So says Northwest environmental watchdog group Sightline in a analysis posted on a Vancouver, B.C. website. Sightline set out to evaluate whether Portland or Seattle is more environmentally-friendly based on stats about a number of criteria. The results are surprising, I think. Not only will a baby born in Seattle live three years longer on […]
Green
Posted inGreen
Metro Rejects Mayor Adams’ Greenhouse Gas Idea
Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a bit embarrassing for the city that’s supposed to be the capital of sustainability. The plan lays out all the transportation projects the region will build over the next 25 years—$20 billion worth of roads, bridges and transit—if it’s not in the RTP, it’s not getting built here in […]
Posted inNews
Al Gore Is A Liar
Seriously. That’s what the Americans For Prosperity tea-baggers were shouting at the passing traffic outside the Keller Auditorium this evening: Fortunately they had some competition from some other folks ironically protesting Oregon’s $10 corporate minimum tax: “$10 fogs up my monocle,” said one. And then, “Global Warming raises all yachts.” Or “Screw polar bears. My […]
Posted inGreen
Reed Students Protest their President… With Song!
Via tipster Joel comes a link to Reed students effectively hijacking a parents’ weekend Q&A session with Reed President Colin Diver and singing a little song about how the school is failing to do enough about global warming. So the song goes on for about four minutes too long, but aspiring protesters should take note […]
Posted inGreen
Can American Patriotism Save the World?
This morning CA Senator Barbara Boxer headed up a “Boxer Rebellion” (ha) on global warming issues, voting to move a landmark climate change bill to the Senate floor despite a complete Republican boycott. Why is it so hard to get Republicans to even discuss climate change legislation? Maybe we need to work on our sales […]
Posted inNews
Plant A Tree, Get A Treebate
Portlanders can get a rebate on their utility bills to plant a tree, as of this morning. And a gentleman named Bryan showed up with to council what looked like a violin case to testify about it. “You showed up in Chicago with one of those, and we’d be nervous,” said City Commissioner Randy Leonard. […]
Posted inCity Hall
City Council Votes for 80% Cut in Portland Greenhouse Gasses by 2050.
There was a lot of love for Portland’s green goals this afternoon at city council. Portland is aiming to be the most sustainable city in America, a verdant town littered with eco-districts. And crucial to that goal is the Climate Action Plan city council unanimously approved today. The plan pushes Portland to cut its total […]
Posted inPolitics
Green Oregon’s Dirty Secret: Coal!
While most of the discussion over Oregon’s energy is about dam removal controversies or our much-lauded new wind turbines, the shocking truth is that 41 percent of the state’s energy still comes from coal. Even here in the city aiming to be the sustainability capital of America, for four out of every ten minutes a […]
Posted inPolitics
David Wu’s SUV
The National Republican Congressional Committee has released Youtube footage of Oregon Congressman David Wu driving a huge GMC Yukon truck, despite promising to be a champion for the environment: From Politico: WTOP reports Wu’s camp defended their boss: “Wu, who is married and has two children, bought the black GMC Yukon eight years ago so […]
Posted inPolitics
Mayor Adams Pushes PGE to Ditch Coal
In a letter released today, Mayor Sam Adams criticizes power giant Portland General Electric for keeping coal as a major part of its newly-crafted business plan. The company’s Integrated Resource Plan (downloadable here) sets PGE’s goals for the next two years and makes some movement toward increasing renewable energy options. But the plan also increases […]
Posted inGreen
Dear Yellowbook: Fuck You!
I’ve been complaining about the wastefulness of phone books for a few months now, but this weekend’s arrival of the Yellowbook was a slap in the face: Neighbors in the Creston-Kenilworth Yahoo group echoed my irate opinions about the greenwashed Yellowbook. But miracle of miracles, one of them managed to track down the phone number […]
Posted inSchools
Toxic Air Testing Starts at NoPo School
This morning a dozen students in classy uniforms and just as many parents gathered around a new installation at Harriet Tubman Leadership Academy on North Flint Ave: a white trailer outfitted with jars, tubes and computers designed to figure out exactly what Portland’s students are breathing. Gregg Lande breathing easy in the new air testing […]