State capitol honored for sustainability efforts

In January, Marion County officials honored the Oregon State Capitol for its commitment to environmental sustainability with a presentation of the County’s EarthWISE certification.

The certification recognizes the Capitol’s efforts in the areas of recycling, waste reduction/prevention, environmental education, water conservation/management, and energy conservation.

"As we have asked other state agencies to be more energy efficient, we’ve

practiced the same thing right here," House Speaker Dave Hunt said. "Our goal is to make Oregon’s Capitol the most sustainable state capitol in the United States and our state government the most energy efficient in the nation."

The EarthWISE certification recognizes businesses and organizations in Marion County that have made a commitment to environmentally friendly practices. It recognizes actions taken by the legislature to ‘green’ the capitol, which also expects to be recognized by the State Energy Efficiency Design (SEED) Program.

Legislative leaders said their goal is to reduce the Capitol’s carbon footprint.

"Oregon’s Legislature is leading by example," Senate President Peter Courtney said. "Our investments in sustainability will pay huge dividends for our environment."

The recently-completed Capitol Restoration Project - which included the installation of lower energy lights with occupancy sensors and integration of natural light into offices in the wings; newly-installed fixtures such as low-flow toilets and touch-less faucets, both of which reduce water consumption; high-efficiency motors and controllers on elevators; and direct digital controls added to new high-efficiency fans that supply the heating and cooling systems - will result in a significant reduction in the amount of electricity and natural gas used to power and heat the Capitol wings. The projected energy consumption will be at least 20 percent below code according to the Oregon Department of Energy.

LifeSource goes solar

LifeSource Natural Foods has been purchasing 100-percent wind power generated electricity from PGE for the last three years.

In January, the store added solar power to its renewable energy program.

LifeSource installed the new 35 KW solar system, which now covers the store’s roof, as an effort to continue in its quest to be a sustainable business, a goal that LifeSource embraces as a journey rather than a destination.

"We need to develop 'clean' sources of power to support our lifestyles as we move into the future," LifeSource owner Alex Beamer said.

The store’s new solar system is a grid-tied system rated at 34.83 KW (under ideal conditions it can generate 34,830 watts of electricity per hour) designed by Energy Design of Eugene. If the store generates more electricity than it can use, it will feed back into the PGE grid.

A new solar panel system is only one of the measures LifeSource is taking to further its dedication to being environmentally and socially responsible, both locally and globally. The business recently hired a sustainability coordinator to help develop an overall plan to continually improve the store’s efforts related to sustainability.

For more information or to ask questions, contact Alex Beamer at alexlifesource@comcast.net.

Repowering Oregon

In late January, an unusually diverse coalition of politicians, business leaders, conservationists, low-income and consumer advocates, and members of Oregon’s faith communities joined to champion the Repower Oregon 2009 campaign.

The effort urges lawmakers to pursue practical policies on global warming, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and transportation.

Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian and Treasurer Ben Westlund served as masters of ceremony at the Repower Oregon kickoff.

"Clean energy technology is one of the real bright spots in our economy right now. I see more job opportunities for working families in the state if we continue to support our growing clean energy sector, especially in many of Oregon’s rural areas that are rich with renewable energy potential," Avakian said.

The RePower Oregon campaign, with the focus of the newly formed Healthy Climate Partnership, seeks to continue Oregon’s tradition as a national leader in progressive policies to protect and preserve Oregon’s unique natural heritage. The campaign includes a comprehensive package of legislation introduced to boost Oregon’s economy through the creation of "green-collar" jobs while meeting state goals to reduce global warming.

"We can become more economically competitive by embracing our

state’s historic respect for clean air and open spaces," Westlund said. "By making smart investments and adopting the right policies now, we can make the most of this moment."

For more information, visit repoweroregon.com.