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Tech Tours

BRING Recycling:  BRING's mission is to promote a healthy and sustainable environment through education, innovative conservation programs and community involvement in conserving natural resources. As one of the nation's oldest non-profit recyclers, BRING has encouraged people to rethink what they use and what they throw away since 1971. From collecting and processing household recyclables to teaching kids about using earthworms to compost, the Planet Improvement Center has a wealth of information, practical tips and programs to help local residents and visitors live more sustainably.

Aprovecho:  Since designing the first Lorena stove, Aprovecho researchers have developed new stove ideas that have been used in over 40 countries. In the mid-1980s an Aprovecho team, working under Dr. Larry Winiarski, invented the Rocket Stove design. This was an easy-to-build, chimney-less stove that produced almost no smoke because it achieved near complete combustion. This stove has proven to be effective in African refugee camps and in university laboratories. Working in concert with the people of Honduras, Aprovecho stove technicians have created a stove that uses considerably less wood than either an open fire or a Lorena while still meeting the goal of removing smoke from the kitchen. Since 1997, more than 5,000 rocket stoves have been built in Central America. Aprovecho Research Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, 40-acre land trust. The spirit of the work is to learn how to live together sustainably and ecologically, and to help others do the same, in this and other countries. Each summer Aprovecho holds an internship program which combines lecture and discussion formats with practical, hands-on activities, offering a holistic approach to living sustainably.

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County:  A novel approach to recycling and reuse. Responding to a need by agency thrift stores for more clothing than the local market could produce, St. Vincent de Paul began buying surplus clothing from other West Coast thrifts. This process led to direct contacts with solid waste systems in Oregon, Washington and California. St. Vincent de Paul staff and board members then became aware of the potential of deriving reusable goods from the waste stream. While 90-year old furniture is "antique" in this country, it is not old enough in Europe where 200 year-old pieces are readily available. So SVP imports furniture from European dumps to sell here. The agency has developed a very strong model for success through the creation of sustainable waste-based recycling programs and is recognized throughout the country as an innovative pioneer in the recycling field. The affiliated Aurora Glass Foundry produces 100% recycled, socially responsible architectural and ornamental glass of the highest quality. All products are handmade from recycled glass and are available in a variety of colors.  

NextStep Recycling:  The NextStep Recycling Centers in Eugene and Springfield recycle computer equipment and almost all other electronics, keeping electronic waste from entering our landfills with its zero landfill policy. This company also repairs computers and promotes their reuse.  

SeQuential Biofuels:  SeQuential Biofuels converts used cooking oil into biodiesel that can be used in unmodified diesel engines. This company seeks to lead the renewable fuels movement in the Pacific Northwest by expanding the awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of domestically produced biofuels. They work to offer retail options and promote quality sustainable fuel alternatives to answer consumer's growing demand for choice. It is their goal to see biofuel regionally produced and regionally consumed.

FOOD for Lane County:  FOOD for Lane County finds creative solutions to hunger and its root causes. This responsive food bank includes programs that help people help themselves, as well as works to engender participation of the whole community. A few of the organization's dynamic solutions include: the Food Rescue Express (FREX) program, which repackages rescued food for distribution to food pantries and meal sites, contributing thousands of pounds of food to the emergency food system and preventing food from entering landfills, and the innovative Youth Farm Program, which combines hunger relief with youth services and education. The three-acre farm provides paying work, job training and education to at-risk teenagers throughout the spring and summer, and serves as an educational work site for local alternative schools and programs serving at-risk youth throughout the year.

Willamette Farm & Food Coalition:  A non-profit community-based organization committed to a more secure and sustainable food system within Lane County. They support the purchase of locally produced food to benefit the farming community and strengthen the local economy, and seek to facilitate greater understanding about the environmental, economic and social impacts of our food choices.

Eugene Permaculture Guild:  The Guild seeks to educate members and the wider community about the principles of sustainable living, and to create examples of permaculture in the Eugene area.

EWEB:  The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) is a public utility that sets the bar for sustainable energy solutions. In March 2006, EWEB launched its retail "Greenpower" endeavor, certified as a Green-e Renewable Energy program. EWEB has led the way in its voluntary participation through voluntarily funding research and generation of renewable energy.  

Short Mountain:  The Short Mountain Methane Power Plant takes ozone-damaging landfill gas and turns it into valuable electricity. The Short Mountain project brings many benefits to the local community, EPUD and the Pacific Northwest. As a green or renewable resource, it is consistent with the resource priorities of the region.  

Visit here to see more of Sustainable Lane County and Green Eugene.