Oregon Ecology

Greener Building Codes in Oregon

2008-05-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

This is in the Post Carbon Institute email list:

Portland Unveils Carbon Tax Plan
By Dylan Rivera, The Oregonian, Nov 8, 2007.

"In a bold move to curb the growth of greenhouse gas emissions from the Portland area, city officials plan to charge builders hundreds of dollars for each new home that is not extremely energy efficient...

...the carbon-fee rules would be in place by 2010...

...The plan also helps maintain the city's reputation nationally as a hotbed of green living and stokes a friendly competition with Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and Austin, Texas -- cities that regularly seek to out-green each other."

And more recently

Building codes may get greener
By Toby Van Fleet, The Portland Tribune, Feb 26, 2008

People in Eugene, Oregon want similar discussions about greener building codes as well. If cities like Portland are trying to lead the way in sustainable practices, Eugene, it's sister city, should follow suit. Eugene has potential to implement policies like this. What are your thoughts and comments on the issue? Would you support a carbon tax for new inefficient buildings in Oregon?

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Interview with Candy Neville for US Senate

2008-04-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

Oregon Ecology invited Candy Neville (D) from Eugene to talk about some of the issues perhaps not brought up elsewhere. The interview was hosted by Oregon Toxics Alliance and Helios Resource Network.

The interview consists of four parts and starts off with an intro about why she joined the race for US Senate and then dives into her positions on environmental concerns and toxic concerns.

It's time Eugene residents give Candy Neville some notice and support. Eugene is a great city that should be competing for equal media attention compared to Portland and Salem.

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Earth Day Celebration in Eugene

2008-04-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

Earth Day kicked off at 11:00 am on Saturday with vendors setting up around the EWEB riverfront plaza. The event had an opening speech by Mayor Kitty Piercy who welcomed the few that withstood the weather to celebrate Earth Day. Her mini-speech highlighted Eugene's strengths by noting that Eugene was listed as the nations number 1 greenest city (with populations over 100,000) by National Geographic and 5th greenest city by Popular Science. This kind of national recognition makes me proud to live in Eugene and stand for what I believe in. Having a mayor that shares the same vision of sustainability as I do is priceless. This is why it is so important for us to see Kitty Piercy get re-elected.

Several different booths were setup around the plaza with some giving away free energy efficient bulbs and some giving away free plants for the garden. Another booth was promoting a local carpool database for commuters as to lower the amount of driving in Lane County. All these ideas were so uplifting that it continues to give hope to the vision of a sustainable future in Eugene.

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That's My Farmer: Farmers Gather For Local Support

2008-04-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

That's My Farmer is a partnership of 15 Lane County faith communities and 11 farms that practice Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). It was an event packed full of residents that were a part of the the faith communities and also of citizens interested in supporting the local economy. What lured me to go was the farmers connecting with the community. I first learned about Community Supported Agriculture about two years ago when I watched the documentary film The Future of Food. Community Supported Agriculture is when people buy directly from the farmer rather than go through a grocery store. People purchase a package at the beginning of the growing season and receive a box full of produce every week until the end of the season, usually May through October.

It is my belief that being a part of this community involves supporting local businesses, local non-profits, and supporting local issues. Eugene is such a great city that understands this concept which can efficiently organize people with ideas and movements. The farmers raised questions for Eugene's Mayor, Kitty Piercy, which were tactical and intelligent. They raised environmental awareness and concerns and displayed a working knowledge of the issues facing the planet such as climate change and issues more local such as the urban growth boundary. Supporting local farmers through the practice of Community Supported Agriculture ends your support of produce bought from grocery stores that can be shipped from up to 1600 miles away.

Mayor Kitty Piercy led a strong stance for the work she has supported in terms of sustainability. She stated that supporting green buildings, alternative energy, and local developments are all a part of solving climate change which she has stood for as Mayor. More importantly she highlighted the fact that we must all do our part and that their is no one solution. She also acknowledged that the space we need to continue growing food is extremely limited. She answered a raised questioned about future generations and farming by professing that "maybe we need to take back some of the concrete!" Her awe inspiring speeches led to a cheerful applause that gave myself and others hope for the future of Eugene despite the challenges ahead.

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Register To Vote For the Oregon Primary

2008-04-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Oregonians:

The last day to register to vote before the May 20th primary is April 29th. If you haven't done so yet, here is your opportunity to make a difference. Click Here to register to vote in Oregon. You also need to update your address if you've moved, and the link to do that is also available above.

