Mark Lakeman, The City Repair Project -> Upcoming Presention at Summit

From their website homepage:
"City Repair is an organized group action that educates and inspires communities and individuals to creatively transform the places where they live. City Repair facilitates artistic and ecologically-oriented placemaking through projects that honor the interconnection of human communities and the natural world. That many projects of City Repair have been accomplished by a mostly volunteer staff and thousands of volunteer citizen activists."

In the name of City Repair, communities & individuals plan celebrations, share stories, get rid of unwanted pavement, turn intersections into public squares, make benches, have potlucks, drink free tea, and attend wild puppet theaters!

If you're just curious about the possibilities for a natural building structure in your neighborhood, what having a garden on your rooftop would be like, how to make a solar powered neighborhood tea stand or trading post, or just meet with some really neat people, this is definitely the organization to learn about.

But also, if you've ever felt frustrated with today's social and environmental problems, the ideas behind City Repair are diving a movement full of passionate, aware, and active people who are truly moving the world in a direction of positive, healthy change. Sustainability as a whole, including environmental health, is a very strong expression of this group. As an intern for City Repair, I've experienced such an intensity of inspiration that I would confidently say we're really working to make our world into a place we can be proud of, one intersection at a time.

If you have to only see one presentation this Saturday, I would recommend this. Mark (presenting at 2pm) is easy to understand and the ideas behind City Repair become more and more clear with pictures, idea sharing, and storytelling. We're privileged to have Mark giving another presentation on campus, and this time for all of Washington County.

David Robinson, Candidate for Oregon's First Congressional District, to Speak at Summit

I'm pleased to announce our most recently-confirmed speaker for Saturday's on-campus rally during the Washington County Sustainability Summit at Pacific. In addition to state and local government leaders on environmental issues, we will be hearing from candidate in the 2010 primary for Oregon's First Congressional District, David Robinson. A note from the Robinson campaign about David's commitment to environmental issues:

"David Robinson is running in Oregon’s First Congressional District, which includes Washington, Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop and a part of Multnomah County. As a department director, David worked to bring electric car charging stations to Hillsboro. As a Commander in the Navy, David directed humanitarian efforts, including drilling wells and building schools for impoverished communities in the Horn of Africa. Once elected, David will work to ensure that the water resources in Oregon are clean and remain in Oregon. He will fight to bring green energy investments to Oregon and lead the fight to address climate change and energy independence.

"David was inspired to run for Congress after working to coordinate the Navy’s support for the National Oceanic Conference, convened by President Bill Clinton and chaired by Vice President Al Gore, and seeing the resounding success that occurred when these politicians led the group to a proper understanding of the issues and solutions to help protect and restore America’s ocean resources. David understands what it takes to get a project successfully completed and will work in our District to continue to reduce our impacts on the environment and maintain our good works as the sustainable capital of the world."

It's an honor to have David Robinson joining us for the on-campus rally at Pacific this weekend. Please register here to RSVP for this year's Sustainability Summit.

Tentative Agenda Released for Sustainability Summit at Pacific

The exact of events on March 6th may still be subject to change. But below is the tentative schedule of events. Speakers at this year's Sustainability Summit. Whether you stay for the whole day or drop by for a particular speaker or panel discussion, the summit is free and open to the public. Please register now to let us know you are coming!


Agenda for Washington County Sustainability Summit at Pacific:

9:30am - Doors open

10am-10:40am - Presentation: Breaking Fossil Fuel Dependence in Washington County - learn how our region can chart a road map to a sustainable future. Presenters: Dan Serres, Columbia Riverkeeper; Kylie Halloran and Betty Kapplan, Oregon Beyond Coal Campaign.

10:45am-11:45am - Panel: Carbon's Not-So-Hidden Costs - hear about the impacts of fossil fuel infrastructure from those who have experienced them first hand. Panelists: Washington County members of Oregon Citizens Against Pipelines

11:50-12:30pm – Presentation: Local Foods and Community Supported Agriculture in Washington County. Learn how Washington County farmers are supplying customers with options for fresh, sustainable food.

12:30pm-1:50pm - Lunch and on-campus rally (rally begins at 1pm). Rally speakers: Dick Schouten (Washington County Board of Commissioners), Richard Kidd (candidate for Washington Commission), Victoria Lowe (Forest Grove City Council), Chuck Riley (State Representative from Forest Grove), David Robinson, (candidate for Oregon's First Congressional District)

2:00pm-2:45pm – Presentation by Mark Lakeman, City Repair. The City Repair project inspires community gathering places, with focuses in natural building and public art & creativity.

3:00-3:40pm - Keynote Presentations: Taking Sustainability to the State Level. Presentations from the Bill Bradbury for Governor Campaign, and Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown.

