Live Green

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Living Information

Leading a cleaner, greener, more eco-friendly existence doesn't mean you have to move into a yurt and grow your own rutabaga. In fact, there are several smaller-scale lifestyle changes that, in the long run, make a big difference. Kids can help make a difference too, while having fun! Teach children from an early age to be conscientious about energy. It can help you save money as well as set standards for future generations. Here are some Fun Games about Saving Energy.

You can also check to see where you rank in the green scale by testing your ecological footprint. It might be surprising!

Support Local

While buying organic food is a healthy choice for you and the environment, buying from smaller, local farms is equally important. Local food travels a much shorter distance from the farm to your table. Because local food is fresher, you get more flavorful food that hasn't been nutrient depleted by age. If great-tasting food isn't enough incentive, your food's quick trip to market also cuts down on transportation-based pollution and excessive food packaging. Buying local supports our local economy, preserves local agricultural land and protects the health of our environment.

LocalHarvest.org is a national website with links to family farms, farmers' markets and other sources of sustainably grown food. It includes many of the food sources in the Portland area and maps the location of these food sources.

Going to a farmers' market is an opportunity to get food savvy quickly because you can chat with the people who grow your food. You can also get some fresh, local produce in the process. More information about Oregon farmers' markets can be found at www.oregonfarmersmarkets.org. For information on farmers' markets in Washington, visit http://www.wafarmersmarkets.com.

Recycle

Don't trash a treasure! When you have items to discard, visit earth911.org. This site offers alternatives to dumping, including community-specific resources. Just type in what you need to recycle and where you live and the website will find the nearest resource to you.

Remodel Smart

Many remodeling materials contain hazardous chemicals, and many repairs can be made with recycled or alternate resources. Paint companies like Sherwin-Williams have developed water-based products that perform well but give off virtually no volatile organic compounds. Metro Paint offers recycled paint in a variety of Northwest colors. If your old shingles need to be replaced, look into a Classic Metal Roofing System (www.classicroof.com). Made from recycled aluminum cans, they resemble traditional shakes or tiles. Plant native flowers and shrubs that are well suited to your climate. You'll use less water, fertilizer and pesticides.

Use Energy Efficiently

The less energy we all use, the lower our demand on power plants, which means less pollution and more savings on our utility bills. One thing you can do to reduce your energy demands is to use energy-efficient appliances.

The major appliances in your home - refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers - account for a big chunk of the energy you use in your home. And if your refrigerator or washing machine is more than a decade old, you're spending a lot more on energy than you need to. Consider switching to a newer model to save money and energy.  Replace your traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They're a bit more expensive but last up to ten times longer than traditional bulbs, so you can lower your electric bill and pay less in the long run. To save even more money on lighting, install dimmer switches and use timers, indoors and out. For a family of four, a low-flow model showerhead can cut water usage by as much as 280 gallons per month! Visit www.kohler.com/corporate/index.html or www.niagaraconservation.com to shop their eco-friendly models. The easy way to do your part to save energy is to look for the ENERGY STAR logo when purchasing a new appliance.

Purchase Green Energy

Buying green power for your home makes a lot of sense, not only from an environmental perspective, but also for economic reasons. Many local utilities offer green power options and using green power means that your energy dollars are supporting innovation, healthier choices and clean energy instead of high-impact hydropower coal, gas and nuclear plants. Our regional environment, economy and health all benefit from investments like these.

Many leading green technology and energy firms are based in Washington and Oregon. What's more, there is an ongoing push for investment by venture capitalists in this green energy movement, both around the globe and here in the Pacific Northwest. That means more money, more jobs and a cleaner environment right here where we live. So by investing here, we're keeping more money at home instead of sending it out of state or out of the country, just to pay for fossil fuels.

The following utilities all offer green power to customers in their service area. Contact them to find out more about the benefits of switching to green power today.

Central Electric Cooperative
Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Grant, Linn, Wasco and Lake counties, OR
541- 389-1980

Clark Public Utilities
Southwest Washington
360-992-3000

Columbia River PUD
Columbia County, OR
503-397-0590

Consumer's Power
Benton, Lincoln, Lane, Linn, Polk, and Marion counties, OR
541-929-3124 or 800-872-9036

Midstate Electric Cooperative
Lazy River, LaPine, Crescent, Gilchrist, Chemult, Fort Rock, and Sunriver, OR
800-722-7219

Pacific Power
Service throughout Oregon, Tri-Cities and Washington
800- 769-3717

PGE
Portland, OR
503-228-6322 or 800-542-8818

Related Information

Green Real Estate

Hasson Company Realtors is poised on the leading edge of the industry when it comes to green real estate and sustainability of Portland homes.

Green-Certified Properties

Search here for environmentally friendly properties with features like energy-efficient appliances, solar panels, rainwater collection systems and more.