According to CIRCLE, (Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement),in 2006 (a midterm election year), there were an estimated 517,000 young voters classified as citizens between 18 and 29 years old in Oregon. Statistically, more people vote during a presidential election, and the young voters have especially been coming out in record numbers across all states.

Let's make a statement in Oregon by having a strong young voter turnout. I am a 24 year old voter and pledge to make sure I get at least ten unregistered young voters to register and vote this year. If you can do the same, imagine the impact we will have together.

So far this year, states that have already voted in the primaries have had record numbers show up for the primaries for young voters:

Young Voters Doubled in:
Louisiana and Massachusetts

Young Voters Tripled in:
Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas

Young Voters Quadrupled in:
Tennessee

There is no reason the young voters in the great State of Oregon can't come out in record numbers too. So please make your voice heard and register to vote.

Eugene City Hall Complex Master Plan

2008-04-05T23:26:00.001-07:00

I attended the last community forum that took place to ask Eugene citizens how they wanted the new city hall to look like. Me and my friend Steve were literally the only people in the whole town hall style meeting that were under age 25. Nonetheless, we were able to participate by filling out our ideas, opinions, and thoughts onto a piece of scratch paper that was collected by the staff. I even made a comment towards the end to the whole crowd about how I felt it was important to keep the young people of Eugene involved as well.

A very well thought out powerpoint presentation was displayed with various elements and reasoning behind the design process of the master complex. Many people that gave their input into the design included very sustainable ideas and methodologies.

The main reasons Eugene needs a new city hall:

1) Upgrade current facilities to new Earthquake standards. In the event of a powerful earthquake or major disaster, our first responders could be in danger.

2) Efficiency. Our current city hall is spread out all over the downtown area. It spans 10 different buildings which makes it hard to have centralized public service. The current city hall was last built in 1964 and was quickly filled to capacity. The new concept design will be built for future expansion.

3) The concept design for the new city hall is a true model of sustainability. It features green roofs, solar panels, and re-using of gray water, capturing of rainwater, and natural ventilation. Also a new building will boast more savings in heating due to newer and more efficient technologies compared to those installed back in the 60's. This building is elegant and will serve as a true model for sustainability while glowing as the emerald city Eugene was meant to be.

The only problem I see with this beautiful city hall coming to fruition is the cost. They did mention that this puppy would cost around $163.5 million. Throw in the police patrol facility for an additional $22 million and we have a grand total of $185.5 million to ask the voters of Eugene to cough up in the form of a state bond measure.

As much as I really want this city hall, I just don't think the voters will go for it. I would most certainly vote for it myself, but most Eugene citizens have already voted down costly expenses for the downtown renewable projects and for a measly gas tax to repair our roads. This city has some major hurdles to overcome before a project of this nature would gain the acceptance of the public, in humble opinion. Either way, it's nice to bask in the green features this building could one day possess.

For updated information on the new city hall plans, goto: EugeneCityHall.com

Hillary Clinton's Visit to Eugene

2008-04-05T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well even though I knew that Hillary Clinton was speaking at 1:30pm at South Eugene High School, somehow I knew I wouldn't have troubles getting to see her. When Obama came to Eugene not too long ago, thousands were left out of a Mac Court which holds 9,000 people.

I got to the line two hours before she was scheduled to begin speaking at 1:30pm. The weather was a little wet and I had forgotten my umbrella so I did get a little damp. I ended up on the bleachers directly facing the podium where she was to speak. I think that Hillary is fighting the good fight by not giving up, however, I felt that the tactics used even at this event were pushing the limits of annoyance. They asked the crowd to text message a number without telling the people why...the most likely reason was so they could collect your phone number.

Mayor Kitty Piercy showed in the crowd before Hillary showed up. Then the Governor, Ted Kulongoski, made an opening speech with great passion and formally introduced Hillary. The crowd was by no means a match to the amount of people that showed up to the Obama appearance, and it seemed as if Hillary was trying to appeal to a bunch of people who were undecided. Her entire approach was to get people to think about considering her as president even if you believe you've already made up your mind.

