PPO working group: Policy

Submitted by Jeremy on February 2, 2006 - 11:29am.

Congestion, Clean Air, Health and Global Warming

Submitted by Jeremy on October 31, 2006 - 9:18pm.
Nov 15 2006 - 7:00pm
Nov 15 2006 - 9:00pm
Description: 

Speakers: Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder and Dr. Catherine Thomasson, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Your input is needed! How concerned are we about congestion and the effects of congestion on clean air, global warming? Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder will give an update on Metro’s Regional Transportation plan and Dr. Catherine Thomasson with Physicians for Social Responsibility will present the health effects of global warming. Your input is requested on the Regional Transportation Plan and on Oregon solutions to global warming.

Metro is currently updating the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) a blueprint to guide transportation investments in the Portland metropolitan region for the next 20 years. A goal of this planning effort is to produce a plan that is more streamlined and that better advances regional policies, public priorities and local efforts. Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder will give an overview of this update and wants to hear what outcomes stakeholders want for the Portland region's transportation system. For example, do we want to invest our money in more highways or in public transportation? How concerned are we about congestion and the effects of congestion on clean air, global warming? How does our transportation system affect our health and do we want to make changes to address this?

"The Need for Energy Independence: Reducing Global Warming and Securing a Healthy Future."

Global Warming is already happening, caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels—coal, oil and natural gas. At the same time countries are competing for a dwindling supply of oil and natural gas creating security risks in our own country and civil wars in many others. We can and need to achieve energy independence. The most important opportunity is to improve our transportation system and citizen use.

Dr. Catherine Thomasson with Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility will discuss these issues and outline solutions to this difficult problem. PSR will discuss solutions including wind and solar power, biodiesel, pollution regulations, and energy conservation and efficiency, and current policies that help or impede their progress.

Location(s)

St. Francis Church Dining Hall (use North Entrance)
1182 SE Pine
Portland, OR
See map: Google Maps

PPO's POTF brainstorming session -- Economic Shifting

Submitted by Jeremy on August 24, 2006 - 1:37pm.

 This is the list of ideas that the August 23rd brainstorming session on - economic changes.

  1. Have Tri Met be free during a declared liquid fuel crisis and figure out how to accommodate  surge capacity.
  2. Figure out how to incorporate (willing) private SUV's, buses, large capacity vans etc. to transport people during crisis and/or transition times.

    a)Vehicles register with city so they can be accessed during crises on a volunteer basis with some possible incentive.

    b)Create a contingency plan i.e. Safe Hitchhiker Plan as used in Marin County California that people can use during a crisis.
  3. Create a local currency based on energy.  Energy takes the form of animal, people, biofuels, ....  An economic will only produce as much as there is energy to produce with.
  4. Consider prohibition on exporting of biofuels outside of a designated region.
  5. Evaluate restrictions on home based and cottage industry.

PPO's POTF brainstorming - land use & transportation

Submitted by Jeremy on August 24, 2006 - 1:23pm.

This is the list of ideas that the August 23rd brainstorming session on land use and transportatin

  1. Create "farming communities" based on models used in Germany.  The village is surrounded by farm land so that the farmer walks out his back door and a short distance to his farm.
  2. Support, promote and maybe subsidize agricultural homesteading beyond the Urban Boundary.
  3. Recognize that "non-paid" work or labor has value/exchange based on labor/trade basis.  This will be part of the Economic Shifting that will occur.
  4. Change zoning laws/ordinances so that residential, business and small-scale farms can all be near each other.  This will lower energy, transportation and labor to get products to local markets.
  5. Subsidize Land Trusts, agricultural conservation and easements to protect agricultural lands from development for other than agricultural and farm use.
  6. Develop a plan for transitioning toward free public transportation throughout city and county.
  7. Remove restrictions on number of adults who can live in same house. 

PPO's POTF brainstorming session -- Food & Ag

Submitted by Jeremy on August 24, 2006 - 1:18pm.

 This is the list of ideas that the August 23rd brainstorming session on food and AG for the POTF.

