Ellie (with the Ruby cruiser), Tasia, and Kristin
Our Core Values drive everything we do at Ruby Receptionists, including our benefits. With Creating Community in mind, we launched our Alternative Transportation Incentive to promote a healthier environment for our local community. The program encourages employees at our green virtual receptionist service to take public transportation, bicycle, carpool, or walk to work, and was one of the first benefits at Ruby!
We asked a couple of virtual receptionists about what they do to be eco-conscious and what alternative transportation method they use. Here’s what they had to say!
What’s your regular means of transportation to work and what do you enjoy most about using it?
Tasia: I always bike unless there is more than 2 inches of snow, in which case I’ll walk to Ruby (it’s really hard to break and steer in the snow). I like biking because it’s fast, I can sing and or talk to myself, and I get a guaranteed workout twice a day which means I get to have more tasty snacks!
Kristin: My main form of transportation is my bicycle. It’s great because it wakes me up for my 6:00am shift at Ruby. I think that I get through the day with less coffee because of it. I also enjoy the exercise; it’s just over 6 miles round-trip.
The Alternative Transportation Program encourages Rubys to be more eco-conscious; do you do anything else to go green?
Tasia: I compost, buy local organic produce, I’m vegetarian, bring my own containers to stores and restaurants, buy used whenever possible, up-cycle, recycle, and encourage others to do the same!
Kristin: I try to be as eco-conscious as I can, having been an Environmental Studies major at the University of Oregon. Mainly I recycle and compost, and my roommates and I are in the mist of planning our vegetable garden for the spring!
Living in Portland, it’s common to see bicyclists or a large amount of people waiting for the max or a bus to arrive. What do you think is the most effective alternative method of transportation in the big city and why?
Tasia: Biking and walking – pretty much everything I want is within a 5 mile radius, and this way I get where I’m going while getting plenty of exercise.
Kristin: I prefer my bike because I find that it’s usually the fastest. Although, I did use to take the Max [Lightrail] to commute to a job I had in Happy Valley (a city south of Portland), and I found it to be very efficient; it’s nice because you can just read the whole time.
