HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/06/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 6, 2011
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS EDITION
COLLABORATION A WIN FOR SCHOOLS, COMPOST, AND SCHOOL GARDEN EDUCATION
‘ZERO WASTE’ AT PUBLIC WORKS DAY EARNS TRASHBUSTER AWARD FROM LANE COUNTY
AUTHOR AND PUBLIC RADIO HOST BRIAN KAHN AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
CITY POOLS OPEN FOR RECREATION SWIMS ON NO-SCHOOL DAYS
COMMUNITY JOINS FORCES FOR FIFTH ANNUAL GREAT WILLAMETTE RIVER CLEAN UP
AROUND THE CITY
Collaboration a Win for Schools, Compost, and School Garden Education
The City of Eugene Waste Prevention and Green Building Program has partnered with the School Garden Project to
provide hands-on compost and garden education to five Eugene schools this year. The School Garden Project was
formed in 2001, to help establish school gardens and to provide resources,
professional consultation, and educational programs in local schools. Its mission is
to help schools create and sustain gardens where hands-on learning connects
students with their environment and local food system.
The School Garden Project will hire two Northwest Youth Corps Americorps
members to serve as Garden Educators, in the 2011/2012 school year. These
positions will focus on creating the new gardens and cafeteria compost sites.
City of Eugene Compost and Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator Anne
Donahue states, “This type of collaboration is really the missing key in waste
prevention education. This program will show students how to turn food scraps
into resources and how to use their compost in their new school gardens.”
For more information, contact Anne Donahue at 541-682-5542 or anne.c.donahue@ci.eugene.or.us.
‘Zero Waste’ at Public Works Day Earns TrashBuster Award from Lane County
The “Zero Waste” effort at Public Works Day last May has been selected by the Lane County Resource Recovery
Advisory Committee to receive the 2011 Lane County TrashBuster Award in the government agency category.
The TrashBuster Award Program was established in 1992
by the Lane County Board of Commissioners and its
Resource Recovery Advisory Committee as a way to
recognize individuals, organizations, and businesses in the
community who make notable or outstanding efforts in the
area of waste reduction. TrashBuster awards are awarded
in nine categories: individual, restaurant/food service,
school program, government agency,
construction/demolition, private business, special event,
nonprofit organization, and product manufacturer.
Public Works Day on May 19, 2011, drew about 2,000
schoolchildren and adults to the Public Works yard on
Roosevelt Boulevard. Several hundred employees also
Washable cups helped create a waste-free employee lunch area.
were present to lead tours, staff displays and answer questions about Public Works services. There were lunch areas
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
October 6, 2011
for schoolchildren and employees. Staff was present in the employee lunch area to ensure that all waste was sorted
into appropriate recycling containers. In the end, less than a pound of actual waste – less than one small plastic bag
– was generated. Other actions that helped make this this a “zero waste” event included encouraging employees to
bring their own cups or glasses, washing plates and silverware rather than using disposable materials in the
employee lunch area, using displays and activities that emphasized the importance of recycling, and cutting back on
the number of low-value giveaways that tend to get tossed as soon as schoolchildren get home. A goal for next
year’s event is to work with the schools on “packing a waste-free lunch” for schoolchildren when they visit the event.
The TrashBuster Award will be presented at the Lane County Board of Commissioner’s meeting on Wednesday,
Nov. 9. For more information, contact Michelle Miranda at Public Works Wastewater at 541-682-8626.
Author and Public Radio Host Brian Kahn at Eugene Public Library
The Downtown Eugene Public Library will host a free talk by Brian Kahn about his new book,
“Real Common Sense: Using Our Founding Values to Reclaim the Nation and Stop the Radical
Right from Hijacking America,” on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m. The book asks, “Who are the true
heirs of Tom Paine's common sense ideology: conspiracy theorists and wealthy, tax-addled Tea
Partiers, or average working class Americans?”
Kahn hosts the award-winning public radio program "Home Ground." He was honored with the
2009 Montana Governor's Award for the Humanities. Kahn has worked as a ranch hand, college
boxing coach, lawyer, conservationist, and journalist. His work has been published in the Los
Angeles Times, The Nation, and Field & Stream.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
City Pools Open for Recreation Swims on No-School Days
The Aquatics Program invites families to get kids active on no-school days this fall by taking them
swimming. No-school recreation swims will be held from 1:40 - 3:40 p.m., at Sheldon Pool on Oct. 7
and Nov. 11. At Echo Hollow Pool, no-school recreation swims will be from 1:30 - 3 p.m. on Oct. 14
and Dec. 16.
The cost is $3 for youth ages 3-17; $7.50 for a family of up to five people. For more information, call
Rich Fay at 541-682-5314.
Community Joins Forces for Fifth Annual Great Willamette River Clean Up
The City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Volunteer Program is partnering with REI, Willamalane Parks and
Recreation and other community organizations to support the Willamette Riverkeepers regional Great Willamette
River Clean Up. The event will clean up a 187-mile stretch of the Willamette River. This is the fifth annual event in the
Eugene area, and the second time communities along the Willamette River have joined forces to participate in
cleaning up the stretch of river between Springfield and Portland. More than 150 volunteers are expected to gather
Sunday, Oct. 9, from 9 a.m. to noon. Volunteer crews and boaters will remove garbage and debris to help restore
the urban riverfront from Island Park in Springfield to the Beltline Exchange in Eugene. The event will culminate with
a celebration at 1 p.m. in Maurie Jacobs Park where volunteers will enjoy free giveaways, raffle prizes, pizza and
refreshments provided by TEVA and REI.
www.rei.com/eugene
Community volunteers can register online at or arrive at 9 a.m. at one of three locations along
the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System - Alton Baker Park, Valley River Greenway Bridge or Island Park - for
check-in and safety orientation. Event organizers will provide tools, water, gloves, and instruction. Volunteers should
come prepared with appropriate footwear and clothing.
For more information, please contact Volunteer Program Supervisor Jackie Hallett at 541-682-4844 or
Jackie.c.hallett@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
October 6, 2011