PGE Powers Portland Farmers Market’s EverGreen Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 28, 2011  

CONTACTS
Deborah Pleva, PFM, 503-250-4750
Elaina Medina, PGE, 503-464-8790
    
           

PGE Powers Portland Farmers Market’s EverGreen Program
 

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Farmers Market just got a bit greener thanks to Portland General Electric’s sponsorship as the market’s EverGreensponsor for the next two years.The markets, along with Portland Farmers Market’s office, will be powered by PGE renewable energy.

“PGE and Portland Farmers Market share a common interest in providing Portlanders with healthy, environmentally friendly options for food consumption and energy conservation,” said Trudy Toliver, executive director of Portland Farmers Market. “More and more, Portlanders are making thoughtful choices to recycle, compost and purchase renewable energy thanks to the values this partnership embodies.”

“We’re delighted at the opportunity to work with the Portland Farmers Market on offering customers the ability to choose locally grown foods and sustainable energy that’s 100 percent renewable,” said Thor Hinckley, PGE’s renewable power program manager. “We hope to enroll more than 200 customers in our renewable power program at the farmers market.”

PGE representatives are at the PSU, Buckman and NW market locations to help educate people about renewable energy and encourage them to join in supporting renewable energy. For every person who successfully enrolls in a renewable power option at those markets, PGE will donate $5 to the Fresh Exchange program, which helps low-income families buy fresh food at farmers markets.

Portland Farmers Market launched EverGreen at the beginning of the 2010 season at its largest market at Portland State University. It was an immediate success, diverting 80 percent of waste from the landfill, with the majority of waste going to the commercial composting stream. This accomplishment far exceeded 2010’s diversion goal and set them on the path to meet a 90 percent diversion goal in 2012 when EverGreen will be in place at all Portland Farmers Market locations.

The most visible component of EverGreen is segmented waste collection stations including compost, recycle, and garbage bins on site at the market. Other EverGreen features include the use of compostable serviceware; interactive games to educate customers about compostable products and waste reduction; and reusable water containers and bags.    

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