Greenpeace

So far only one member of the WA County Board of Commissioners, Dick Schouten, has pledged to support the Cool Counties Declaration in a vote.  However, I am optamistic about other commissioners soon steping forward to support this measure, and a likely next candidate is Commissioners Desari Strader, the newest member of the Board.  When I met with Keith Quick of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV), he mentioned that OLCV had supported Commissioner Strader's election campaign, and that she might be sympathetic to the idea of Cool Counties.  A vote in favor of curbing county-wide greenhouse emissions would certainly earn her good marks from OLCV; and Washington County's environmental community would be truly grateful to her.

I will be sending an email to Commissioner Strader, alerting her to this post on ENGEL, and asking her to respond to it with a definite "yes" or "no" as to whether or not she would support the Cool Counties Declaration.  Judging from what I know of her record in public office, I see no reason why she would not vote for the Declaration.  There is pubic support for curbing greenhouse emissions in Washington County, and the Cool Counties Declaration will put us firmly on the road to reducing our contributions to global warming.  I believe that Commissioner Strader will do the right thing; let's hope she doesn't disappoint us.  Keep checking this post to look for her response.

Note: the photograph in this post is linked from the Washington County Board of Commissioners web page.

Today, I met with Keith Quick from the Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV), to talk about getting Washington County to pass the Cool Counties Declaration.  OLCV works mostly on election campaigns, rather than direct lobbying, but there are things that it can do to bring the Board of Commissioners' attention to the Declaration.  At election time, OLCV gives out questionnaires to candidates it is condering supporting, asking them whether they would support various actions that would contribute to a healthier environment.  Based on the answers to these questions and on his or her past voting record, OLCV decides whether or not to support a candidate.

Now suppose that members of the Board of Commissioners who are up for re-election this spring receive a questionnaire with this question: Would you support passing the Cool Counties Declaration?  This would force them to consider the Declaratin seriously, and perhaps convince them to pledge their support for it.  Of course, it is possible that the Declaration will already have been passed in Washington County by the time the elections roll around - we can hope!  In that case, there could be a question about following through on the Declaration's goals.  Either way, OLCV can help make our county a cooler county.

It's important that we keep the momentum building.  Tomorrow I will be returning to the Forest Grove Peace Vigil to try and get more people to email the Board of Commissioners.  As for you, if you haven't already, please sign the ON-LINE PETITION TO THE BOARD. 

-Nick

Actions that ordinary people can take to reduce their contributions to global warming are becoming ever-more widely known, and are being put into practice by more and more people.  More people are choosing energy-saving lightbulbs, these days.  Large SUVs are declining in popularity, while fuel-efficient cars are experiencing a small boom.  And then, finally, more people are choosing to air-dry their clothing.

Electric dryers consume about 6% of the electricity used by Americans.  Drying your laundry on a clothesline is one of the simplest and most effective measures you can take to reduce your "carbon footprint."  And yet, those who choose to air-dry sometimes encounter an obstacle: neighborhood associations don't like to see laundry blowing in the wind.  Apparently it looks unsightly, and has potential to decrease property values.  That's right, you heard me: no one objects to gas-guzzling motorized lawnmowers that fill the days of summer with a ceaseless droning that makes it singularly difficult to enjoy the outdoors; but air-drying your laundry is a no-go.  Could these homeowners' associations have their values mixed up?

Enter people like Susan Taylor, of Bend, Oregon, whose story has appeared recently in blogs and local papers, and even on the front page of the Wall Steet Journal.  Ms Talyor has asserted that she has a "right to dry" her laundry outdoors, as a means of combating global warming and environmental destruction.  The neighbors don't like it, but she is pushing to change the rules against clotheslines in her subdivision.  You can read the full Wall Street Journal article http://activerain.com/blogsview/211476/The-Right-to-Dry  Maybe the neighborhood should replace the rule against clotheslines with a restriction on gas-powered lawn mowers?

Bend, Oregon recently signed onto the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, thereby pledging to become a Cool City.  But how "cool" is a city where residents are not allowed to take simple measures that would help curb global warming?  The results of Ms Taylor's struggle could have implications for other communities in this state and others.  Want to help?  Send an email to Liz O'Connell, Land Use Chair of the Awbrey Buttes Neighborhood Association (the association for Ms Taylor's neighborhood), at hoodawbrey@yahoo.com.  CC Bend Mayor Bruce Abernethy at babernethy@ci.bend.or.us.  Let's show these people the environmental revolution is to be taken seriously!

