NW Earth Institute Discussion Courses
The PSWCC sponsors discussion courses designed by the Northwest Earth Institute that bring people together to explore the meaning of sustainability and the ties between healthy ecology, diet, consumer choices, community, economic growth, and the future. So far, we've had, "Choices for Sustainable Living", at the Hillsboro Public Library, and "Menu for the Future",and "Voluntary Simplicity" at the Leedy Grange, and "Discovering a Sense of Place" the Beaverton Public Library.
Stay tuned for more courses. Or, if you are interested in organizing your own sustainability discussion group, contact your local libary or the PSWCC coordinator.
"Our Green Washington County"
Portland Community College and Partners for a Sustainable Washington County Community, a coalition of 11 governments, offered the community education class in 2010 and 2011: "Our Green Washington County". Learn more about the science behind sustainability and how you and your community can move toward it. The class consisted of lectures by sustainability experts and tours of sustainability sites in the county. Here was the syllabus for 2011.
|
Date |
Location |
Presenter |
Subject |
Description |
|
June 23 |
PCC Willow Creek campus, (185th and Baseline Road) Room 222 |
Douglas Tsoi, Partners for a Sustainable Washington County Community |
Introduction to sustainability |
Welcome to class and overview of course schedule. What sustainability means, how it's different than being "green", the ecological necessity for it, and strategic framework to decide whether something is sustainable or not. Overview of the Natural Step. |
|
June 30 |
TVWD Headquarters, 1850 SW 170th Ave, Beaverton |
Jim Meierotto, TVWD |
The Water Cycle: water consumption |
Water use for landscaping, water efficient gardens, toilets. Water consumption techniques |
|
July 7 |
Beaverton Central Plant, 12725 SW Millikan Way, Suite 110 (Coldwell Banker Building) Beaverton Round |
Cindy Tatham, City of Beaverton and possibly Energy Trust |
Energy efficiency and conservation |
Tour of Beaverton Central Plant and energy efficiency. Solar Beaverton. Energy incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon |
|
July 14 |
TVF&R Station 53, 8480 SW Scholls Ferry Road (north of Hall), Beaverton |
Walt Peck and Greg Perry, Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue |
Green Building and Emergency Preparedness |
Tour of LEED fire station. Discussion of emergency resiliency and system resilience. |
|
July 21 |
Hillsboro Intermodel Transit Facility, SE 8th Avenue and SE Washington St, Hillsboro, near Tuality Hospital/SE 8th Ave Max station |
Peter Brandom, City of Hillsboro, Steve Krautsheid, Tuality, and Douglas Tsoi, PSWCC |
Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
Multimodal transportation. City of Hillsboro GHG inventory and reduction efforts. Personal carbon footprints and carbon budgets |
|
July 28 |
PCC Rock Creek,17705 NW Springville Rd, Portland (the mall in Building 3) |
Scott Olsen, NW Earth Farm/ Erin Stanforth PCC |
Food and the Living Soil |
Local food systems, the living soil, bokashi composting, CSAs |
|
August 4 |
CWS Durham Treatment Plant16580 SW 85th Ave, Tigard |
Brett Laney, Clean Water Services |
The Water Cycle: Our Wastewater System |
Stewardship of the Tualatin River, Tree for All, Ostara resource recovery, persistent pollutants |
|
August 11 |
PCC Willow Creek campus, (185th and Baseline Road) Room 222 |
Stephen Cruise, Washington County
|
Land Use and Transportation |
Fish passable culverts, recycling pavement, salmon recovery and other best management practices.
Wrap up. |