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Learn The Top Tips For Building an Eco-Friendly House

Discover the simplest and most effective ways to go green with your home building process by exploring these tips for building an eco-friendly house.

Before diving into the top tips for building an eco-friendly house, you must understand how green house building helps the well-being of homeowners and the planet. Sustainable features in an eco-friendly home offer an economic advantage because they pay themselves off and can even lower utility expenses. Building an eco-friendly home can improve the air quality of your home, which contributes to good health. Other green features like air sealing and insulation can improve the temperature and comfort of your home. Discover the simplest and most effective ways to go green with your home building process by exploring these top tips for building an eco-friendly house.

Eco-Friendly Materials

The process of building your home is an opportunity to integrate eco-friendly elements like bamboo, cork, or adobe brick. Use recycled, renewable, or locally sourced building materials. If you’re concerned about cost, explore what makes stone veneer siding a good investment and how cost-effective and eco-friendly faux stone is. 

Alternative Water Sources 

Alternative water sources are an effective resource for building an eco-friendly home and preserving natural resources. A key element of green building is water renewal and efficiency, meaning there’s a variety of alternative water sources to explore for your home. Consider a greywater filtration system to recycle water used by toilets or the kitchen sink for outdoor irrigation or other purposes. 

Energy-Efficient Appliances 

If you’re looking to upgrade an existing home for sustainable living, focus on integrating energy-efficient appliances. Consider switching or installing renewable lighting systems or getting solar panels for electricity. The appliances inside a home are the source of daily resource use and waste production, which makes water- and energy-efficient appliances ideal for operating an eco-friendly system inside your home. 

There are many ways to build or upgrade to a sustainable home through alternative energy sources and home appliances. Green home building is becoming more common with the help of energy-efficient technologies. Moreover, the goal of building or remodeling an eco-friendly home is more obtainable than ever. 

Eco Friendly
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Family Promise of Clark County Receives Support of 100 Women Who Care

Giving circle presents funds to organization helping homeless and low income families achieve sustainable independence.  

CAMAS, WA — Members of 100 Women Who Care Clark County presented $3,000 to Family Promise of Clark County on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at their second meeting this year. Board president Dave Cole accepted the funds on behalf of the organization. The local giving circle selected Family Promise to receive their donations at the first meeting of the year, held on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at Grains of Wrath in downtown Camas.

Jacilyn Margeson, board member of Family Promise and part of the 100 Women Advisory Board nominated the organization at the February meeting. Office Moms and Dads and Friends of the Washougal Library were the other nonprofit nominees at that meeting. 

Dave Cole explained that Family Promise of Clark County operates an emergency shelter program and works closely with the families it serves to help them find permanent housing. The organization also provides on-going case management services which can include resources for employment and financial literacy. 

Founded in 2018, 100 Women Who Care Clark County is a giving circle that meets quarterly and has donated over $100,000 to local nonprofits since inception. Members who attend are eligible to nominate local nonprofits to be considered for the quarterly donation. Members commit to a $100 donation to the charity voted upon by the members at each meeting.

The May meeting was held at Salud! Wine Bar in Camas and the group hopes to continue with in-person meetings throughout 2022. The next meeting will be held at Salud! Wine Bar, 224 NE 3rd Ave. Camas, on August 17, starting at 6 pm. There is an optional social hour before the meeting from 5 pm. 

Women
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Celebrate, Preserve Local History: Attend First Annual Parkersville Day

Camas-Washougal, Washington – Do you have pride in your city or family heritage? Do you enjoy learning about local history? Whether you are new to the area or have deep family roots in Washougal, Camas, or Vancouver, here is your chance to enjoy and preserve local history.

A new event, Parkersville Day, on Saturday, June 4, from noon to 3 pm at Parker’s Landing Historical Park near the Port of Camas-Washougal, will celebrate the area’s rich history. A Chinookan blessing, storytellers in period clothing, the playing of historic family games, a display of student art, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, display booths, and even a high school brass band performance will round out the day’s activities.