  1. Allow fruit and nut trees in public spaces, I.e. parking strips, dividers on streets and highways, in both residential and business areas. 
  2. Allow and support adding fruit and nut trees to local landscapes to support solar and shade management.  This can be done for both residential and commercial structures.
  3. Find a way to harvest the fruits and nuts for use by people for local use, Oregon Food Bank.
  4. Have local phone and/or 800 numbers with a public map for showing the location of fruit and nut trees, which can be harvested by anyone.
  5. Include youth groups, church, homeless youth, gleaning organizations, food banks and groups such as Friends of Trees can be informed about when and where to harvest from the trees.
  6. This could be a project for Americore.
  7. Create a database of those in locals where the fruit and nuts trees are who are willing to harvest from the trees. 

preparation brainstorming session

Submitted by Jeremy on August 13, 2006 - 1:35pm.
Aug 23 2006 - 7:00pm
Aug 23 2006 - 9:00pm

Hosted by:
Jeremy

Body:
What have folks been doing to prepare for peak oil? What specific recommendations would you have for the peak oil taskforce? Metro? The results will be organized and made available on this site and to the peak oil taskforce.

Charters for Portland, Multnomah and Metro

Submitted by Jeremy on August 8, 2006 - 7:03pm.

In light of the taskforce, reading over that is in the Charter for the...

might come in handy.

Second meeting of Portland peak oil task force

Submitted by Emily on August 7, 2006 - 4:27pm.
Aug 9 2006 - 4:00pm
Aug 9 2006 - 6:30pm

Body:
The second meeting of the City of Portland's Peak Oil Task Force will be held. See original announcement of task force here: http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?a=122243&c=41625.
The public is welcome to attend and time for public comment will be provided. Additional background materials on the Peak Oil Task Force are available at http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?c=42894&.

City of Portland's Peak Oil Task Force Briefing Book

Submitted by Jeremy on July 26, 2006 - 10:16pm.


I figured the group might be interested in the 90+ page PDF provided to the taskforce members.  It is far too long to post as one forum topic, but here are the parts about "what is peak oil" and "how sure are we about it".

 

What Is “Peak Oil?”

The term “peak oil” refers to the idea that the rate of global oil production is near or past its peak and will soon begin a long-term decline. When an oil field is developed, there is a maximum rate of production which can be sustained without damaging the field − if it is pumped too fast, groundwater may intrude or the internal structure of the field may otherwise be compromised. That eventually happens anyway when about half the oil in a field has been produced, and it becomes more difficult and expensive to pump what remains. At that point the production rate can no longer be maintained, and it begins to decline.  

Regional or national production is maintained or increased by adding production from new fields, not by pumping more out of existing fields. When production from a large number of fields has peaked and begun to decline, and there are not enough large new fields being found and developed to offset the lost production, the system is said to have peaked. As with individual fields, this is expected to happen when about half or slightly more of the ultimately recoverable oil has been produced. Peak oil does not mean that no more oil exists, but that we’re at the point where global production can no longer be maintained or increased. Production will no longer be able to meet growing demand as it has been able to do in the past.  Instead, production will begin to decline, year after year. If demand does not decline at the same rate as production, prices will rise, and alternatives will need to be found or prices will rise, with attendant economic and social consequences.

Peak oil typically encompasses the idea of peak natural gas as well. Natural gas is often found in association with oil (it is also found “non-associated”). It has many similar uses, and oil and gas can often be substituted for one another. Together oil and natural gas account for 65 percent of the primary energy used in the U.S. and worldwide. Natural gas follows a production curve similar to oil. World natural gas is expected to peak perhaps a decade or two later than oil. However, the U.S. is expected to experience the effects sooner than that. North American gas production appears to have peaked in the past few years and, unlike oil, it is more difficult and expensive to import replacement natural gas from overseas − it has to be liquefied for transport and then re-gasified for distribution. 

 

First meeting of Portland peak oil task force

Submitted by Emily on July 23, 2006 - 11:40am.
Jul 25 2006 - 4:30pm
Jul 25 2006 - 6:30pm

Body:
The first meeting of the City of Portland's Peak Oil Task Force will be held. See original announcement of task force here: http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?a=122243&c=41625.
The public is welcome to attend and time for public comment will be provided. Additional background materials on the Peak Oil Task Force are available at http://www.portlandonline.com/osd/index.cfm?c=42894&.

An Open Letter to Greg Palast by Richard Heinberg

Submitted by Jeremy on July 7, 2006 - 6:38am.

Dear Greg,

Congratulations on your new book, Armed Madhouse. As with your previous work, I admire your dedication in exposing the machinations of government and corporate miscreants.

