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SeQuential: The “Green” Gas Station

Chris Brotherton
The Commuter

Friday, February 20, 2009

With all the things going on in the environment these days, it is a breath of fresh air to see a gas station, like SeQuential, making strides to improve the environment. With features such as solar panels above the fuel pumps feeding electricity back into the power grid, a “Living Roof” with five inches of soil and 1500 individual plants insulating the building and focusing on providing local and regional products to its customers, this gas station is stepping into the future of environmental care.

Why should we care about the environment? Why is a business like this even worth the time to mention in print? The reason that taking care of our environment is important is easy, we live there. I am not an environmental activist, but we still have a responsibility to take care of where we live. The SeQuential station has been built with the principles of helping to sustain the environment while still providing the same products and services to customers as any other station, with a much smaller carbon foot print.

Even in the bathroom you can find evidence of the environmental theme. The dual flush toilets use a special mechanism in the tank allowing the handle to be functional in both directions. For instance, to flush liquid waste, you push the handle down and only one gallon of water will take care of it. However, for solids you push the handle up and the tank sends out 1.6 gallons of water for a little extra volume. What this translates into is for every hundred flushes, there is a savings of sixty gallons of water. With this station being right off of I-5 and at the south end of Eugene, the SeQuential station makes a good stop before heading into the mountains, so that is a lot of flushing.

Looking at the food offerings in the store will give you a picture of the ideal customer. There is a selection of organic chips, meatless jerky, disk golf supplies and meatless hotdogs. However, there is a huge selection of beer from both local and other small breweries. Then tucked away in a corner of the store, there is a fresh bakery offering sweet and savory treats, including éclairs that look like it would take two hands to eat them. Along with a fresh pastry, they will be happy to brew you up a mocha or latte.

Another way that this station is helping to protect the environment is by offering biofuels. Since biofuels are derived from vegetable oil, these fuels help to cut down on our petroleum consumption. There is even a place where you can recycle your used vegetable oil, onsite at the station. Although their main focus is the selling of Bioethanol and Biodiesel, they do provide regular gas and diesel.

I first discovered this environmentally friendly pit stop on my way to Klamath Falls, when I needed a drink before heading into the mountains. I had thought that it was just another gas station when I first pulled in, as I was only looking for a convenient stop directly off the highway. Not only did I find my quick stop, I found a company that is trying to make an impact on the way that we treat the environment and now I stop there as often as I can just to support them and the idea that they stand for. I am just hoping that this concept takes hold and more places like this start popping up.

Comment

One of your best articles yet, Chris. Great job!

— nic · Feb 20, 10:17 PM · #

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