Eco-Healthy Homes
Checklist: DIY Home Heat Pump Maintenance
Like all heating and cooling systems, proper maintenance helps heat pumps operate at optimal efficiency.
New Initiatives for Safe, Affordable, Climate-Friendly Homes and Buildings
The 2023 legislative session presents a vital opportunity to make progress in achieving our climate goals and protect families and communities from ever-worsening climate impacts. OEC is excited to support a “Building Resilience” policy package this session that will cut pollution and increase the climate resilience of our homes and buildings
Recognizing the vital need to transform and expand Oregon’s building stock in a way that maximizes climate, public health, affordability, and job creation benefits for Oregon, the 2022 legislature established the ...
Eco-Healthy Homes: safer children’s spaces at Hacienda CDC
Many people these days are familiar with the fact that products for the home, from toys to cleaning products, can contain toxic chemicals. This fact alone is cause for concern. But, did you know that women, children, people of color and people living on lower incomes are at a greater risk of toxic chemical exposure? Or that access to consumer safety information may not be available to non-english speakers? Or that, because of their small size, kids are much more vulnerable to the health impacts of exposure to toxic products?
In 2020, OEC partnered with Hacienda CDC, ...
No time to burn: let’s keep the future of gas short in Oregon
By: Nora Apter, the Climate Program Director for Oregon Environmental Council. Greer Ryan, Oregon Clean Buildings Policy Manager with Climate Solutions.
When it comes to global warming pollution, we’ve heard a lot about the dangers of too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But did you know that methane, the primary ingredient in so-called “natural” gas, is approximately 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20 year timeframe? Fossil “natural” gas is far from being the safe, clean product that gas utilities ...
Heat Pumps: They Heat. They Cool. They burn no fossil fuel.
Heat Pumps are a relatively new way to heat and cool indoor spaces. There’s a variety of different models that can work for apartments, offices, and for single-family homes. Three of our staff sat down for a conversation about the options for single-family homes.* OEC’s Deputy Director of Philanthropy, Teke Dillender is considering a heat pump for her home. Joel Schoening, OEC Director of Communications is about to have a heat pump installed and Sara Wright, OEC’s Transportation Program Director, already has a heat pump. Here’s our chat.
Teke Dillender ...
Hold the wrapping paper! Most of that gift-wrap is not eco-friendly nor recyclable
It is that time of year again—no matter what holiday you celebrate, or what religion you subscribe to, it is difficult to be unaffected by the enthusiasm of the season of giving and reflection. It is predicted that the average American will spend $942 on holiday gifts this year. It is no secret that as consumerism spreads, landfills also fill up, and the Earth suffers. According to Stanford University, Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. And most of that holiday wrap is not eco-friendly ...
Top Ten Achievements of 2020-2021
Oregon Environmental Council works year-round to protect Oregon's water, air, land, and communities. This year was a special one. We made Oregon a better place through our participation in state-wide coalitions, tireless bird-dogging of rulemaking processes, deft strategy in the legislative session, and hosting welcoming educational programs. This work is is a reflection of our donors. Take a moment to revel with us in these outstanding accomplishments. Then consider supporting this work, so we can add to our accomplishments in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
1. Passed ...
Removing Barriers to Safe Home Cleaning Products
Many popular and inexpensive home cleaning products contain toxic chemicals. There are alternatives, but they can be expensive or require extra steps. What happens when those barriers are removed? OEC partnered with Hacienda CDC to find out.
Hacienda CDC Eco- Healthy Home Survey
In the Fall/Winter of 2020, socially distanced, in-person focus groups and bilingual online surveys were held in Hacienda CDC’s housing communities to listen to residents' concerns about toxic chemicals in the home. COVID-19 hit the Latino/x community particularly hard, and the increased ...
Summer isn’t the only time to worry about woodsmoke
As we roll into fall, many people start cleaning out their wood-burning stoves and fireplaces to start heating their homes, or just to get that cozy ambiance. What many people don’t realize is that, when a lot of people are burning wood in their homes, the cumulative effect on air quality can be similar to a wildfire. OEC has been advocating to reduce harmful air pollution from urban wood fires and to provide healthier options for those that rely on woodburning as a primary heat source.
Specifically, OEC has been working closely with Woodsmoke Free Portland and the ...
Without TFKA expansions, OHA forced to choose 5 chemicals to regulate
There’s thousands of potentially harmful chemicals in products that are marketed to kids. As of now, OHA can regulate just a few of them. We need to change that.
In 2015, OEC’s advocacy lead to the passage of a groundbreaking law, the Toxics Free Kids Act (TFKA), which required manufacturers of children's products sold in Oregon to report certain products containing High Priority Chemicals of Concern for Children’s Health (HPCCCH) (“high priority chemical list”), and ultimately phase them out. However, the chemical and toy industry successfully limited the ...
