By Tim Joyce, Environmental Reporter KOIN Local 6 

“Going green” is a term that is getting a lot of use these days. At KOIN Local 6, it’s more than a buzzword. We wanted to give our viewers who have concerns about the environment a place to get and share ideas on what it means to be greener. There are also links here to businesses and resources that can help you do your part to lighten your impact on the planet.

Being environmental can mean many different things to many different people. From self-proclaimed tree huggers, hunters to hikers, water skiers to snowboarders and everyone in between—we can recognize that there is something special about the Pacific Northwest and living here. We all might value different parts of our natural world, but  we all hopefully want the treasures and resources that we have today to be there for our children and grandchildren.

Now, being green doesn’t mean you have to spend money to do it- in fact using less can actually save you some money. Being green doesn’t have to happen all at once—it’s a process about learning what’s important to you and what can work for your family and your lifestyle. Some people might want to change out a few light bulbs. Some people might sell their car and use a bicycle. Other folks might want to shop for their fruits and vegetables in season and from local growers.

There’s not just one answer or formula for going green, either. And that’s what I’ll be exploring here in blogs. Some will be some ideas and inspiration from right here in our own community, I hope some will be ideas from some of you, some will be from other places in the world that I think are interesting and worthy of note. I have been reporting, in part, on environmental issues for more than a decade here in Oregon. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in a television newscast to tell you about some of the cool things that are going on in our community and in our region. And we all lead busy lives and you might have missed something on a recent newscast. That’s one reason why I’m excited about this blog, it’s here all the time 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

So, welcome to Generation Green. Please check back here often for new content and stories. I hope to learn a few things—and I hope you can too.