Vision Action Network -- Sustainability in Washington County

Sustainability in Washington County

Sustainability Summit
Feasibility Study for a Sustainability Organization
Sustainability Network of Washington County
Sustainability Links

"Sustainability means using, developing and protecting resources at a rate and in a manner that enables people to meet their current needs and also provides that future generations can meet their own needs. Sustainability requires simultaneously meeting environmental, economic and community needs." (From the State of Oregon’s Sustainability Act.)

Sustainability is such a buzz word these days. What does it mean? And what are we doing here in Washington County?

Sustainability Summit - January 26, 2007
VAN organized a day-long summit to help identify community-wide strategies to address environmental sustainability. Keynote speakers included Chair Tom Brian of Washington County’s Board of Commissioners and Alan Durning from Sightline Institute. During breakout sessions on Land Stewardship, Water Quality/Quantity, Green Spaces, Transportation, Agriculture/Food, Forests and Green Development, participants came up with Actions and Priorities that could guide the future.

Summit Sponsor: Intel-Oregon

Summit Host: Washington County

Organizing Partners: Clean Water Services, Coalition for a Livable Future, DEQ, First Tech Credit Union, Intel, Inter-religious Action Network, Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, SOLV, Tualatin Valley Riverkeepers, Tualatin River Watershed Council, Tualatin Valley Water District, Washington County Land Use & Transportation, Washington County Solid Waste, Washington County Committee for Citizen Involvement

2007 Feasibility Study for a
County-Wide Sustainability Organization
Vision Action Network (VAN) and local governments in Washington County studied the feasibility of establishing a sustainability organization. Partners in the effort include Washington County, Clean Water Services, Tualatin Valley Water District, Metro, and the cities of Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, and Tualatin. The study analyzed the geographic area’s need for a sustainability organization, determine what services such an organization could provide, and review various organizational and funding options.

In July 2007, VAN hired a consultant team from Cogan Owens Cogan, AXIS Performance Advisors, and Real Living Solutions to conduct the feasibility study. The consultants have delivered their final report and recommendations to a leadership team from the study’s funding organizations in January 2008.

Download the final report from consultants below

Cover Page
Sustainability Organization Feasibility Study FULL Final Report 01-08-2008
Sustainability Organization Feasibility Study SHORT Final Report (minus appendices ) 01-08-2008

Sustainability Network of Washington County
Get Involved! The Sustainability Network of Washington County is an informal network of people who are interested in sustainability issues. It is designed to serve as a forum for information-sharing and support. Quarterly meetings are open to all; agendas are planned and organized by Network members.

If you would like to be added to the Sustainability Network email list, please send a request to VAN@co.washington.or.us .

Date:	Wed, January 23, 2008 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Location:	Tualatin Valley Water District 1850 SW 170th Ave Beaverton, OR
Topic:	Measuring and Reducing Your Organization’s Carbon Footprint – Cheryl Welch (TVWD) and Lonny Knabe (Nike)

Date:	Wed, April 23, 2008 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Location:	Westside Transportation Alliance t 12725 SW Millikan Way, Ste. 300 Beaverton, OR
Topic:	Building a Business Case for Sustainability – panel discussion

Date:	Wed, July 23, 2008 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Location:	City of Beaverton (exact location TBD) Beaverton, OR
Topic:	Peak Oil

Date:	Wed, Oct 29, 2008 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Location:	DEQ lab in Hillsboro Hillsboro, OR
Topic:	Tour of new combined DEQ/public health lab

Sustainability Links
Several organizations in Washington County now offer sustainability information on their websites:

Tualatin Valley Water District efforts in Sustainability in Washington County have earned them the 2007 Julian Prize for Sustainability

Clean Water Services in Hillsboro has Education and Outreach programs to help you make better choices to help reduce use, and keep the water CLEAN!

For a fun game that will give you feedback about the impact of your everyday decisions on the world, visit National Public Radio’s website and take the "Consumer Consequences" quiz.