Life is not just about soap for Oregon Soap Company’s founder Gregg Arnell of Portland. It’s about being a responsible environmental steward and producing soap in the cleanest, most renewable way possible, and the ethos of his company reflects this stewardship. Maker of organic soaps for nearly 30 years, Oregon Soap Company uses primarily organic vegetable oils and natural ingredients, Oregon Tilth-certified, to produce its bar, liquid and castile soaps. These soaps are also Carbonfund-certified carbon neutral: For every 10 bars of soap sold or 5 gallons of liquid soap sold, a native plant or tree is planted in partnership with Friends of Trees and Trees for the Future. Since 2007, more than 750,000 native plants and trees have been planted. Carbonfund also supports third-party and verified renewable energy, including wind farms and solar power, to replace reliance on fossil fuels. Using renewable energy is another cornerstone of Oregon Soap Company’s mission.

Little did Madelyn and Matt Morris know when they took a class in organic beekeeping back in 2007 that the two beehives they established in their Portland backyard would become the springboard for a 30-acre operation and home to 20 hives. In 2011, the husband-and-wife team launched Mickelberry Gardens, crafting a variety of healing remedies using what their beehives produced: plenty of raw honey, propolis and beeswax. Closely aligned in mission with Market of Choice, Mickelberry Gardens enjoys its place in the Pacific Northwest as an independent, family-owned business that focuses considerable effort in giving back to the community and to organizations that enhance bee health, plant diversity, water conservation, land stewardship and equity.