She did manage to hit all the important topics that many Oregonians feel are important. She addressed health care, education, the war, global warming, and the economy. My opinion of Hillary Clinton is that she would make a good president. She spoke with passion about the things she believed in...universal health care. Some of the most important issues to me though are climate change and the economy. I'm glad she stands to fight against a recession by her promise to adding millions to green high tech jobs and also to infrastructure like construction. Really the differences between Obama and Hillary are not that much. So it leaves me with having to make a choice based not on the issues but rather my own perception of inspiration, passion, change, hope, and future goals and visions that I see in either candidate. And with that being said I just don't see these things in Hillary. I see a strong woman leader that wants to win the presidency for glamor and fame. I went to see her to give her a fair chance at convincing me otherwise to vote for her...I think a couple of my friends changed their minds...but I'm sticking strong to my Obama.

I must admit that I liked how engaged she was with the crowd and appreciated the way she answered questions at the end of her speech. I am not quite sure I am convinced enough to vote for her myself, but if she wins over Obama, I don't think I would be upset. She does have great leadership and experience, but I don't think she stands for the kind of change that I think this country needs. All in all, I am glad I went to see her. Just my two cents.

Kitty Piercy Kick Off Campaign

2008-04-04T18:56:00.001-07:00

The Kitty Piercy kick off campaign held at Davis's Restaurant in downtown Eugene was a success. The restaurant was packed with Kitty supporters and media outlets as well.

Once again, it wasn't surprising for me and my friend Steve to be the only under 25 year old and under crowd. Nonetheless, I hoped it served its purpose of being at a major event like that to show the people of Eugene that young people are interested and active in politics.

As I walked into the event I received my button and signed up to get a Kitty Piercy sign. It's on my window now on the corner of 13th and Charnelton St. downtown.

The crowd was filled with some familiar faces including Lisa Arkin, from the Oregon Toxics Alliance. I officially endorse Kitty Piercy for re-election as she has done wonders for the community and she truely is a mayor for all of Eugene.

See Kitty on YouTube at this article. She attended an event called That's My Farmer where she gives a great speech about sustainability.

Check out Kitty Piercy's webpage for updated info.

Barack Obama's Visit to Eugene

2008-03-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

Line around Mac Court

The highlight of yesterday for the democratic presidential frontrunner, Barack Obama, was the endorsement and praise from New Mexcio’s Governor, Bill Richardson. Barack Obama has been the talk of the media the last few days with his 5000+ word speech which directly addressed the issue of race to try and soothe the controversy brought up over the Senator’s Reverend.

Barack later then made a pit stop in Eugene, Oregon at Mac Court around 9pm. The stadium holds 9,000 people in which people were lined around the entire block both ways with people apparently standing in line since 6am in the morning, according The Oregonian.

Security

The scene was quite eerie as the security guards, Eugene City Police, and the Secret Service all paraded around the crowd to show their dominance in authority. Security guards made their rounds around the barricades and searched the crowd with metal detectors as well as padding down everyone in the front line.

I didn’t make it out to the line until around 7pm which was when the doors were slated to
open.

Barack Obama

The whole stadium filled up by 8:15 pm and there were thousands of people that were left out in the cold. I was one of the thousands that almost made it to the door, nonetheless, I was able to make it to the front part of the barricades in hopes of seeing a glimpse of Barack Obama on his way into the stadium. Thousands of die hard Obama fans waited until 9pm when he made a quick 10 minute speech to acknowledge the crowd. The Secret Service in particular were like robots while they surrounded Obama as he made his rounds around the crowd. As he proceeded to circle the crowd and shake peoples hands, of which I had the pleasure, he raised the spirit of his supporters.

Although I didn’t get to see Obama’s speech on the inside of the stadium it was well worth getting to see him up close. The feeling of the crowd really invigorates and inspires the masses, especially young people.

Oregon doesn’t get to vote for the primary until May 20th, which is two whole months away. With the democratic nominee still up for grabs with Hillary Clinton fighting the good fight, Oregonians may actually get to see their vote count.

More Toxics found in Oregon Rivers

2008-03-18T01:40:00.000-07:00

A study released by the U.S. Geological Survey (5MB) has found pesticides in the Clackamas River as well as trace elements of pesticides found in drinking water which comes from the river.

15 different pesticides were found in the drinking water! Most, fortunately, were barely detectable and were 11 times below the federal limit for humans or lower. However, three of the pesticides had no benchmark for the safety of human health.

The study at most shows that something must be done to clean up the river.