3:40-4:45pm - Panel/citizen dialogue: Addressing Sustainability in Washington County - participate in a Question & Answer session with local leaders in sustainability. Panelists: Peter Lunsford, Washington County Peak Oil; Douglas Tsoi, Partners for a Sustainable Washington County Community; Pacific University Environmental Studies Department (department members to be confirmed)

4:45pm-5:00pm - Wrap-up/summary

Register for the 2nd Annual Sustainability Summit at Pacific

On March 6th, 2010, Pacific students, Washington County residents, and state and local political leaders will come together for a day of confronting sustainability challenges in our region. Topics on the agenda include keeping liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure out of Washington County, transitioning our region to clean electricity generation, sustainable local foods, and more. Please register today to stay updated as the schedule for March 6th is finalized!

2010 Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Bradbury to Deliver Summit Keynote

I'm very pleased to report that former Oregon Secretary of State and 2010 Governor's Race candidate Bill Bradbury will be joining us for this year's Washington County Sustainability Summit at Pacific. Mr Bradbury will be delivering the keynote address at the March 6th Summit, speaking about the challenge of combating global warming while retaining our region's competitiveness in the clean energy economy.

The past several years have seen Bill Bradbury become one of Oregon's foremost voices for environmental responsibility and clean tech competitiveness. Since becoming one of the first 50 people from across the country to participate in former Vice President Al Gore's trainings on global climate change, he has given over 200 presentations on Climate Change in Oregon around the state - including one at Pacific University in February of 2008.

During his time as Oregon Secretary of State, Bill Bradbury became the first public official elected in Oregon at the statewide level to publicly oppose developing high-carbon liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in this state. This marked a turning point in environmental and land-rights activists' struggle against LNG development, as several other high-ranking public officials announced their opposition to LNG projects soon after Mr Bradbury. In addition to protecting Oregon communities from LNG, Bill Bradbury has been an outspoken advocate of clean energy, sustainable transportation, and transitioning our state away from coal use.

It's an honor to have gubernatorial candidate Bill Bradbury joining us for the Second Annual Washington County Sustainability Summit.

Elected Leaders on Sustainability to Speak at Summit

I'm pleased to announce that three new speakers from the arenas of state and local government have been confirmed for the Second Annual Summit. I'd like to thank Oregon State Representative Chuck Riley, Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten, and Forest Grove City Councilor Victoria Lowe for agreeing to join us at this event.

Chuck Riley represents Oregon House District 29, including parts of the Washington County communities of Hillsboro, Cornelius, and Forest Grove. Representative Riley has been a consistent and outspoken supporter of environmental responsibility in the Oregon legislature, particularly on the issue of liquefied natural gas (LNG). As landowners affected by LNG pipelines and environmentalists concerned about LNG's large carbon footprint seek to keep this imported fossil fuel out of Oregon, Rep Riley has been one of our greatest allies in the legislature. It's an honor to have Rep Riley joining us for the Second Annual Sustainbility Summit at Pacific.

Dick Schouten represents the Beaverton/Aloha area on the Washington County Board of Commissioners. Named "the voice of environmental responsibility on the [Washington County] commission" by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Commissioner Schouten is known for his advocacy of bike-friendly cities and livable communities. At this year's Summit, students and community members will welcome Commissioner Schouten to Pacific University to speak about local environmental leadership for the third year in a row.

Victoria Lowe is a City Councilor for Forest Grove - a city with notable environmental achievements that include becoming the first local government in Oregon to publicly oppose high-carbon LNG in the state. Since Forest Grove's announcement opposing LNG, many other local governments have followed suit and stood up for Oregon's natural environment and farmland. Councilor Lowe's involvement in sustainability issues includes work to keep our waterways clean, and manage Washington County's timber resources in the most sustainable manner possible. It's great to have Councilor Lowe joining us for this year's Summit.

Local Peak Oil Activist Peter Lunsford to Speak at Summit

I'm excited to announce one of our first confirmed speakers for the Second Annual Sustainability Summit: Peter Lunsford, local Washington County activist. Known to local elected officials and Washington County citizens alike for his advocacy of the need to prepare for coming energy shortages, Peter has probably done more than any other person to educate the county's citizenry, elected leaders, and city and county administrators about the concept and implications of peak oil. Peter will be joining us on March 6th for the Summit's afternoon panel and citizen dialogue on Addressing Sustainability in Washington County.

As a result of his persistent local advocacy and education efforts, Peter Lunsford has been featured in an Oregonian discussion on energy conservation in Washington County, addressed county residents at numerous public meetings, and has spoken at Pacific University three times in the past. It's a great honor to have Peter coming to join us for the Second Annual Sustainability Summit at Pacific. Please register for the Summit here!