Oregon Local Sustainability

Oregon Local Sustainability Blog Has Moved!

2007-06-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

The Oregon Local Sustainability Blog is becoming an official Greenpeace blog, so as to be more accessible to those who care about preventing climate change. The new location is http://members.greenpeace.org/blog/engel

From its new page, which is connected to the Greenpeace website, the Oregon Local Sustainability Blog will continue to report on local actions being taken to prevent global warming in Oregon, and provide you with the tools you need to help.

Adopt-a-Mayor is Here

2007-06-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

By working with your own local government, you can make a real difference to the environment. A priority of Oregon Local Sustainability is to get people in different cities and towns across the state working with their own city governments to bring about change; this site will help you start a campaign for sustainability in your own community.

Here's how to begin:

1) Find out what your city is already doing to become more sustainable and reduce its contribution to global warming. Click here to see if your city is already on Oregon Local Sustainability's list of communities that are working to prevent climate change.

2) Once you know a little about what your city is or is not already doing, it's time to contact the mayor or a city councilor. If your city already has some kind of policy or formal agreement on sustainability, it will be your job to help it live up to its lofty goals. If the city currently lacks any such policy, then formulating one might be a good place to start. Consider asking your city to sign onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement as a possible means to get the community started on thinking about climate change. For a more detailed step-by-step plan of action to get your city working on sustainability, click here.

3) Report back to Oregon Sustainability about the progress you make. Leave questions or comments on this site's main page. The purpose of this site is to help you accomplish change in your community,

If we can get enough people in different cities working on sustainability and reporting back to this site, we will soon have a statewide network of activists accomplishing real change. But this all depends on people like you beginning to work with your city government. There's no time like the present to get started.

Just Imagine....

2007-06-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

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.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY ACTION DASHBOARD

Corvallis City Council Sides With Industry, Not People

2007-06-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

On June 4th, the Corvallis City Council voted unanimously to approve the conversion of 40 acres of native oak savanna to sprawling suburbs. Legend Homes - a known creator of sprawl in Oregon - has received permission build approximately 220 houses on the land, obliterating a remnant of one of the most threatened habitats in North America. This would be a bad thing for the environment all around; increased sprawl will also mean longer commutes by more drivers, adding to the city's greenhouse gas emissions.

The city council showed itself to be definitely on the side of industry in its decision. Councilors York and Daniels stated that the city council would be respecting the will of the voters by approving the development, since Corvallis voters originally approved annexation of the Witham Oaks parcel into the city. However, the idea that the peoples' will was the council's primary concern is hard to take seriously; a public city council meeting that discussed the fate of the Witham Oaks parcel was held last month, and the room was packed with citizens opposed to the development. Exactly one person (from the Chamber of Commerce) testified in favor of granting Legend Homes permissions to go through with the project. The final decision of the city council seems to have had more to do with a commitment to pleasing industry, and promoting growth at any cost, than it had to do with the voters' interests. Councilor Mike Beilstein summed up his own position, and apparently that of the whole council, with the statement, "I'm in favor of growth." Beilstein and Councilor George Grosch - both members of Oregon's Pacific Green Party - shocked members of their political party by supporting this project so at odds with environmental health.

It is to be hoped that the Witham Oaks struggle is not yet over. The city council's decision can still be appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals. Despite a disheartening setback, there is still an opportunity to save this remarkable parcel of land.

VISIT THE LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY ACTION DASHBOARD TO PREVENT GLOBAL WARMING IN THIS STATE

Is Your Mayor Serious About Climate Change?

2007-06-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Many cities across the state of Oregon have taken at least tentative steps toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Ten of our cities have signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Several are working with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) to bring emissions down. But it's safe to say that the number of mayors who have made lofty statements about confronting climate change exceeds the number of cities that are really doing what is required to curb global warming. Take, for instance, the city of Beaverton. Beaverton mayor Rob Drake has signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and says the city is commited to fighting climate change. It is far from clear, however, that his city really intends to back up these brave words with meaningful action. The situation in other cities is similar to that in Beaverton. Given all this, how can concerned citizens be sure that their city government really takes climate change seriously?

