east columbia blog...
Jan 8,2009
Businesses Watering Down New Bottle Bill Laws?
by pearlgirl
From OLCC... With the first full weekend of the New Year under Oregonian's belts, consumers are finding that many Oregon retailers and manufacturers haven't made the change to selling only bottled water labeled with the OR 5¢ refund value. Oregon Liquor Control Commission checks show several brands on the shelves are still unmarked."We were the first in the nation to have a bottle bill and now we're embracing our first expansion," said Thomas Erwin, OLCC Director of Government Affairs and Communications. "Oregonians value our environmentally responsible culture and take the bottle bill seriously. In order to make this a success, retailers and manufacturers need to do their part, too."
Under the new law, water bottles sold in Oregon as of Jan. 1 must be marked with a 5¢ refund value. Only bottles with the OR 5¢ designation are eligible for the 5-cent redemption. This becomes a problem for Oregonians when they are charged
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posted at 11:52 AM
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Jan 7,2009
SAVE THE TOYS!!!
by NoPo Ness
No, that's not the battle cry to man-up against the Burger Meister MeisterBurger from Jules Bass' and Arthur Rankin Jr.'s 1970's classic, Santa Claus is Coming to Town . It is instead a call to action here in the real world, where our kids are inundated with electronic gadgetry and BPA plastics. Under the guise of "protecting us" (Note to the US Government: you're a little late on this one!) the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is now endangering the livelihood of our local handmade toymakers. These are the few places we can get beautifully made toys by caring folks, who do things like use natural dyes, fiber and wood or hand stitched or knitted creatures. The real danger here is to the minds and imaginations of our children, especially if the only toys they can get their hands on are those made by large corporations that single-handedly keep battery manufacturers in business and require in-the-box play instead of the wonderful exploratory world of make bel
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posted at 06:04 PM
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Jan 2,2009
Portland Water Bureau unveils toilet rebate program
by jenniferd
Beginning January 1, 2009, Portland Water Bureau customers are invited to take advantage of a new toilet rebate program sponsored by the Portland Water Bureau for a limited time. Customers can apply for a $100 rebate for replacing a traditional toilet (1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) or more) with a newer, more water-efficient model that has been labeled WaterSense, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To earn the EPA's WaterSense label , toilets must use no more than 1.28 gpf and meet rigorous performance criteria. The bureau is conducting the program until funds are depleted or until June 30, 2009. To receive the rebate: Applicant must fill out a WaterSense Toilet Rebate Form and return to the Portland Water Bureau no later than June 30, 2009. Applicant must receive water from the Portland Water Bureau and have an active Portland Water Bureau account that is in good standing. Applicant must own the property where the new toilet is being installed or obtain the signatur
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posted at 09:50 AM
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Dec 31,2008
Youth Action Grants for up to $2,000 available through the City of Portland
by pearlgirl
The Vision into Action Coalition and the Youth Planning Program are excited to announce that money is now available directly to youth to improve their communities! 2009 YOUTH ACTION GRANTS PROGRAM Click here to view the grants guidelines & sample application
A pool of $10,000 is available for community-based projects initiated, designed, and run by youth 21 and under. The Youth Action Grants Program will provide grants of up to $2,000 to youth or youth groups who want to take action that makes Our Bill of Rights: Children + Youth and Portland's community vision a reality. Upcoming YOUTH ACTION GRANT Workshops
The City/County Youth Programs are also pleased to offer three free grant workshops designed FOR YOUTH to answer their grant-related questions. You must attend at least one workshop to apply for a grant. Click Here to sign-up for a workshop!
YOUTH ACTION GRANTS APPLICATION FORM
Click Here to view application Applications
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posted at 01:45 PM
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Dec 11,2008
Multnomah electronic recycling project underway
by TeachStreet
This holiday season, as you head out to the market to buy ingredients to prepare a holiday meal or bake cookies for you know who, think about recycling your old electronic goodies in preparation for the new ones you may receive as gifts. The materials that make up your electronic gadgets are often times toxic, therefore Multnomah County is offering its residents an alternative option for discarding their toxic trash.You can recycle your old cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, chargers and Bluetooth headsets into one of the free recycling bins at 11 locations across the county . You can find the drop boxes at libraries and other county buildings.
