GREEN FOCUS: Cool Things That Are Green
Oregon Green News You May Have Missed 3.20.10 to 3.26.103/29/2010In our regular search of Oregon news that is green oriented, here are a few that caught our eye this past week as news you may have missed.
3/20/10 :: 35 tons of garbage was picked up by 4,200 volunteers along the Oregon coast for the SOLV beach cleanup. 35 tons = 70,000 pounds of cigarette butts, plastics, foam cups, bottles, mattress, freezer, aluminum siding, and a kitchen sink. Do your good dead of the day and pick up one piece of garbage...then wash your hands.
3/23/10 :: The Portland Beaverton Vancouver population rose from 1,927,881 to 2,241,841 from 2000 to 2009. The US Census Bureau released population estimates, which has nothing to do with the decennial census currently underway, for all 940 metropolitan areas across our great nation. Our metro area rank rose from 25th to 23rd. People that move here, love it. I mean, I do.
3/23/10 :: Rankings, it’s good for the ego. You know where you stand and you know where you want to be...#1! The Environmental Protection Agency ranks “Energy Star” buildings. This is a different than LEED. It is purely about energy. This being the second year of these EPA rankings, Portland went from 18th to 12th with 80 “Energy Star” buildings. The EPA says Portland’s “Energy Star” buildings save $11.1 million in energy costs.
3/25/10 :: Tigard wants more property to turn into a park next to Fowler Middle School. $5.33 million is the price tag for the Tigard-Tualatin School District’s land. The city is even willing to pay for it out of pocket if voters decline a bond again to purchase it. Timing is everything, so they say. Purely an observation, but with the dwindling funds for schools, this would be some nice pocket change to fund needed programs and teachers. The city has earmarked $1-2 million and it has already secured $1.5 million in grants and recently applied for another $1 million grant. The rest will come from a short-term loan. Schools need money for the kids and kids need parks to play. It’s a win win.
Written by: Jonathan Davis, Founder and Editor
Photo from SOLV website
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