Considering popping a squat downtown? Think again: I’m used to the “No sleeping/sitting here” signs, but this one definitely cuts to the chase.
Alex Zielinski
Alex Zielinski is a former News Editor for the Portland Mercury. She's here to tell stories about economic inequities, cops, civil rights, and weird city politics that you should probably be paying attention to.
Posted inTech
Facebook, Greenwashed?
facebook.com My, what a sustainable logo! Soon, Facebookers will find their Farmville or Words With Friends relays up against a new competitor: Energy Consumption App! Okay, so it doesn’t have a name yet, but I’m sure it’ll be catchier. Facebook, in collaboration with energy resources Opower and NRDC, will launch a new application allowing friends […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning News!
Ban’s in the Bag: Today is the first day of Portland’s city-wide plastic bag ban at major grocery stores. Fussy Bus: The TriMet bus driver who kicked a mother and her crying baby off a bus is reprimanded. Whose Streets?: Today also doubles as Occupy Wall Street’s global call to action day, urging Occupiers to […]
Posted inOccupy
What’s Up With Down Twinkles?
So here’s the deal: I lived in a crusty vegan hippie cooperative when I was a sophomore in college. Despite its stigma and the obvious lack of cheese, it was a fun experience at that point in my life (all I’m saying is that I paid my dues). Observing Occupy Portland’s methodical meetings over the […]
Posted inPolitics
Enviro Grades Are Out!
Environmental news is usually black or white: either it’s mind-blowingly uplifting or devastatingly depressing. But what about the cold hard policies and policy-makers behind these headlines — how do they rate? Oregon League of Conservation Voters released their annual environmental scorecard for the Oregon legislature to illustrate just that. First, the bad marks: OLCV dually […]
Posted inHealth
PDX Suicide Rates on the Rise
Over the past month, more than five suicide attempts made headlines by their public presence (ie, on bridges, in parks). Last year, Portland police and firefighters responded to 198 suicides and attempts. So far this year, they’ve already dealt with 214 suicides. And the numbers continue to grow. Oregon Partnership volunteer Caitlin Jones shares her […]
Posted inNews
The Ban’s in the Bag
Portland Has Trashed the Plastic Bag (Mostly). Oregon Next?
In light of Portland’s upcoming bag ban, will Oregon be next?
Posted inNews
Dr. Darm Dismisses Case
According to blogger/tweeter Tiffany Craig’s lawyer, Linda Williams, “aesthetic surgeon” Dr. Jerry Darm has dismissed the lawsuit he brought against Craig for an allegedly libelous tweet and blog post. Writes Williams: “Cannot discuss any other terms but the blog and tweet stay up :)”
Posted inOccupy
Mapping the Occupation
Occupy Wall Street is going global — fast. Mother Jones made an interactive world map to zoom out (and in) on the situation. Along with dots marking each occupied town, the map offers specific information on each event — including the amount of arrests made and news updates. Check it out! Here’s a screen cap […]
Posted inGreen
Defining Green Jobs
Okay — So we know that they’re hip, eco-friendly and on the rise. But what really is a “green job”? Turns out The Economist‘s E.G. traveled to “eco-smug” Portland (and Austin, Texas) to answer just that. I’ve always thought about “green jobs” as the category covering work with explicit and intentional environmental benefits. Working on […]
Posted inNews
Good Morning News!
Occupy Marathon: Occupy Portland protesters and Portland Marathon runners decide to share the downtown campout zone of Chapman Square, Lownsdale Square and Schrunk Plaza, as long as the protesters don’t come and go during the Sunday race. The Results Are In: 12,000 bicyclists pedaled over 1 million miles during September’s Bike Commute Challenge. Listen Up: […]
Posted inPolitics
Occupy Portland: a Comparison
With over 24 hours down, Occupy Portland has gone comparably smoother than other occupations across the country. Specifically, the mothership, Occupy Wall Street. Despite growing Democrat support, NYC Republican Mayor Micheal Bloomberg blamed protesters for “trying to destroy the jobs of working people in this city.” “You can’t have it both ways,” Bloomberg said during […]