by Joanne Scharer, Section News / Opinion
from Salem Monthly

Sitting atop a high tower on a grassy hill on Skyline Road in South Salem, a wind turbine spins rapidly. Its neighboring pole-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar system absorbs the late summer sun. Both turbine and PV panels work to provide electricity for the home of Elizabeth Griffin, her husband Warren, and their two young children.

Elizabeth Griffin, a Nurse Practitioner, has lived in Salem for 11 years and moved with her family to their 48-acre property in South Salem in 2004, living in a 14 by 40-foot manufactured home for nine months as they watched their current home being built.

In the Griffins' case, customizing their home wasn't just about floor design, closet space, and countertops, but as Elizabeth puts it, "building a home that is healthy for the environment and our family."

Elizabeth grew up in the southeastern U.S., but says that it wasn't until she and her husband moved to Oregon and found more "forward-thinking" people that they decided to move beyond their usual recycling efforts. While drawing up plans for their new home, the Griffins explored a variety of options with their contractor, Bilyeu Homes, for making their home green.

The house was built with certified sustainable lumber and as many environmentally friendly products as possible. With the added goal  of incorporating renewable power into their plans for a sustainable home, the Griffins had an opportunity to work with Abundant Renewable Energy out of Newberg and the nonprofit Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc. to test the feasibility of a small scale wind system in a low-wind area. Now the wind turbine and PV system provide the Griffins with anywhere from 50 to 75 percent of their electricity. In addition, the south-facing part of their roof supports solar tubes which provide them with all of their hot water.

Although the Griffins received incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon in addition to state tax credits, they had an up-front cost  over $20,000, a seemingly daunting investment.

"We are fortunate enough to afford it, but I don't think it's outside the range of the average home owner to do something," says Elizabeth. "If enough people do it, the cost will come down."

Noting all of the new home construction in the area, Elizabeth says she would like to see a move toward putting solar panels and solar hot water heaters on new homes.

Ultimately, Elizabeth believes that small decisions, like recycling,  can play a role in the big picture.

"What choices I make will hopefully be choices my kids will make,"  she says. "What we've done gets people talking and educates people."