Going Green All the Way – Have a green House

Today we write about a company that has learnt about us and our blog posts via Charles Orgbon and decided to give this opportunity a try. We are talking with Margie Campaigne, the owner of Project HOUSE/Green Irene (Household Opportunity to Upgrade & Save the Environment).

She began working on the HOUSE project in the 1970s in an attempt to make households realize and reduce their use of resources such as energy, water, gasoline, packaging materials, etc. She then joined the Global Warming & Energy Committee of her local Sierra Club in early 2007, when she realized that the goals of the HOUSE project and the goals of the Global Warming & Energy Committee were exactly the same. Therefore, Marge decided to bring this project in the 21st century and turn it into a website. „By Earth Day, 4/22/07, Project HOUSE was live.” we love this expression.

But the adventure only began here. Later on, people who were introduced to Project HOUSE asked Margie if she could come into their homes to give personal assistance with becoming greener, so she began to investigate how she might do that, when I discovered Green Irene, LLC. Green Irene was a green project with the same vision and similar goals, the only difference was that they had training and green products to offer. „I took their training in January 2009, and have been active ever since, doing a number of Green Home Makeovers, selling green home products, and tabling at many eco events in the area.”

So, what does HOUSE do? In a few words, but big ideas, it promotes the reduction of our individual, household, community, commercial, and government carbon footprints. This is done by some using the website to help people find tips on how this can be done, by having Margie present at workshops or other events, or having her come to people’s home or business to perform a Green Makeover. What is a Green Makeover, you may ask? (So did we…) „That includes a total assessment of the savings opportunities available throughout the home, yard, and/or business, and then offering recommendations and green products.”

Regarding the green-ness of the person behind the company, Margie states „I am absolutely green!” and it couldn’t be different. She has been eco-conscious for over 30 years. In 2006, she also had a major amount of work done to her home to make it more energy efficient. The result of this makeover that she did to herself is as it follows: „I now have a year’s worth of data on the resulting energy savings, from my local utility’s website showing my home’s energy use over the past two years. My gas usage in terms decreased by 25%. My electricity use in kWh decreased by 44%. Not too shabby, and I still have things to tweak!”

She admits having some help from a couple others on the Sierra committee, and from people she met, who were also presenting green workshops where she was presenting, but this was at the beginning so Margie is „on her own” now and is doing more than great!

In terms of advise, whether to open a green business on your own, or not, her mind speaks simply, but so very eloquent: “Do some research, follow your passion, and go for it!”

This has been the interview for today. Margie taut us that there is nothing you can’t do if you are passionate and consistent about it, so go and get Green!

P.S. Also, on our Facebook account, you can see a story on Margie and Project HOUSE/ Green Irene on CBS News.