Blog

Donate Food to Those in Need

charlies Deli sandwich

On Thursday, March 26, PPP will deliver donated meals to the Portland Rescue Mission to provide food to the vulnerable populations they serve. This will support not only the Portland Rescue Mission but Portland Pedal Power and our restaurant partners as well.

Would you like to donate? Here is how:

1. Submit a catering request form with your contact information and include the amount you are willing to contribute and “for Portland Rescue” in the “Special Requests” field. $12 = one meal

2. If you have an account with PPP, we can charge the contribution to your house account or credit card on file. If you do not have an account or are making a personal contribution, PPP will send an eBill that you can pay with a credit card. Please note in the “Special Requests” field if you have an account but prefer an eBill.

3. PPP will submit an order to one or more of our restaurant partners for lunch on Thursday and deliver the food to the Portland Rescue Mission. PPP can provide a copy of the donation slip upon request- please note the request in the “Special Requests” field.

4. PPP will not be charging any delivery fees – 100% of the contributions will be going to food for the Portland Rescue Mission. If you would like to include a tip for our staff, please note that in the catering request form.

5. Catering request forms must be received by 5 PM on Wednesday, March 25 to be included in the order on the 26th. Requests received after this time will be used to donate food the following week.

We hope you all are staying healthy and safe during this period of social isolation.


PPP Update on Office Food Safety

Catering setup

Editors note, 5/18/2020: We wanted to let our community know that we will be releasing a full update soon about our enhanced safety precautions. For now, some highlights are: 1) Masks are worn while picking up your food and at your office. 2) Delivery bags and boards are cleaned after each use, and bikes are cleaned before every route. 3) all employees maintain a 6+ feet working distance or are work remotely. Stay safe, Portland!

—–

The increase in coronavirus cases in the US and here in Portland has led to increased sensitivity around hygiene and safety best practices. This is especially true when it comes to food. While the CDC states that there is no evidence that food causes the spread of coronavirus, it is important to ensure that food consumed in the office meets food safety guidelines and general hygiene best practices.

At Portland Pedal Power, food safety is always top of mind. We want to ensure our customers that we are taking all necessary precautions to keep you and your food safe. Below is a list of the PPP safety protocols followed by our catering team’s recommendations for food safety in the office. 

Portland Pedal Power staff precautions:

  1. All PPP staff are food handlers certified and are trained to:
    • Wash their hands frequently while working
    • Use gloves when serving food to customers
    • Ensure that food is properly packaged for transport
    • Stay home from work if experiencing symptoms of illness
  2. All food is transported in food bags which are cleaned regularly
  3. Disposable utensils, plates, cups, napkins and serving utensils are stored in sealed or covered containers.
  4. While we do not monitor or control the restaurants we partner with, we have long standing relationships with them and are confident in their knowledge of food safety best practices.

General recommendations for food in the office: (more…)


Women Know Food!

Women's History Month

Women’s History Month in March and Women’s Day on March 8 make this month a great time to support local, women owned and run businesses.

We had a few requests for food from women owned and run businesses this month so we’ve put together a list of our women owned/run partners to help with the selection process. We’re excited about how extensive the list is!

Click on the restaurant name to view the menu or order now on the PPP website.

(more…)


Small Changes Lead to Big Impacts- The Case for Reducing Meat Consumption

Photo credit: Aviv

This is a guest post by Katie Cantrell of Green Monday

“When we think about threats to the environment, we tend to picture cars and smokestacks, not dinner. But the truth is, our need for food poses one of the biggest dangers to the planet.” – National Geographic

It’s hard to believe that Old McDonald could pose as big a threat as Exxon-Mobile, but the food system is one of the leading drivers of climate change and other environmental devastation. 

The statistics are staggering:

  • Switching from a hamburger to a veggie burger just once saves as much water as not showering for an entire month.
  • The top 5 meat and dairy producers combined emit more GHG than Exxon Mobile, Shell, or BP
  • If cows had their own country, they would be the third largest emitter of GHG behind China and the US.

These facts are shocking, but they actually paint a positive picture. While we have little control over national energy infrastructure or cap and trade legislation, we do have direct control over what we put on our plates. Food is one of the most powerful and direct ways that we can help stop the environmental catastrophes currently unfolding. (more…)


New Portland Policy To Reduce Single-Use Plastic Waste

Climate change and what we can do to help stave off the worst effects is a hot topic that is taking the country, and world, by storm. Portland, which was recently polled as the 9th greenest city (can you believe we’re that low?) is working hard to be a leader in sustainability. This is evident in the most recent plastics policy that just went into effect. 

As of October 1, 2019, restaurants in the city of Portland cannot automatically include numerous single-use plastic items. This includes straws, stirrers, utensils (sporks, spoons, forks, and knives), and individually packaged condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish, jelly, jam, soy sauce, creamer, and hot sauce). It applies to all orders that are eaten on-premise, obtained in the drive-through, taken out, or delivered by a service. All of these items can still be obtained except that now they must be requested by the customer. 

PPP is committed to sustainability and we have a long-standing policy not to provide single-use plastics as a part of our delivery service unless requested. We’re excited to see that the city of Portland is taking this step to reduce the distribution of unneeded disposable plastics. They always end up in the landfill, often without being used. 

If you have any ideas about ways we can further reduce the use of plastics please leave a comment and let us know. We’re always looking for ways to be more sustainable.


Team Building- Have Fun and Boost Productivity

Team building sometimes gets a bad wrap, bringing to mind cheesy icebreakers and trust falls. However, research from the University of Florida shows that team building activities lead to positive outcomes in the workplace.