What is needed is a state-wide network of people who are willing to push their governments for real change, keep tabs on some of the emission-reduction projects in their cities, and report on what they find out. Oregon Local Sustainability will soon be introducing the Adopt-a-Mayor program, to make this vision a reality. Oregon Local Sustainability will provide you with as much information as possible about the current status of emissions-reduction projects in your city. Concerned citizens who wish to participate will then be able to push their city towards taking the next step toward real progress. Questions or comments about the Adopt-a-Mayor program can be posted on this website; your inquiries about how to get started will be answered by someone with experience convincing a local government to reduce emissions. If you are interested in participating, look for a new post on this blog soon, with more information about Adopt-a-Mayor. City be city, we will move Oregon toward carbon neutrality.

MEANWHILE, THERE ARE OTHER INITIATIVES ON THE LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY ACTION DASHBOARD THAT CAN GET YOU STARTED ON MAKING CHANGE

Hillsboro Argus: Global Warming is Not a Priority

2007-05-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

On May 15th, the Hillsboro City Council voted unanimously to work with the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives to reduce the city's greenhouse gas emissions, and authorized Mayor Tom Hughes to sign the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. This was a landmark moment in the effort to make the city more sustainable. It's importance, however, was lost on the press; the city newspaper, the Hillsboro Argus, has not reported on the victory, and does not plan to do so. An Argus reporter was present at the public city council meeting at which the vote was made, but does not consider the decision to be worth writing about. This is a confirmation of a sad fact; even at this time when "green" issues are getting more attention from the public than they have for years, even in the environmentally renowned Northwest, it is hard to convince people that the health of the planet is not just a "side issue" to the mainstream news.

THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. CLICK HERE TO PROTECT OREGON'S ENVIRONMENT

Twice in the past year, the Argus did report on the city's efforts to do something about global warming. The first article was as much a human-interest story as an environmental one, as it covered the role of a Hillsboro student in convincing the city council to look at further reducing greenhouse emissions. The second article, a 223 blurb printed five months later, briefly stated the city council's intention to vote on the resolution that ended up passing on May 15th. With a third, slightly higher-profile article reporting on the adoption of the resolution, the Argus could have done a reasonably decent job following the global warming story. But no such article is going to come out of the paper. The reporter who wrote the first two articles states that she feels she has "already covered [global warming] sufficiently." Apparently, environmental crisis is a minor concern, worthy of a short piece here and there when the paper has a shortage of good stories. This generation of Americans' response to global warming could be the defining feature of the early twenty-first century. But someone forgot to tell the Argus.

With or without a blessing from the press, we must make real environmental change. VISIT LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY'S ACTION DASHBOARD TO GET STARTED

Decision on Witham Oaks Postponed Until June 4th

2007-05-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday, May 21st, the Corvallis City Council listened to the arguments for and against supporting the city Planning Commission's decision to grant Palisch Homes (a subsidiary of Legend Homes) permission to obliterate a native oak savanna, and replace it with 40 acres of urban sprawl. The room was packed with people opposed to the development project, many of whom testified vehemently against granting Palisch permission to build on the Witham Oaks parcel. There was only one speaker, from the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, supportive of the Palisch project. The eloquent speeches in favor of preserving the oak savanna, however, seem to have fallen on deaf ears. By the end of the meeting, it was apparent that Palisch would probably triumph.

The final decision will be made by the City Council at their next regular meeting, on June 4th. Despite the stunning opposition to the development project marshaled by the community, the city government is likely to side with corporate power, rather than people-power. Does this mean Witham is doomed? Fortunately, no. The City Council's decision can still be appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals. Now, more than ever, it is important to keep tabs on the progress of this effort. We must not let the development project occur; oak savanna is a threatened habitat that is declining across the country, and destruction of this ecosystem will severely impact biodiversity in the Corvallis area. Oregon Local Sustainability will be reporting on the outcome of the June 4th meeting, and on how Witham Oaks can be saved.

