OREGON HOME INSURANCE RESOURCES & LINKS
When it comes to your home the more you know about home safety and your local community the better off you will be.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
1000 Friends of Oregon: 1000 Friends focuses on education and advocacy, to engage Oregonians in a fresh conversation about Oregon’s future, and how to make sure it’s a future we all want.
Audubon Society of Portland: Audubon Society of Portland is devoted to the conservation of Oregon's last remaining wild places.
Coalition for a Livable Future: The Coalition for a Livable Future unites over 90 diverse organizations and hundreds of individuals to promote healthy and sustainable communities.
Columbia Gorge Earth Center: Columbia Gorge Earth Center.
Community Cycling Center: The Community Cycling Center, founded in 1994, broadens access to bicycling and its benefits through hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and a neighborhood bike shop.
Community Energy Project: Community Energy Project, Inc., empowers people in the Portland metro area to maintain healthier, more livable homes, control their utility costs, and conserve natural resources.
FreeGeek: Free Geek was founded in February 2000 to recycle computer technology and provide low and no-cost computing to individuals and not-for-profit and social change organizations in the community and throughout the world.
Friends of Portland Community Gardens: The Friends of Portland Community Gardens is dedicated to the improvement, advocacy and expansion of local community gardening.
Neighborhood Associations: Find information on your neighborhood and how you can get involved.
Oregon Food Bank: Oregon Food Bank recovers food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. It then distributes that food to 20 regional food banks across Oregon.
Portland Metro: The place to get information on Portland parks, trails, and green space.
Portland Public School: Get information on the Portland Public School System.
Reach Community Development, Inc: REACH has pioneered affordable housing and supportive programs that address complex challenges facing communities.
Scrap: The School and Community Reuse Action Project--is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and the mission is to inspire creative reuse and environmentally sustainable behavior by providing educational programs and affordable materials to the community.
Sustainable Business Network: The only alliance of locally-owned, independent businesses and community partners dedicated to fostering a truly sustainable local economy.
The Rebuilding Center of Our United Villages: The ReBuilding Center is modeled after successful building material reuse centers throughout North America.
World Forestry Center: The World Forestry Center mission is to educate and inform people about the world's forests and trees, and their importance to all life, in order to promote a balanced and sustainable future.
CONSERVATION
Downspout Disconnection: A large part of Portland has a combined sewer system that carries sewage and storm water runoff in the same pipes. When it rains, the combined sewers fill to capacity and some of the storm water and sewage mixture overflows to the Willamette River.
Ecotrust: Ecotrust is a conservation organization committed to strengthening communities and the environment from Alaska to California.
Energy Star: Energy Star is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
Friends of the Reservoirs: Citizens joining to protect Portland's historic reservoirs and water systems.
Friends of Trees: Friends of Trees brings people in the Portland-Vancouver area together to plant trees along city streets and in urban natural areas.
Friends of Tryon Creek State Park: Friends of Tryon Creek State Park, in collaboration with Oregon State Parks, strive to provide world-class interpretive and educational experiences to visitors of the park.
Hawkwatch International: The mission of HawkWatch International (HWI) is to conserve the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors as indicators of ecosystem health.
Master Recycler Program: Eight-week course that provides instruction on waste reduction, recycling processes, alternatives to hazardous household products, composting and green building to Multnomah, Clackamas, & Washington Counties.
Mount St. Helens Institute: The Mount St. Helens Institute's mission is to awaken in people of all ages an appreciation of the natural processes and cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest's volcanic landscapes.
Northwest Earth Institute: The Northwest Earth Institute is recognized as a national leader in the development of innovative programs that empower individuals and organizations to protect ecological systems.
Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides: Free Healthy Homes & Gardens program offering monthly e-mail tips, & toll free number for questions.
Oregon Trout: Oregon Trout is restoring freshwater health through innovative restoration.
Oregon Wild: Oregon Wild works to protect and restore Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife and waters as an enduring legacy for all Oregonians.
Plant Native: Portland-based organization that encourages naturescaping.
Portland Water Bureau: The Portland Water Bureau develops conservation programs for City of Portland customers. The bureau works in partnership with the Regional Water Providers Consortium to develop conservation programs and assistance.
Renewable Northwest Project: The Renewable Northwest Project works for a clean energy future.