Parkersville Heritage Foundation is sponsoring the event. Two Rivers Heritage Museum, Clark County Historical Museum, Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance and park partners will have display booths. Park partners donate time and materials to help preserve and beautify the park. This year’s partners are the Soroptimist Club of Camas-Washougal, Cascade Tree Works, LLC, ColumbiaOutdoor.com, Camas Lions Club, AllPhaseConstruction-remodeling.com, JTR Artworks & Construction, and Affordable Ponds.  

Parkersville

“Even the event’s location holds special significance to the area,” said Susan Tripp, the event coordinator with family history in Washougal. “Parker’s Landing Historical Park at Parkersville National Historic Site commemorates the Chinook tribes who lived and visited there and early milestones in Washington’s history.” 

“We are inviting the community to be a part of history by purchasing a legacy brick for engraving and placement at Parker’s Landing Historical Park,” Tripp added. “But hurry, only a limited number of bricks are still available!” 

Bricks are a $75 tax-deductible donation and support the nonprofit Parkersville Heritage Foundation, which oversees park history preservation. Receive a brick order form email phfbrickorders@gmail.com. 

For more information, email ParkersvilleHeritageFoundation@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ParkersLandingHistoricalPark

Parkersville

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Registration Now Open For WSF Stride Run For Education

Elementary school runs and 5K run/walk will take place in Washougal on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

WASHOUGAL, WA — The Washougal Schools Foundation announces open registration for the 18th Annual Student Stride for Education, a run/walk event that provides fun and challenge for all ages. The WSF Stride has become a popular community event filled with healthy exercise, including an adult 5K run/walk and elementary school runs for each class from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. 

The event is the primary fundraising activity for the Washougal Schools Foundation, which is dedicated to enhancing the quality of public education and improving the lives of children in Washougal. The Foundation uses the proceeds of the WSF Stride for classroom grants. All proceeds from The Student Stride for Education are used to fund creative projects in Washougal schools in the form of Creative Classroom Grants and Mini-Grants for educators and teachers. 

Title Sponsor Discovery Dental will be hosting their popular ‘Beat the Doc Challenge’.  Anyone able to beat both Doctors Dave and Tom Stinchfield across the finish line gets a prize from Discovery Dental.

Baseball

And for the second year, the event will host a Ninja Warrior Obstacle course, open to anyone and sponsored by Washougal River Crossfit. 

The artwork for the 2022 t-shirts and medals was created by Amberlin McBee, a sixth-grader at Jemtegaard Middle School. 

The 18th annual Student Stride for Education will take place on Saturday, May 21st at Washougal High School’s Fishback Stadium. Race day registration opens at 7:15 am with the 5K Run starting at 8:00 am. Participants can register individually or as teams online at https://www.washougalschoolsfoundation.org/stride/

About the Washougal Schools Foundation:
The Washougal Schools Foundation seeks to enhance the quality of public education, helping to prepare students to constructively participate in the improvement of the community. The foundation offers Creative Classroom Grants in the Fall and Spring for projects up to $1,000 to teachers, staff, students, or community members. Mini-grants are offered throughout the year as well, each providing up to $250 to teachers for materials and programs. To learn more about the foundation and its contribution to the community, visit washougalschoolsfoundation.org

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April 28 Fundraiser to Assist With Camas-Washougal Skate Park Renovations

Camas, WA —The only outdoor skate park in East Clark County, is ready for a refresh. Built in 2002, the Camas-Washougal Skate Park, while currently functional, is desperately in need of renovations.

Camas Parks and Recreation is currently working with a host of partners to design plans for multiple new features at the park.  But with new features, come new costs. To help offset those costs, the City is working with the Camas Parks Foundation to kick off a month-long fundraising campaign, starting with a classic skate movie at Liberty Theatre, April 28.

Join the Camas Parks Foundation, and Camas Parks & Recreation at the Liberty Theatre, Thursday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m., for the showing of “Bones Brigade: An Autobiography” (rated PG for some strong language). Bones Brigade is a classic skateboard movie featuring skateboard stars Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Steve Caballero, Lance Mountain, Tommy Guerrero and Mike McGill.

