What is EcoHome LO?
EcoHome LO is a residential sustainability certification program run by the City of Lake Oswego. This free-to-join program provides residents with tools, resources, and recognition to take meaningful action to improve their household’s ecological footprint and help create a more sustainable community.
Why participate in EcoHome LO?
The certification checklist is a simple way to identify actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, save money on water and energy bills, expand your sustainability knowledge, and live well.
Our lifestyles, from the homes we live in, to how we travel and what we buy, have environmental impacts. In Lake Oswego, the materials, services, and food that we consume make up the largest portion of our community’s carbon emissions, followed by transportation.
The good news is that it’s possible to make a positive difference through the things we do every day. There are many ways to live more sustainably, and they can make us healthier and happier, too. And when we inspire others to do the same, our actions add up to make a big impact.
By getting EcoHome certified, you will become part of a community of Lake Oswegans who are taking action to protect the environment and contributing to a more sustainable Lake Oswego.
As you progress through the program, you will be eligible to receive a lawn sign to celebrate your certification status!
Who can participate?
Anyone can participate! Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, a student or a senior, a sustainability champion or just getting started, or anywhere in between you can find ideas and resources to adopt new sustainable habits.
How to become certified
The Certification Checklist is your roadmap to becoming EcoHome LO certified. It includes actions that encompass the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economy, and equity) and range from individual to collective actions.
The checklist is organized into 11 different sections. Sections 1 – 8 are required sections, while Sections 9 – 11 are optional. Completing actions in sections 9 – 11 will still count towards your total number of actions for certification.
To attain certification, a participant must:
- Complete at least 1 action from each required section of the application (Sections 1 – 8).
- Complete a minimum number of actions overall:
Bronze: at least 20 actions
Silver: at least 40 actions
Gold: at least 60 actions
The checklist is designed for everyone to use. It’s possible to get certified in any living situation and any budget; you can get certified without spending any money!
You can access a PDF version of the checklist here. Your personal Certification Checklist that you will use to plan and track your progress is located on the “My Checklist” page linked at the top right corner of your screen.
To get started, navigate to the “Getting Started” page.