GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Since 1949, the Grants Pass Clinic has been caring for the health needs of Josephine County. Now, the southern Oregon medical clinic is writing a prescription to nurture the development of renewable energy.

"We like to think we’re good citizens and good stewards of the environment," said Ross Gassaway, chief executive officer of the clinic, which includes the offices of 26 practitioners. "Because of this underlying philosophy, the Blue Sky program fits into our general business plan of citizenship and stewardship for our generation and for future generations."

Blue Sky enables customers to purchase and to help bring more renewable energy into the region. Energy generated from wind, biomass, solar and geothermal helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Grants Pass Clinic is buying 570 blocks a month – 57,000 kilowatt-hours – of Blue Sky Block renewable energy, which represents 100 percent of its average monthly usage. During the course of a year, the clinic’s Blue Sky purchase reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 684 tons, which has the same environmental benefit as not driving nearly 1.5 million miles.

The clinic is participating in a special program for customers who buy more than 101 blocks per month. Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Quantity Savings program allows large business customers to buy renewable energy for less, provided they purchase at least 101 blocks of Blue Sky per month over a period of 12 months or 121.2 megawatt-hours. The price under this option can range from 71 cents to $1.94 per block, depending on how many blocks are purchased. Buying just one, 100 kilowatt-hour increment of Blue Sky Block costs only $1.95 per month.

The clinic takes recycling seriously as well, recycling most nonmedical wastes and shredding outdated medical files every week. The clinic encourages others to recycle by paying employees for previously read magazines to use in patient waiting areas.

"We pay 25 cents per magazine," said Gassaway. "Not only does this create a very dynamic library in our waiting areas, it reuses publications that might otherwise end up in a landfill."

"Grants Pass Clinic makes the connection between clean energy and good health," said Paige Prewett, southern Oregon outreach consultant for the nonprofit Renewable Northwest Project. "By purchasing Blue Sky, the clinic models how easy it is to support the well-being of both their patients and our environment."

Pacific Power residential and small non-residential customers in Oregon also can choose Blue Sky Usage, which allows customers to buy their equivalent energy usage from renewable resources, or Blue Sky Habitat, which allows customers to buy renewable energy and make a donation to The Nature Conservancy of Oregon to preserve native fish habitat.

Enrollment in Blue Sky is optional, and customers can change their participation or withdraw at any time. For more information or to sign up for Blue Sky, go to www.pacificpower.net/bluesky or call 800-769-3717.

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About Pacific Power:

Pacific Power strives to promote innovation by working with customers and communities to increase the visibility of clean, renewable energy generation technologies through education and community outreach. Pacific Power is headquartered in Portland and provides electric service to more than 713,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. It is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing approximately 1.7 million customers with reliable, efficient energy. The company works to meet growing energy demand while protecting and enhancing the environment.