COUPLE LIVED WITHOUT A REFRIGERATOR AND CAR 175 WAYS TO LIVE IN AN ENVIROMENTALLY SOUND WAY

Jon Biemer has more than forty years of experience working on sustainability-creating initiatives. Biemer is a mechanical engineer and holds a certificate in Process-oriented Psychology. He started Creating Sustainability as a sole-proprietor Organizational Development consulting practice in 2008.

Prior to starting his own practice, Biemer served 23 years with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) in the Energy Efficiency Group, coordinating research and managing energy efficiency programs. He was active in both the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI) and the Solar Rating and Certification Council (SRCC). While at BPA, Biemer led the Resource Supply Expansion Program (RSEP), an initiative to demonstrate and deploy energy efficient technologies and practices into the marketplace. Over twenty organizations participated in thirteen projects. RSEP set the stage for large windfarms in the Pacific Northwest.

After leaving BPA, Mr. Biemer advised Portland, Oregon’s Green Investment Fund program, which encouraged innovation in leading-edge sustainable buildings. He also advised the Portland Water Bureau, reviewing environmentally related activities. From 2010 to 2013, Jon Biemer served as President of the Earth & Spirit Council (E&S), which bridges environmentalism and spirituality. E&S has invited more than fifty Native American elders to share their traditional teachings before they are lost to a developing world. In 2009, Mr. Biemer published his first article regarding the Environmental Handprint (the good we do).

Biemer strives to live sustainably. He and his wife, Willow, gave their home an eco-retrofit, which was featured in Portland, Oregon’s 2007 Build It Green Tour. Features include:

Low-VOC (Volatile Organic Carbons) paint.
Extra insulation under the roof and floor.
LED lighting everywhere.
Recovered house parts, including cupboards, a sink and doors.
On-demand water heaters in lieu of energy-wasting tank water heaters.
Energy Star dishwasher and high-efficiency furnace.
Moveable drying racks instead of a power consuming clothes dryer.

Jon and Willow create food forests in lieu of lawns wherever they live. They raise raspberries, mulberries, plums, apples, quince, onions, jalapeno peppers, green beans, zucchini, kale, lettuce, and a variety of herbs. They eat healthy for the planet – supplementing their garden with organic food from farmers markets and eco-conscious grocers.

They work closely with the Johnson Creek Watershed Council to remove invasive plants (especially English ivy), and plant native species. Likewise, Jon and Willow participate in sustainable community functions such the Free Cycle Network, Repair Cafes and urban gleaning.

Education
BSE and MSE from Arizona State University (emphasis electrical engineering)
Additional study at California State University at Fullerton (emphasis mechanical engineering)

Professional Engineering Registration
M19571 in the State of California