Portland: National Sustainability CenterBy The Office
On April 15th, Commissioners Dan Saltzman and Sam Adams brought together leaders of environmental nonprofits, businesses committed to sustainability, institutions of higher learning, and government agencies to discuss an exciting development for the City of Portland.
Sam and Dan recognize that Portland and Portlanders are early adopters of and innovators in the field of sustainability. From renewable energies to watershed management to alternative transportation, the city and its people are devoted to sustainable lifestyles, business practices, and urban development. Culminating in the April 15th meeting, Sam and Dan are attempting to bring local players in this field together to harbor collaboration and forward thinking and to develop the potential for Portland to be the national hotbed for sustainability. The conversation resulted in a communal motivation to get the ball rolling on developing a physical Center for Sustainability and collaborating efforts on making Portland the City that Works Sustainably, Forever. As was discussed on April 15th, the center will act as a local sustainability focal point, help create a long-term sustainability road-map for Portland, and encourage sincere public awareness and involvement in Portland's sustainable development. It could act as an umbrella organization, facilitating collaboration and eliminating inefficiencies caused by parallel efforts in local sustainability initiatives, while showcasing all that Portland individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies are contributing to the field. It will centralize our diverse, innovative efforts in a way that promotes cross-fertilization, more weighty decision-making power, and greater visibility in the national and international arena. Sam hopes to move forward quickly with plans to bring diverse players together with fresh ideas and sincere contributions. The next step is committing these collaborators to contribute their ideas and efforts to a working group, which will move forward with policy, program, and physical development. Take a look at the article in the Portland Business Journal and please contribute your own ideas on what this center would look like and how to help Portland be to Sustainability what Hollywood is to Film. Posted Wed, 05/07/2008 - 9:57am.
Center for SustainabilitySubmitted by Karla Green on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 11:06am.
Portland deserves to be the "Center" for sustainability, but we have to continuously work to uphold that distinction and can not rest on our laurels. I was recently asked to help put together a list of "must sees" in Portland for a group that is planning a visit to Portland to experience, first hand, our Urban Planning successes. Wouldn't a "center" be a great place to send them to start out. » reply
And Karla Green, safe andSubmitted by RedFlyer on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 5:47pm.
And Karla Green, safe and sustainable how do you plan on paying for it?? » reply
Self promotionSubmitted by Kelly R on Tue, 05/06/2008 - 12:21pm.
Click on Karla's profile and you can tell why she wrote the post. It's to serve her own business interests. I'm sure she wouldn't want such a 'center' to be funded with her own money and would be more than happy to have the taxpayer carry the burden. » reply
Wow, Portland, with .03Submitted by RW on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 2:12pm.
Wow, Portland, with .03 percent of the world's population is going to save the world! » reply
No focusSubmitted by Kelly R on Tue, 05/06/2008 - 12:10pm.
Unfortunatley every Tom, Dick and Mary puts the words "green" or "sustainable" into about every product and service around as a marketing scam so having a "Center" for sustainability would have to have some very strict standards as far as what it would promote and how "sustainable" is defined. » reply
Define sustainableSubmitted by Steve on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 7:31pm.
Uh, before we get too far into this thing - What does it mean to be a sustainability center? Sure, its a nice buzz word, but I can see Mr Adams would start justifying all sorts of things by calling them sustainable without a definition. Be nice if we did ready/aim/fire instead of in the reverse order. » reply
SustainableSubmitted by RedFlyer on Wed, 04/30/2008 - 12:10pm.
adj. Concerned with trendy, liberal, or faddish causes, especially alarmist environmentalism and anti-capitalism. An activity or product is described as sustainable if it promotes a hippy agenda, regardless of whether the activity in question has any particular ability to be sustained over a long time period or not. » reply
I am happy that you broughtSubmitted by The Office on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 12:42pm.