Quite frankly, I am getting tired of reading about more and more toxics in our water, food, and atmosphere. Not only do I have to worry about toxics, now I have to worry about pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in my tap water too? I suppose our water in Oregon is not as bad as it is in China. Just beware of the tap and the extra bonuses that come with it.

Toxics Found in Remote Crater Lake Oregon

2008-03-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

In an article that came out of The Oregonian, a new study has determined that the evergreen trees around Crater Lake in Oregon are contaminated with industrial PCB's, DDT (a banned pesticide), and at least two other pesticides in use by local regional farmers. It's hard to imagine that a banned pesticide such as DDT is being found in such a remote area such as Crater Lake, especially when the United States government phased the pesticide out in 1972.

Traces of DDT were also found in Montana's Glacier National Park at levels higher than are found in fish studies done in Africa where DDT is still used to treat mosquito problems!

These findings have come from a six-year study, conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University, of airborne contamination in 20 Western national parks and monuments released this week. The study illustrates that the chemicals and pesticides tend to linger around even though efforts have been put forth to reduce or minimize their impact in some cases such as DDT.

In a broader sense, it proves that a continued effort should be made to reduce toxics if alternatives are available. For example, organic farming has been a rising industry due to growing acceptance of its superiority and health benefits over conventionally grown produce. One study conducted by the National Academy of Science even suggested that the prolonged use of pesticide spray have actually reduced yield rather than increased it in certain crops.

Rather than embracing the "Green Revolution" from decades past, it's about time we move forward with a modern and sustainable agricultural farming practice. There is also a strong need to reduce use of chemicals, pesticides, and herbicide spray by developing a nationwide Last Resort Policy. Please urge your representatives to support a reduction in toxics, and if you live in Lane County, Oregon please support the issue by signing this petition to minimize toxics.

You Know You're in Eugene When

2008-03-02T03:02:00.000-08:00

So this is a re-take on something my friends did from San Jose, so I decided to make one for Eugene because it's fun and SO TRUE, please add more in comment form if you can think of anymore:

when it snows and Half of Eugene has snowmen on their porches

when 7 foot tall snow bongs are erected on a snowy day

when you walk downtown and get asked if you want mushrooms

when you're on your way to the club and 100 bicyclists nearly run you over with their clown suits and techno music blazing

when you're in downtown and you're asked to smoke pot

when all the hippies come out of the closet for the Eugene Celebration and for the Country Fair

when strolling through town on Saturday and you find the Market

when you see the Eugene Weekly people delivering papers on bike thingy's

when it's the middle of winter and a freak sunny day comes along and half the city is walking around town

when you order pizza downtown and the homeless/punk kids ask you for a slice

when you hear people refer to the city as the "Euge"

when you use the 5 or so taller buildings in downtown as a reference point

when you go to the local coffee shops at 9pm and their packed with locals

when you're stuck in traffic on West 11th going to and from West Eugene and downtown

when kids from the west side don't know their way around downtown

when you can spot someone is out of place because they're from Springfield

when you can spot someone is out of place because they're from Junction City

when someone is an outsider because of the way they pronounce "Willamette"

when you can spot a driver from California and you get all pissed about it

when you see that everyone and their mom has piercings or tattoos of some sort

when you see a million tattoo and piercing shops

when you read the paper and they're still arguing about what to do over the pits downtown

when you notice that there are very few corporations downtown, they are mostly in West Eugene

when you go for a stroll in the park and see a bunch of people playing their bongo drums

when you go to 5th street market and a really cool local band is playing

when there's a DUCK game because every car and person in town is decked out in DUCK in gear

when you read that Phil Knight from Nike has donated yet a few more Million Dollars to U of O

when you go to a local health food store you get asked to sign a petition

when election time comes around and you are harassed everywhere you go to make sure you are a registered voter

when you are a republican and the extremist liberals find out about it

when spring break comes around and every frat house on campus has blazing parties going on

when you go to the club and girls with hairy arm pits are a normal thing

when you encounter multiple people with really bad B.O., but nobody seems to care

when you refer to Springfield, a local Eugenian will quiver

when you hear people argue about which Springfield belongs to in the Simpsons

when you see piles of trash/junk in front of peoples homes with "Free" signs in front of it

when you almost get into a car accident from the 1 foot piles of leaves everywhere in the fall

when you go to Alton Baker Park and you see people smoking out and chilling by the river

when you decide to explore the river in Springfield and you accidentally find a nudist colony

when you're talking about "the mall", it's referring to Valley River Center

when you know what VRC and DAC stand for

when you know that Thursday and Saturday nights are the best nights to go out

when you goto to 80's night and see that it has been taken over by the gays and lesbians

when you are in downtown because the ambulance and fire truck sirens are always going off

when many locals you meet are vegan or vegetarian and frown down upon the meat eaters

when you shop at the Kiva, Sundance, or Capella's and you're given a 5 cent credit for using re-usable bags

when you eat at Cafe Yumm!