Hillsboro Commits to Fight Global Warming

2007-05-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

Global warming is the most serious environmental problem of our time, but local governments can take meaningful action to stop it. On Tuesday, May 15th, the fifth largest city in Oregon resolved to take serious steps to address this issue that threatens life on the planet Earth. That night, the Hillsboro City Council voted unanimously to work with ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability on a plan to reduce the city's emissions of carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants. In addition, the council authorized Mayor Tom Hughes to sign the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which would also commit the city to cutting its emissions. The mayor expressed his intention of signing.

This is a big step for Hillsboro. By signing onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, the city will publicly state its intention to "turn down the heat." ICLEI will then help Hillsboro to measure its current emissions, devise a realistic plan for reducing those emissions, and live up to the lofty goals it has set for itself. Hillsboro will be the ninth city in Oregon to have signed onto the Mayors Agreement. Once it joins the others, five of the states six largest cities will have signed on (the only one holding out is Salem). This makes a powerful statement, which officials at higher levels of government will have to listen to. Truly, Tuesday evening was a good night for the environment.

We can make real change to create sustainable communities. Visit the OREGON LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY ACTION DASHBOARD to find out what else is going on.

Stop Urban Sprawl: Save Witham Oaks!

2007-05-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

Urban sprawl is a bad deal for the environment. Not only has it contributed to habitat destruction all across the United States; perhaps even more importantly, sprawling suburbs encourage people to commute long distances to work, contributing heavily to global warming. The sprawling cities of the US are one of several reasons why our city emits much more carbon dioxide per capita than most of Western Europe, where living conditions are at least as good as they are in this country.

Given all this, why would a city that has allegedly made a commitment to fight global warming be making plans to replace 40 acres of a threatened habitat with a controversial development project that would contribute to urban sprawl? You might think the idea sounds unlikely, but this is just what is happening now in Corvallis. Under former mayor Helen Berg, Corvallis signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The city therefore has a responsibility to work on reducing its greenhouse emissions. And yet it may be about to let the developer Palisch Homes, which has a history of creating urban sprawl, build 221 suburban houses on a large section of oak savanna in the parcel of land known as Witham Oaks.

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE WITHAM OAKS

Oak savanna is one of the most threatened native habitats in North America, having been reduced to a tiny fraction of the area it formerly covered. The ecosystem provides habitat for declining plant and animal species, and the 40 acres of vegetation slated for development in Corvallis of course remove many tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year. Yet on April 19th, the Corvallis Planning Commission voted 4-2 to approve the development project submitted by Palisch. Luckily, an appeal followed that ruling, and on May 21st the Corvallis City Council will decide whether or not to overrule the Planning Commission, at a public hearing; both in-person and written testimony will be accepted. And even if you are not a Corvallis resident, you can email the mayor and city council.

CONTACT THE CORVALLIS CITY GOVERNMENT TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS

Note: Photos on this post come from the "Keep Witham Wild" website, http://www.keepwithamwild.net/

Hillsboro Prepares Global Warming-Reduction Strategy

2007-04-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

In a major victory for the Oregon movement to stop global warming at the local level, the Transportation Comittee of the City of Hillsboro unanimously approved a recommendation to the full city council, which outlines a strategy for reducing the city's greenhouse gas emissions. Months in the making, the recommendation calls for Hillsboro to work with ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability to find a realistic goal for cutting emissions city-wide, and implement effective strategies to acheive that goal. The recommendation also urges Mayor Tom Hughes to seriously consider signing onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and join the more than 470 mayors nation-wide who have already done so.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE ON THE RECOMMENDATION

The recommendation will be taken to the full city council on May 15th, and is expected to pass. Hillsboro - the fifth largest city in the state - will join several other major urban areas in Oregon that have meaningful emissions-reduction plans. These localities are proving to the US federal government that global warming solutions can be cost-effective, and improve community livability while helping the environment. The President and members of Congress should be paying attention; mayors and city councilors are exploring territories that the highest level of government is afraid to penetrate.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO URGE OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW HILLSBORO'S LEAD

