Eric Hirst serves as the Treasurer on the CELP Board of Directors. He has been an environmental activist since he was a graduate student in engineering at Stanford University in the mid-1960s. Most of his career as an energy policy analyst at Oak Ridge National Laboratory focused on energy efficiency. Eric moved to Bellingham in late 2002. He helped create a local chapter of Futurewise and served on its Steering Committee from 2007 – 2009. Eric was a member of the board of directors for RE Sources for Sustainable Communities from late 2010 through early 2015 and remains an active supporter of the organization.

Recently, Eric has focused on local water issues, researching and writing articles for local media. Although very much an environmental advocate, Eric has reached out to those with different perspectives, especially farmers, to discuss possible solutions to our water problems.