Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2016)
LET TERS He would further gut the Citizen’s Initiative process if elected. That process is the peo- ple’s last resort when Salem will not address issues of importance to voters. The secretary of state not only oversees elections, but can support/oppose any bill in Oregon’s legislature, as well as being one of three officials on the State Lands Board. We really need someone who cares about the environment on that board, unlike now! Brad Avakian for secretary of state is the progressive choice for Oregon. He wants to increase access to voting, bring civics back into classrooms, support efforts to overturn Citizens United, stop the Elliott State Forest sale and stop the Pacific Connector Pipeline in southern Oregon, among other ideas. The choice is clear. Brad Avakian has fresh and exciting ideas for the Secretary of State’s office. I’m tired of the same old thing. Robin Bloomgarden Eugene ALL LEMMINGS In this era of global warming, it’s good to know that our local and state govern- VIEWPOINT ments are working diligently to do their part to curtail the downward spiral. I recently attended a neighborhood meeting that dis- cussed the Beltline Highway Facility Plan. The “highlight” of said plan is a 10-lane dual bridge across the Willamette, the idea being that it will reduce congestion. This is exactly the same lunacy every large American city has gone through. There are never enough lanes that can be built and congestion is a permanent feature. Why? Because demand for lanes is not properly addressed (reduce car usage significantly). Money is poured into the West 11th EmX boondoggle, but would LTD ever even con- sider a Beltline express run of some kind? Nah, it doesn’t fit into their precious hub and spoke model. Maybe include a well thought out bicycle and pedestrian dedicat- ed path (linking the river path with west and north Eugene) along the Beltline. Kidding, right? What’s sorely lacking in this whole business is any inkling of imagination or serious consideration of current and future realities. Lemmings, all. Karl Poe Eugene SKOV INSPIRES I first was acquainted with Joshua Skov several years ago when our wives were both new mothers, and soon I began seeing him around town, usually on his bike. I especially came to know him through his work to create a more sustainable and safer transportation system in Eugene. It’s an issue I have been involved in for a few years. I was always happy to see him at some meeting or other. He’s a comforting and inspiring presence, because he knows how to accomplish things and truly believes citizens can use the public process to solve problems. He helped get a “Vision Zero” resolution passed by the City Council, a policy that has begun a serious effort to make our streets safer for all. Safety is just one issue to which Joshua has volunteered considerable time and en- ergy. He also helped get Eugene’s Climate Recovery Ordinance passed and has fought for more budget accountability. Joshua is energetic and smart. He’s curi- ous. He listens. He works hard. And above all, he has proven that he knows how to make things happen, which is ultimately what sets him apart in the Ward 1 race. I’m proud to vote for Joshua Skov. Bob Passaro Eugene INSEMINATION MACHINES The presidential election has brought Donald Trump’s repugnant behavior to- ward women out into the open. It seems that much of his defense of his past actions consists of pointing out that Bill Clinton did the same thing. It seems a glaring un- derstatement to observe that the world of politics doesn’t attract the best among us. But back to male groping: Men need to understand that we are walking insemination machines, pure and simple. Millions of years of natural selection have hardwired men to resort to countless types of persuasion, manipulation, coercion and force in an effort to get their genetic ma- terial passed on into future generations. The most callous and insensitive caveman rapist was genetically rewarded by producing more offspring than his passive rivals. (Google: “genetic legacy of Genghis Khan” for a thought provoking history lesson.) BY M AT T MCR A E Cities, Climate Change and City Council Elections WHAT CAN YOU DO TO CHANGE HOUSEHOLD EMISSIONS? I n the last week of September, we passed right by 400 ppm (parts per million) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a major milestone on our way to climate disruption. It’s alarming given all that’s at stake, but we have available to us now all the solutions that we need to dramatically reduce emissions and se- cure a livable future for us, our children and our grandchildren. Addressing climate change will require decisive action from households, busi- nesses and every level of government. At some point we must talk about the im- portant role of our dysfunctional federal government, but that’s a different guest viewpoint. Similarly, there are dozens of influential decisions made at the state level, in- cluding policies that determine where and how we spend our transportation dollars — rail, biking, transit anyone? — as well as the state building code that drives the energy efficiency of new buildings. (We simply can’t afford any new buildings that, as a matter of design, devour fossil fuels.) But what about local government? How do my city councilor’s decisions influ- ence my household emissions? There are plenty of ways, and I would like to high- light just a few. First, Eugene land use code determines how many homes go where, how close homes are to the services we use every day and, by extension, how easy it is for me to get to the grocery store, school, park or church without relying on a car. The land use code can be painfully technical, a little dry and more than a little frustrating, but the land use decisions made by your city councilor have a significant impact on your emissions, particularly over the long term. Second, the city develops transportation system plans. They design, permit, con- struct and maintain the roads, bus routes, bike lanes and sidewalks we use to get to and from work every day. If we find the system isn’t making it easy for us to choose low-carbon transportation, our city councilors have a significant role to play. Third, the city of Eugene regulates waste haulers — Sanipac, Lane Apex and others, creating a major influence on the fate of your food scraps — and the fate of your food scraps has a significant influence on greenhouse gas emissions (no joke). 6 October 20, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com Fortunately, the city of Eugene and waste haulers have an effective program that is diverting commercial food waste from the landfill — and household food waste col- lection is on the way! These are a few of the big ways your councilor influences your emissions, but there are many others. From determining the energy efficiency of new city buildings to managing sewage, the list is long. To put it bluntly, local elections have real consequences. So what are you supposed to do about any of this? You are a responsible Eu- genean trying to get your kids to school, feed them a healthy meal and find a few minutes somewhere in between for some down time with your partner. How are you supposed to influence these things? Well, you can vote for city councilors who pay attention to this stuff, and then you can regularly remind them that you want them to make decisions that reflect your priority to combat climate change. If you are like me and you live in Ward 1, you can vote for a councilor who has been pushing Eugene to address climate change since the city’s Sustainability Pro- gram was established in 2007. You can vote for a councilor who has expertise in land use and transportation policy, who has frequently testified to council and who has volunteered his time to sit on the city’s Budget Committee where he has fought for transparency between council’s budget decisions and council’s climate goals. You can elect the person who has been endorsed by Sierra Club and Oregon League of Conservation Voters, (that non-partisan group with the mission to: “Pass laws that protect Oregon’s environmental legacy, elect pro-environment candidates to office and hold all of our elected officials accountable.”) You can vote for Joshua Skov. Fortunately for all of us, Josh is not just a climate hawk. He also works hard to address housing affordability, improve social equity, sustain police oversight, prioritize balanced budgets and build government transpar- ency. Consider carefully your decisions this November, and if you live in Ward 1, vote for Joshua Skov. Matt McRae is the climate policy strategist for Our Children’s Trust and served the public as the city of Eugene climate and energy analyst for eight years.