-Nick

This evening, I took out my old "Ask me How WA County can Kick the Oil Addiction" signs, and headed for the Forest Grove Peace Vigil at the edge of the Pacific University campus.  The Vigil, just a few weeks old, was partly inspired by similar events taking place in the greater Portland Area, and aims to strengthen the citizen peace movement in western Washington County.  I have been attending the vigil regularly, and it seemed like the perfect place to gather more support for the Cool Washington County campaign.  As I have frequently said on this blog, the peace and environmental movements are now inextricably intertwined, with lasting peace in this country being dependent on an end to the fossil fuel regime.  So I came to the Peace Vigil today prepared to hand out information on the Cool Washington County campaign, with the emails of the four commissioners who have not yet said they would support passing the Cool Counties Declaration.  The Vigil gathering was rather small today - as I said, the event is still in its fledgling stages - but most of those who were there took a flier from me, and assured me they would email the Board of Commissioners.

Now, you might think that five or six emails won't mean very much to county commissioner, but think again.  Most people don't even know the names of their county representatives, and have certainly never contacted them about anything.  Five or six emails from different people, all discussing the same issue, could have a big impact on the Board of Commissioners.  And besides, this is only one of many ways we will be bringing the Board's attention to this issue; we'll keep the pressure on till we win!

And on that note, if you haven't already, please SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, ASKING THEM TO PASS THE COOL COUNTIES DECLARATION

-Nick 

To pass the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration in Washington County, we need at least three county commissioners on our side - three votes out of five.  We still have a ways to go before reaching this goal, but I'm happy to report that the campaign just scored a big victory, by winning the support of Commissioner Dick Schouten.  I received an email from Commissioner Schouten today, indicating that he would support the Declaration in a vote.  He also provided me with the emails of the three Washington County commissioners whom I had previously been unable to contact directly.  Though the campaign still has to win at least two more votes, this is a major step.  We now have an allie in the Board of Commissioners.  And hopefully, the fact that the Cool Counties Declaration is taken seriously by one member of the Board will make the others more willing to step forward.

Now, it is up to us to pressure the remaining members of the Board of Commissioners to support the Cool Counties Declaration.  Tomorrow, if all goes according to plan, I will be give attendees of the newly-established Forest Grove Peace Vigil the opportunity to directly email members of the Board of Commissioners, and encourage them to support the Declaration.  I think it is only a matter of time until we win this one; we just have to keep the pressure on.

-Nick

On May 15th, this year, the City of Hillsboro took two decided steps to show its support for reducing greenhouse emissions, and to move toward cutting emissions city-wide.  First of all Hillsboro (Oregon's fifth largest city) endorsed the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which calls on local governments across the United States to make up for federal inaction on global warming by reducing greenhouse emissions themselves.  Secondly, Hillsboro resolved to become a member of the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives' (ICLEI's) Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.  As an ICLEI member, and a participator in the Climate Campaign, Hillsboro would work with ICLEI staff to conduct an inventory of current greenhouse emissions sources, set a goal for reducing those emissions, and carry out a plan to reach that goal.  This is even more important than Hillsboro endorsing the Mayors Agreement; the Agreement showed Hillsboro's public support for action against global warming, but as a member of ICLEI's campaign, the city will get down to the nitty-gritty details of actually lowering emissions.  This could make Hillsboro a model for other mid-size suburbs in Oregon that would like to fight global warming.

With all of this said, I'm happy to report that Hillsboro has now completed the ICLEI membership application process, and is an official member city.  Rob Dixon, Assistant City Manager, and designated representative to ICLEI, says, "We have begun our evaluation of what it means and what it will take to reach our emissions-reduction goals."  Hillsboro could be on its way to joining such cities as Portland and Eugene, as one of Oregon's real leaders in greenhouse emission-reduction.  And for a city that is experiencing new growth all the time, as more and more people flock there from out-of-state, that is truly exciting news.

Hillsboro's recent actions show how a local government can rise to the challenge of global warming, and take meaningful action to reduce its environmental impact.  Now we need other cities and counties to do the same.  Specifically, Washington County (which includes Hillsboro) should pass the US Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration, and move forward on the Declartion's "roadmap" for emissions-reduction.  Then Hillsboro and the County will be able to work together to this a more climate-friendly region.  Please help by asking the Washington County Board of Commissioners to pass the Declaration!