Admission is $7.50, and tickets will be pre-sold, and seats pre-selected by visiting: https://www.camasliberty.com/movie/129019/Bones-Brigade-An-Autobiography  All ticket proceeds will be donated towards the Camas-Washougal Skate Park improvements! 

In addition, the month-long fundraising effort will also include an on-line silent auction which will begin April 28 and run through June 4, culminating with a skate event at the Camtown Youth Festival! Check out the amazing auction items, stay up to date with the progressive fundraising efforts, or donate directly on the “Donate to the Skate Park” button at:  https://www.camasparksfoundation.org/skatepark 

Major contributors to this project include Camas Parks Foundation, Collective Concrete, Grains of Wrath, Liberty Theatre, Live Well Camas, Lunch Money, Nest & Love Photography, Poler, Parks Foundation of Clark County and Yew Skateboards. You can view all the donors, sponsors and contributors by visiting the Camas Parks Foundation web page at: https://www.camasparksfoundation.org/skatepark 

For questions or more information contact: Krista Bashaw at 360-817-7991 or kbashaw@cityofcamas.us

For questions or information related to the on-line fundraiser, contact: Vicki Kerr at 503-730-5300

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Shangri-La Farm Invites Public to Country Style Easter Egg Hunt

Local artist and Clark County Master Gardener Liz Pike is organizing a community Easter egg hunt at her organic Shangri-La Farm in Fern Prairie on Saturday, April 16th. The Port of Camas Washougal, Minuteman Press, ART FARM and Shangri-La Aviation are also co-sponsors of this country style Easter egg hunt. Visitors must park at Grove Field Airport, 632 NE 267th Avenue, just around the corner from Shangri-La Farm. The Easter Bunny will be driving the farm’s all-electric Sunflower Mobile; transporting attendees from the airport parking lot through the woods on a forest trail to the farm. 

The Easter egg hunt is actually three events in one, separated by ages. There’s a Tots Egg Hunt for ages 0-4 at 10:00a.m., followed by a Kids Egg Hunt for ages 5-8 at 11:00a.m., and a Big Kids Hunt for children over 9 years of age at noon on Saturday, April 16th. “We are inviting our community to experience Spring on a farm,” says Liz. “There’s lots to see this time of year including baby chicks and newborn lambs.” 

While at the farm for Easter egg hunt festivities, Liz invites the public to tour her lush gardens and see honeybees and happy chickens in action. Wander around raised vegetable beds and stroll the meandering trails through botanical flower gardens. See berry patches and fruit orchards along with Shangri-La Farm’s “e-crap station,” an environmentally conscious recycled animal poop composting system. There’s also a quaint farm stand open year round which sells farm fresh eggs from free-range chickens as well as organic fruits and vegetables during the season. 

Easter

Activities at the farm are as diverse as the plant life. Liz has a working art studio, an exhibition art gallery and an instructional studio at the farm, where she teaches oil painting workshops. Her ART FARM Sip&Paint studio accommodates up to nine students for scheduled classes. A complete schedule can be found at http://lizpike.art. Guests are invited to tour all of the art studios while attending the Easter egg hunt. 

Shangri-La Farm has been part of the Clark County Natural Garden Tour in 2018, 2019 and 2020. This year’s Tour is slated for Sunday, July 17th. Liz and her husband Neil Cahoon established Shangri-La Farm in 2010. 

“After eleven years of blood, sweat and tears, we enjoy sharing our farm with the public,” said Liz. “All year long, visitors stop in to purchase fresh items at our roadside farm stand. We invite them to tour the gardens and experience the changing beauty of the season.” 

Liz and her husband understand the importance of fostering a local, sustainable food system. 

“We realize people have food choices and we appreciate the support we receive from local families. This Easter egg hunt is one small way we can give back,” added Liz. 

For more information, Liz can be reached at 360-281-8720 or email pikeadvertising@comcast.net. Shangri-La Farm in Fern Prairie is located at 26300 NE Third Street, Camas, WA 98607. 

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Events: Washougal Youth Art Gallery Opens March 25

Washougal, WA – Washougal School District and Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance have joined forces again to shine a spotlight on student art during Washougal Youth Arts Month (WYAM). March is recognized nationally as Youth Art Month.

