STRONG Salem is for everyone who wants to help and participate in getting Salem, Oregon, to quit chasing Growth Ponzi Scheme plans and instead become a resilient, fiscally responsible place that lives by the wisdom that "Communities exist for the health and enjoyment of those who live in them, not for the convenience of those who drive through them, fly over them, or exploit their real estate for profit."
The adopted goal says that all city-owned facilities and city operations will reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2020.
If that proves to be impossible, the city will need to cancel its remaining emissions through local carbon offsets.
An annual work plan will also be developed by city staff to reach the zero emissions goal.
The commission also directed the city to work with community partners to develop a community climate action plan within 18 months.
Look at the WARM model from the U.S. EPA. (pdf warning)
There is also a Canadian version produced with funding from Natural Resources Canada, and Environment Canada.
Both studies clearly shows that greenhouse gases from incineration are much higher than those produced from reuse, recycling, composting, etc.
GHG's are also a proxy for 'energy use' in most cases. In other words, the energy extracted from incinerating waste, is much, much less than the 'embedded energy' inherent in the item.
The studies are not simple to understand; if you need help in finding the relevant tables, contact me and I'll be glad to help you navigate the study(ies).
Norm Ruttan
iWasteNot Systems
. . . a recent $1.35 million bequest to Salem Audubon Society has launched the small nonprofit into just the organization to help reverse the trend. . . .
But when longtime audubon member Mark Gehlar left the society a donation in his will, the 1,600-member nonprofit had the opportunity to expand its education role in Salem.
The way? By building an easy-to-access nature center.
The society has its sights set on a sliver of land on the former Boise Cascade site. The area is next to the Eco-earth globe in Salem's Riverfront Park.
It's the perfect location because a proposed footbridge across the Willamette Slough would connect the nature center with 22 acres of Salem Audubon Society property, said Sue Johnston, executive director of Salem Audubon Society.
"To have a really successful nature center, you need a diversity of habitats," said David Harrison, a Salem Audubon Society board member. "This area is centrally located, it would have the footbridge to Minto Island and it would have access to acres and acres of public land along the waterfront."
A decision about whether the center could be located on the Boise Cascade site is at least six months away, said Tim Gerling, who is a project manager with the group developing the property.
Another possibility is locating the center in Riverfront Park. Either way, the land needs to be donated or at bargain prices.
"Our chief obstacle is getting a piece of property," said board member Harrison. "So we are trying to build public support ... because we see it as a nature center for the entire community."
UPDATE: Salem Monthly story on the Audubon Society plan.
Oddly, THAT's the discussion we should be having over our streets and bridges, rather than rushing to pump $100M into nothing but more of the same auto-dominated building. We need to be talking about how to stop spending our way into an ever-greater maintenance backlog of expanded roadways that will supposedly "reduce congestion" -- ignoring the cumulative millennia of experience that shows that all roadway expansions intended to fight congestion end up increasing that congestion at a new, more-congested level.
But, experience be damned, the SJ calls for the defeat of a $6M annual bond to preserve a functional transit system while calling for passage of a $100M streets bond that will do nothing to prepare Oregon's capital to meet the ravages of an unwinding economy that will make transit evermore vital to people on the lower end of the economic ladder, even as the climate changes make transit more and more necessary to our survival.
When the streets bond fails, nothing changes -- we can get the planners to revise their plans and come up with a new, smarter proposal without a hitch, a proposal for taking care of what we have in a way that we can afford.
But if the Cherriots bond fails, real people will be hurt real bad real fast. Transit dependent workers will have no options at all on weekends; seniors and the disabled will lose all ability to get around independently on weekends, and commuters and other "choice riders" will give up on the system.
In short, as we starve the transit system, we'll complain that it's a scrawny, useless thing and short-sighted folks like the SJ editorial board will then argue that we should cut the funding even further because the system is so scrawny that it doesn't do anyone any good.
Transit levy creates quandary for voters
Request ill-timed with school and fire measures on ballot
October 27, 2008
In today's challenging economy, voters can't afford to do everything. That is why the Statesman Journal Editorial Board cannot recommend passage of the Salem Area Mass Transit District's $30.4 million, five-year operating levy.