-Nick

I waited for two weekdays to go by - Friday and Monday - in hopes that Chairman Brian would respond quickly to the citizen petition without prompting.  I still hadn't heard anything by Tuesday morning, so I called the County Administrative Office, explained who I was, and asked if Chairman Brian planned to send me a reply.  The person I talked to said someone from Tom Brian's office would get back to me, and let me know; this morning (Wednesday), I finally received an email.  According to the message I got, copies of some of the various materials I've sent Chairman Brian are being made for other members of the Board of Commissioners to look at.  So the ball is rolling forward, though it remains to be seen how the Board of Commissioners will finally respond.  Keep checking this blog for updates.

-Nick

 Chairman Tom Brian, of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, has so far not responded to my emails urging the county to pass the US Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Declaration.  Though Washington County likes to present itself as "green," it has so far shown remarkably little interest in joining in the Cool Counties movement.  Today, however, I made sure the county will know that there is support for passing the Declaration in the local activist community.  At the County Administrative Office in Hillsboro, I hand-delivered a petition signed by 44 attendees of the Washington County Peace Vigil, asking the Board of Commissioners to pass the Cool Counties Declaration.  The petition was accompanied by a letter to Chairman Brian, asking that I be able to meet with someone from the Board of Commissioners to discuss this issue.

After riding the bus to downtown Hillsboro, I asked a couple of police officers for directions, and soon was on my way to the Washington County Public Services Building.  I skirted around several sprinklers (pictured below) that had been left running in the heat of afternoon, and which were now merrily spraying half their water onto the sidewalk - not great for your environmental image, Chairman Brian.  I then entered the rather imposing Public Services Building, and navigated endless hallways and lobby areas until I found the County Administrative Office.  There I was greeted by a receptionist at a neat-looking desk, and I handed her the package containing the 44 signatures and my letter, explaining that it was for Chairman Brian - she assured me that it would reach his hands.  Now it's time to wait and see if he responds; if not, it will be time to ramp up the Cool Washington County campaign even further, until the Board of Commissioners cannot continue to ignore it.

PLEASE HELP BY SIGNING THE ON-LINE PETITION TO THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS!

The Peace Vigil petition should arrive on Chairman Brian's desk hot on the heals of another envelope, which I sent by snail-mail several days ago.  That envelope contains detailed information about the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Initiative, including a copy of the helpful "roadmap" put together by commissioners from Fairfax County, VA, which explains just what sorts of steps US counties can take to reduce their contributions to global warming.  The "roadmap" proves that solutions to our energy problems do exist; the goals of the Declaration are attainable, and there is no reason Washington County cannot reach them.  There is no excuse for not acting; we need to demand action from all our officials at ever level of government, and we need to demand it now.

In Corvallis, Oregon, the controversial Witham Oaks Development Project - which involves Matrix Homes replacing over 50 acres of oak savanna, oak forest, and other delicate ecosystems with a big new dollop of urban sprawl - has reached a new level of environmental negligence.  Matrix Homes has submitted an application to Oregon's Department of State Lands, asking permission to obliterate two acres of wetland.  Whether you live in Corvallis or not, please take a couple of minutes to help ensure that the permit is denied.  You can write to both the Department of State Lands (accepting public comments until September 15th) and the Army Corps of Engineers (accepting comments until September 10th).  Ask that the permit be rejected, and that a public hearing be held over the wetlands issue; the Army Corps of Engineers has indicated that they might hold a hearing if enough people demand one.  Below are the addresses for both the Army Corps and the Department of State Lands:

US Army Corps of Engineers/ ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Jaimee W. Hammit)/ PO Box 2946

State of Oregon/ Department of State Lands/ PO Box 4395, Unit 18/ Portland, OR 97208-4395

Matrix is trying to do just the sort of thing we need to prevent in Oregon: creating more urban sprawl in our cities, and ensuring that the oil-dependent culture of the automobile is entrenched still deeper in Oregon's communities.  It is time to move away from this kind of development, and build a sustainable future free of fossil fuels.  Promoting just such an alternative future is what this blog is all about; and progress is being made - the Cool Washington County campaign continues to roll forward, while this month we saw Bend, Oregon become our state's 11th Cool City.  There is so much to be gained from a sustainable future, and allowing a project like Matrix's Witham Oaks development would be nothing less than backtracking on progress that has been made.  Please write to the Department of State Lands, and the Army Corps of Engineers!