The Garden House is committed to eliminating its carbon footprint regarding energy consumption by purchasing carbon offsets. The two carbon-generating energy sources used for operations are propane (for the gas stove in the kitchen) and electricity (lights, hot water, heat, hot tub, administration, etc.)
Electrical power offsets are puchased from Opalco, the coop electric utility serving the San Juan Islands. The certificate shows that all kilowatthours are offset, either by local sources in the county, or by small hydro and/or windpower resources in central Washington.
Propane offsets are purchased from Terra Pass, using the calculated carbon offset of a vehicle (their only available offset option) to ensure that the Garden House and the Hot Ice Studio's propane consumption for creating crystal glazed porcelain are fully offset.
Long term plans for further reducing Garden House energy consumption include solar hot water installed on the roof. An analysis of baseboard heat electrical consumption is underway to determine the effectiveness of an off-peak heating system to lower the need for electrical consumption during peak periods.
Communications with guests has switched from a paper/u.s. mail format to email format to improve speed and eliminate another form of carbon production.
Our goal is the best combination of voluntary simplicity and efficiency to maximize harmony and stewardship. Your suggestions welcome.
© 2007 Garden House
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