The cornerstone event for WYAM is the Washougal Youth Arts Month Gallery, showcasing student works created in art and Career and Technical Education classes from all Washougal schools. This year it will be held in a new location at the Washougal High School Excelsior Building at 1401 39th Street on March 23-25 from 5-7 pm and March 26 from 2-5 pm.  It’s free! 

“Our young artists have been working hard all year to create art to share with our community,” said Cape Horn-Skye Elementary and Canyon Creek Middle School art teacher and WYAM gallery organizer, Alice Yang.  

Art pieces to be displayed include multimedia, watercolor, clay, video, and include works by WHS Career and Technical Education students with photography, metal and wood pieces.  In addition to the displays of art, music has been added to the gallery with WHS choir students Lily Barrett and Megan West to perform one song each on Saturday at 4:20 pm.

“Making the event even more special, the student-operated Panthers’ Cafe will be open on Wednesday from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm for coffee creations for purchase,” said Margaret Rice, WSD CTE Director. “And on Saturday from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm CTE Culinary program students will be serving free appetizers they prepared in class, while supplies last.”

Yang will also have a loom set up for gallery visitors to be a part of a community weaving project to create fabric art. 

“The Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance has a wonderful partnership with our schools and have funded and helped facilitate a number of student-created public art pieces,” said WACA Board Member, Rene Carroll.  “But our favorite collaboration is WYAM and the gallery specifically.  The level of talent these young artists exhibit is impressive. It is wonderful to help share this work with the community and give students recognition for their efforts.”

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Like so many other events in 2021, last year’s WYAM gallery was presented online. 

“Although the online gallery was so beautifully done, there’s nothing like seeing an artwork up close and personal,” Yang remarked. “The art teachers and students are so excited to have an in-person art show this year.” Past in person WYAM galleries have hosted hundreds of families and art lovers stopping by each day to enjoy the student work.

Washougal Youth Arts Month received formal recognition from both the City of Washougal and Washougal School Board with proclamations being signed at City Council and School Board Meetings last month.

“By collaborating in this rich arts endeavor with our community, we are supporting a partnership opportunity to know, nurture, and challenge all students in Washougal to rise to their creative potential,” said WSD Superintendent Mary Templeton. 

Youth Art Month started nationally in 1961 when the Council for Art Education and National Art Education Association named March as Youth Art Month to recognize art education and the value of art to create a better quality of life for all people.   Research indicates that high-quality art educational opportunities can improve critical-thinking skills and even help to foster important values such as empathy and acceptance.

For a full list of scheduled art activities and events throughout the month of March, go to http://www.washougal.k12.wa.us/

WYAM
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Events: Disney’s ‘Descendants’ Musical Coming to Vancouver

Vancouver, WA —  Journey Theater is excited to be back in the theater to bring you this high-energy show based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, Disney’s Descendants: The Musical.  

It is present-day, and in the kingdom of Auradon, all of Disney’s beloved heroes and royalty are living happily ever after, safe from the terrifying villains and troublesome sidekicks they have banished to the magic-free Isle of the Lost. That is until Ben, the benevolent teenage son of Belle and King Adam (The Beast), offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of the evilest villains. Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos – the children of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil, and Jafar – are welcomed to Auradon Prep to attend school with the children of their parents’ sworn enemies. Now entering a completely foreign world and way of life, the four Villain Kids have a difficult choice to make: should they follow in their parents’ wicked footsteps or learn to be good?

Tickets are on sale now at journeytheater.org or by calling 360.750.8550.  Adult tickets are $16.  Youth and senior tickets are $12.  Tickets for all performances will be $2 more at the door. 

Natalia's

Performances at Fort Vancouver High School

  • Friday, April 22nd @ 7pm
  • Saturday, April 23rd @ 2pm and @ 7pm
  • Friday, April 29th @ 7pm
  • Saturday, April 30th @ 2pm and 7pm

About Journey TheaterJourney is a Jesus-centered theater arts program that exists to grow youth and their families in character and purpose to be difference-makers in their world.

