I was born in the Southern California desert:
Joshua trees praying to the dry sky ,
rain so rare that kids stayed home from school when it fell,
eucalyptus trees tangy in my nostrils.
Avocados six for a dollar at children’s sidewalk tables,
teenage girls working on their tans as seriously as their [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Oregon'
From Desert To Forest
December 18th, 2008 · 3 Comments · 97215, Oregon, environment, life, lifestyle, outdoors
Tags: bibliona·desert·forest·laszlo-photo·Mount Tabor·Oregon·Southern California·volcano
52 Billion Miles Saved!
August 20th, 2008 · 2 Comments · carbon footprint, economics, green living, lifestyle, transportation
Too long without a post! I just returned from a trip (via Amtrak, my favorite travel-mode) to Olympia, Washington, where I was researching that state’s outstanding transportation options program. I am so itching to do in Oregon the kinds of trip-reduction programs they are doing in Washington (I work in transportation).
On a separate but very [...]
Tags: Amtrak·bike·carbon emissions·Economist·Oregon·VMT reduction·Washington
Electric Vehicles: Truly Green, Or No?
July 30th, 2008 · 6 Comments · 97215, carbon footprint, cars, energy conservation, environment, green living, hybrids, lifestyle
Living here in Portland, Oregon, I’ve become aware that we have the highest percentage of hybrid cars of any city in the nation. I’ve also observed that Portland General Electric (PGE) has the largest renewable power program in the country. (Disclosure: I’m married to Thor Hinckley, the manager of that renewables program.)
The new piece is [...]
Tags: electric cars·electricity·Oregon·PGE·plug-in stations·Portland
Nature In The City: Raccoons
July 15th, 2008 · 2 Comments · 97215, community, development, environment, exercise, green living, happiness, lifestyle, outdoors, simplicity
I got up before dawn this morning and went running at first light in Mount Tabor Park, near our house. Near a 100-foot tall Douglas Fir tree, I heard unusual scrabbling noises, so I stopped in my tracks to investigate.
I saw an adult raccoon spreadeagled on the tree at about waist height, looking over its [...]
Tags: .mformatthijs·Douglas fir·land use·Mt Tabor·nature·Oregon·parks·Portland·raccoons·running
Hood To Coast
June 17th, 2008 · 1 Comment · 97215, carbon footprint, climate change, entertainment, environment, exercise, global warming, green living, happiness, health
Running is just about the most natural sport possible, the sport our pre-Industrial ancestors did, the one that doesn’t burn any fossil fuels. You’d think that fun in the time of global warming would make liberal use of running — and it would, but you’d need to rethink Hood To Coast.
Hood To Coast is the [...]
Tags: Hood to Coast·jet-skiing·Mount Hood·Oregon·running·Seaside·Tmberline Lodge
