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COREY Kurt q ~ From: Sent: RUFFIER Peter J To: Monday, December 22, 2003 7:36 AM Subject: *Eugene Environmental Policy Team Sustainability Article Below is a transcription of an Op Ed article that ran in the Re ist a mention. g er Guard a few weeks ago. You'll notice that the EPT gets The conclusion of the article is that the City should have a more c documentation and measurement work to be done by the Goo effort, if its decide to go ion that direction. oordinated and cohesive sustainability effort. The d Company should provide a solid foundation for such an ~ -----Original Message----- ~ From: JONES Eric R Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 5:19 PM To: RUFFIER Peter J j Subject: R-G article Time is now, not the future, to embrace sustainability Lisa Arkin and Cary Thompson For The Register-Guard. The Register -Guard Sustainability is a buzz that has taken environmental practices 'Eugene, Or.: Dec 5, 2003. governments and educational institutions are embracing sustainabilit pg• A• 19 committees to determine long-ran e and social issues into the new millennium. Businesses, But where did the term "sustainability" come from and what do y by creatin 9 goals and practices that will follow a sustainable" for a long time. However, we're onl no g policies, implementation plans and environmental and economic needs. The term and the es it mean? path. Y w beginning to understand what it means todth nk holist ca leabo has been around publication of a report from the World Commission on Environme y ut social, concept made the leap into mainstream dialogue in 1987 with the document created the most frequently cited definition of sustain the current generation without compromising the ability of future eneratDevelopment titled Our Common Future. This suggested that social a uit able development: development that meets the needs of 9 ions to meet their own needs. The report q y, economic growth and environmental maintenance are simultaneously attainable. In Oregon, Gov. John Kitzhaber issued a sustainability executive order and Go Under Kulongoski's executive order, 20 of Oregon's largest state agencies are coordinator and develop goals and plans implementing sustainable practices. v. Ted Kulongoski has intensified this effort. Nationwide, cities are beginning to incorporate sustainabilit required to appoint a sustainability E the "precautionary prince le " prat ices on many levels. San Francisco has officially adopted p adecision-making tool that requires consideration of impacts to human health so ' f and the environment in growth and purchasing choices. In Seattle, tit vehic fuels and sustainable building standards are incorporated into city buildin initiatives that are saving money and conserving resources while y les are being changed from diesel to cleaner Locally, Portland has created a city sustainabilit gs. These are among countless other city all areas of communit o ensuring a quality of life for generations to come. y policy that includes developing an office of sustainability that touch y Aerations and long range planning. Portland implemented a reen stimulating sustainable business growth in the area. Evident Sustainable Development Commission, which draws members f es on e of Portland's commitment to ong a getpla~nning~s the city's So where is Eugene in all of this? rom an experienced and knowledgeable citizen b 'I helped jum Eugene has a reputation as an environmentally friendly city. Citizen initiatives h libra p- start the growth of the natural foods processing and organic farming sectors re ase. ry and fire station), biodiesel development, recycling/reuse centers, bit cle at ave Eugene is also home to a premier sustainability consultin an ~ state agencies and corporations pursuing sustainability. From the roan ' g en building efforts (the new Y p hs and environmental education. Eugene. 9 d research firm, Good Company, which has been active with However, the city of Eugene has not yet committed to a focus g d view, there's a lot going on with sustainability in the past five years, there have been many documents, studies and resolutions f Council adopted growth management policies to intensify efforts t ffd'versisustainability as a way of doing business. During but no solid action. In 1998, the City family wage jobs and focus on local environmentally sensitive businesses. In move Eugene towards economic stability through sustainable principles. In 2002 a city staff to study and implement sustainable econo the local economy, increase the number of 2000, a resolution was passed that would efforts. mic development initiatives. tioweverl tittle hasoar sen om thellotted to There are no long range plans or policies that address sustainability, and the J a citizens' commission that would focus on the issue and move it forward. The C' ~ se disparate group of city staffers, seems mostly focused on low-hanging fruit anc'ty has neither an office of sustainability nor j sustainable planning. qty s environmental policy team, a Eugene is a pertect place to be embracing sustainable practices. There are r i are people who care deeply about this issue and have ' d has yet to fully explore integrated Bob Doppelt, from the Program for the Community Watershed at the Un' p ecious resources to protect here and there integrated it into their lifestyles and business practices. Accordin ' Florence are all taking a look at sustainability as an o behind. iversity of Oregon, Springfield, Creswe?I and g to pportunity to enhance their communities. Clearly, Eugene lags 1 _ _ _ _