In Washington, Its Easy Being Green

Finding it hard being green? Is that no-footprint, zero-emission dream life slipping through your fingers as the economy makes it harder to avoid cutting corners?

Worry not, Washington—much of that money you hear the federal government is spending is investing in the future, and the future is green.

Spend wisely on many of the new eco-friendly products and services premiering this year. By January 2011, you could take a vacation just like this one:

Wake up to a chilly morning. A bit of pep is just what’s needed, so you enjoy a cup of coffee—brewed from beans from an ethical, sustainable grower like Ethical Bean. Studies show that even in these tight times, people are still seeking out ethical and environmental businesses, especially when it comes to coffee.

Have a breakfast from a local grower, like the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance. They’re getting stronger by the year, especially in friendly farmland like in Washington.

Now it’s time to hit the road. It’s a frosty Seattle winter morning, but your Nissan Leaf is heated to the perfect temperature. That’s one of the many features you can set with your iPhone—or any mobile device—even when the car is powered down.

The Leaf’s been charging all night, so you just drive past some of the 2,500 stations that Seattle has installed in 2010 as part of The EV Project. It can carry you about one hundred miles away.

You’re going all the way north though, but don’t worry—along the 276 mile stretch of I-5 are charging stations Washington received $1.3 million in stimulus money to set up. You could even cruise down the coast if you wanted.

Finally, after a noiseless, no-emission drive, your Leaf makes it through the town of Centralia and to the Canadian border. From there, you can wave at your neighbors in Canada, assured that your state has finally taken the lead in progressive living.

It’s a pretty vision, and it can happen. It just needs you to vote with your wallet as much as at the ballot.