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 [1] 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.