OCCSN to Salem: We Need Climate Solutions

2007-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

The movement to fight global warming at the local level is growing. Hillsboro, Oregon, is about to adopt a strategy for reducing greenhouse emissions. Portland is looking into the banning of plastic bags in stores. Nine cities in Oregon have signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD AND TELL OTHER CITIES TO ACT

In contrast to all this good news, the city government of our state's capital, Salem, has still not taken firm action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Salem is the largest city in Oregon that is not yet taking global warming seriously, and the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network wants to make sure that changes. At the end of this month, OCCSN will ask the city council in Salem to take action. We need to have 100 signatures on our petition to Salem by the time this happens. Will you help us reach the goal of 100 signatures by the end of April? If you haven't already signed the petition, now is the time to do so!

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD, and you'll be one click away from our petition.

Together, we can stave off a climate catastrophe. However, it will take the efforts of every level of government to stop global warming, and there's no time to lose. Tell Salem to get in on the action!

Small Steps

2007-03-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO URGE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ACT AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING

What are you willing to do to stop global warming? What is each one of us willing to do, individually? To stop the catastrophic effects of climate change, worldwide greenhouse emissions must be cut more drastically and more quickly than any country is currently planning to cut them. If the United States had signed onto the Kyoto Treaty, that would not have solved our problems; it would have been a start, but Kyoto does not call for reducing emissions by anything close to the amount needed to avoid disaster. What we need is for the United States - the largest emitter of carbon dioxide - to develop a plan that is much more aggressive than Kyoto, and dramatically reduce its contributions to global warming within the next few decades. However, the federal government has refused to take any action at all, while need for it grows all the time. So how are we going to pull through this crisis?

I will now provide a link to the OCCSN Action Dashboard, where you can urge cities to reduce their greenhouse emissions. Check it out, by all means - but the point I'm making in this post is slightly different from usual.

It may be hard, but we will all have to pitch in if global warming is going to be stopped. Maybe soon the federal government will do something meaningful, but politics in our country - largely controlled by corporate interests - is unlikely to allow the action of the kind we need. States will still have to do their part. Cities and counties will have to do their part. And individuals will have to help, too.

Are you willing to mow your lawn by hand, instead of using a motorized lawn mower? Are you willing to ride a bike to the grocery store, instead of driving in a car? Are you willing to take a walk outdoors for exercise, instead of walking on an electric treadmill? Are you willing to do all of this so that civilization - and the world - can have a future? I'm not trying to be like Al Gore, who stands up in front of Congress asking for change, but at home uses twenty times as much energy as the average American. I actually walk the walk, as best I can. I take public transportation; I use fluorescent lighting, instead of incandescent bulbs; I keep the thermostat low; I purchase locally grown food. I am doing what I can - and so are hundreds of other people across the country. But what we need is not action from hundreds of people, but millions. Global warming could be stopped without any action from the federal government at all. The question is: are you willing to do what it takes?

Fossil Fuels Are Weapons Of Mass Destruction!

2007-03-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

Upwards of 10,000 people gathered in downtown Portland yesterday, to protest for peace and justice in US international policy. The point the protesters were making was clear: the United States should bring soldiers home from the Middle East, and end a war that was initiated to provide out country with easy access to oil. Our president and members of Congress are trying to play on our fears, convincing the public that nuclear weapons in developing countries are the greatest threat to US security, and that military force will be an effective way to counter the threat. In reality, the real weapons of mass destruction are being discharged right here in the United States; coal plants, oil refineries, and natural gas terminals are threatening to make our planet unlivable through global warming. Wouldn't it be ironic if, while pursuing a losing strategy to rid other countries of nuclear weapons, our own nation set off a destabilization of the climate just as devastating as nuclear war? Let's make sure this doesn't happen.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING IN OUR CITIES!

OCCSN wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the Portland activists who made Oregonian headlines this week. Let's get the US military presence out of the Middle East, and focus efforts on curbing global warming at home.

