Sustainability

As a certified sustainable business, our firm is committed to sustainable business practices. We are doing our part to protect the planet by minimizing our collective consumption of resources. Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers formally commits to firm-wide green initiatives and active participation through structured programs.

Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Eco-Challenge

Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers is a pledge partner of the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Eco-Challenge. A collaborative initiative between the MBA and the Conservation Law Foundation, this program encourages members of the legal community to conserve energy and resources. As a result of our pledge, we will help combat global warming through increasingly green business methods.

The American Bar Association Law Office Climate Challenge

Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers is also part of the American Bar Association Law Office Climate Challenge. The ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency work together to encourage law firms to take simple, practical steps to being green. Through this program, TBHR takes steps to reduce waste by using less paper, water and energy resources.

Massachusetts' Sustainable Business Leader Program

Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers is also a member of Massachusetts' Sustainable Business Leader Program (SBLP). The SBLP is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Boston Redevelopment Authority. SBLP helps businesses become sustainable leaders in the community. To reach the Sustainable Business Leader status, businesses must complete SBLP's rigorous process. This includes an eligibility assessment followed by six-months of personalized technical assistance. TBHR successfully completed this process and was awarded by SBLP as a sustainable business in 2010.

Going 'Green' Every Day

Tarlow, Breed, Hart & Rodgers is realizing the positive effects of 'going green' through the help of the firm's internal "Green Team". This team oversees sustainability practices and encourages ongoing participation in our environment-friendly programs. The TBHR Green Team worked with our building management to implement "single-stream" recycling, increasing the amount of materials recycled by members of our firm. The team also provides ongoing education for all employees about reducing their daily use of essential resources like water, paper and energy both at work and at home. Our collective efforts continue to show results through:

Reducing our overall consumption of resources, including reducing the firm’s water usage and a reduction of TBHR’s power consumption by 11%. These results come from initiatives such as:

replacing all incandescent light bulbs with efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs
setting all printers, copiers and computer monitors to enter sleep mode during inactivity
replacing all faucet fittings with low-flow aerators

Reducing the firm’s overall paper consumption as a result of:

purchasing a minimum 30% recycled content for all copy paper, letterhead, file folders, envelopes, business cards and other necessary paper items
replacing all possible office supplies with products made from recycled or renewable materials
replacing kitchen products with recycled materials, such as all paper plates and utensils are made from plant starch and the napkins and paper towels are 100% recycled content
encouraging 2-sided printing and copying, wherever practical