Category Archives: sustainability

Sustainable Food Courses

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City of Portland’s Urban Growth Bounty 2010 offers sustainable food courses

Last year more than 700 local residents learned how to transform their yards into “urban farms,” preserve their harvest and keep chickens and bees. The overwhelming response has led to a tripling of course offerings for the 2010. The expanded roster includes classes such as cheesemaking, cooking, advanced chicken and beekeeping, innovative gardening and healthful food on a budget classes. On-line registration is available at http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/ugb.

“Portland residents know that growing and preserving their own food is great for our personal, environmental and community health,” says Portland Mayor Sam Adams. “The Urban Growth Bounty classes are a great value. There’s always more to learn about how to grow, preserve and eat sustainably on a budget.”

Presented by the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, new partners and well-known experts are on board for the 2010 series, including Oregon Tilth, Naomi Montacre, Monique Dupre, Ivy Manning and the creative hands at Salt Fire and Time and Abby’s Kitchen. Classes for all skill levels are offered from February through November and held at locations all over the city.

For detailed Urban Growth Bounty 2010 information and registration details, visit http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/ugb or e-mail: food@ci.portland.or.us.

City Council Members to Discuss Environment at Forum

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You are invited to our upcoming Multnomah County OLCV Conservation Forum to meet YOUR Portland City Council Members: Nick Fish, Amanda Fritz and Dan Saltzman. Learn more about how they are working to protect and improve the environmental health of your community.

Oregon State Representative Lew Frederick will moderate the discussion.

Thursday, January 14, 2010
6:00 – 7:30 PM

Portland Community College
Terrell Auditorium 122, Cascade Campus
705 N Killingsworth Portland, OR 97217

The event is FREE!

Topics of discussion will include:

* Safe Streets for walking and biking

* Cleaning up the Willamette River

* Energy Efficiency Programs

* Creating more Parks and Green Spaces

* Concerns unique to North and Northeast Portland

This is a chance for you and your family to hear from your local representatives and learn more about what’s being done to promote the goals of green and healthy living in Portland.
This event is FREE with light refreshments provided.

We ask that you register in advance to help ensure we can comfortably accommodate everyone.

https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/232/personal2.asp?formid=calolcv&c=58489

Plant Trees for Clean Rivers

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Trees are vital, long-term, low-cost components of Portland’s green stormwater infrastructure. Trees absorb rain and prevent erosion to protect watershed health. Every tree planted in Portland is a step toward a cleaner Willamette River, so plant trees!

To encourage Portlanders to plant trees, Environmental Services offers two cost-reducing opportunities:

Plant a tree on your residential property and get a rebate on your utility bill with our Treebate program.
Plant street and yard trees with Friends of Trees* at discounted rates (*in participating neighborhoods).

Trees in the City

Portland’s trees are the soul of a city known for its progressive land-use planning and extensive green infrastructure. In addition to improving watershed health, trees clean the air, shade our neighborhoods, and soften the city’s sharp edges. They create beautiful, restorative spaces, and provide wildlife habitat. Street trees can improve property values and slow traffic, making streets safer for pedestrians, bike riders and motorists. They are a living legacy for future generations.

While all trees provide important environmental and aesthetic benefits for Portlanders, native trees make an additional contribution to local ecology and our natural heritage. Native species are well suited to our climate, and planting native trees helps create habitat connections throughout the city.

Get the full details at the website: http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=50795

Solarize Northeast is Coming

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Would you like to save money, save energy, and help save the planet? An exciting new initiative can help you and your Northeast Portland neighbors do all that and make your home more comfortable at the same time.

Solarize Northeast is a volunteer-driven community effort of the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) to bring solar electric technology and the benefits of weatherization to Northeast Portland homes. Modeled on a project developed by Southeast Uplift, interested neighbors will join forces to enjoy significant savings through the bulk purchase of solar electric (photovoltaic) panels. One or more contractors selected through a competitive proposal process will perform site assessments and install panels on participating homes this spring.

The project will also offer to help residents find resources to make their homes more energy efficient, increasing comfort and reducing utility costs. Residents may choose to participate in the solar option or the weatherization option or both.

In addition, a series of workshops will be offered covering the basics of going solar, tax credits and other financial incentives, the details of connecting to the power grid, how to finance the purchase of solar panels, and the basics of weatherization. There is no fee associated with the Solarize Northeast project, and all the workshops are free.

You can sign up for the program at the Solarize Northeast website, http://solarize.necoalition.org. There you can also learn more about the project and view the workshop schedule. You must sign up by April 15, 2010 in order to participate. Questions can be directed to the program manager, Kelly Rodgers, solarize@necoalition.org, 503-823-9134

PPS Students to Operate Waffle Cart on Alberta

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News from Portland Public Schools:

Students helped design and will help manage Solar Waffle Works, a new food cart located at N.E. Alberta St. and 23rd Ave.
A new solar-powered food cart in northeast Portland serves up more than waffles.

Located at N.E. Alberta St. and 23rd Ave. and set to open this month, the small blue trailer housing “Solar Waffle Works” is a nonprofit project that helps high school graduates gain independent living skills and vocational training.

Read the full story at: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/news/1575.htm