Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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for young people to be in. He alleged that Mr. Bradbury had “fallen back” on “plausible deniability” and had said that the leaders could not be expected to enact dramatic legislation for which there was not popular support. He asserted that the public was clueless, having been “dumbed down” by media corporations and made complacent by a world of comfort and consumerism. He declared that it was imperative for leaders to “go out on a limb” and do the things that need to be done. He predicted that such action would be strongly opposed by “pro-growth people.” He called the current situation “very grim.” Joe Collins , 2233 Hawkins Lane, registered complaints regarding the judicial system. He averred that people in Eugene could not trust “the cops or the D.A.” He said people should not accept a plea bargain in Lane County. John Monroe , 878-½ Almaden Street, stated that he lived at Maitreya Eco-village and made his living doing home renovations. He was concerned that global warming was destroying the ability of people to live comfortably on the planet. He averred that people needed to reduce carbon emissions. He suggested that the City of Eugene put people to work making homes more insulated. He thought every home renovation that involved the opening of walls and floors could be required by code to include installation of a minimum amount of insulation. He said City codes could also require that no “thermal bridges” be left behind inside the walls and outside of the building. He recommended that codes be changed to require weather stripping around doors and windows on rental homes. He said this would help the economy by providing jobs and would help promote justice by ensuring that renters had homes that did not require a fortune to heat. He supported changing zoning laws so that a person could live in a house with five or more unrelated adults. He added that people should also be allowed to live in simple dwellings made out of recycled and natural materials. He related that he had formerly been unemployed and homeless. He was grateful to have found an affordable home and to have learned a trade. Laura Mabee , 878-½ Almaden Street, spoke regarding global warming and food production. She noted that she currently served in an Americorps position that taught grassroots gardening. She stated that food transport and production contributed CO² to the environment. She said the grassroots group produced approximately 50,000 pounds of food annually using volunteer work from a two acre property. She thought that instead of “subsidizing chain stores” with urban renewal funds the City should subsidize efforts to grow food within city boundaries. She asserted that every neighborhood could have a garden to produce food locally with a little effort. Coral Baekman , 878-½ Almaden Street, related that she commuted to work on her bicycle almost every day and experienced the benefits of fresh air and exercise while spending less money. She stressed that the bicycle used no oil and emitted no pollution. She averred that people could be swayed to use alternative modes of transportation if the City provided more bicycle paths and lanes and perhaps put on community bicycle maintenance workshops and programs to provide bicycles to low-income people. John Flanery , 1641 West Broadway, averred that it might be too late to avoid catastrophic global warming. He said the polar ice caps were melting more quickly than projected and methane was being released from the thawing of the tundra at a much faster rate than had been anticipated. He asserted that if the Amazon River dried out, approximately 200 gigatons of carbon emissions would be released and this was considered to be a “tipping point.” He supported gearing the transportation system so that it did not rely on cars, increasing the use of insulation in houses, and fostering more local food production. Skye Rios , 880 Almaden Street, said he was a junior at South Eugene High School and had volunteered with Lane County’s Department of Families and Children to make a film on homeless people in Eugene. He also was involved with the Leadership Education Adventure Direction (LEAD) teen program for the past MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 22, 2007 Page 2 Regular Meeting