However, this time around you’ve also taken a potshot at a target that I happen to know a good deal about and have been closely involved with for a few years—the efforts by a growing number of analysts to forecast the arrival, and prepare the world for the consequences, of Peak Oil. In this instance I think your negative comments about Peak Oil and those of us who study it are not well informed. Ordinarily I wouldn’t respond to an ill-considered statement by an otherwise admirable author; but unfortunately you go on for several pages on this theme, and I’ve started receiving e-mails from folks who are troubled by what you said. In my many years of fighting to protect our planet from environmental destruction, I have learned how important it is to make sure that our supporters have the most accurate information possible. Time and again, I have seen our opponents seize on internal disagreements as wedges in their drive to weaken and damage the credibility of the environmental movement. I feel the responsibility to help sort out the factual issues in this instance particularly strongly because you have worked so hard to earn your reputation as a truth-teller in these perilous times.

First let me make clear where I’m coming from with my critical analysis. Before you assume that, just because I disagree with you, I must therefore be secretly in the employ of the Heritage Foundation or some nefarious corporation, I should point out that in my own recent book, Powerdown, I take the Bush administration to task as vehemently (if not at so great a length) as you have done. And I teach in a program on “Culture, Ecology and Sustainable Community” at a small, far-left liberal arts college where you have lectured. So we are in other respects natural allies.

In your book, you place your critique of Peak Oil in the context of scathing attacks on the Bush energy plan and the oil companies’ enormous ongoing political influence. These are serious problems and you deal with them skillfully and entertainingly. But, in contrast to these subjects, the Peak Oil discussion is more about science than politics, and when it comes to science, catchy phrases don’t count; only a careful weighing of evidence does. I’m sorry to say that you don’t appear to be fully informed about the terms and history of this debate.

Let’s start with your description of the work of the late geologist M. King Hubbert and the study of oil depletion.

On page 108 you pretend to summarize Hubbert’s 1956 world forecast for global oil production as follows:

new PPO council mailing list

Submitted by Jeremy on June 29, 2006 - 6:48am.

http://portlandpeakoil.org/mailman/listinfo/council_portlandpeakoil.org 

The above link is for subscribing to the council at portlandpeakoil . org mailing list which was created for two reasons.

  • a mailing list generally has a faster turn around time then people thinking to check a website.
  • This is for administration and management of Portland Peak Oil events (Wednesdays at St. Francis, ...) getting the speaker's bureau online, .... Please only subscribe if you want to be involved on a fairly regular basis.

Al Gore: we're at or near peak oil

Submitted by Jeremy on June 14, 2006 - 9:26am.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/13/lkl.01.html

KING: Gas prices -- we've only got a minute left.

GORE: Yes.

KING: Gas prices going to go down?


GORE: Well, I've seen a number of -- over the last several decades I've seen this happen several times, where they spike and then they do come back down.

But each time they go to a higher plateau. We almost certainly are at or near what they call peak oil, defined as having recovered a majority of the oil reserves at a certain price, affordability range. And so with the new pressure on the consumption side from China and India, if they come back down, they won't stay down long.

The Effect of Community Gardens on Neighboring Property Values

Submitted by Jeremy on June 7, 2006 - 10:54pm.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=889113

 
Abstract:     

Cities across the United States increasingly are debating the best way to use vacant infill lots. The community garden movement is one of the major contenders for the space, as are advocates for small public pocket parks and other green spaces. To allocate the land most efficiently and fairly, local governments need sound research about the value of such gardens and parks to their host communities.

At the same time, cities are looking for new ways of financing the development and maintenance of public garden and park space. Some have turned to tax increment financing to generate resources; others are introducing impact fees or special assessments to cover the costs of urban parks. In order to employ such financing mechanisms, both policy concerns and legal constraints require local governments to base their charges on sound data about the impacts green spaces have on the value of the neighboring properties that would be forced to bear the incidence of the tax or fee.

Despite the clear public policy need for such data, our knowledge about the impacts community gardens and other such spaces have on surrounding neighborhoods is quite limited. No studies have focused specifically on community gardens, and those that have examined the property value impacts of parks and other open space are cross-sectional studies inattentive to when the park opened, so that it is impossible to determine the direction of the causality of any property value differences found. The existing literature also has paid insufficient attention to qualitative differences among the parks studied and to differences in characteristics of the surrounding neighborhoods that might affect the parks' impacts.

Applying hedonic methods to a unique data set of all property sales in New York City over several decades, we compared the prices of properties within a given distance of community gardens to prices of comparable properties outside the designated ring, but still located in the same neighborhood. By examining whether and how this difference changed once a community garden was established, we account for any systematic differences between the sites used for community gardens and other land in the neighborhood, thus resolving questions about the direction of causality and helping to disentangle the specific effects of community gardens from other contemporaneous changes occurring across neighborhoods and properties in the city.

