"It's Your Oregon" Blog
Everyday solutions, news, and musings from every corner of the Beaver state.
Everyday solutions, news, and musings from every corner of the Beaver state.
New Year's Resolution: Try a vegan meal!
Try incorporating a vegan meal into you routine and see how you like it. The trick it not to cut out foods, it’s to crowd out non-vegan foods with delicious foods you love.
Bottle bill expansion begins on New Year’s Day
There are some changes going into effect this week that are great news for recycling in Oregon. Beginning Jan. 1, Oregon’s Bottle Bill will expand to include water and flavored water containers.
Embracing Simplicity
Looking for ways to make the holidays more meaningful this year? Embracing simplicity is a great way to make the holidays more joyful, less wasteful and less stressful.
Biofuels Best Management Practices
OEC believes it is imperative that the biofuels industry demonstrates its commitment to the most environmentally and socially favorable practices.
Portland scales back green building policy
Last week City Commissioner Dan Saltzman announced a scaled-back version of what was originally supposed to be a visionary policy for green building in Portland, and an important part of the city’s efforts to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions.
In the Spirit of Giving
What do you do with your old eyeglasses when you need a new prescription? Never plan to wear that frilly bridesmaid’s dress again? “One man’s trash is another’s treasure.” In the spirit of giving, may I suggest some places to “recycle” a number of items of value.
Which Creates More Jobs?
In the face of a serious recession, lawmakers at both the state and federal level are calling for investment in infrastructure projects, such as roads, that will bring the unemployment rate down while addressing what’s seen as an infrastructure crisis.
BPA takes another hit
The past few months have not been kind to the toxic plastic component bisphenol A (BPA). The first big blow was in April when the Canadian Health Minister declared BPA a toxic substance. Next came news that Walmart, Toys R’ Us, Sears, and other retailers will remove BPA-containing baby bottles from their store shelves ASAP.
Do-it-yourself rain barrels
Okay so it’s dumping outside and you need a fun home project that’s both enviro-friendly and can save you some money. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to make some rain barrels.
Coca-Cola may bottle Willamette River water?
When you factor in the costs and environmental impacts of plastic water bottles, tap water becomes an even better choice. 1.5 million barrels of petroleum per year goes into producing “disposable” water bottles, 125 million of which end up in Oregon landfills.
From the Governor’s climate package announcement
Even more than the policies laid out on Monday, I was struck by the buzz in the room. Everybody was buzzing – advocates, architects, builders, consumers, energy developers, labor reps and policy wonks – and I could almost see the wheels turning in people’s heads as they digested the plan.
Early voting down in Oregon
There are some interesting early returns in Oregon’s mail-in balloting this year. Namely, we’re not doing it like we did in 2004.
Who's minding the store?
The General Accounting Office (GAO) released a report this week which criticizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for overestimating how much money they collect from companies that violate national environmental laws.
Oregonians recycling less and less
For all we pat ourselves on the back, it seems we’re backsliding a bit in the last couple of years.
In defense of the citizen lobbyist
Have you ever written a letter to an elected official asking him or her to vote a certain way? I sure have – everything from testifying against bills that would harm our air and water quality to drafting and helping pass legislation to protect Oregon’s environment.
Bad press keeps coming for BPA
There’s sure been a lot of bad press lately on bisphenol-A (BPA). None of it very encouraging, other than the fact that some very smart and significant people are starting to take notice.
How about ‘Conserve, Baby, Conserve’?
One message that is emerging in this election cycle is that somehow we can drill our way to energy independence.
Back to school lunches made healthy, safe and easy
File under 'cool back to school ideas' - OEC's new Eco-Healthy Lunch Box Kit helps reduce kids’ exposures to toxins and puts more healthy, local and tasty foods in school diets.
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat: the ups and downs in limiting exposures to toxic chemicals
In a major victory for parents and public health advocates, on August 14 President Bush signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act establishing the first-ever national standards for lead and the plasticizers known as phthalates.
LID for Puget Sound, rainwater tanks in Australia could save millions, and a medal for Togo
A ruling last week in Puget Sound found that the Department of Ecology must require developers in Western Washington’s biggest cities and counties to keep polluted stormwater out of streams.
