Editor's Take: May 29, 2008
Credit: Istock Photo
"Sincere City" Talks about a Tough Subject
The New York Times chronicles Portland's efforts to get residents talking to each other about the impact of gentrification: "One person’s frontier, it turns out, is often another’s front porch." Also, guess which US cities get best marks for low climate pollution? (Hint: It's not Seattle, Boise, or Portland, though they're high.)
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Your editor today is Elisa Murray | View All Today's News
West Coast Cities Top Carbon Footprint Ranking
New York Times
05/29/2008
A new carbon-footprint ranking of 100 urban areas gives the West Coast's metropolitan areas among the lowest per capita carbon emissions in the country, partly attributed to the region's mild climates, hydropower and aggressive energy-reduction policies. Population density and the availability of rail transportation were also factors.
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As Portland Changes, Blacks and Whites Talk It Over
New York Times
05/29/2008
It has been true across the country: gentrification, which increases housing prices and tension, sometimes has racial overtones and can seem like a dirty word. Now Portland is encouraging black and white residents to talk about it, but even here in Sincere City, the conversation has been difficult.
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Washington Leads at Child Health
KPLU
05/28/2008
Compared with other states, Washington's children have a better than average chance of leading long, healthy lives. According to a new national study, that's because the state is doing a better job than most to get kids insured.
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Canadian Bill Beefs Up Biofuel
Vancouver Sun
05/29/2008
The House of Commons voted Wednesday to pass a bill that would permit the government to regulate gasoline to ensure that it has a minimum percentage of renewable fuel content, a move that could end up building a strengthened biofuel industry in Canada, said the industry's leader.
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Big Changes Proposed for Oregon Bottle Bill
Oregonian
05/29/2008
The chairman of Oregon's bottle-bill task force is proposing big changes to one of the state's most revered pieces of environmental legislation, including setting up industry-run "redemption centers" to reduce bottle and can returns to grocery stores, requiring more containers to carry a nickel deposit and adding a quarter deposit on all wine and liquor bottles.
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The Hidden Chemical in Cans
Toronto Globe and Mail
05/29/2008
High levels of bisphenol A prompted many consumers to toss water and baby bottles containing the controversial material. Now, tests conducted for The Globe and Mail and CTV have found high levels of the estrogen-mimicking chemical in canned food sold in Canada.
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Views: Portland's Economy Needs Attention Now
Portland Tribune
05/29/2008
Elected officials and business leaders in the Portland area should take action in response to local residents' rapidly rising concerns about the economy.
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Pump Prices Pack Corvallis Public Transit
Corvallis Gazette Times
05/29/2008
With gasoline prices passing $4 per gallon in the mid-valley this week, public transit in Corvallis is doing the driving for scores more people than a year ago.
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Energy Costs Put Pressure on Missoula Coffers
Missoulian
05/29/2008
The rising cost of energy is straining the city of Missoula's 2009 general fund to the tune of nearly $300,000, Mayor John Engen said Wednesday.
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You Emit What You Eat
Nature News
05/29/2008
A new study by Christopher Weber and Scott Matthews of Carnegie Mellon University in Washington, DC, suggests that a dietary shift may be more effective in reducing your emissions than eating local produce.
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