BEF QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2005

BEF Brings Solar to Four Portland-Area Schools

Sunshine and renewable energy education took center stage as students witnessed the completion of new solar electric systems at four Portland-area public schools. Cleveland High School, da Vinci Arts Middle School, H.B. Lee Middle School and Lincoln High School are now part of the growing Solar 4R Schools^TM program run by the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF). Through a unique collaboration in support of the Solar 4R Schools program, BEF, the Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc., Portland General Electric, and Green Mountain Energy Company were able to supply the solar power systems at no cost to the schools.

Each school's system, rated at 1.1 kilowatts (kW), includes the solar panels, the installation work, and a curriculum package that helps teachers instruct students on the function of the systems and the impact of clean renewable energy on the environment.

Each participating school has a strong commitment from its administration, and a similar commitment from a designated solar "champion" (e.g., a teacher or other school staff member) who will lead the educational efforts. The curriculum package included with each school's solar power system uses web-based, real-time data generated by each installation. More information about the Solar 4R Schools program is available at www.b-e-f.org/grants/solar.shtm.

Chinook River Update

In 2005, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation continues to demonstrate its unyielding support for long-term and scientific watershed restoration in the Pacific Northwest. In southwest Washington State, for example, BEF is entering the second year of its 10-year commitment to support a comprehensive stream restoration and salmon recovery effort in the Chinook River watershed. Through a partnership with the locally-based Sea Resources organization, BEF will continue to provide technical and financial support for a Model Watershed Program that relies on science and long-term monitoring to guide effective and accountable watershed restoration.

To date, BEF has invested over $135,000 in the Chinook River Model Watershed Program, and in recent years Sea Resources has capitalized on this investment by both designing and implementing a number of ambitious projects to restore degraded stream and estuary habitat. By providing the commitment and long-term funding necessary to support a systematic and scientific restoration program, BEF is confident that its investments in the Chinook River will produce substantial improvements to the overall health of the watershed. Over time, BEF expects these improvements to generate marked increases in the number of steelhead, chum, coho, and chinook salmon that return to the river.

BEF Instrumental in Launch of West Coast Governors' Global Warming Initiative

In the fall of 2004, the Governors of Oregon, Washington and California jointly committed to a common set of measures to reduce the global warming pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

This agreement, which launched the West Coast Governors’ Global Warming Initiative, resulted in large part from the work of three representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) – Ralph Cavanagh (Natural Resources Defense Council and a BEF Board Member), KC Golden (Climate Solutions) and our own Angus Duncan (BEF's President). The Energy Foundation in San Francisco also helped lead to the approval of the measures.

As the next step in the Initiative, each Governor has convened a stakeholders’ group to identify greenhouse gas control measures within each state. Angus was appointed by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski to his Advisory Group on Global Warming. Angus then chaired the Group’s Drafting Committee, which wrote Oregon’s plan to reverse the growth of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and delivered it to the Governor in December 2004.

Included in the plan are reductions in auto, utility and industrial emissions, gains in energy efficiency and renewable generation, and some fifty other measures. "Most of the measures," Angus said, "would save consumer dollars or create economic development opportunities at the same time they reduced greenhouse gas emissions."

BEF works regularly with governments, utilities and NGO’s on activities such as these that are directly related to BEF’s mission. Board and staff members also speak and write in public forums. For example, a recent article written by Angus and illustrated by Bill Russell was published in the most recent edition of the magazine Open Spaces: Views From the Northwest (Volume 7, Issue 2). Entitled “The Power of Wind, Sun and Falling Water,” it can be downloaded in PDF format, by clicking here.

Featured Green Tag Customer: Eco Moto

One of BEF's newest customers is Eco Moto, the premier source for alternative transportation solutions that specializes in affordable, economical motorsports. Eco Moto has purchased Green Tags from BEF and is offering them to its customers, through a promotion on its web site at www.ecomoto.net, as a way to offset the environmental impact of energy used to power its eco-friendly Tidalforce bikes, conventional gas scooters and other alternative fuel vehicles.

“These Green Tags represent enough clean power to recharge our Wavecrest Tidalforce bikes once per day for over four years,” said Eco Moto president Jon Schlee. “By providing a free 1,000 kWh Green Tag to our customers, each one reduces approximately 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas produced by conventional energy production.”

We are thrilled to have Eco Moto as our customer and commend its efforts to educate the public about reducing the negative impact of vehicles on the environment.

BEF Launches New Green Tags Web Site

We're pleased to announce that we re-launched our Green Tags web site in January 2005. Some of the enhancements include new Travel and Event calculators, more payment options and simplified navigational links. If you haven't checked out the new and improved site, visit it now at www.GreenTagsUSA.org. If you have any comments about the web site, please contact our webmaster, Joanna Thompson, at joannathompson@b-e-f.org.