As Jeff Weston sees it, a climate-control system for an office building shouldn't work much different than starting your shower. Turn the knob one way, you get it hot. Turn it the other way, cold.

The instant he moved to Bellingham to attend Western Washington University (wwu.edu) in 1979, Saul Weisberg was hooked on the Pacific Northwest. He has spent decades "poking around outside" as a wilderness ranger, fire lookout and commercial fisherman.

Growing up in Hawaii, Noe Penney was fascinated by the delicate balance of nature at an early age.

Taking the practice of reuse to its fullest extent, Bellingham resident Duane Jager uses "throw-away" materials to create jobs for those people society often treats as "throw-away."

From the moment she set foot on Western Washington University's campus, Andrea Thomas felt at home. Scheduled to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Policy in June, she became the leader of Students for Renewable Energy's Education Committee in 2007 and joined Carbon Masters this past January.

After retiring from teaching public school for 25 years in Machesney Park, Ill., Jim Pemble focused on prairie restoration and education.

A Bellingham native, Lynda Fell found herself looking for a new career when her job in the medical field was outsourced in 2007.

Alex Ramel often can be seen riding around town with his son, Alden, on an Ally Cat tandem bike extension.