Corvallis residents brainstorm strategies for eco-friendly city
April 2nd, 2008 by Jim JustCommunity organizers, teachers, scientists, businesspeople, students and others filled the main hall and an overflow room at Oregon State University’s CH2M Hill Alumni Center to brainstorm big-picture goals and strategies for making the city a leader in sustainability.
Three town hall meetings are planned to create an action plan that will direct city planning, projects and community activism. City leaders are supporting the effort. The City Council has provided $30,000 for the town hall meetings and has promised to use the plan to develop city policy.
Future town hall meetings are scheduled for June 25 and Oct. 7. An action plan is expected by the end of the year.
Corvallis has become a hotbed of energy and climate activism. The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition has teamed up with Energy Trust of Oregon in the Corvallis Energy Challenge, a year-long campaign to help Corvallis residents and businesses boost energy efficiency, control energy costs and build a cleaner future with renewable energy. OSU has a Sustainability Office which oversees conservation projects on campus and supports both on- and off-campus efforts to become more sustainable.