Land Acknowledgement, Equity & Inclusion

We are on Clackamas Land

We acknowledge that we are working on the traditional lands and waterways of the Clackamas, Chinook Bands, Kalapuya, Kathlamet, Molalla, Multnomah, Tualatin, Tumwater, Wasco, and many other tribes of the Willamette Valley and Western Oregon. We will never be able to name every tribe that visited or lived upon this land because these communities frequently traveled for trade and other reasons.

Acknowledging the original people of the land is a simple, powerful practice that demonstrates respect by making indigenous people’s history and culture visible. It is also a small step along the path toward reconciliation and repair. Please join us in taking this opportunity to thank and honor the original caretakers of this land.

(Language courtesy of Clackamas County)

Equity & Inclusion

At Start Consulting Group, we strive to be part of creating an equitable, inclusive, and sustainable materials management system. We work to meet communities and stakeholders where they are by listening and building our own cultural competence while disregarding dominant cultural norms imposed on the waste system for decades. We are working toward equity and sustainability for the range of cultures, lived experiences, income levels, and housing levels that all access the waste stream. Our commitment is to adapt and correct where we may fall short in this work to create a better future for everyone.

What We Believe

Black Lives Matter.
Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate.
We condemn and combat racism and white supremacy in all forms – we are anti-racist and anti-white supremacist.
We acknowledge that the environmental field, sustainability, and waste system have systemically excluded, underserved, and marginalized communities, especially Black, Indigenous, and Latinx, as well as other communities of color.
We acknowledge the environmental harms that the waste, recycling, and reuse field has had upon communities of color through building facilities, transfer stations, recycling plants, and other facilities that cause poor air and land quality. We need climate justice.
We acknowledge the gentrification and exclusion of communities of color and other overburdened committees through well-intended environmental and reuse programs and projects.
We acknowledge the lack of cultural competence that the field of sustainability, reuse, recycling, and waste has in working with communities that have been marginalized including BIPOC communities, low-income families, and people experiencing houselessness.