Our Greenest City Gets Greener

2007-03-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

The Oregonian reported today that the Portland City Council is expected to pass a resolution that will set a goal for reducing the city's consumption of oil and natural gas by 50% by the year 2030. It is an ambitious goal, but a highly admirable one.

TELL OTHER OREGON CITIES TO GET IN ON THE ACTION AT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD!

Portland's city commissioners say the move is made necessary by the threat of global warming, and a rise in the price of oil that is expected to accompany a worldwide oil shortage. We are draining our last reserves of fossil fuels, and the planet has already been severely affected by our burning of oil, natural gas, and coal. Cities across the country are going to have to adjust accordingly. Portland was already the most environmentally responsible city in Oregon, and this new step makes its commitment even clearer. When that ever-lasting supply of fossil energy turns out to have a limit after all, Portlanders will sail through the crisis more easily than most.

Wouldn't it be great if all Oregon's cities were as progressive as Portland? VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD, AND TELL SALEM AND MEDFORD TO TAKE ACTION!

The Scope on Hillsboro

2007-03-01T07:28:00.000-08:00

The city government of Hillsboro, Oregon's fifth largest city, has been talking for months about forming a detailed plan to reduce greenhouse emissions. When the discussions started, Oregon had six Cool Cities that had signed onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Now two more cities - Beaverton and Gresham - have signed on, and Hillsboro is still talking. What is going to happen in this city?

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD, AND EMAIL THE HILLSBORO CITY COUNCIL!

Although things are not exactly happening fast in Hillsboro, the good news is that the city government is serious about developing some kind of action plan - eventually. Many cities that have signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement have signed on readily enough, but still have no concrete plan to follow through with their lofty goals. Hillsboro doesn't want to do that. "We can't sign onto an agreement without having some idea how we're going to follow through," said city councilor Joe Keizur, at the February 27th meeting of Hillsboro's Transportation Committee. "That's bad policy."

Hillsboro officials are inviting staff from ICLEI - the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives - to make a presentation to the Transportation Committee in March, and make suggestions about how the city might get started on a plan to reduce emissions. Members of the Transportation Committee also hope to speak with staff from the city government of Eugene - which has signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement - about the implications of signing the Agreement for Hillsboro. There is a lot hinging on the Transportation Committee's activities in March, and what recommendation the three city counciors on the committee - Ed Dennis, Aron Carleson, and Joe Keizur - decide to make to the mayor. Hillsboro has been slow in jumping on board this movement. However, if things continue to move in the right direction, the city could come away with one of the best greenhouse emission-reduction plans in the state of Oregon. This is a crucial time.

EMAIL HILLSBORO'S CITY COUNCIL AT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD!

Putting the Heat on Salem and Medford

2007-02-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

On February 20th, 2007, the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network sent a letter to Janet Taylor, mayor of Salem, and to Gary Wheeler, mayor of Medford. These are two of the largest cities in Oregon that have not yet committed to developing a comprehensive plan to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions throughout the city; OCCSN asked that they join major cities such as Portland, Eugene, and Gresham, which have already made that commitment. It is important that all the larger cities in the state contribute to the effort to combat global warming at the local level, so the success of the Salem/Medford campaign is essential. Signatures collected on the petitions sponsored by OCCSN, which ask the mayors of these two cities to take action, will help to back up the letters that were sent on the 20th.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD AND SIGN THE PETITIONS

We need to get as many signatures as possible on those two petitions, so that Salem and Medford will have no choice but to listen to our request. The movement to make Oregon a leader in renewable energy and anti-global warming technology is well on its way, with action taking place at both state and local levels. However, there are still major cities that have not committed to joining in this effort, and that needs to change. Please sign the petitions, if you have not done so already, and urge others to sign them as well.

