It might sound preposterous out of context, maybe even a little juvenile (pun intended). But with the sustainability fever spreading like wildfire, it has become increasingly difficult to get a straight definition of anything involving sustainability.

Everyone simply assumes that you already know. My view is that to fully understand anything you must start from the beginning. I can hear your minds screaming duh right now, but seriously think about it. The entire environmental movement begins in the middle. I can think of a dozen examples right off the top of my head.

“Sustainable fishing is fishing that uses sustainable methods. Energy efficiency is using energy more efficiently. A green building is a building that applies green science.”

The list goes on and on.

Nobody would deliberately watch a movie an hour into it or read a book starting with page one hundred. So why is it suddenly all right to begin in the middle of the environmentally friendly story? The perfect explanation of environmental jargon is locked away in brilliant minds that forget from time to time that simplicity is always appreciated.

So when in doubt adopt my favorite phrase of the day, “please address me as if I’m five years old sans the baby voice.” And with any luck, you will also get a smile for your effort.

I admit it. I’m a junkie. My closet harbors my dirty little secret. Some people have skeletons. I have a stash of promotional knick-knacks.

When I become entrenched in free mode, I completely ignore unpleasant thoughts like the carbon footprint associated with the item. Let’s face it; the junk will inevitably end up in either a landfill or the recycle plant. And yet, each time I return home with my free prize, I find myself overwhelmed with dysphoria. Not because I acquired another junky item, but because of the choice I made prior. I knowingly accepted free promotional items that will not be loved, used, or even remembered once I open my front door. What a waste and slight on the environment!

I fell privy to one of the classic blunders. Never trust free. If I’m not paying, then the environment certainly is. The time has come to just say no. Refuse ridiculous items and accept the potential grocery bag, recycled objects, and other environmentally friendly toys. Be selective. I know my fire hazard of a closet will thank me for it as will the world outside my front door.

This weekend, June 26 to June 28, at Overlook Park on 1301 North Fremont Street in Portland, Oregon, the organic beer festival kicks off. Friday and Saturday beer tasting is open from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday fun day starts at 12:00 p.m. and lasts until 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Reusable and compostable tasting glasses are $6. Max riders with a validated ticket are rewarded with a $1 discount! If you don’t feel like going public with the Max, you can bring in 3 cans of food and get a $1 discount too. Don’t worry; the canned food is not ingested by the hungry, boozed up volunteers. All food will be donated to the Oregon Food Bank. For more information about the festival visit them on the web at: http://www.naobf.org

Parking will be tricky. The best way to arrive is either walking or the Max. For easy Max directions visit their trip planner: http://trimet.org. Biking is always my favorite option, but in this case, be wary. Bike parking is extremely limited. If you insist on biking, make sure to bring your thinking cap and be creative with your bike lock. For the safest bike route, check out: http://bycycle.org

No matter which way you arrive, make sure that you do. The North American Organic Beer Festival will be the green social event of the season, beer tasting included.

AC:  Another important way to save energy this summer is by acting efficiently with the use of your air conditioner.  There are a couple of very simple things you can do to maximize the cool while minimizing your energy use.  First, use fans in conjunction with your AC.  This circulates the cooled air and makes your AC more efficient.  The second cool tip is to keep your windows covered and closed during the day and open in the evening.  This is a fairly obvious tip, by blocking out the warmth during the day, there is less heat to cool and by letting in the cool at night, you can lower the core temperature of your house using no energy.  Lastly, by changing the filter in your air conditioner monthly, you can reduce energy use by 5%.   If you use all three of these tips you can significantly reduce your footprint.

Picnics and BBQs:  Tis’ the season for picnics and barbeques.  When planning your fun outdoor outings, think about the materials you are using.  When you grill, there are many different types of heat sources that you can use.  Charcoal bricks are the most harmful, so choose either propane or electric grills to reduce your emissions.  The best choice is to go with the zero emissions option of a solar oven.  Also, by cutting the excess fat off your meat you can cut down on the amount of carcinogens released during the cooking process.  Now when it comes to dishware there are a couple of options for your picnic or barbeque.  The best option is to go to Goodwill and buy a stock of cheap re-usable dishware that you can store away for these types of events.  They are more attractive than disposables and reduce waste.  Cloth napkins are preferable over paper.  If these options don’t suit you, then there are plenty of compostable picnic settings available on the market.  You can check some out at www.biodegradablestore.com or check out Whole Foods Market.