We find that the opening of a community garden has a statistically significant positive impact on residential properties within 1000 feet of the garden, and that the impact increases over time. We find that gardens have the greatest impact in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Higher quality gardens have the greatest positive impact. Finally, we find that the opening of a garden is associated with other changes in the neighborhood, such as increasing rates of homeownership, and thus may be serving as catalysts for economic redevelopment of the community.

Resource on peak oil resolutions

Submitted by Emily on May 21, 2006 - 6:18pm.

This is interesting, sort of a "how-to" for drafting peak oil resolutions:

http://energypreparedness.net/resolutions

Triage for the post-peak oil age

Submitted by Jeremy on May 15, 2006 - 9:21am.

 http://www.energybulletin.net/15955.html

When casualties overwhelm battlefield doctors, they are often forced to sort the wounded into three groups: those who will survive without treatment, those who will likely die even with treatment, and those who will probably live but only with treatment. In the post-peak oil age we will likely be faced with a similar situation in deciding which activities a lower-energy society can support.

Tentatively, I propose the following triage for various broad areas:

1) activities that are "Expected to Make a Full Recovery," ones that I think will spread and intensify out of necessity,

2) activities labeled "Code Blue"--the medical term for emergency treatment of heart attack patients--activities which I think may only survive with our active intervention or which may only be available at the level we want them to be through special efforts, and

3) activities labeled "Do Not Resuscitate" which are unlikely to survive post-peak no matter how much effort we put into them. Only "Code Blue" items are meant to indicate my preferences for a post-peak oil world.

The other categories are predictions (a dangerous practice) about what I think will and won't thrive in a low-energy society. I will certainly miss some activities such as cheap air travel. Others such as motorized sports, I won't. But, my preferences don't matter since the availability and price of liquid fuels will, in my view, determine the fate of both activities.

The table below is not meant to be a complete list by any means. No doubt readers will disagree--perhaps vehemently in some cases--with my predictions and preferences. My aim is neither to irritate nor to prescribe, but rather to help begin a process that I believe will become absolutely necessary. I say absolutely necessary because our failure to recognize those activities which won't survive under any circumstances may cause us to waste valuable (and diminishing) energy resources on hopeless cases. That lost energy will be energy that we cannot spend on things that we will desperately need such as wind and solar power.

No one likes to choose, but choose we must if we are going to have the future that we want (given our constraints) rather than the one that is simply forced upon us.

Peak Oil Taskforce membership

Submitted by Jeremy on May 13, 2006 - 7:22am.

As Pam mentioned in an eariler post that PPO will only have one official representative  on the Taskforce.  Just so it is clear, this does not preclude anyone else who has does some work with PPO from being on the task force.  If you are interested being on the Taskforce then please write up a comment to the post or send short e-mail to taskforce@portlandpeakoil.org and we can pass along the info to the City of Portland. 

The exact mechanism of official placement on the taskforce has not been announced to anyone.  We have come up with a list of the possible areas of experience or knowledge that should be on the taskforce, but again this is just our view and not the "official" view.  I'm under the impression that you don't have to be an expert in a give field to be on the taskforce and having folks that are comfortlable with systems would likely be a big plus.  I'm sure there are plenty of more then qualified people who won't be on the taskforce and the taskforce is just the first step of many things that will be needed.

PPO press release for resolution passed on May 10th

Submitted by Emily on May 10, 2006 - 1:53pm.

PORTLAND PEAK OIL
POLICY WORKING GROUP
CONTACT: taskforce@portlandpeakoil.org
http://www.portlandpeakoil.org

MAY 10, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland Establishes Task Force on Peak Oil
Grassroots effort yields comprehensive look at oil crisis.

The threat of a peak in global oil supplies has received official attention from the City of Portland. A resolution to create a task force to investigate implications of peak oil was passed by City Council today largely in response to activism from Portland Peak Oil, a local grassroots group. "This task force will focus on preparing Portland for a local response to impending global oil shortages," said Stephen Johnson, a volunteer with Portland Peak Oil.

The task force resolution was sponsored by all five members of the council and passed unanimously. The Office of Sustainable Development will continue its leadership in addressing the problems inherent with urban sustainability by taking the lead in staffing the task force. The Bureau of Planning and the Office of Transportation will also be cooperating with the task force along with the Oregon Department of Energy and METRO who will be providing technical assistance. The task force will be comprised of up to 11 people representing diverse community and business interests.