_____________________________________________________________

can you think of anymore....please add to the list by commenting on this blog

Ashland Co-Op to remove all GMO products Off of Shelves

2008-02-26T21:58:00.000-08:00

The Ashland Co-Op (one of the best health food stores I've been to), a local health food store in Southern Oregon, has decided to remove all products that might be questionable as to whether or not it's Genetically modified. Most genetically engineered foods comes in the form of corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed products. There are estimates of up to 70% of processed foods containing GMO ingredients. More and more shoppers, especially in Oregon, are demanding that their local supermarkets order a wider variety of organic food, because by definition organic food is non-GMO.

Most people want labeling for GMO ingredients but have no way of being able to effectively avoid it. Back in 2002, a state ballot measure was created to label foods with GMO in it, but was defeated when Monsanto Corporation poured millions of dollars in advertising in the state.

Oregon consumers seem to be on top of its game in at least recognizing the problem with GMO food. People end up voting with their dollars by avoiding conventionally grown produce and eating healthier organic food.

Physicians for Social Responsibility or PSR and other groups are fighting for federal laws that mandate labeling of GMO food.

Here in Eugene, we have several health food stores including Market Of Choice, The Kiva, Capella's, and Sundance Foods that offer a wide range of organic produce and foods, as well as food that was grown or manufactured in Oregon. The Saturday Market in downtown Eugene is also a great way to connect with and support local farmers who grow organic food. Another great resource if you're new to Oregon is the Oregon Farmers market Directory

A Growing Greening Eugene

2008-02-24T01:26:00.000-08:00

As I drive to and from work everyday I can't help but notice the trend of growth here in Eugene, Oregon. Traffic on West 11th has seen a significant increase during peak daytime hours including lunch hour. I can clearly see structures being built left and right adding to the congestion of West Eugene. Larger corporations are claiming their stake for the high volume traffic that connects West Eugene to downtown including Staples, Applebee's, and soon to be Lowe's Home Improvement.

These places ultimately hope to capitalize on a gap in what the city doesn't already offer. In just the last two years of living in Eugene, I can already see a difference in the amount of increased traffic to the area. Local politicians are already talking about what to do with the increase as well as local activists and organizers that wish to see minimal negative impacts. Talks of adding an EMX line with a dedicated lane have been discussed, as well the use of a trolley or light rail system. All in all, it is unlikely that a light rail or trolley system would be approved due to its high cost, and adding an additional lane to already crammed streets could be difficult.

With Enterprise Rent-A-Car opening a call center in downtown Eugene providing up to 200 jobs, growth does seem to be on its way. Ideas are being hashed out over what to do with the developer that is still willing to work with Eugene on its downtown development. It seems like decisions are hard to come by. Everyone has their own vision of the utopian city they envision for Eugene. All the fighting over how to handle growth has not surprisingly stopped the fact that Eugene recently landed in the top 5 Greenest Cities over 100,000 people on a report published by Popular Science Magazine.

The fact is, changes could occur with unfavorable outcomes eventually due to the city's lack of funding for essential public services. The city wants growth in a sustainable manner and even has plans for a new city hall and police department but can't seem to balance their budget or charge the right amount of taxes to Hynix. Due to the Hynix imbalance alone, the city has to come up with a hefty $7 million dollar refund in which it has to cut funding to schools and other services. How does the city plan on paying for additional projects?

My largest fear for the future of Eugene stems from the recently appointed Jon Ruiz as city manager voted in by city council. His previous experience comes from an assistant city manager position from the city of Fresno, California. As quoted from the City of Eugene's website, Jon Ruiz has experience in:

downtown development and economic development, finance and budget, outcome-focused government, regional transportation planning, and infrastructure funding and construction.

