Dedicated to operating an international air and seaport in an environmentally responsible manner, the Port of Portland recently created a sustainability policy that states, "The Port will consider the life cycle of materials, seek energy efficiency and water conservation, reduce use of hazardous materials and procure reusable, recycled and recyclable products."

In accordance with this policy, the Port purchased the equivalent of one percent of its power usage — 52,500 kilowatt hours monthly — from renewable energy resources. The purchase meets the Clean Energy Challenge, a standard set by a coalition of northwest environmental groups for making green power purchases that represent a "meaningful commitment" to renewable energy.

Purchasing renewable energy is just one way the Port reflects its commitment to responsible energy usage. It also has a long-standing record of energy conservation that incorporates automated lighting and heating conservation systems into its new headquarters building. It also includes upgrading the heating and cooling systems at Portland International Airport (PDX) to reduce energy consumption by half, incorporating natural day-light design into new construction at PDX, and upgrading to more efficient lighting at Marine Terminal 2 for a 50 percent increase in energy efficiency.