Journey is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization, with offices located at 1400 NE 136th Ave, Suite 201, Vancouver WA, 98684.  Contact at 360.750.8550 or www.journeytheater.org

Descendants
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Culture: Two Rivers Heritage Museum Offers Group Tours

Washougal, WA — Wet and cold weather finds many of us indoors during the winter. The Camas-Washougal Historical Society is inviting groups searching for an interesting activity to step into history at the Two Rivers Heritage Museum in Washougal.

“Although we are currently closed to general admission for our annual winter maintenance and display work, we are happy to host groups of eight or more to enjoy our museum this time of year,” said Lois Cobb, CWHS Volunteer Coordinator.  A team of knowledgeable docents will help guide guests through the interesting displays which tell the stories of the history of Camas and Washougal.

Tours are available Monday through Saturday and need to be arranged by contacting Cobb at 360-835-5449.

Museum volunteers have been working hard during maintenance and COVID closures to refresh, update and expand existing displays and curate new historic information from the extensive artifact archives in storage. 

“Volunteers have taken a deeper look at our displays and created more detailed signage,” said Cobb.  “This adds to the enjoyment for guests as they understand more about the history and stories behind what they are seeing.”

A few of the interesting displays include Native American baskets and stone tools, mining relics, logging and dairy equipment, cobbler and carpenter tools, local doctor photos and their medical instruments, a pioneer kitchen with wood fire oven and ice box, military uniforms and toys that teach.

Another highlight is the new Gathering Place as Washuxwal, a long house inspired structure that was completed this fall.  The pavilion will be home to CWHS educational presentations and will help tell the stories of local Native Americans who were the first inhabitants of the area.  

Tour prices are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and just $2 for students.  The museum will be open for general admission on Saturdays from 11am-3pm from March through the end of October. For more information about the museum and volunteer and membership opportunities, visit www.2rhm.com and follow them on Facebook.

“We are proud of our museum and the stories we tell there,” said Cobb. “We want our community and visitors to the area to enjoy it and come away with a new appreciation of those who came before us. The Two Rivers Heritage Museum is where history lives for Camas and Washougal.”

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Clark County’s COVID-19 Activity Rate More Than Doubles: 1,671 Per 100,000

Vancouver, WA — Clark County Public Health released the latest COVID-19 data that shows an activity rate that has more than doubled from a week ago. Last week, the activity rate was 715 per 100,000. This week the activity rate jumped to 1,671 per 100,000.

Here is this week’s COVID-19 update:

• 6,121 additional cases (confirmed and probable) since last update

• 50,573 confirmed cases to date (+4,455 since last update)

• 7,808 antigen probable cases to date (+1,666 since last update) 

• 6,110 active cases (in isolation period)

Hospitalizations

• 96.8% of hospital beds are occupied

• 98.4% of ICU beds are occupied

• 17.8% of hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 cases and persons under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 (awaiting test results)

• 25% of ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 cases and PUIs

• 94 COVID-19 cases and 1 PUI hospitalized

Rates

• COVID-19 activity rate is 1,679.1 cases per 100,000 over 14 days (up from 715.1 last week). 

• COVID-19 new hospital admission rate is 11.8 per 100,000 people over 7 days (up from 7.0 last week)

Deaths

• 623 total deaths to date (573 confirmed, 50 suspect)

• 14 additional confirmed deaths since the last update:

• 2 men in their 30s

• 1 man in his 50s

• 2 men in their 70s

• 2 men 80+ years old

• 3 women in their 60s

• 1 woman in her 70s

• 3 women 80+ years old

• 1 additional suspect death: a woman 80+ years old

More than 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Clark County. And more than 112,000 people have received an additional dose (either a booster or third dose if immunocompromised).

Everyone 5 years and older is eligible to get vaccinated, and those 12 years and older can get a booster dose. If you have questions about the vaccines, please talk to your health care provider.

If you’re ready to get vaccinated or need a booster dose, here’s how you can find a vaccine location near you:

• Search on VaccineLocator.doh.wa.gov

• Search on VaccineFinder.org

• Call 833.VAX.HELP

• Text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX)

You may learn more on the Clark County health department’s COVID-19 data webpage: https://clark.wa.gov/public-health/covid-19-data 

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