Essentially, this guy with his 2 years of experience in Fresno, CA (the epitome of suburbia) is going to run our city and arguably yields more political clout than the city council and mayor. From the quote provided by the city of Eugene above, it is clear that Mr. Ruiz's experience in those issues, which are clearly similar to issues in Eugene, could prove useful. However, his ability to run the city as manager will unfold after he takes office on April 14th. His only concern should be that this city is not like Fresno by a long shot, and the citizens that reside in this city will closely be watching his every move.

Peak Oil, and the Post Carbon Institute

2008-02-03T02:05:00.000-08:00

Upon being a part of and attending the Green Earth, Home, and Garden show in Lane County, Oregon, I came across quite a variety of promising movements and green trends that indicate an overall shift to a greener awareness in the publics mind. As an exhibitor and a volunteer for the Oregon Toxics Alliance I was able to get a sense of the perception most people had towards the environmental movement. One most notable person I came across was Doug Black who is a part of a group that's trying to raise awareness on the issue over peak oil. If you are a local member of Lane County, please visit the Re-localize Eugene Group, and if you live anywhere else the parent site is at www.relocalize.net. The group is dedicated to re-localizing the economy in preparation for a peak oil crisis.

The development of Post Carbon Institute came out of concern for the environmental, social, political and economic ramifications of global over-reliance on cheap energy.

The Post Carbon Institute of Eugene "raises awareness of and promotes local, sustainable responses to the global crises of declining supplies of cheap, reliable energy; natural resource depletion; climate change and environmental degradation."

Some great sources for information on the peak oil issue can be found by watching the following documentaries:

Eugene Fire Department Burns old Home for Practice

2007-11-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

On my way to work this morning I saw the Eugene Fire Department sectioning off this house out in West Eugene right by Hynix. I wondered what they were doing, but soon realized that they were about to burn down one of those ratty little houses on the corner of Willow Creek and West 11th.

So I ran out of my work and took some shots of the smoke that billowed away as they set the house ablaze and subsequently put out the fire. I couldn't help but choke on the smoke filled air as shown in the photos taken.

I approached two firemen at the scene to inquire about the situation. They told me that they had just set the house on fire as a training exercise to put it out. The property most likely was given up by the owner so as to not have to pay for demolishing expenses. While I am sure the Eugene Fire Department needs "practice", I can only say that perhaps they should have let nearby businesses and residents know of what they were doing. I am working a couple buildings over and the smoke is very irritating for my lungs and for others too. I probably shouldn't have gone as close to the fire as I did, but I really wanted to get some good shots of the smoke and the flame.

My only real concern was that the house must have been over 50 years old, and who knows if any asbestos or lead paint or other toxic hazards could have just been released into the local air. In my point of view, the fire department was a little irresponsible in taking into consideration the health effects of this planned burn.

Any comments?

Oregon Chosen for Peak Sun Solar Facility

2007-11-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Oregon seems to be a viable spot for solar companies to settle in. Is it because Oregon is so much more cheaper than say California? Peak Sun, a silicon photovoltaic manufacturing company, will choose Millersburg with an $18 million dollar investment.

The project will start out with hiring 50 workers, but will eventually expand to 500 workers and an additional $700 million in investment by 2011 (phase 2). According to Ted Kulongoski, Oregon is on track to be North America's largest photovoltaic producing state by 2009.

News like this is extremely good for the Oregon state economy. It puts Oregon at an especially high rank among other states for having so much renewable energy investments including it's 7 tidal wave energy projects.

Peak Sun Silicon produces granular, electronic-grade polysilicon for photovoltaic system manufacturers. Photovoltaic silicon cells are used to make solar energy panels.

Phase one of the projected is expected to be operational in the fall of 2008.

HumanCar: A Human Powered Hybrid to be built in Central Oregon

2007-11-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

HumanCar, a Seattle based company will be featured on "Invention Nation" on the Science Channel on Monday November 26th. The company wants to build a factory in Bend, Oregon where they hope to manufacture and sell 3,000 human powered hybrids a year.

The human powered hybrid cars are zero emission vehicles that utilize a push pull hand mechanism and regenerative braking to provide power to batteries that would drive the vehicles dual electric motors. Whoa! This is a first, and the company is happy to market the vehicle right here in Oregon where the market is hot.

The car only weighs 400 pounds as it is made of aluminum and carbon fiber. It can seat four people and the cost is estimated to be around $15,000. The one draw back is that the vehicle is only legal to drive in city streets with a speed limit of 35mph or less. It would be perfect for any small Oregon city or downtown area like Eugene, Springfield, or Corvallis.

