What’s the Mission?
The average price per gallon of gasoline in the United States is now $2.901; that’s almost double what it was in 2003 (Wolfram|Alpha, 5/1/2010). The average price per kilowatt hour for electricity in the United States in January 2010 was 10.54 cents. That’s up from 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour in 2003 (U.S. Energy Information [...]
I was intrigued when I read about Earthtechling on the Silicon Florist blog. If there’s one thing we like in Portland, it’s the whole sustainable and green movement. If there’s another thing we like, it’s the whole shiny technology object thing. So why hasn’t anyone around here had the gumption to marry those two oh [...]
I’m wearing long underwear and wool socks, and I’m sitting under a red and blue fleecy blanket I’ve had since college, but I’m still shivering. It’s 37 degrees Fahrenheit here (feels like 31 because of the wind), and the thermostat’s set at 68 degrees. We could knock it up a couple of degrees, and occasionally [...]
I haven’t ridden my bike since well before the Portland Snowpocalypse started (around December 15). You see, I stupidly gave myself a flat tire, and then was unable to add more air. One morning, the rear tire looked a little low, so I thought I’d better put a little extra air in before I left [...]
Right now, I’m breathing in the scent of fresh applesauce made from 15+ pounds of Liepold Farms apples. That’s my contribution to sustainability for today. Here are links to some other people’s stories: From the Oregonian: Sure, you want it, but do you need it? This article profiles several households living simply and buying less [...]
It’s amazing how much LESS exhausted I feel today. The difference? Well, I only worked (outside the house) for about two hours today (although they were an action-packed two hours), and I did not bike there and back. I drove. I stayed home with a sick kid today, and since my husband is a school [...]
Willamette Week reports on a family on a low-car diet, courtesy of ZipCar. They’re not totally car-free, but they’re not using their personal car — just bus, bike, feet, carpool, and the occasional ZipCar. This is really appealing to me. I’d like to be car-free. We don’t, however, have any ZipCars near us. So [...]
Non-Portlanders, bear with me — this is a local issue, but it’s probably the sort of thing that may come up in your area too (or perhaps it already has). Summary of the situation: I-5 crosses the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington. The bridge there (actually two side-by-side spans) is in need of repair/replacement/expansion [...]
