Migrating to a Green Way of Business

McCown & Evans LLP is an immigration law firm that provides legal and counseling services to U.S. and global immigration clients from all over the world. In doing so, they aim to practice and promote sustainability to protect environmental health. The company takes pride in becoming the first immigration boutique law firm to be certified as a San Francisco Green Business.

McCown & Evans LLP strives to keep their office environmentally friendly by supporting videoconference meetings, and encouraging employees to make out-of-office pledges such as taking public transportation to and from work.

The office is only equipped with ENERGY STAR certified copiers, printers, computers, monitors, and even their refrigerator. A local vendor recycles and reuses their printer toner cartridges, which has saved them between $666 and $3,600 each year. Staff also participate in a biannual e-waste event to promote the recycling of used electronics and batteries.

To promote the use of public transportation, McCown & Evans pays for employee public transit passes through the commuter checks program. Now instead of driving, all 20 employees commute to work via public transit or by bike. Collectively, this has eliminated vehicle emissions from a grand total of 118,000 miles that would have been driven which equates to approximately $350,000 in gas alone, not including bridge tolls and parking.

“We continue to push limits and look for new ways to uphold our pledges to waste reduction, conservation, and alternative transportation.” - Kelly McCown, McCown + Evans

The company also encourages attorneys and clients to participate in Skype conferences rather than traveling to the office by car which reduces an additional vehicle miles traveled by an additional average of 600 miles or $1,800 per week, totaling up to $90,000 a year just for their attorneys.

Furthermore, the company uses other local services such as JetSet Courier, a bike messenger company, to deliver documents for signatures instead of FedEx delivery trucks whenever possible. Staff also regularly participate in programs such as the San Francisco Emergency Ride Home and Spare the Air.

All of McCown & Evans’ efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have cumulatively saved over $450,000. These efforts have earned them First Place in the San Francisco Pyramid Center’s Carbon Footprint Contest in 2010.