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Sustainability at Home
There are lots of steps you can take to be more sustainable at home. Click on a topic below to find a list of relevant resources.
Sustainable Buildings
Oregon Home Energy Score Tools
Home Energy Score systems help homeowners and homebuyers better understand a home’s energy use, and how even small improvements can make a big difference in energy savings.
Make Your Home Energy Efficient
Upgrade your home and save both energy and money. EWEB and NW Natural offer a variety of incentives and services to help you improve the energy performance of your home.
EWEB Greenpower
EWEB has made it easy and affordable to switch to a cleaner, renewable energy source.
Change a Light
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights can save you up to 15% on your electricity bills. Replacing them with LEDs will even save you more.
Use a Low-Flow Showerhead
A low-flow showerhead uses 60% less water and could save you $200 per year.
Sustainable Transportation
Bike, Bus or Walk
Use alternative transportation to save money on gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, get a healthy workout and get to know your neighbors, all at the same time.
Sustainable Consumption
The choices we make about purchasing and maintaining our "stuff" can have a big impact on our personal finances as well as the environment. Perhaps you can find what you need at a second hand store or fix your broken item instead of throwing it away. There are dozens of ways to save money, energy and resources, if you stop to consider the options.
Simplify Your Life
Limit your purchases. Buy second-hand products and appliances. Purchasing out of necessity limits waste and reduces greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production and transport of goods.
Buy Locally
Purchase organic, local products to support our economy and reduce the impacts of production and transportation. Remember to bring your reusable shopping bags!
The ToolBox Project
Lane County residents can access a volunteer-driven home and garden tool-lending library to transform their homes, businesses and neighborhoods.
Eat Less Meat
Studies have shown that consuming meat and dairy products has a similar effect on climate change as driving your car. This doesn’t mean you have to give up meat altogether. Just try having a vegetarian meal a few times a week.
Neighborhood Sharing
Maybe your neighbor is willing to lend their canning equipment or share the cost of renting that rototiller you need once a year. In Eugene there’s a growing interest in sharing and borrowing- actions that have the added value of building stronger ties with family, friends and neighbors.
Check out the Quick Links for a few resources to help you change your consumption habits.
Reduce Waste
Curbside Recycling
Eugene’s recycling rate is over 50%, but there’s always room for improvement!
Cubside Composting
Eugene tosses 40 million pounds of food into the local landfill each year and half of this food waste comes from homes. If you have residential garbage service, you have the option to put food waste into your yard debris bin instead of in the garbage!
Join the Eugene Carbon Free Challenge!
The Eugene Carbon Free Challenge educates individuals and households about how to reduce greenhouse gas emission in a fun and meaningful way. Participants can input information about the type of transportation they use, their energy use, and how they dispose of waste to calculate the their carbon footprint.
Participants can earn points by choosing actions that lead to greenhouse gas emissions reductions such as:
- Use more active transportation
- Use less energy by adjusting the thermostat and adjusting appliance use
- Eat food with a lower carbon footprint
Contact Us
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Office of Sustainability
99 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 370
Eugene, OR 97401
Ph: 541-682-8421