Peak Oil Taskforce hearing at Portland City Council

Submitted by Jeremy on May 9, 2006 - 10:47am.
May 10 2006 - 10:15am
May 10 2006 - 11:45am

Body:
See this link for details....
http://www.portlandpeakoil.org/cs/peak_oil_on_may_10_portland_city_council_agenda
This hearing will likely start close to 10:15am.

text of the peak oil taskforce resolution

Submitted by Jeremy on May 8, 2006 - 6:23am.

Establish a Peak Oil Task Force to assess Portland’s exposure to diminishing supplies of oil and natural gas and make recommendations to address vulnerabilities. (Resolution)

WHEREAS, global reserves of oil and natural gas are finite and sufficient substitutes are unlikely to be available in the immediate future; and

WHEREAS, U.S. oil and natural gas production have peaked and are now in decline, ensuring our nation’s continued and growing dependence on oil and natural gas imported from politically unstable regions; and

WHEREAS, a growing body of energy industry experts believe that the world has already arrived at, or will soon arrive at, the peak of global oil production, which will be followed by an inevitable decline in available supply thereafter; and

WHEREAS, global demand for oil and natural gas continue to increase; and

WHEREAS, following the global peaks of oil and natural gas production, the interaction of decreasing supply and increased demand will cause the price of oil and natural gas to become more volatile; and

Peak Oil on May 10 Portland City Council Agenda!

Submitted by Emily on May 7, 2006 - 5:00pm.

Greetings Portland Peak Oil community!

We have fantastic news! As many of you know, we've been working with City of Portland elected officials for the past few months on a resolution to appoint a peak oil task force. Our workhas paid off as the resolution will be brought to City Council next Wednesday, May 10th, with the time expected to be 10:45 or 11:00 a.m.

As far as we know, Portland will become the second city in the country to pass a peak oil resolution (after San Francisco a few weeks ago, see here:
http://energybulletin.net/15086.html).

-Background-

In January, Gene Berk of Portland Peak Oil drafted a one-sentence petition urging the City of Portland to create a task force to investigate the implications of peak oil for the citizens of the Portland metro area. PPO started circulating this petition and has collected over 600 signatures thanks to all of you. PPO then created a policy working group that had meetings with Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder, Commissioner Dan Saltzman and other government officials. From those meetings came the impetus to draft a resolution to create a peak oil task force. In February, Pam Leitch and David Cohan of PPO crafted the first draft of the resolution that was forwarded to Dan Saltzman’s office after input from others at PPO.

SF beat us to it...

Submitted by Emily on April 17, 2006 - 1:05pm.

SF beat us to it (good for them!)... but there's a good chance our very own Portland resolution will be passed in the next six weeks. To read our draft resolution that is receiving amazing support from City Commissioners, area organizations, and petition signers alike, click here.

----------------------------------------------------------

San Francisco Becomes First U.S. City to Pass Peak Oil Resolution

Campaign by Local Activists Persuaded Board of Supervisors of Looming Energy Crunch; Landmark Initiative Urges Development of ‘Action and Response Plan’

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) April 14, 2006 -- San Francisco on Tuesday became the first U.S. city to pass a resolution acknowledging the threats posed by peak oil, urging the city to develop a comprehensive plan to respond to the emerging global energy crunch.

The resolution (http://www.sfbayoil.org/sfoa/media/SFOA_Peak_Oil_Resolution.pdf) which won unanimous support by the Board of Supervisors was sponsored by Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi, Jake McGoldrick, Sophie Maxwell and Chris Daly. It cites an influential study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy, known as the Hirsch Report (http://www.mnforsustain.org/oil_peaking_of_world_oil_production_study_hirsch.htm), which raises concerns about the nation’s ability to avert a major crisis from the peak and decline of oil production.

Top 10 US cities best prepared for an oil crisis

Submitted by Emily on March 27, 2006 - 11:18am.

This is an interesting read.... I can actually understand how NYC is so highly placed, but Portland only #6? Hmm, we should use this as leverage within our Policy work; impetus to boost Portland to the top of the list. - Emily

---------------------------------------------------

Top 10 US cities best prepared for an oil crisis

By staff

San Francisco, CA -- If the price of oil shot to $100 a barrel tomorrow, which American cities would be able to survive economically? SustainLane, the online resource for healthy, sustainable living (www.SustainLane.com), announced this week the ten U.S. cities best suited to withstand the shock of an oil crisis; those whose quality of life and economy would remain unspoiled in the face of exorbitant gas prices. According to the list, New York City would be the best place to live and work under these circumstances. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, would be the most vulnerable to such an event.