The district is going back to the voters after its levy failed twice in 2006, forcing route reductions. The current proposal creates a quandary for voters.
On the positive side, the district is doing a lot of things right under General Manager Allan Pollock. Cherriots has increased fares. Ridership is up. Pollock has a tighter rein on operations and has instituted money-saving measures. He appreciates the need for more crosstown routes instead of making so many riders transfer at the downtown Courthouse Square transit center.
Yet there still seems to be a disconnect between the Cherriots' elected board of directors and many taxpayers.
The property-tax levy has support among downtown business leaders but not communitywide. Taxpayers see nearly empty buses going by and wonder why; the district's own trip statistics don't give a satisfactory accounting.
The district raised hackles by how it handled the potential siting of a transit center in Keizer. Stories abound of bus drivers' perceived discourtesy to other drivers and pedestrians, with each incident creating bad feelings toward the district.
The 2008 levy is smaller than the 2006 request, which was defeated once by voters and once by the double-majority requirement. However, we think the board made a tactical error by placing this year's levy on the same ballot as Salem-Keizer School District and city of Salem bond measures, as well as operating levies for Keizer Fire District and Marion County Fire District 1.
Those conditions created long odds for the Cherriots levy, despite the regional importance of transit. Many taxpayers worry about the uncertain economy, which has worsened in the months since the district proposed the levy.
The proposed levy is small — 49 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value. That's $98 per year for the owner of a $200,000 house. But taxpayers must prioritize their expenditures, including their property taxes.
Some people have suggested that the transit board is politically tone-deaf — unaware or unable to build support among civic leaders.
We prefer to think that board members are so passionate about transit — for good reason — that they count on others to share their enthusiasm. They have led a grass-roots campaign, holding scores of meetings.
If the levy fails, the district has warned bus and CherryLift riders to expect an end to Saturday service, as well as weekday reductions on many routes. Those could be devastating to service-industry workers, students, people traveling to medical appointments and others who depend on public transit.
But this also could force a community discussion of what an effective, efficient transit system would look like if it were being designed from scratch — and how to pay for it.
Oregonians for Health Security is hosting a Federal Candidates Health Care Forum at Willamette University next Thursday, October 23rd from 7-9pm. Jeff Merkley and Kurt Schrader have confirmed and we are awaiting responses from Gordon Smith and Mike Erickson. Ron Mauer will be in attendance and the event will be moderated by Jack Ohman. ( See attached flier) We will be discussing a number of topics in health care, including Medicare, Insurance & Accountability, Workforce & Delivery and Financing.There will be time to ask your own questions of the candidates regarding health care as well.For questions about the event or to rsvp, contact Greg at Oregonians for Health Security. 888-654-2273Thank you!
--
Ariel Brantley-Dalglish
Communications Coordinator
Oregonians for Health Security
(503) 239-8800 office
(646) 620-3870 cell
www.oregoniansforhealthsecurity.org
Free lecture Wednesday to focus on oil production
Salem residents are invited to a free lecture about peak oil production at 7 p.m. Wednesday at
Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St SE.John Kaufmann, a senior policy analyst for Oregon Department of Energy, will present evidence for and against peak oil production. He will discuss why it matters, including the role of oil in our society.The program will explore the effects of peak oil, and compare supply-side and demand-side alternatives.Kaufmann has led energy-efficiency and renewable-energy efforts with Oregon Department of Energy for 25 years.
He led Oregon's efforts to adopt the nation's most energy-efficient residential and nonresidential building codes.He also was lead staffer to the Portland Peak Oil Task Force. Portland was the first city to plan for peak oil.The program is sponsored by League of Women Voters of Marion & Polk Counties.
Salem: Our Environment vs. Development are they exclusive ideas?
"Since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen--his everlasting power and divinity--being understood through the things that he made." Romans 1: 20-23
How do we rate as stewards of the land and natural resources?
What's happening in our community--are conditions setting us up for flooding that might be worse than 1996?
Is the City of Salem in compliance with State Land Use regulations?
What impact does this have on Salem's future?
You're invited to attend a forum:
Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. at
First Congregational Church,
United Church of Christ
700 Marion Street NE, Salem, Oregon
Huntington Room on the lower level
Sponsored by The Comprehensive Plan Supporters
Questions: 503-588-6924
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