Chuck Greenwood, the company’s Bend-based marketing executive said that he is hoping to generate a buzz from the publicity on the Science Channel. If 100 pre-orders are filled, then the company will pursue financing to build the factory in Bend which could create 100 jobs.

The market for sustainability is definitly in Oregon, and its quite exciting to see projects like these take off. Who knows what will come in the next ten years with all the innovation emerging in this new "eco-market".

Eugene Field Burning Town Hall Attracts Mayor Kitty Piercy

2007-11-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

The field burning town hall meeting that took place Wednesday, November 14th during the evening at St. Peters Catholic Church was a hit. As even Mayor Kitty Piercy and Eugene City Councilor from Ward 5 Mike Clark made it out to the event. A classroom full of concerned citizens, activists, and local politicians filled the room in regards to the issue. Can you guess what the topic was about? Well the hour and a half meeting featured a formal presentation covering some basics on the issue. Lisa Arkin, executive director for the Oregon Toxics Alliance lead the town hall with an opening speech and then proceeded to show a short documentary on the ill health effects of field burning to residents in the Willamette Valley. The documentary showed a lot of people suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments whose suffering worsened during "burn days" this past summer.

A lawyer from WELC or Western Environmental Law Center, Charlie Tebbutt, gave an impressive speech explaining to everyone that exhaustive measures have been taken utilizing two branches of government. He explained that a bill was not given due diligence to ban field burning last year through the legislative branch. He also explained how repeated attempts to sway the governor of Oregon to ban field burning have failed (executive branch), and now the only viable option left is the judicial branch(litigation). Support from Lane County and the city of Eugene would be needed as a plaintiff to sue the grass seed industry. The lawsuit would cost the city and county some serious money to go through with...anywhere from $100,000 to $250,000. Due to its high cost, it would take an awful lot of convincing for field burning to have a real chance at getting banned with the backing of the county.

The rest of the evening was from Lane County Residents who poured their hearts out and told their stories of how field burning has effected their lives and their health. Middle and old aged residents with COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which is a term to refer to two lung diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema, had stood up and in their raspy and out of breath voices told their horror stories of not being able to breath on days that field burning occurred in the valley. The stories themselves were heartbreaking yet passionate and endearing.

Looking at the response of Mayor Kitty Piercy and Eugene City Councilor Mike Clark to the stories of people who were directly unnecessarily effected by particulate matter from field burning was quite frankly...priceless. I really wondered what was going through their heads while all those people told their stories. In the end, they both stayed after the meeting was over to express their concerns. I hope something positive came from this meeting.

Living in Eugene Oregon

2007-11-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

Living in Eugene Oregon over the past couple years has been quite interesting to say the least. I was initially fascinated in the differences that there are between Oregonians and Californians. Growing up in San Francisco has given me this very narrow point of view about the world, and moving to Eugene opened that view so much more. It's all the little things about Eugene that I love, the people are extremely nice, literally everywhere you go people are willing to acknowledge your existence and even perhaps throw in a smile or hello. Someone thats on the go in California would never give you the time of day so much as to even roll their eyeballs to look at you.

I am amazed at the beauty of Eugene's trees with endless leaves of various colors. People actually have to rake their leaves, I mean this is something that is so foreign to me. Their are no trees in San Francisco...trees are some long lost species that are put in museums and special parks for amusement and wonder. The San Francisco Bay Area is just one giant cement country with freeways and bridges. Eugene has culture and has not been taken over entirely by corporations that only care about profits. Living in downtown Eugene is so wonderfully easy and fun. Everything I could possibly want or need is all in walking distance. The bars and clubs are pretty decent and the restaurants are top notch. I actually turned vegetarian by living here. There is no way I could even think about being vegetarian in California, there aren't enough options. I love the hippies and hipsters, the intellectuals, the non-profits, the activists, the local politics...literally everything about Eugene is great. If you're thinking about moving to Eugene, give it a visit. It is also not just Eugene that is so great, but the whole state. Oregon has such a beautiful backyard that I would have never experienced if I did not move here. Well thats just my two cents on Eugene anywho... :P

Eugene 2nd Largest City in Oregon

2007-11-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

According to new estimates released by Portland State University, as of July 1st, 2007 Eugene took back the title of being Oregon's second largest city. Last year Eugene's population according to the population study conducted by PSU located in Excel format here, Salem held a population of 149,305 people which was slightly higher than Eugene's 148,595. But the new preliminary results for the populations of the two cities now show that Eugene has grown to 153,690 while Salem slugged behind with 151,895. The new 2007 results can be viewed here and are provided by PSU.

