Our Environment

We all have a role to play in helping to conserve water. Saving water can be done with a few simple changes:

• Fix Leaks - saves 110g each month.
• Fill the bathtub halfway or less - saves 12 gallons per bath.
• Recycle Indoor Water and Use for Plants - Saves gallons of water each month.
• Install a high-efficiency toilet - saves 19 gallons per person, per day.
• Turn off water when brushing teeth or shaving - saves 10 gallons per person per day.
• Wash full loads of clothes and dishes - washer saves 15 to 45 gallons per load, dishwasher saves 5 to 15 gallons per load.
• Install aerators - saves 1.2 gallons per person per day.
• Reduce water use outside by installing drip irrigation and adding a smart controller, set mower blades to 3 inches, and reimagine your yard with water-wise plants.

Energy efficiency upgrades to your home are a cost-effective way to achieve savings and comfort for your family.

The Energy Efficiency Pyramid serves as a general reference for you to explore which upgrades might be most cost-effective to save energy in your building. The higher you go on the pyramid, the more expensive and complex the improvement. In other words, start at the bottom and work your way up. View the full article on the pyramid at Green Building Advisor.

For an online energy efficiency home assessment, visit Clark Green Neighbors.

The Backyard Habitat Certification Program provides technical assistance, incentives, resources, and recognition to private property owners to restore native wildlife habitats, control invasive weeds, reduce pesticides, and manage stormwater at home. The program is designed to increase effective management of privately-held lands by partnering with communities.

Create an inviting and beautiful yard that is safe for your family and pets and has an abundance of natural beauty. Using native plants, encouraging wildlife, composting, and avoiding the use of chemicals in the form of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides for the garden is the perfect way to garden – naturally.

• Gardening with Native Plants and Sample Plant Layouts
• Landscaping for Wildlife
• Losing the Lawn for Natural Landscaping
• Rain Gardens in Washington

The Southwest Clean Air Agency has a Wood Stove Replacement Program that Ridgefield residents may be eligible for!

The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA), in conjunction with the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE), is offering financial incentives in amounts ranging from $350 to $6000 for homeowners within the Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) of Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Yacolt, Chehalis, and Centralia who wish to replace or remove an old wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert which is installed in the home and does not meet the current emission limits set by the State of Washington (Washington Administrative Code, Chapter 173-433-100).

Visit the SWCAA website for more information and to apply.

Consider using alternative modes of transportation by biking, carpooling, taking public transit, or walking. Ridgefield created a MultiModal Plan which provides a long-term vision and direction for alternative transportation.

• Keep your car well-maintained. A poorly-maintained engine both creates more air pollution and uses more fuel. Replace oil and air filters regularly. Keep your tires properly inflated.
• Don't idle your vehicle. If you stop for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn off your engine. Idling for a total of 10 minutes a day uses an average of about 22 gallons of gas per year, as well as pollutes the air.
• Don't buy more car than you need. Four-wheel drive, engine size, vehicle weight, and tire size all affect the amount of fuel your vehicle uses.

Learn more about how you can reduce your environmental footprint by buying local, eating sustainably, and maybe even growing some of your own food.

There are many benefits to purchasing locally grown and locally produced foods. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, there is less packaging and lower transportation costs, and your community and the local economy are supported.

Check out the Ridgefield Farmer's Market every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm from May through October at Overlook Park.

Buy directly from a local farmer. The farm finder website, hosted by Washington State University, is a great way to find farm stands, u-pick locations, and other sources for locally grown foods.

Composting is a way to turn your yard and kitchen waste into part of nature's natural cycle of decomposition. It also reduces your contribution to landfills and climate-changing gasses while producing a wonderful soil amendment for yards and gardens.

Interested in learning about composting, waste reduction, and green living? Clark County Composts offers FREE public volunteer training and workshops to help get you started! Visit Clark County Composts.

Protect your family and your community by cutting down on toxic products and disposing of them in the correct manner.

• Get toxins out of your garden: If you need to use products in your yard or garden, consider less toxic products like fungicides and herbicides.
• Dispose of Hazardous Materials: Household hazardous waste products include automotive products, household cleaners, paints and solvents, and pesticides. Storing hazardous chemicals in your home can put your family at risk of exposure. Leftover hazardous waste should never be thrown in the trash or recycling bin, flushed down the toilet, or dumped down the drain or storm sewer. Find information on where to dispose of hazardous materials.

Curbside recycling is available to all residents of Clark County. Recycling is picked up on the same day as garbage (self-haul garbage customers are given a recycling schedule). Clark County residents have blue recycling carts for most recyclable materials and a separate in for glass. Learn more about Clark County recycling and find answers to a variety of options for reusing and recycling.

Light Pollution drowns out the stars that migrating birds are using to navigate and lures them into cities where they are at risk of colliding with windows. Across the US, nearly 1 billion birds die every year as a result of hitting a window. There are also serious human health concerns about exposure to artificial light at night, which disrupts our circadian rhythms.

Building owners and residential households are encouraged to turn off unnecessary lighting and then get out somewhere to see the stars!

From 11 PM to 6 AM:

• Turn off any unnecessary outdoor lighting
• Draw blinds or curtains in rooms where lights are in use