Climate Change
Transportation is the largest contributor to carbon emissions in Oregon. That’s why we care so much about climate change coverage.
‘Which side are you on?’ Youth activists blame ODOT for heat wave deaths
(Scenes from the rally outside ODOT headquarters Wednesday, August 18th. Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland) Like the climate change-induced heat, flooding, and fires they fear so much, a group of teenage activists refuse to go away.
‘Climate framework’ language for Interstate Bridge Replacement project is too weak, regional officials say
Will the Columbia River Crossing project’s multibillion dollar successor fully integrate climate change into its design and construction? Or will climate change merely be a box that is checked on the way to a wider I-5 that encourages more driving and more emissions? That question took center stage at the July meeting of the Interstate … Read more
ODOT’s new Climate Office director was leader of Seattle bike nonprofit
Hopefully Suzanne Carlson hasn’t forgotten her roots. The newly-hired director of the Oregon Department of Transportation Climate Office got her start in the transportation world in the 1990s by starting Bike Works, a Seattle-based nonprofit that runs a community bike shop and teaches young people how to refurbish used bikes (similar to Portland’s Community Cycling … Read more
‘Enough is enough’: Pedalpalooza riders will join youth climate activists at ODOT protest
“Enough is enough!” Portlander Hami Ramani is pissed. He’s tired of what he sees as a lack of bold action against climate change from the Oregon Department of Transportation and their bosses. To do something about it Ramani has just launched a new ride that will happen this Wednesday (tomorrow, 7/21) to show support for … Read more
DeFazio, Buttigieg tout electric cars, bikes, and warn of ‘existential threat’ of climate change at Eugene event
These are wild times for climate change in America. We have floods and droughts and fires and heat waves — scary, deadly, catastrophic events — unfolding in front of our eyes as policymakers scramble to satisfy an anxious public and activists increase the volume of their pleas. Yesterday in Eugene, the Biden Administration’s top transportation … Read more
Climate anxiety leads to action for Portland bike shop owners and freeway fighters
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 … Read more