Local Initiatives

Governments and community groups throughout the state are taking action to reduce emissions and become more sustainable. Below are links to some of Oregon’s sustainability committees, action plans and achievements.

Please help us expand this list! Let us know about initiatives happening in your Oregon community.

Cities

• Albany: The City lists the ways they are working toward sustainability.
• Ashland: The City of Ashland’s Conservation Program provides resources and incentives for increasing energy efficiency in homes and businesses, and also administers a Green Business Program. Ashland also supports a Solar Pioneers community solar project that allows citizens to purchase a share of the output from a City solar energy farm.   The City partners with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offer Green Tags (Renewable Energy Credits) to customers of the municipal utility.
• Bend: Visit the City’s Sustainability Page and read the Sustainability at the City of Bend 5-year Action Plan (.pdf).
• Corvallis: The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, comprised of both government and private entities, has developed a Community Sustainability Action Plan (.pdf) and is working to create a sustainable community in Corvallis.
• Eugene:
  • Visit the City’s Sustainable Eugene website's Climate Change and Energy Use page. Here you'll find links to both internal (.pdf) and community (.pdf) emissions inventories, the Sustainability Commission’s FY10 Workplan and First Annual Report (.pdf). 
  • Check out the website for Eugene’s forthcoming Climate and Action Plan for the latest news.
  • The City’s Sustainability commission page, SustainEugene.com, contains information about the Commission, tips for reducing emissions in the home and business, and an invitation to join the Mayor’s Carbon Challenge.
  • The Eugene Water and Electric Board, the City’s municipal utility, offers a broad range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technical and financial assistance programs.
• Gresham: The City’s Sustainable Gresham page links to a brochure highlighting Gresham’s achievements (.pdf) and a presentation (.pdf) outlining the City’s sustainability policy.
• Lake Oswego: Visit the City’s sustainability page for links to the City of Lake Oswego Sustainability Plan and a brochure outlining 2008 accomplishments (.pdf). The site also shares sustainability tips and local resources to help you become more sustainable and learn about climate change.
• Lincoln City: City Sustainability Committee topic outlines, meeting agendas, and the Sustainability 101 (.pdf) presentation are available at the Committee’s webpage. Also check out the Committee’s 10 Sustainability Tips for the Lincoln City Community.
• McMinnville:
  • Read the City’s 2009 Action Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (.pdf) and Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (.pdf) on McMinnville's sustainability page. Here you'll also find local resources for recycling, renewable power and energy conservation, as well as issues of the McMinnville ‘Truly Green’ newsletter.
  • See what Cool Mac, a McMinnville citizen group devoted to sustainability in the community, is up to.
• Portland:
  • Visit the City’s Climate Protection page to view their Draft Climate Action Plan 2009. The City also provides information about what the local government is doing to reduce emissions and what the community has already achieved. 
  • The Portland Development Commission's Sustainability Program lists PDC's sustainability plans and upcoming sustainability events. You'll also find links to green building resources and other climate change reports and videos.
• Salem: The City is working to implement an Environmental Action Plan.
• West Linn: The City’s sustainability page contains information about Sustainability Advisory Board meetings, other sustainability-related events, and a link to the Sustainable West Linn Strategic Plan (.pdf).

Counties

• The Association of Oregon Counties has a renewable energy and conservation center which provides guidance documents and other information related to renewable energy and green buildings.
• Clackamas County: The Sustainable Clackamas County page links to the Action Plan for a Sustainable Clackamas County (.pdf) and local resources for sustainable living, including tips for energy conservation, landscaping, food, transportation, and more.
• Hood River County: Hood River County is looking into the development of small-scale, renewable community energy.
• Klamath County: Sustainable Klamath works to link sustainability and economic development in the county.
• Multnomah County: The city's Sustainability Program is a resource for county operations and county residents on climate change and other environment, economic and social equity issues.
• Washington County:
  • The County’s sustainability page describes how the government has implemented sustainability strategies into its daily operations and links to local resources for recycling and waste prevention, sustainable gardening, and more.
  • Partners for a Sustainable Washington County Community is a collaborative effort of city governments, utilities, and others to implement a county-wide sustainability plan. Read their 2008 feasibility study. On this page you can also find out about meetings of the Washington County Sustainability Network, an informal sustainability group that shares information and resources.

Regions

• Central Oregon: The Central Oregon Environmental Center is a community non-profit working toward sustainability in Central Oregon through education and outreach, a sustainable business program, a sustainable lawn and garden program, a Green Business Directory, and more. The Center has recently merged with ReSource, another non-profit working for sustainability in Central Oregon. Both websites have helpful programs and resources.
• Klamath Basin: Klamath Sustainable Communities is a community group working for sustainability in the Klamath Basin.

Statewide

Government

• Oregon Department of Energy’s Climate Change Portal is a comprehensive source of information about climate change action by the State of Oregon.
• Other state agencies also have climate change related pages:
  • Oregon Department of Agriculture
  • Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
  • Oregon Department of Forestry

Non-Governmental Organizations

• The Cascade Climate Network is a network of young people from Oregon and Washington who are dedicated to addressing climate change.
• Oregon Solutions supports collaborative, community-based sustainability projects.
• The Oregon Environmental Council has global warming solutions as one of its focus areas.
• 1000 Friends of Oregon hosts a transportation and climate change page.

Universities and Colleges

• Oregon BEST - A shared, statewide network of university researchers, laboratories, and equipment in the areas of green building and renewable energy generation.
• The Oregon Climate Change Research Institute was established by the State Legislature to coordinate the Oregon University System's research agenda into climate change, and to support the development of Oregon mitigation and adaptation strategies.
• Oregon Institute of Technology’s Sustainability Planning page contains OIT’s Sustainability Plan, as well as greenhouse gas inventories for the entire Oregon University System. 
• Oregon State University has completed its FY2008 Greenhouse Gas Inventory (.pdf) and is developing a Climate Neutrality Plan.
• Southern Oregon University’s Sustainability Council works to improve sustainability at SOU.
• University of Oregon's Climate Leadership Initiative is a social science-based research and technical assistance program focusing on the complex causes and solutions to global climate change.  CLI developed and supports the replication of the Climate Masters programs has a climate preparedness program that conducts research and provides technical assistance to organizations engaged in climate preparedness and adaptation.
• Portland Community College - Fall 2009, PCC launched a online Community Education Course on Global Climate Change.