Imagine an Oregon in which several of our largest cities are working together to reduce greenhouse emissions. What if our local governments decided to make agreements amongst themselves on a timeline for reducing emissions, while sharing ideas with one another on how to achieve their goals? It could happen. Five of Oregon's six largest cities have signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement; it's unclear how serious some of them are about taking urgently-needed action, but the public statement they have made by signing the Agreement could make it more likely that they would be willing to talk about cross-city emissions-reduction goals.
Oregon cities like Portland and Eugene are already leading the way to a sustainable future; if the rest of our large urban areas get in on the action, the effect could be profound. And it's not just about the big cities - smaller suburbs and towns have can make a difference, too! Imagine a conference where representatives from cities across the state of Oregon sat down and made plans to reduce their collective greenhouse emissions. So far, this is just a theoretical concept - your help is needed to turn it into reality. The Adopt-a-Mayor program, soon to be launched by Oregon Local Sustainability, will encourage the local governments to get involved in global warming solutions. The work of individuals who care about the environment can turn Oregon's cities into leaders in local sustainability.
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