Soft-voiced and low-key, Potter shifts into high gear when talking about music, his business or his Yamaha motorcycle, which he converted to electric a few years back.

He’s also a member of the Oregon Electric Vehicle Association — a group of electric transportation enthusiasts sponsored in part by Portland General Electric. Inspired by this group, Potter decided to make a reality out of a longtime dream.

“I got the idea for the electric bike about 20 years ago, and it’s been in the back of my mind ever since,” Potter says. “I finally did it because I wanted to prove it could be done with today’s technology.”

Potter did the conversion himself for $2,000 in parts. It took most of a year, working in what little spare time he had.

Just the right thing
Now most every day he rides from his home to his Hillsboro music store. The electric bike, is easy to operate and maintain, and he never has to stop for gas.

“Electricity is just the right thing for commuting, because there’s absolutely no loss when it’s stuck in traffic or at a stoplight,” Potter says. “It’s much more efficient.”

Amped about efficiency
Efficiency strikes a chord at work, too. While many music stores leave amplifiers and other equipment on non-stop, Potter insists on powering things off unless they’re in use. He even turns off the water heater every night.

He’s replaced track-light bulbs with compact fluorescents, and the staff goes easy on the thermostat, relying on sunlight through the store’s big windows and breezes from open doors to keep comfortable. And for the past two years, he has pledged to save energy with PGE in its annual Save More, Matter More™campaign.

Though Potter describes himself as a “nut” about efficiency, it’s his role as a small-businessman that drives him as much as anything. “The store is 3,000 square feet and can use a lot of energy,” Potter says. “It just makes business sense to conserve.”