The recent heat wave, looming wildfire risks, and lawmakers’ tone deaf support of freeway expansions are fueling high anxiety about climate change in the Portland region. And as you might expect, many people are organizing and taking action to do something about it.
There’s now a “Bike Action Team” that has formed under the local chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a nationwide effort to boost awareness and support for the federal Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The legislation would put a price on carbon and send taxpayers a carbon dividend check. We first reported about local support for this effort back in March. Since then, six more local bike shops have signed onto the Business Climate Leaders Bicycle Industry Climate Declaration. Backpedal Cycleworks, Block Bikes PDX, Gladys Bikes, Joe Bike, Kenton Cycle Repair, and New Age Bike Works are the six new shops on the list. They join Clever Cycles, Cyclepath, Cynergy E-Bikes, The eBike Store, Inc., Fat Tire Farm, Go By Bike, Nomad Cycles, Recumbent PDX, River City Bicycles, Rose City Recumbent Cycles and West End Bikes.
You’ll likely see this poster (right) at these shops next time you stop in. The poster has QR codes where you can learn about the legislation and send your congressional representative a note to urge their support.
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If you’d like to take action and get plugged into this effort, there’s a Pedalpalooza ride scheduled for Saturday, July 17th. The Claim Your Carbon Dividend Ride will be led by an organizer from the Citizens’ Climate Lobby Bike Action Team and will check out sustainable energy projects around Portland and write postcards to lawmakers at the end spot (Asylum Food Carts).
Learn more at the Bike Action Team website. If you’d like to get involved, contact Citizens Climate Lobby volunteer and Portland Chapter Co-leader Francine Chinitz at fchinitz[at]hotmail.com
Meanwhile, local nonprofit No More Freeways has stepped up its fight against a bill recently passed by the Oregon Legislature that will increase funding for freeway expansion projects favored by the Oregon Department of Transportation. HB 3055 will allow ODOT to move forward with several freeway projects by bonding against future tolling revenue and increasing the state’s debt limit. No More Freeways wants Governor Kate Brown to veto the bill and has collected hundreds of emails and postcards from Oregonians who understand that wider freeways will increase greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is an opportunity to push Governor Brown to channel [former Oregon] Governor [Tom] McCall and leave a similar legacy – that Oregon will take immediate action to stop the freeway industrial complex and be a national leader in decarbonizing our transportation system,” the group wrote in a recent action alert email.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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