Green Living

Hawaii’s Garbage Pile Grows, Just Not In The Gorge

August 24, 2010
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About a month ago, a federal judge blocked plans to ship garbage from Hawaii, through the Columbia Gorge, to a landfill in Eastern Washington.

It was a victory for environmental groups and the Yakama Nation. They said the federal government didn’t do a good enough job evaluating the risks of invasive species that might be hidden in the piles of trash.

Too bad for Hawaii that they didn’t have a back up plan. The garbage pile is growing to monster size. They’re trying to find other ways to get rid of it.

See the full story on Yahoo News.

A Journey Into Portland’s Toxic Zone

August 13, 2010
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Cruising the Willamette River on a perfectly sunny summer afternoon, it was tempting to forget that we were in the middle of a Superfund site.

But as one of our tour guides reminded me, “It’s what you can’t see that will hurt you.”

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Judge Blocks Hawaii Garbage Trains From The Gorge

July 29, 2010
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Trains carrying garbage from Hawaii would pass under Cape Horn. Photo by Aubrey Russell

UPDATE: The Oregonian reports that a federal judge in Spokane has blocked the garbage shipments until the end of August. The O quotes the judge as writing, “There are serious questions relating to whether the USDA adequately analyzed the environmental impacts of shipment and receipt of Hawaiian waste.”

EARLIER:

A coalition of environmental groups, and the Yakama Nation, are suing to stop Hawaii from shipping garbage through the Columbia River Gorge.

The garbage shipments received final approval this week from the Agriculture Department.

The suit says USDA didn’t do a good enough job studying the risks – which the groups say include invasive plants and insects that could damage rare ecosystems and the area’s fruit crop.

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Update On Plastic Bag Ban, Next Stop Eugene

July 29, 2010
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With Portland on board for a statewide ban on single use plastic bags, supporters are bringing the cause to other cities around the state. Tonight, there’s an event in Eugene. More on that in a moment.

I also spoke this morning with State Senator Mark Hass, one of the co-sponsors of ban-the-bag legislation. He’s got some interesting insights on why the Portland City Council voted for a resolution, instead than passing a real law.

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Portland City Council Endorses Plastic Bag Ban

July 28, 2010
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Portland’s City Council joins the “ban the bag” movement.

This afternoon, the council voted unanimously to support a statewide ban on single use plastic bags, and a five cent fee on paper bags. The proposed ban would start in 2012.

Success depends on the legislature approving it, but they don’t meet until 2011. So what happens if Oregon’s lawmakers say no? In that case, the council says they’ll  look at passing a bag ban law in Portland.

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VIDEO: Mayor Adams Supports Ban The Bag At Today’s Rally

July 14, 2010
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Where else but outside Portland City Hall will you see salmon dancing alongside garbage bag monsters?

The colorful show was part rally, part celebration, as the Ban The Bag movement kicked off a season of activism they hope will bring about a statewide ban on single use plastic bags.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams provided the headline of the day, repeating his announcement that the city will have a draft ordinance to ban plastic bags ready for public review by the end of the week.

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Ban The Bag Campaign Is Reborn In Portland

July 14, 2010
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Give Portland Mayor Sam Adams credit for good timing.

Today’s city council meeting opened with about 15-minutes of testimony on why Portland should ban single use plastic bags. The chambers were filled with ban supporters. When it was over, Adams announced that a draft ordinance for a plastic bag ban would be ready by the end of the week. The crowd erupted into cheers.

After coming oh-so close to a statewide ban on plastic bags earlier this year, ban supporters have taken the time to regroup and re-energize the movement.

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Game Changer: DEQ Takes A Fresh Look At Shutting Down Boardman

June 28, 2010
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PGE's coal fired Boardman Power Plant. Photo from Ted Timmons

The news must have landed at PGE like a ton of coal.

Oregon DEQ says its looking at three options for an early closure of PGE’s coal-fired power plant at Boardman. They call on the utility to spend millions more to keep the plant running, or shutting it down a lot earlier than PGE wants.

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Boardman Showdown In Portland

June 23, 2010
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PGE's coal fired Boardman Power Plant. Photo from Ted Timmons

Hearings before the Public Utility Commission are usually pretty dull events. But Wednesday’s hearing in Portland promises to be very, very different.

That’s because environmental groups are rallying the troops, urging them to show up in huge numbers.

Their message to the PUC? Shut down the Boardman coal-fired power plant by 2014.

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DEQ: How To Clean Up Some Of Oregon’s Nastiest Pollution

June 2, 2010
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After two years of study and hearings, Oregon’s DEQ has a plan to make our streams, rivers and lakes safer for people and wildlife.

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