Thatcher's Coffee is a local, woman-owned business that opened in 2012 in the Grand Central Retail Center, located just east of Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver. Their desires to support the community and reduce their environmental impact have combined to create a warm and welcoming space. Certifying as a Clark County Green Business in 2018, Thatcher's continues to find creative ways to be green, involving their customers in supporting and connecting with the community. 

Thatcher's utilizes Energy Star appliances and LED lighting, like many green businesses in the region, but they have also found some really unique ways to reduce waste and model sustainable practices. Thatcher's has moved away from single serving sugar packets to refillable containers for coffee condiments. They are switching to paper straws to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. In addition to making environmentally friendly choices, Thatcher's models business practices that benefit communities socially and economically. They source their coffee from Heart, a local roaster that purchases their coffee beans directly from farmers, ensuring that they are paid fairly for their product. 

Thatcher's regular, Roland, always brings his own reusable mug! Photo courtesy of Thatcher's Coffee on Facebook.

When customers bring their own reusable cup, Thatcher's donates ten cents to local charities. In 2019 the program will benefit the Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington, an organization that works to educate and engage community members to be active stewards of our natural legacy. So far, Thatcher's has seen customers use their own reusable cup over 2,300 times! Customers who forgot to bring their own reusable cup can purchase a Klean Kanteen from Thatcher's. For every Klean Kanteen sold, Thatcher's donates one dollar to the Clark County Food Bank. For those who need their coffee to go and forgot their reusable cup, Thatcher's is switching to straw-less lids for disposable cold beverage cups. So the next time you're looking for a good cup of coffee that makes you feel warm inside, from the hot coffee and the good it does for the community, go to Thatcher's!

If you'd like to incorporate environmentally friendly practices at your workplace but aren't sure where to start, the Green Business program can help! Contact info@clarkgreenbiz.com or join us at a Green Business Morning Blend, where you can learn from other businesses and connect with our staff for help in your sustainability efforts. The next Green Business Morning Blend is at LSW Architects from 8 to 9 am on Thursday, Sept. 19. Register and learn more here.