A Unique Chance to Make Change

2007-02-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

All over this nation, local governments have become an essential part of the movement to stop global warming. Unfortunately, higher levels of government have often been lagging behind. This web site normally deals with Oregon issues, but right now we have a unique chance to help our fellow activists in Texas. The Texas state government plans to allow the utility company TXU to build eleven new giant coal plants that would release 78 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year. It is imperative that this project be stopped, and luckily, hundreds of people are working to make sure that plans for the coal plants are discarded. In a shining example of how local government officials can contribute to climate solutions, a coalition of Texas mayors has formed in opposition to the coal plant project - this is just the sort of thing we want to encourage in Oregon, and all over the country! Help these brave mayors out by signing a petition, sponsored by the Rainforest Action Network, which urges major banks to refuse to fund the TXU coal plants.

SIGN THE PETITION!

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION!

Hillsboro: to Sign or Not to Sign?

2007-02-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Hillsboro, Oregon's fifth largest city, is working on a plan to reduce its greenhouse emissions. Several important details remain unresolved, for instance, should the city sign onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and join approximately 400 other local governments in the US that have signed onto this document? The Mayors Climate Protection Agreement was drafted in 2005, by mayors who resolved to reduce global warming pollution in their cities by 7% below 1990 levels by the year 2012. Since then, hundreds of cities have signed on, but some cities have interpreted the Agreement differently.

CLICK HERE TO ASK OTHER OREGON CITIES TO FIND GLOBAL WARMING SOLUTIONS

The goal of bringing emissions "7% below 1990 levels by 2012" is unrealistic for cities like Hillsboro, whose population has more than doubled in the last seventeen years. However, cities unable to meet that specific goal can develop their own target, and still sign the Agreement to show their general support for curbing global warming. The hundreds of cities that have signed the document send a powerful message: they show that global warming is an issue important to city governments. By signing the Agreement a city commits to reducing emissions in whatever way it can, but putting the mayor's signature on the document also confirms that the city is part of a nation-wide movement that confronts one of the most important issues ever taken on by local governments. So should Hillsboro sign the Agreement? What do you think?

Get involved in Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network petitioning and campaigns - visit the OCCSN Action Dashboard

Gresham Takes Action!

2007-02-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

Gresham, Oregon's fourth largest city has just signed onto the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, thereby committing itself to reducing overall greenhouse emissions. It remains to be seen whether or not the city will truly follow through with its loft goal, but the fact that it has signed onto the Agreement is cause to celebrate. So far, the city is using methane power for a co-generator in its wastewater treatment plan, and the City Hall uses a biodiesel blend in operations vehicles.

Seven other Oregon cities have signed the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement; while this is not the only way for a city to state its commitment to greenhouse gas reduction, it is probably the most common way. Of Oregon's seven largest cities, five have now signed the Mayors Agreement. One of the others - Hillsboro - is working on formulating a plan to reduce emissions, though it has not yet publicly stated its goal. Only two of the state's seven largest cities - Salem and Medford - have so far taken no action at all. VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO TELL SALEM AND MEDFORD TO TAKE ACTION!

About the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network

2007-01-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Local governments across the United States are showing more and more interest in acting to reduce their emissions of harmful global warming pollutants, such as carbon dioxide gas. While the US federal government refuses to take meaningful action against global warming, hundreds of brave mayors and city councilors are picking up the slack, and doing what they can to steer us clear of the global climate crisis. That's why the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network was created.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD

Several local governments in Oregon, including those of Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, and Ashland, are already formulating clearly defined goals for reducing their greenhouse emissions. Some cities, such as Beaverton, have made public statements committing themselves to reduce greenhouse emissions, even if they have not yet formed a solid plan for how they are going to do it. Others, like Hillsboro, are in the process of developing a goal and an action plan, and will hopefully be there soon. The purpose of the Oregon Cities Climate Solutions Network (OCCSN) is to encourage more Oregon cities to join in the movement, and to follow through with the lofty goals they set for themselves. Local governments in this state have accomplished a lot, but there is still much to be done. So get involved. On this site, we are collecting signatures for petitions to the two largest Oregon cities that still have no comprehensive action plan, encouraging them to join the trend. You can also find out how to make your own city government take action, and make a real difference in the fight against global warming. In this movement, individuals can be the catalyst for real change. So go out there. Or look around this website. And do something.

VISIT THE OCCSN ACTION DASHBOARD TO GET STARTED!