The way that our society produces and uses energy is one of the central challenges of sustainability. Access to affordable energy is important for economic development. At the same time, many sources of energy produce a myriad of social and environmental harms. 

So while only a few of our members are involved in producing or distributing energy all of our members are energy consumers. Helping them to find ways to conserve energy and support development of local renewable supplies will not only help to lessen their environmental footprint, but also help to make them more economically robust in the face of volatile energy prices. Moreover, efficiency and production of clean energy are expected to be some of the fastest growing sectors of the economy in the coming years; there is a big opportunity here that we want to help our members take full advantage of.

Did you know?

• Residents and businesses in Bellingham spend more that $80 million a year on electricity and natural gas, most of which leaves the community.
• More than half of Washington’s housing stock was constructed before the first energy code was adopted in 1979, and does not meet modern energy standards.
  A recent study estimated that energy efficiency and renewables can create tens of thousands of jobs in the Pacific Northwest over the next 15 years.
• Many efficiency and conservation measures cost less than it would cost to generate new electric power sources.
• Even with Washington State’s substantial low-emission hydro-electric power supply, carbon emissions from electricity production (including coal, natural gas, etc.) exceed emissions from all agriculture, waste management and industrial processes combined.

By employing local, clean, renewable, efficiently used energy, we’re:

• Saving money while investing in our community’s infrastructure of safe, secure, locally-controlled energy resources
•  Keeping our energy dollars circulating in the local economy
• Creating demand for a workforce of “green collar” jobs that pay living wages and will stay in the community
• Tackling climate change and peak oil in some of the most proven effective ways