Oregon's population continues to grow, with the most growth being seen in central Oregon. From the perspective of living in Eugene, I can see within the past year that Eugene is starting to feel the growth. I can tell that traffic is getting worse, and new buildings and businesses are growing all over town. It's exciting to watch the city grow, but I would like for proper planning. A couple of issues I would like the city to solve with urgency is to come up with a solution to all the traffic jams in West Eugene, and to fill the pits in downtown with something more useful. So 20-134 didn't pass like the mayor wanted to, but now is the time to move on and figure out more reasonable financing options for downtown re-development.

As always, the local politics are exciting and amusing, I can't wait to see how this city turns out in ten years from now.

Toxics Found in Oregon Residents

2007-11-12T17:22:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, Oregonians have been tested for toxic chemicals. Similar studies have been conducted in Washington and other states, however, the latest results from the Oregon Environmental Council. They tested blood and urine for 30 toxic chemicals and found that each person tested had at least nine chemicals in there body. Now the sample size was very small, so there is no way that this study can seriously reflect the population of Oregon. It does show that even though someone may not live in a very industrialized area, that toxics are everywhere.

The Oregon Environmental Council says that sometimes people think that they would only get these kinds of chemicals from living next to smokestack. However, the truth is that it is more likely to get these toxics from the food you eat and the consumer products you use such as shampoo. Still, the levels found in the blood and urine from the Oregonians is well within the federal standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

— Phthalates, a class of 25 chemicals used in consumer products to soften plastics, carry fragrances and act as solvents and fixatives. Animal studies have shown reproductive toxicity, but human health data at low-level exposure are limited

— Perfluorinated compounds, often used in protective coatings on cooking pans, and water and grease repellents for clothing and furniture. There are few studies regarding health effects in people, but animals studies show these chemicals damage organs.

— Bisphenol A: The building block of polycarbonate plastic for some baby bottles, reusable water bottles, plastic utensils, compact discs and coatings that line food containers. In animal studies, they have caused reduced sperm count and impaired immune system functioning.

Source: The Seattle Times

Last Saturday Market of the Season for Eugene

2007-11-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

Saturday Market in Eugene is always a welcoming environment that brings a sense of community to the city while it embraces its local culture. It's a chance for local residents to come out and help support the local economy as well as enjoy Eugene's diverseness. I admit that the last Saturday market of the season is always a bit saddening, but my hopes are set on the new holiday market at the county fairgrounds.

Hopefully, as Eugene seemingly grows into a larger city that it will not forget its social connectivity and its array of prideful citizens that all seem to share in Eugene's uniqueness. While the city measure 20-134 didn't pass (hurray), I think the city can finally look forward to making the progress downtown needs with sensible development.

Field Burning Townhall in Eugene

2007-11-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

Although the field burning season is over in the Willamette Valley, many residents are still concerned over the short and long term effects of the issue. So in response to valley residents concern, Oregon Toxics Alliance will be hosting a town hall meeting about the issue. There will be speakers, health professionals, and public representatives to answer any questions the public may have. One way you can help out is by signing our petition to pressure the state government to ban field burning statewide. Sign here.

WHAT:

Field Burning Community Town Hall

DATE:

Wednesday, November 14th, 2007

TIME:

7:00-8:30 PM
7:00–7:20 – Welcome and focus on health concerns
7:20–8:10 – Stories by those with health impacts
8:10–8:30 – Response from elected officials and Q & A

WHERE:

St. Peter’s Catholic Church Parish Hall,
1150 Maxwell Rd,
Eugene, OR 97404

Klamath Falls Levee Breached Raw Video

2007-11-08T01:26:00.000-08:00

The Nature Conservancy used carefully placed explosives to breach more than 50 year old levees and flood about 2,500 acres. The purpose of this is to restore wetlands in the Klamath Basin. This raw footage taken shows how the lake's water will give way to open area that is suppose to help fish. Particularly two species of fish which are only found in the Klamath basin are protected by the endangered species act, and this is suppose to help revive them. The Lost River and the the Shortnose Sucker once thrived in the 50's, however, as levees were constructed for farmland, there numbers diminished. Check out the video...