Solar Oregon: Solar Oregon is a non-profit membership organization providing public education and community outreach to encourage Oregonians to choose solar energy.
The Forest Stewardship Council: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests. FSC sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial, and economically viable way.
The Nature Conservancy: The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.
Three Rivers Land Conservancy: Three Rivers Land Conservancy is conserving the Clackamas, Tualatin and lower Willamette Rivers natural watersheds.
Tualatin Riverkeepers: Tualatin Riverkeepers is restoring the Tualatin River System.
Wolf Haven International: Wolf Haven International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is "working for wolf conservation" by: protecting our wild wolves; providing sanctuary for captive-born wolves; promoting wolf restoration in historic ranges; and educating the public on the value of all wildlife.
CREDIT AGENCIES
Annual Credit Report: The Annual Credit Report site has been set up by the big three credit reporting agencies in the United States, to furnish free annual credit reports, as required by federal law.
Equifax: Check your consumer credit report online as well as business credit reports with Equifax.
Experian: Check your consumer credit report online as well as business credit reports with Experian.
TransUnion: Check your consumer credit report online as well as business credit reports with TransUnion.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Get information on FEMA which is the agency of the US government tasked with Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery planning.
Ready America: The Ready America website educates and empowers Americans to prepare for emergencies including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks.
HOUSEHOLD SAFETY
Home Security Handbook: Learn about effective crime prevention techniques for your home with the California Attorney General’s Office & the Crime and Violence Prevention Center's Home Security
Handbook.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: The site provides the understanding of Carbon Monoxide and how protect your family and yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Fire Safety: FireSafety.gov is an information resource for eliminating residential fire deaths.
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition: The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition provides free information about the life saving value of residential fire sprinkler protection.
Home Safety Council: The Home Safety Council’s website contains safety information, home safety research, checklists, safety tips, safety resources, safety quizzes, safety lesson plans, safety articles and links and information about the State of Home Safety in America.
Household Products Database: The Household Products Database enables users to learn about what's in these products, about potential health effects, and about safety and handling.
Kids Fire Safety Tips: A website that teaches kids to be fire safe with easy to do tips.
Wildfires: Get information on wildfires which are a growing natural hazard in most regions of the United States, posing a threat to life and property, particularly where native ecosystems meet developed areas.
Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires: SmokeyBear.com provides information on preventing Wild Fires.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website includes product recalls, reports, alerts.
Do Not Call Registry: The Do Not Call Registry offers registration for consumers to stop telemarketers from calling.
IDENTITY THEFT
Identity Theft 911: Identity Theft 911 offers individuals and institutions a solution to the problem of identity theft
Identity Theft Resource Center: The Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a nonprofit, nationally respected organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft. The ITRC provides consumer and victim support as well as public education.
Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Site: This Federal Trade Commission website offers consumers how to avoid identity theft and learn what to do if their identity is stolen.
LOCAL UTILITIES
Qwest: Qwest Communications is a local provider for High Speed Internet, Home phone and long distance phone, cell phones and cell phone plans.
Portland General Electric: Portland General Electric provides electric service to customers in Portland, Oregon, and surrounding communities.
NW Natural Gas: NW Natural buys natural gas from suppliers in the western U.S. and Canada, and distributes it to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout the Northwest.
City of Portland Utilities: Get information on the services of the Portland Water Bureau.
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING
Earth Advantage: Earth Advantage is the Northwest's premier green building program. They work with builders and developers to bring the most energy efficient, sustainable and healthy homes to the market.
G/Rated: Portland Office of Sustainable Development program that promotes green building with technical help, tours, classes, grants & a downloadable guide to green remodeling/building.
Green Home Guide: Green Home Design and Building by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Greener Buildings: Greener Buildings is the resource center for environmentally responsible building development covers news on sustainable building design, green architecture, green cities and more.
Northwest Ecobuilding Guild: The Northwest EcoBuilding Guild is an association of builders, designers, homeowners, tradespeople, manufacturers, suppliers and others interested in ecologically sustainable building.
Project Green Build: Project Green Build (PGB) is a non-profit corporation whose main stake is in creating demand for sustainable home building in the region by educating the residential home building industry and the public to the benefits of green built homes.
United States Green Building Council: The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices.
