing facility, retail store, and catalog sales operation — has partnered with The Bike Gallery to give a bike and commuting gear package away to one lucky employee each month.
Rejuvenation President Alysa Rose says the program is part of a larger effort by the company to reduce their carbon footprint. “We’ve made a corporate commitment to reduce our carbon footprint by 5% a year and we realize employee transportation is a big part of that,” Rose said during a phone conversation yesterday.
Rose also said a major challenge to getting more of their employees to ride is financial,
“We have a very diverse workforce and many of our employees, especially at our manufacturing facility [in northwest Portland] simply cannot afford a new bike. It’s one thing for me, and other senior managers to stand up and say, ‘I’m going to get a bike and ride to work,’ but for others, the financial issue is a major hurdle.”
Rose hopes the new program will help some employees get over that financial “hump” that prevents them from riding to work.
In addition to a new bike, the monthly raffle winner will receive a full accessory package including lights, fenders, and a helmet. In exchange for the prizes, the employee must commit to bike commuting at least one day a week. If the winner already has a bike, they’ll get a similar prize, but only if they commit to increasing their weekly bike commute trips.
Rejuvenation already has a company-wide alternative transportation benefit. According to Rose, they give up to $30 a month to any employee who walks, bikes, or takes transit to work.
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Were there more companies like Rejuvenation Hardware and more company execs like Alysa Rose, it might actually be possible to rein in greenhouse gas emissions before atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases reach an environmental tipping point. It\’s nice to see that their bike raffle is not just a one-time thing, but a recurring event.
How totally marvellous! If Rejuvenation would also like bicycling resources to provide to their staff, PDOT can be of assistance. The City of Portland Office of Transportation offers some great free, user-friendly bike maps and resource guides, including the very awesome & popular credit-card sized, laminated fold out bike map that you can carry with you in your wallet –
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=34809&a=70221
Hooking up potential bike commuters with a great beginner bike commute class is also a great way to go! The BTA offers some great bike commute workshops throughout the year –
http://www.bta4bikes.org/resources/commute101.php
Go Rejuvenation!
I work at Rejuve, and it\’s nice to see folks talking about this – I\’ll be one of the \’bike mentors\’ helping the new riders get used to commuting. Just a little correction, the company is called Rejuvenation, just Rejuvenation (not be confused with Restoration Hardware)
\”the company is called Rejuvenation, just Rejuvenation (not be confused with Restoration Hardware)\”
Dang. my mistake Toby. sorry for that. I\’ve made the correction. Thanks for the comment.
Good corporate gesture, but it also concerns me.
\”We have a very diverse workforce and many of our employees, especially at our manufacturing facility [in northwest Portland] simply cannot afford a new bike\”
There is something wrong in our society when folks can be working full time and not afford simple luxuries (necessities??)such as a bike. I know many who work in manufacturing and can\’t even afford decent housing.
Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.
Oh brother Kev (#6), you don\’t know how much of everything else that company does for their all employees and the community all year long. Why don\’t you leave your soapbox and check \’em out! And not being able to afford a new bike isn\’t anything new in this economy for a lot of people – not just those in manufacturing and production type jobs. Go after those who deserve your kill-joy b.s.
If you use a new bike enough it will pay for itself in saved gas and car maintenance.
Well done Rejuvenation!
Boy, we need a bike-friendly business recognition program more than ever…if I have any hardware needs I will be sure to check these guys out.
So the ones already riding to work wouldn\’t get a new bike? I would hope the \”similar\” prize is just as good. What if one of the bike commuters that work at Rejuvenation needed a new bike, yet he/she wont qualify to get one? Not complaining, just thinking out loud. Great job Rejuvenation!
Jessica;
Let\’s talk about a bike-friendly business. I want to put more of them on my website and maybe do a recognition event.
Aaron
Not sure exactly what the Bike Gallery is doing to help them out, but thats awesome that they are supporting the effort.
Just a clarification re. #6 from the horse\’s mouth. Point being: offering a free bike to employees will help them get over any real or perceived financial hump. We\’re trying to find ways to eliminate as many obstacles as possible and get more people riding to work more frequently.
Thanks.