Jason Wiens sparked a green revolution of sorts in his office, taking a number of steps to make Rep. Jerry Moran’s Rayburn office more environmentally friendly. Yet he doesn’t consider himself an environmentalist.

“I feel like environmentalists are sometimes seen as radical in their positions, but no matter what you call us, we all have a responsibility to take care of the planet” the 26-year-old legislative assistant said.

As a legislative assistant for Rep. Jerry Moran, Wiens works on environmental issues. His interest in nature began much sooner. He remembers reading “Ranger Rick” nature magazines as a child and being encouraged by his parents to recycle.

After reading a news article about the greening of Rep. Welch’s office, Wiens decided to make his office more environmentally friendly. He put together a list of recommendations that he presented to his boss.

“I told him that we can do things that over the longer term will cost less, saving taxpayer dollars,” he said. “That approach is one I think many people can get behind.”

When he had the green light Wiens began to put his plan into action. He sent out emails every week for ten weeks, outlining what his fellow staffers could do to help green the office.

The suggestions ranged from installing motion detectors for the specific lights to encouraging co-workers to turn off computers and turn down thermostats on the weekends. “Its fun seeing them catch on,” Wiens said, noting his office has significantly decreased its energy use.

"By making a handful of easy and inexpensive changes to the way we do business, my office will use less energy, be environmentally friendly and save taxpayer dollars," Moran said in a release announcing the program.

Moran himself has “always cared and had an interest in the environment,” Wiens said, but greening his office has allowed him to lead by example. “Your message won’t be as strong if your words and actions don’t match up,” he said.

For his part, Wiens hopes his actions—including biking to work—speak for themselves.

“There are little things all of us can do,” Wiens said.

See also: Rep. Jerry Moran’s Website »

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As a new member of the Green the Capitol (GTC) team, Sarah Jensen is enjoying what she calls a “win-win” — working in a job she loves and helping make the earth a greener place.

As a program manager and environmental counsel for GTC, Jensen is combining her personal value of environmental stewardship with her office’s goal of making the Capitol a more sustainable institution. She’ll be working to help the House of Representatives become a model of environmental sustainability, by working with the GTC team to implement aggressive, realistic operational choices that will reduce the House’s environmental footprint and encourage the conscientious use of natural resources.

“We want to ensure that measures we ask other House organizations to take are ones we have already tested ourselves and things that represent ambitious but prudent leadership.  We push ourselves hard; we’re always looking for the next opportunity for genuine innovation.  The best way to accomplish meaningful, positive change is for each of us to take a fresh, open-minded look at traditional standards and procedures, bring clear-eyed analysis to both wasteful habits and over-heated hype, and ultimately use progressive common sense to make the Capitol complex an inspiring international model for energy and resource saving innovation,” she said. 

That drive is not new to the Green the Capitol office’s program manager and environmental counsel.

Jensen spent four years as an attorney representing Alaska natives on international and domestic marine resources issues.  There she worked to strike a balance between the enduring needs of the subsistence cultures with the changes brought to the Arctic by global economic and technological pressures.  Next came a stint consulting on climate change adaptation and mitigation policy. 

“After I started looking into climate change, I learned states and cities across America are adapting by designing progressive master plans to manage their resources more carefully and prepare for a time of relative resource scarcity and changed weather patterns.  I became absorbed in the world of green roofs, stormwater management, infrastructure redesign, and energy and waste reduction.  And that led to me think about working here,” she said.

But her fascination with all things environment started much earlier. She grew up in Virginia Beach. “The Chesapeake Bay was like an extra parent and teacher.  As a child I first understood that, as vast and beautiful as the Bay is, its capacity to support life is limited. Overfishing and pollution—from people like me who loved it—were in fact killing it” she said. 

That interest led her to a job aimed at protecting marine resources and then to climate change.  Still, Jensen was looking to expand her focus and help counter environmental harm brought about by human activity.

“It’s not quite the ocean anymore,” said Jensen. “But it’s all related.  Climate change reaches every molecule on this planet.”

A stint at a law firm, which specialized in energy and environment, inspired Jensen to enroll in law school. She earned her degree from top-rated Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College, where in addition to her J.D., she earned a certificate in natural resources law.

Today, her passion is driven not just by the desire to protect the environment, but also to protect someone else: her two-year-old son Carter.

“It’s hard being away from him during this time in his life, so I didn’t want to just work to be working,” she said. “If I was going to be away from him, I wanted to do something worthwhile.” 

Jensen, whose husband is a renewable energy and natural resources lawyer, wants Carter to know that his parents are working to make a difference in his future.

“We’re green geeks,” she said, referring to her husband. “We’re a green family building a green house.”

The Jensens have spent the last two years designing their future home. Their design includes sustainable building materials, sunlight harvesting, and aims to use geothermal energy.

Jensen has enjoyed working in the CAO and hopes to build momentum for the GTC’s goals by supporting alliances within other Legislative Branch Organizations to coordinate greening efforts.

“I love it here. The pace is blistering and the work is exciting,” she said.  “Every day there are a thousand new things to learn.”

April Contents

News and Events

Profile » Jason Weins

Profile » Sarah Jensen

Multimedia

In the Green World

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How to Green Your Office

Have you been wondering how to improve recycling, increase energy efficiency and engage in sustainable work habits?

Tips To Green Your Office (PDF) »

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