Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
E-UPDATE
September 21, 2007

Welcome to the first “E-UPDATE” – a twice monthly news brief to keep you informed of the work of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition and to invite your participation. Please forward this “E-UPDATE” to members of your participating organization and to other interested individuals.



Focus on ENERGY: Sharing Success Stories

Reducing – and ultimately eliminating – our dependence on fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources is one of the guiding objectives of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition. By working together and learning from each other, all of us can help accelerate that process. The “E-UPDATE” will be an important tool for sharing what organizations in Corvallis and Benton County are doing to realize this objective.

* Look at your group’s energy-saving practices. What projects/practices has your group undertaken to encourage energy conservation and the use of renewable energy? This is a good opportunity to involve your board or membership in thinking about ways your organization is working toward this objective.

* Share them! Please send a brief list or summary of your group’s energy-saving activities to amills@virginiavillageproductions.com, so we can share them here. We want to let others know what you’re doing!



Corvallis Sustainability Coalition: Working Together, Growing Daily

What began as an idea from diverse community groups last January has become a reality during the past several months. The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition was formed to accelerate the creation of a sustainable community in Corvallis and Benton County by working together. There are currently 61 organizational partners in the Sustainability Coalition. Go to www.sustainablecorvallis.org to see who’s on board!

If your organization is not listed – or if you would like to sign on as an individual partner – please fill out and return the attached Participation Form. Also, please suggest names of other organizations that may be interested in joining the Sustainability Coalition.

Upcoming articles of the “E-UPDATE” will address the work of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition’s task groups and plans of our Ad Hoc Steering Committee for a community-wide sustainability initiative. We welcome your questions and suggestions for future articles!


Sustainability Guiding Objectives - A Framework for Decision-making

Our community will:

1. Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community’s contribution to fossil fuel dependence and to wasteful use of scarce metals and minerals. Use renewable resources whenever possible.

2. Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community’s contribution to dependence upon persistent chemicals and wasteful use of synthetic substances. Use biologically safe products whenever possible.

3. Reduce and ultimately eliminate our community’s contribution to encroachment upon nature (e.g., land, water, wildlife, forests, soil, ecosystems). Protect natural ecosystems.

4. Support people’s capacity to meet their basic needs fairly and efficiently.