12/06/12 - City Council Newsletter

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According to DEQ, “Until recently, [GHG] inventories have typically not quantified emissions associated with purchased goods and services. Recent research – including groundbreaking work by the City of Eugene – suggest that these emissions may in fact well exceed emissions associated with municipal use of energy and power, the historic focus of most municipal operations inventories.” In the City inventory, the estimated upstream emissions associated with purchases was 26,300 MT COe (metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent), more than the emissions from consumption of electricity, natural gas, and 2 transportation fuel which totaled 16,700 MT COe. 2 DEQ’s report of the analysis serves as a resource to leaders in the GHG inventory field and may encourage and facilitate other Oregon agencies in selecting a path for conducting their own embodied emission inventories. The City’s inventory informs ongoing work to increase more sustainable purchasing and reduce the organization’s carbon footprint as directed in the Eugene Community Climate and Energy Action Plan. For more information, contact Purchasing Analyst Heather Nelson at heather.k.nelson@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5056. Kid-Size “Nutcracker” at Eugene Public Library The Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a performance of The Nutcracker: Short & Suite, the Eugene Youth Ballet’s child-size version of the seasonal classic, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m. Admission is free. This annual show is perfect for kids and family; everyone is welcome. Travel the globe with these dancers and dream of sugarplums all night! For more information, please contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Employees Plant Trees in Honor of Eugene’s Birthday To honor Eugene’s 150 birthday, City of Eugene employees wanted to give back to the community with a legacy project of th lasting value. On a recent rain-soaked Saturday, more than 60 City employees and their families joined the Eugene Park Stewards to scalp sod, dig holes, plant and mulch 150 native trees along the Willamette River near Maurie Jacobs Park. It was an interdepartmental, intergenerational, hard-working group. All 150 trees were expertly planted in a few hours... during an unexpected break in the rain just before it really poured! Parks and Open Space staff and the Eugene Park Stewards did a great job of organizing the volunteer work party, as they do with similar projects throughout the year in the area’s parks and natural areas. This was a fitting project for City employees to contribute to in honor of the community’s 150 birthday. The effort is part of th restoration plans for the Willamette River riparian area and over time will transform the high-maintenance, low-use, grassy area into a native, wooded area that is lower maintenance and a healthier, more natural river’s edge. Once the trees have developed a canopy, under-story shrubs and wildflowers will be planted to City employee volunteers get tree-planting instructions. complete the conversion. The project will improve habitat for salmon and other species which call the Willamette River corridor their home. It will be fun to watch the transformation over time especially for the employees’ children who will get to enjoy those trees for many years to come! For more information, contact Community Relations Director Jan Bohman at 541-682-5587. Solarize Eugene Program a Success Solarize Eugene helped 60 households install renewable energy systems in 2012, and increased awareness of the value of solar energy and energy efficiency. Solarize Eugene was a project of The Resource Innovation Group (TRIG) funded by a Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) Greenpower Grant. The City of Eugene partnered with TRIG and EWEB by helping to promote the program, streamlining the permitting process and offering a discount on permit fees for the first 20 projects in the door. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 December 6, 2012