I am happy that you brought up this issue, Steve. During the initial meeting regarding the Sustainability Center, Commissioner Adams and many other attendees specifically voiced concerns that the center should not support "greenwashing" of businesses and institutions wishing to ride the positive sustainability wave. In the planning process for this development, Sam looks forward to sincere efforts at true sustainability (environmental, economic, and social), beginning with a clear definition of "sustainable". Please contribute with your ideas on what you think makes cities, organizations, and individuals sustainable and know that members of the working group for the Sustainability Center are doing the same. » reply
Sustainability CenterSubmitted by Steve on Mon, 05/05/2008 - 6:24pm.
Dear The Office Again, I have no idea what this means besides a buzzword to keep people distracted. Is the Sustainability Center supposed to show how people can become "sustainable" or create jobs centering around sustainability? If the latter, then I'd save the time and work with national groups that have the resources to mount a sustained effort on providing people sustainability options. Why replicate what someone else is already doing - That is wasteful. If you want to encourage jobs centered on sustainability, then we are talking something else: You really need to define your mission statement better - Buzz-words only get you so far. We wanted to be biotech and no one had a clue what that meant so OHSU decided Florida was more inviting - Ask why? I really don't think streetcars ro bike lanes help to create any of the above jobs, but give us something that shows some foresight and organization like getting some private industry help. I don't have anything against your econ dev person, but her experience was helping African farmers get grants, how does that help in a high-tech society? » reply
And what drives theSubmitted by Kelly R. on Tue, 05/06/2008 - 12:31pm.
And what drives the definition of what's "sustainable" or not? Do the financial interests of the "working group" you mention, or their families and friends, have some bearing in how the definition of "sustainable" will me met? What controls are in place to make sure that individual financial self-interests are weeded-out in determining this definition? George W. Bush changed the definitions of many words to fit his own needs so I hope the public doesn't get the same treatment here. » reply
I'm totally stoked to seeSubmitted by MarkDaMan on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 7:54pm.
I'm totally stoked to see this idea move forward. Sure, it needs plenty of more detail, a publicly state mission for one, but Portland needs to get on top of this and begin planning. Or else, Chicago or Seattle will steal this idea from us and we will be left holding the, plastic, bag. » reply
Attracting sustainable jobsSubmitted by Steve on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 8:56pm.
"Chicago or Seattle will steal this idea " SUstainainbilty jobs (whatever that means) are not exactly a new idea and unique to Portland. After thinking about it, my biggest issue is doing the right thing to attract these jobs. We got sold the idea tha fixing up SoWa would draw 1000s of nano/biotech jobs. Well, OHSU decide to do those jobs in Florida and now - nothing. It would still be best to swallow our rpide and ask employers what they would need to locate here. I almost guarantee you it wont be bike paths, trams or streetcars. However, this is all Mr Adams has in his limtied tool set. Meanwhile PSU goes to heck (yes, education is not the CoP's responsibility, but Mr Adams claims to be the education guy.) So instead of visitng Mr Bluemnauer and begging for more streetcar money, maybe some money to fix higher ed? First thing si to figure out what the jobs are. I hope that our leaders (most of them with absolutely no private industry experience) can manage this one better for the people of Portland. » reply
Very interesting visionarySubmitted by ErikB on Tue, 04/29/2008 - 10:05pm.
Very interesting visionary project! Maybe they could combine it with PSU's graduate program in urban planning and /or architecture. As an aside I wish Portland would start working Salem on putting a high speed rail line down through the Willamette Valley and all the way up to Seattle. It is now clear that airlines will be almost nonexistent in a few years with oil going through the roof, so Portland should take the bull by the horns and get this project moving forward. » reply
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Flander Street crossing
This is not necessary for the good of the entire city.
With today's poor economic outlook, every dollar spent in this city should be spent with the thought in mind of doing the most good for the largest number of people. This project does not even come close to meeting that goal. It's unfortunate that this requirement is not built into the city charter, applicable to spending for every project - no matter the source of the funds.
Once again, the tax dollars in Portland are spent for the comforts and pleasures of an affluent few.