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Sustainability at Breitenbush ... While at Breitenbush you are “off the grid”. The power of the river and heat from the hot springs combined with simple living allow us to thrive in this sanctuary without significant dependence Our small hydroelectric plant produces about 40 kilowatts, the amount of electricity typically used in three urban homes. And yet it supports a community of over 55 full time residents and up to 135 guests. There is no extravagant use of electricity here at Breitenbush whether in lighting (all bulbs are compact fluorescents) or using hair dryers (not permitted). By sharing kitchens (and refrigerators), doing electricity audits and avoiding power hungry appliances like clothes dryers, the community is able to live within our energy boundaries.
In its early years (1977-1980), the Breitenbush Community drilled several geothermal (literally “heat from the earth”) wells and developed the technology to use that natural hot water to heat our buildings. Today over 100 buildings, from the guest cabins to the greenhouse are kept cozy year round making Breitenbush the largest privately owned geothermal facility in the Pacific Northwest. One of our building design principles is to use recycled/sustainable/ renewable as much as we can. Much of our lumber comes from “volunteers”, trees that offer their wood to us by falling You’ll notice the Compost Pavilion near the kitchen that protects two large Earth Tubs. These state-of-the-art composting tubs allow us to efficiently and oderlessly churn thousands of pounds of kitchen waste into black crumbly compost for garden starts. The tubs were generously funded by the Breitenbush Eco Fund and provide our guests with an opportunity to learn about large scale composting. 
© 1999 Breitenbush Hot Springs. Site updated - Spring '08 |
on fossil fuels.
In 2005 the community completed the multi-year project of rebuilding the fish diversion and flume for the hydroelectric plant. The facility can be viewed from the footbridge over the river. A Shinto Torii Gate (constructed by community alumni using cedar logs from wind-downed trees on our property) soars over the head gates welcoming the waters.
or being blown down in the Breitenbush forest. Some we mill into beams and boards, and other pieces we take whole from the trunks.