Introduction to Permaculture

Submitted by Pam Leitch on March 5, 2006 - 6:01pm.
Mar 10 2006 - 9:00am
Mar 12 2006 - 5:00pm

Body:
Three day class, Friday to Sunday covering introduction to permaculture and appropriate technology. Information at www.portlandpermaculture.com or call 503.293.8004.

PPO's final draft of resolution

Submitted by Emily on March 4, 2006 - 6:39pm.

This is what the Policy group has finalized from PPO's end of things. At the Business meeting on Monday night, we will be discussing the timeline of next actions, i.e. taking it to Saltzman's office, etc.

--------------------------------------------------------

DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF PORTLAND TO CREATE A PEAK OIL TASK FORCE

Whereas, global resources of oil and natural gas are finite; and

Whereas, a growing body of energy industry experts believe that the world has already arrived at, or will soon arrive at, the peak of global oil production, which will be followed by an inevitable decline in available supply thereafter; and

Whereas, sufficient substitutes for declining oil and natural gas production are not immediately available; and

Whereas, global demand for oil and natural gas continue to increase; and

Whereas, U.S. oil and natural gas production have peaked and are now in decline, ensuring our nation’s continued and growing dependence on oil and natural gas imported from politically unstable regions; and

1st draft of resolution - please comment

Submitted by Emily on February 20, 2006 - 8:33pm.

The primary result of our 2/17 meeting with Saltzman was that he encouraged us to write a resolution creating a peak oil task force (as our petition states) that he could present to Council. A number of us in the Policy group held a meeting on Saturday afternoon where we drew up points that Dave and Pam later drafted into the following. Please add your comments as soon as you can.

-------------------------------------------------------

DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR THE CITY OF PORTLAND

Whereas, the global supplies of oil and natural gas are finite, global demand for these resources is rising and substitutes will not be available in the foreseeable future, supply and demand dictate that the price of oil and natural gas will rise at an increasing rate and that prices will become more volatile; and

Whereas, U.S. oil production has peaked, ensuring continued and growing dependence on oil and natural gas imported from politically unstable regions, and a growing body of professional opinion in the energy industries believes that the world has already arrived or will soon arrive at the peak of global oil production; and

PPO Policy "next steps" meeting

Submitted by Emily on February 17, 2006 - 4:19pm.
Feb 18 2006 - 4:00pm
Feb 18 2006 - 5:30pm

Body:
This is the debriefing/next steps meeting following the group's meeting with Commissioner Dan Saltzman.

What do we ask from Neighborhood Associations?

Submitted by localize it on February 15, 2006 - 1:45pm.

I am getting a Peak Oil (PO) presentation on the agenda for my Richmond Neighborhood Association meeting in April.
My intention is to explain the PO basics and why a local response is necessary and what it would look like. The goal would be to create a neighborhood level discussion and familiarize neighbors with each other on a preparedness level.
I would love to hear feedback on other approaches, methods, or if this has been done before - please share the experience.
Specifically - what do we ask of the Neighborhood Association?

There oughta be a law...

Submitted by Emily on February 7, 2006 - 11:35am.

BlueOregon, a blog focused on local progressive politics, today asks, "What sorts of progressive policies and programs should the next legislature take up?"

Over at the local blog, Portland Transport, Rex Burkholder asks the same question and details his ideas for the Oregon Legislature in the realm of local transportation.

Pertaining to peak oil, energy and sustainability, what do you feel oughta be a law?

Willamette Week peak oil story - need interviewees

Submitted by Emily on February 2, 2006 - 11:56am.

Portland Peak Oil has recently been contacted by a writer with the Willamette Week - Ian Demsky. The paper is interested in doing a cover story on Portlanders preparing for peak oil.

I spoke with Ian this morning on the phone and he has a special request for the group. He's looking to interview folks who were not necessarily environmentalists or activists before learning about peak oil, but who have
made major changes in their lives to prepare since learning about peak oil. You know, an case study angle to move beyond the usual "Portland greenie". Here's his message:

----------------------------------------------------------------

We're exploring doing a cover story on how ready Portland would be for the scenario spelled out by the peak oil proponents. We're looking for some local folks that heve been involved with this issue. Also, peak oil seems to
dovetail well with Portland's already green consciouness -- but maybe there are some folks out there who weren't very green to start with, but peak oil came as a dramatic wake up call?

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