Buying food locally:  The topic of picnics and barbeques brings me to my next point.  Where should I get the food?  The best option is to buy from your local farmers market.  They have the freshest most delicious produce and meat at very reasonable prices.  Not to mention the beneficial aspects of supporting local food systems.  Fewer fossil fuels are used, because these foods travel less distance to get to your table.  By investing in these local food systems, we are creating local jobs and reducing our carbon footprint.  To find the hours and location of a farmer’s market near you, go to www.portlandfarmersmarket.org or if you are not from Portland go to www.farmersmarket.com

In addition to their own actions, for the past few years, NetGreen has partnered with Bumbershoot to calculate and offset the carbon footprint of all of the artists (including their equipment) to and from the concert.  In 2008, Bumbershoot purchased over 250 tons of carbon offsets to balance the carbon footprint of the artist travel.  At the time of your ticket purchase, you can buy 367 lbs. of carbon offsets to balance your carbon footprint from traveling to and from the concert for just $2.00! If you buy an offset online you’ll also get a really great custom made canvas tote bag for FREE!  Help to clean up the atmosphere and get free stuff – how can you beat that??

We’ll be at the concert to answer any questions that you have about greenhouse gases or carbon footprints and to provide you with tips on how to lead a green lifestyle without sacrificing the things you love!  Hope to see you there!

The new NetGreen promises to take a proactive roll in reducing greenhouse gases.  We love to be out and about and frequently make appearances at local festivals and sustainability fairs, so keep your eyes open and you just might see us around town!

The reason I am offsetting the carbon use I cannot avoid is simple.  In my mind, it is an equitable way to account for the damage I am causing the environment, even as I seek ways of lowering the damage I do.  I have a house with a gas stove and furnace, and I’m not going to freeze or starve, so burning fossil fuel will happen.  I have family on the East Coast, and flying is the only time saving way to visit.  The NetGreen program has thoroughly investigated offset programs, so I am confident that my small monthly contribution of $15 is adding to a pool of funds that will be put to work finding offsets that would not be funded otherwise, and that will eventually add to renewable energy sources.  I look upon offsets as a voluntary tax for the good of the planet.

- Andrea Faste, Sustainable Ballard, Seattle

Saltwater Unitarian Universalist (Saltwater UU) Church of Des Moines, WA is pleased to be able to offset our Carbon Footprint.  Saltwater UU Church is located on five wooded acres nearby Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, Washington. The church has been in South King County since 1954.  Environment is very important to UUs and is reflected in the 7th principle for Unitarian Universalism which states “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part”.

Our larger organization offers guidance in becoming a “Green Sanctuary” – a designation of what we are doing to fulfill our responsibility to care for our planetary home.

To begin, we conducted an environmental ‘audit’ and a resultant plan was established which included, among other things:

• Energy Conservation and Environmental Practices
• Environmental Justice
• Sustainable Living

By collaborating with Achieve NetGreen, their valuable assistance helped us implement the Carbon Footprint aspect of our Environmental Practices.  With their useful suggestions, calculations and assistance with assessing our 3 acres of trees, wetlands and forest, we received support from our members for yearly funding to “Offset our Carbon Footprint”.  We are delighted our funds are used to fund wind energy and agricultural methane projects – both clean energy projects, which replace the burning of coal.

Examples of some of our other efforts have included recycling projects, replacement with compact fluorescent bulbs, programmable thermostat installation, funding six Microbanks, fair trade coffee, earth day services, solstice and equinox celebrations, energy reduction family pledges and removal of invasive plants, trail improvement and native plant interpretive signs.  Our children, youth and adult programs incorporate environmental conscience behavior and curriculum.

We have much continued and ongoing work to do, but feel we have taken a big ‘footprint step’! The members of Saltwater UU are grateful for the education, information and opportunities Achieve NetGreen provided which enabled us to become a Carbon-Neutral Church in South King County.

- Kathy Linnell, Saltwater Unitarian, Des Moines, Washington

At 56 I was a teenager during the revolution of ideas in the 60’s. It was a countercultural revolution begging the question, if you see and agree that the status quo isn’t working and is ultimately threatening the wellbeing of the planet what can be done? I am thrilled that there is an affordable effective opportunity to make a difference and put my money where my mouth has been.

- Todd Armstrong, Owner, Armstrong Contracting Inc., Seattle

Net Green offers us a proactive solution for being responsible for our carbon footprint on the planet. The least I can do for my clients is to make their new home carbon neutral for one year when they work with me. It’s a gift that plants the seed and begins a conversation about energy, our homes, our habits and what we are doing about it. Net Green began the conversation for me, and even still I am just hitting the tip of the iceberg for what is possible.

- Amy Lindsey of Rockwell Realty, Seattle