What’s Green About This Workplace?

“Old Presidio Traders practices recycling at its best and instructs all of its employees to do the same. All though it is located in Tubac, where there is neither a recycling center nor a recycling pick-up service, owners Garry & Lisa Hembree have managed to find a way during all of their 25 years in business. Garry himself drives all the recyclables produced by the Native American Arts and Crafts store and its employees to the closest facility, several miles away, every week.

A large, homemade recycling bin is used to collect and separate all the glass, metal, paper, and hard and soft plastics to be hauled away. Styrofoam and packing materials, including boxes, are saved and reused to ship merchandise. Breakables are always wrapped in used newspaper, and plastic bags are avoided whenever possible, and recycled whenever not. Recyclable collections bins are even available both inside and outside the store for customers to utilize!

Also, condensation from the swamp cooling system in collected and used to water the surrounding trees. The energy efficient adobe structure was built by Garry and team using green building techniques and the rear of the property is lined with 15 years of planted living Christmas trees. This small business may just be a mom and pop shop, but mom and pop sure do set a great example of how to live and conduct business the green way!”

“They encourage people to recycle bags or not to use bags when purchasing items.”