19 results for tag: #ItsYourOregon
Hold the wrapping paper! Most of that gift-wrap is not eco-friendly nor recyclable
It is that time of year again—no matter what holiday you celebrate, or what religion you subscribe to, it is difficult to be unaffected by the enthusiasm of the season of giving and reflection. It is predicted that the average American will spend $942 on holiday gifts this year. It is no secret that as consumerism spreads, landfills also fill up, and the Earth suffers. According to Stanford University, Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. And most of that holiday wrap is not eco-friendly or recyclable.
A whopping 40% of the world’s industrial logging goes into ...
This Earth Day, Pledge to Stop Burning Wood for Public Health
What do Earth Day, wood smoke and COVID-19 all have in common? The answer lies in air quality. With most of our nation’s in-person Earth Day festivities cancelled or moved to a digital format, and the state’s at-large shelter-in-place policy, many people may not be thinking that much more needs to be done to protect Oregon’s air quality.
After all, our world’s air has become significantly cleaner, due to a slowdown in economic activity, right? While this may be currently true, the necessity of improving our air quality in the long-term cannot be under-estimated.
It is no secret that decreased air quality and pollution is linked to a ...
Don’t Let Winter Weather Limit Your Transportation Options
Getting around by bike, foot and transit is great for your health, your community’s health and safety, and the long-term prognosis for the livability of the planet. However, it can feel more difficult when the weather turns dark, cold and wet. Here are a few ways you can get through the long dark months without reaching for the car keys!
Plan ahead. Set out your bike gear the night before. Make sure you know which bus you’re going to catch when, and plan your morning accordingly. This may feel like a hassle, but the fact is that your bike ride and your walk (and your transit ride, if you’re lucky enough to have some good bus-only lanes ...
Climate-Friendly Communities Don’t Magically Appear
Oregon Environmental Council and 1000 Friends of Oregon have a long history of partnership, especially working together to advance compact community design with a myriad of reliable alternatives to driving. When people live close to their daily destinations and have lots of transportation options, we can significantly curb climate pollution from everyday travel.
And the good news is that climate-friendly communities have lots of other benefits: the air is cleaner, the costs of getting around are lower, it’s easier to get exercise by walking and biking, they are cheaper to build and maintain, and--because they use less space--precious farm and ...
Tell McDonald’s: Time to Take off the Toxic Gloves
With great market power comes great responsibility for customers' health.
This summer Oregon Environmental Council helped gather samples for a research report that finds that some vinyl, or PVC, food service gloves contain toxic chemicals called phthalates (THAL-eights) that can leach into food—and some gloves from McDonald’s tested positive for these harmful chemicals.
We’re joining with our partner groups across the nation in calling on McDonald’s, the top restaurant in the U.S., to be a market leader and switch away from using PVC gloves—the only way to ensure that food service gloves won’t contaminate diners’ meals with toxic ...
More than a decade of work will not be silenced.
2019 has been a tumultuous year for Oregonians and our environment. As we look to the future, we remain more committed than ever to the idea that people coming together with passion and perseverance can positively alter the course of the future.
There is much work yet to do: In the last legislative session, the Oregon legislature failed to vote on the Clean Energy Jobs bill. It was a disappointing outcome after an inspiring show of support for the bill over many years.
More than a decade of work will not be silenced. The crucial work of Oregon Environmental Council has always been—and will always be—fueled by the broad support of our members ...
Transportation Transformation: The Writing Is On The Wall
Greenhouse gas emissions aren’t something you can easily feel or smell or see in your daily life. It’s hard for us to get a sense of what the volume is, and whether it’s going up or down. That’s why it’s so important to track the measurements to see what’s working and what isn’t working
On September 18, the City of Portland released a report on greenhouse gas emissions in Multnomah County from 1990 to 2017. This report tells us that some things are working, though not quickly enough, and some things are working much worse than others.
Here’s the good news: Emissions are down nearly 40% from 1990 levels, even though the population ...
Youth activism continues to inspire, push for bold climate action
Youth from around the globe came together for an intense week of climate action this September. They organized gatherings, rallies, marches, speeches, direct actions, and events to bring awareness to the current climate crisis and push decision-makers to take meaningful action on climate.
Air Pollution Facts & Tips
As a resource for communities around the state, Oregon Environmental Council has developed a fact sheet that describes how air pollution affects Oregonians’ health, the major sources of air pollution in Oregon, and steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. This fact sheet is available in English, Chinese-simplified, Chinese-traditional, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Oregon Environmental Council has been a long-time champion for health-first clean air solutions. We promote protective public policies, including the 2019 diesel clean-up bill; provide tips on how to reduce personal exposure to air pollution as well as how to ...
Sponsored content: Celebrating 50 years Innovation: Intel & Oregon Environmental Council
Our state motto, “she flies with her own wings,” has long been reflected in the spirit of the people of Oregon, with a readiness to embrace new ideas and look towards the possibilities of tomorrow.