At West Coast Arborists, Inc. our business is trees.
From caring and maintaining the trees of today to promoting tree planting and shade for tomorrow… we’ve been going green since 1972. As times have changed and more attention has been drawn to protecting our environment, we continue to evolve our practices and efforts of significantly reducing our carbon footprint through the following:

Did you know that one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year?
At WCA, we advocate for trees and it is our goal to keep trees strong and healthy through our management experience. We are involved with many tree care organizations including Tree Care Industry Association, International Society of Arboriculture, and Street Tree Seminar. It is important for us to keep up with the industry standards and proper pruning practices. We have made it a company goal to promote tree planting in all the cities we work for. For the past six years we have averaged nearly 15 thousand trees planted per year, which provide roughly 4,000 pounds of oxygen each year!

Did you know that each year Americans dispose of nearly 24 million tons of leaves and grass clippings which could be used as compost and therefore conserve landfill space?
Landfills across the nation are becoming exhausted due to the amount of waste disposed. Considering our line of work, tree maintenance produces excessive debris and waste. Therefore, WCA has arranged partnerships with many recycling facilities where the excess material is processed. Additionally, our operations include recycling branches and leaves into mulch and compost and, at times, turning larger branches and logs into firewood.

We also took a new approach to an old idea by converting suitable street trees into useable lumber. We worked on a 12 month trial program with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to create an environmentally sound and socially responsible alternative to importing lumber from other areas. We have demonstrated our wood, hand-crafting ability by offering sturdy and beautiful wooden benches, tables, and magazine racks for city use, exemplifying our commitment to the environment.

U.S. Businesses now use about 21 million tons of paper every year. That’s about 175 pounds of paper used by each American every year.
WCA is one of the rare companies that provides both tree maintenance and inventory services. We have developed our own unique internet based program called ArborAccess Online. This software program offers inventories with mapping and reporting features that are helpful in managing any urban forest. Most importantly this management system stores everything you need online. This limits the need for printing endless paperwork, you can even refer to work histories and make payments online.

For every gallon of gas burned an estimated 20 pounds of carbon is released into the atmosphere.
WCA began the transition from the Dodge Ram 2500 to the hybrid, Toyota Prius. Considering the amount of travel many of our Managers do, commuting from city to city, we realize it is an ideal opportunity to make a change. The Toyota Prius is fuel efficient and releases low-emissions making it an “Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emission Vehicle.”