2008 Forum for Business and the Environment: The Advantages of Sustainability to Oregon Commerce

For the last two years, the Oregon business community has identified “sustainability” as a competitive advantage for Oregon and an issue that should be integrated into the Oregon Business Plan. At the 13th annual Forum for Business and the Environment series, the Oregon Environmental Council has gathered financial and economic experts, business leaders, elected officials and other professionals to answer these questions.

On Tuesday, May 6 in Bend, and Thursday, May 8 in Portland, don't miss Pierre Trevet, Joe Cortright speaking about how companies and cities are reaping a ‘green dividend’ from their sustainability investments. Pierre Trevet will discuss the financial performance of sustainable businesses. Portland economist Joe Cortright will describe his recent study, “Portland’s Green Dividend,” which calculates the returns accrued when cities invest in green infrastructure, land use planning, and related policies. Tickets are on sale now.

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2008 Healthy Environment Forum

This March, the Oregon Environmental Council will begin the seventh season of the Healthy Environment Forum series. Each year this unique series brings several hundred health professionals, health advocates, environmentalists, and interested citizens together to learn about emerging issues. These forums have traditionally helped to build understanding and cooperation toward consensus about some of Oregon’s most difficult environmental and health challenges. This year's lineup includes will feature national experts to discussing environmental causes of obesity, pharmaceutical contaminants in watersheds, and other emerging environmental health topics.

Don't miss "The Falling Age of Puberty in U.S. Girls: What We Know and Need to Know," with Sandra Steingraber, PhD the next installment of the series, on Thursday, May 22, 2008.

Click here to learn more and to RSVP.

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Governor Offers Vision for Climate-Friendly Transportation at OEC Forum

At the first event of our 2008 Forum for Business and the Environment series, Governor Kulongoski and a panel of distinguished speakers spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 200 about their vision for a transportation future that supports our economy while protecting our environment. Each speaker – the Governor, Oregon Representative Arnie Roblan, Washington Representative Dave Upthegrove, and President of the Oregon Business Association Ryan Deckert – spoke of the imperative to reduce global warming pollution from the transportation sector and offered solutions that are good not only for our climate, but also for our quality of life. These solutions ranged from lower-carbon fuels to more fuel-efficient vehicles to helping people and goods move more efficiently to – perhaps most importantly – reducing vehicle miles traveled by investing in alternatives to the car and building communities where people can easily access the places they need to go.

As described by Rep. Upthegrove, Washington State is taking vehicle miles traveled very seriously, incorporating “VMT” reduction goals into a climate bill passed this spring by the Washington Legislature. Rep. Roblan, who represents a number of communities along the South Coast of Oregon, stated his strong support for transit for small communities, as well as investments in freight and passenger rail. On the topic of rail, Ryan Deckert expressed the need for a high-speed passenger rail corridor. OEC thanks our speakers, our moderator Dan Heagerty of David Evans & Associates, and our attendees -- especially those who didn’t get a seat because of the overflow crowd! We look forward to seeing you at our next Forum for Business and the Environment on May 6 in Bend and May 8 in Portland.

To read the Governor’s speech, visit governor.oregon.gov/Gov/speech/speech_041108.shtml

To listen to the forum, visit www.kboo.fm/node/6726

To learn about upcoming forums, go to www.oeconline.org/economy/bizforum/2008