The benefits of effective team building activities include:

  • Increased productivity
  • Improved communication
  • Builds trust
  • Increases collaboration

Tips for effective team building activities:

  • Schedule the activity during work hours
  • Go offsite
  • Encourage collaboration
  • Solicit feedback

(more…)


The Benefits of Delivery by Bike

Portland Pedal Power is founded on the belief that bikes are a sustainable, efficient and effective way to connect local businesses. With 10 years of experience under our belts, we decided to take a look at the proof points for our founding principles. 

Bikes are sustainable:

This one is pretty easy to prove. Cars emit carbon and bikes do not. But the real impact is when more and more businesses choose to have their food delivered by bike instead of by car. In 2018, Portland Pedal Power riders pedaled nearly 29,000 miles or the equivalent of 10 bike trips from Portland to New York City. This effectively saved nearly 29 tons of carbon from being emitted enough to power five homes or six-passenger vehicles for an entire year. 

We’re on track to ride even more miles in 2019 and are excited to see how much we can offset this year!

Bikes are effective:

Reducing the carbon impact is valued by our customers but they also need their food to be delivered hot, fresh and on time. We’re very committed to delivering on this promise. And we succeed. In 2019, Portland Pedal Power has a 97% on-time delivery rate. We consider an order on time when it arrives to our customer in the “delivery window” of 15 minutes before to 5 minutes after the scheduled delivery time. 

(more…)


8 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Ecological Footprint

By: Delilah Farrell. She’s passionate about educating people, especially youth, on the importance of sustainable living. She is a proud advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

If you’re looking for an eye-opener, calculate how many planets we would need if everybody lives like you. For many, the number will be astonishing. It may also be saddening or disappointing.

Instead of continuing or planet-poisoning patterns, we can all take steps towards eliminating our hazardous behaviors. Lifestyle changes don’t have to be elaborate in order to start making a difference. Here are 8 simple ways to begin reducing your ecological footprint.

 

Start a Compost Pile

Compost piles are an excellent way to reduce waste. Instead of throwing parts of fruits, herbs, vegetables, etc.. in the garbage, throw them in a compost pile. Did you know that one-third of food produced, globally, is wasted? A simple –but incredibly impactful way– to reduce this number is to compost. Your pile will eventually yield fertile soil that can be put to use in your personal or community garden.

(more…)


A Day with Evening Land Vineyards

The Willamette Valley has been carving a spot for itself in the world of wine for more than fifty years. We wanted to go experience it at its best. Enter Evening Land Vineyards. The vineyard was planted in 1984 and they’re one of the finest wineries in the Willamette Valley. They consistently earn praise and accolades, while using sustainable farming practices. Since we partner with them, we wanted to see the vineyards for ourselves. We packed up one of our bikes, grabbed some friends and headed out to Hopewell.

Taking in the View

We couldn’t have picked a better day. The sun was out in force (We definitely needed more sunscreen) and the view of the distant snow-capped mountains over the tops of the grape vines was breathtaking. We could see five peaks- including Hood, Adams and St. Helens. It was so exciting to see that Oregon’s wine industry has come so far and is so strong — and this spot was perhaps its penultimate vantage point. 

Sipping and Swirling

After taking in the view, it was time to drink the wine! Greeted by Evening Land’s Hospitality Manager AJ, we were showered with some of the best wines we could’ve asked for. Rosé (which is sadly already sold out), chardonnay, gamay noir, and pinot noir all tasted amazing. It’s hard not to like tasty wine when you have a great view. As we sipped and swirled, AJ educated us. Evening Land has been dry farmed since its inception and since 2007 the biodynamic practices lead to becoming LIVE certified.  

In between the Rows

After a couple of tastes, we needed to start the bike photoshoot.  The bike moved all over the place. For instance, it teetered on the edge of the hill for a moment. Then it was in the shade. And then we got down on the ground in the grapes to get the perfect photo. We wrapped it up with a fun group shot. 

It’s great to partner with companies that align with our goals of sustainability and that partnership came together for a fun day. All in all, it was a glimpse into an industry that’s so close to Portland. On your next day off, just hop in the car and go visit some of the best that Oregon has to offer. Make sure you stop at Evening Land and tell ‘em we sent you!


What is Sustainable Catering?

Portland Pedal Power provides sustainable catering services to Portland businesses. The PPP bikes are a carbon neutral way to deliver food, but bicycle-based delivery is just one part of the model. Sustainable catering addresses the issues of carbon emissions, food and food packaging waste, and hunger.

 

Facts about food waste and hunger:

  • Over one-third of food produced is wasted globally, amounting to roughly 1.3 billion tons per year
  • Food and food packaging make up 45% of all materials in landfills
  • Food waste alone accounts for about 8% of global carbon emissions
  • Reducing food waste is the #3 way to reverse climate change
  • Hunger impacts about 15% of Oregonians.

Portland Pedal Power’s sustainable catering model:

  • Food is locally-sourced from Portland’s premiere restaurants, food carts, and bakeries.
  • Meals are delivered with zero emissions using a fleet of cargo bikes.
  • Family-style packaging is the default option reducing packaging and food waste
  • Reusable tableware use is encouraged
  • Leftover food can be donated to local nonprofits- Portland Rescue Mission or Urban Gleaners

In 2018, Portland Pedal Power saved nearly 29 tons of CO2 emissions using bikes to deliver food. We routed nearly 2,500 meals to people in need of food assistance. This year we’re hoping to have an even bigger impact and to create a method for calculating the amount of packaging waste that is kept from landfills through sustainable catering.

Thank you to all of our customers that entrust Portland Pedal Power with providing great food to the office in a more environmentally friendly manner. If you are interested in trying us out, you can order online or email us for more information.

If you have ideas, thoughts of feedback for us, we’d love to hear them in the comments section.