Photo: Olivia Bucks | The Oregonian
The program was started by Commissioner Jeff Cogen last month in anticipation of the coming holiday season. The Environment Protection Agency predicts that we recycle only 20% of old cell phones, and that we hold onto 130 million unused phones.
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posted at 10:44 AM
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Nov 24,2008
City Council will Take Action on Ordinances regarding ALTERNATIVES TO CELL TOWERS on November 26, 2008
by pearlgirl
Dear Neighborhood or Business activist: On Wednesday, November 26, 2008, city staff will be going to Council with the final proposed amendments regarding the manner in which wireless companies may place antennae on utility poles, and replace utility poles with taller ones for wireless purposes. The proposed amendments are designed to balance the need to retain neighborhood character and livability with the expanding need to provide wireless services in neighborhoods. They were developed over the course of two years. Staff conducted three public forums in March, 2008, followed by an online survey in April-May, 2008 (that was responded to by over 900 people, and over 350 individual comments were also received), followed by a citywide public meeting in October, 2008. In short, staff is proposing to allow antennae on utility poles in residential areas on residential streets only as a last resort - when no other site or combination of sites for antennae is feasible. Even then, staff pr
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posted at 10:47 AM
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Nov 21,2008
Portland Water Bureau Turns Off Groundwater Supply
by jenniferd
The Portland Water Bureau turned off its groundwater supply system this morning. The system has supplied Water Bureau customers with drinking water since high levels of turbidity forced the bureau to turn off its primary Bull Run water supply last week. "This was an unusual run of groundwater." said Water Bureau Administrator David Shaff. "When intense rain in the Bull Run causes excessive turbidity, that rain is generally followed by more rain which flushes the turbidity out. In this case, there was no more rain, so the levels of turbidity in the watershed remained above acceptable serving levels. Flushing has taken a bit longer than normal." While both of the bureau's water sources, the Bull Run watershed and the Columbia South Shore Well Field (CSSWF) meet and exceed all federal drinking water standards, the bureau relies primarily on the Bull Run source to provider customers with drinking water. The CSSWF is maintained as an emergency back-up for event
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posted at 02:58 PM
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Nov 17,2008
City Council will Take Action on Ordinances regarding ALTERNATIVES TO CELL TOWERS
by Trace
Event Date: 11/26/2008 12:00 AM
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
Event Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave
On Wednesday, November 26, 2008, city staff will be going to Council with the final proposed amendments regarding the manner in which wireless companies may place antennae on utility poles, and replace utility poles with taller ones for wireless purposes. The proposed amendments are designed to balance the need to retain neighborhood character and livability with the expanding need to provide wireless services in neighborhoods. They were developed over the course of two years. Staff conducted three public forums in March, 2008, followed by an online survey in April-May, 2008 (that was responded to by over 900 people, and over 350 individual comments were also received), followed by a citywide public meeting in October, 2008. In short, staff is proposing to allow antennae on utility poles in residential areas on residential streets only as a last resort - when no other site or combination of sites for antennae is feasible. Even then, staff proposes to reduce the allowed pole rep
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posted at 10:51 AM
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Nov 13,2008
Oregon Humane Society Weekend Birthday Bash
by Allison
Event Date: 11/15/2008 12:00 AM
Event Location: OHS
Event Location: OHS
140 years ago, after witnessing the beating of a horse on Front Street, Dr. Thomas Lamb Eliot gathered a group of prominent Portlanders together and founded one of the first animal welfare organizations in the country. The good doctor understood that the only way to improve the plight of animals was to educate the masses about respect and empathy. For this reason, education was a central part of the Oregon Humane Society. And it still is to this day. This weekend (Friday through Sunday), OHS will celebrate over a century of helping animals and educating people with a birthday bash at the shelter on Columbia Boulevard. In honor of this major milestone, OHS hopes to adopt out 140 cats, dogs, and other critters during the three-day birthday weekend by offering 20% off all adoption fees for anyone who brings a present from the OHS w ish list . Also, Best Friends Corner, the OHS retail pet supply store, will be offering 20% off on all merchandise, except pet food, for
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posted at 10:53 AM
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