Sustainability in our schools

May 1, 2024 | Community, Education, Schools

May 2024

Sustainability in Lake Oswego Schools

The Lake Oswego School District (LOSD) has embraced sustainability in many different ways – in its curriculum, in its new facilities, and as one of the four key pillars in its strategic plan. In this month’s newsletter, we’re sharing sustainability highlights from the 2023-24 school year.

Sustainability Curriculum

For the second year, Lakeridge and Lake Oswego high schools have offered elective classes on sustainability. Both high schools also have green teams to help promote sustainability within their school communities.

Testimony from LOHS student Brody Trost:

“My name is Brady Trost, and I was in Mrs. Foster’s Sustainability class this year. The Sustainability class is super fun, you go on a lot of field trips and learn a lot about the environment. Earlier in 1st semester, our class went to the PAE building in Portland. The building was an incredibly sustainable building, and they filtered their own water for consumption. Many people in the class said that the water tastes especially good there. Our class also went to Forest Hill Elementary as our final, and we got to read the students a book called We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom. The book talks about water and how Native American people wish to protect their water. Our class was lucky to read this book to two 5th grade classes… Overall, Sustainability is a really fun class, and you can make new friends.”

Pictured above: Lake Oswego High School’s solar flower, greenhouse and garden.

Testimony from LOHS student Lyra Johnson:

“My name is Lyra Johnson, and I’m this year’s Green Team president. Green Team is the LOHS environmental activism club, focused on service, stewardship and environmental education. I joined the club in my freshman year while looking for something to do during the pandemic, and have found that the events, activities and opportunities it offers provide huge relief against climate anxiety and hopelessness. From regular land tending events, where we pull ivy, pick up trash and plant native species, to educational opportunities around the community (such as the annual Tree Summit on November 4, where I met so many inspiring individuals crafting havens of biodiversity in their own backyards), Green Team allows students to contribute in whatever capacity interests them.”

Lakeridge High School opened its greenhouse and agricultural spaces in fall 2023. Thanks to a collaboration between Marketing and Farm to School, students in the class sell vegetable starts and vegetables that they grow in their campus farm beds.

Sustainability curriculum has also expanded to elementary and middle schools. All 5th graders participate in place-based Healthy Waters walking field trips from their individual campuses that are provided by the Oswego Lake Watershed Council. The gardens were refurbished at Lake Grove Elementary while Westridge Elementary designed and built new gardens.

Both middle schools will add a garden/horticulture elective this fall.

Pictured above: Raised beds and outdoor classroom at River Grove Elementary.

Sustainable Facilities

Earth Week Celebration

The LOHS Green Team planned and coordinated a week-long series of events in April. The goal was to bring students together with the common goal of learning, sharing, and doing service. Events included Land Tending, a showing and discussion of “Atomic Hope,” the Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair, and the Asian Cultural Festival. They capped off the week with a picnic to celebrate in the outdoor classroom.

Materials management, what does that mean?

Mar 1, 2024 | Community, Education

March 2024

Materials management – what does that mean?

It is thinking intentionally about what we buy; how we use, manage, and dispose of stuff.

In this newsletter you will learn and obtain insights about:

  • The R’s and practical ways to consume sustainably
  • The recently passed Right to Repair state legislation
  • Common questions regarding recyclable items directed to Amanda Watson, our City’s Sustainability manager
  • The status of the 2021 Oregon Recycling Modernization Act rulemaking.
  • Upcoming events and resources

The Rs

Most of us have heard the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Since that time, there have been creative extensions that include rethinking and refusing. What do these words really mean?   Why are they in a particular order? They are a hierarchy to represent what provides the greatest benefit: benefit to your pocketbook, benefit to the environment.

The ten questions on choosing products for sustainability, help guide thoughtful purchasing decisions.  The first question, Do I really need the product?  can result in thought-provoking alternatives such as sharing or borrowing, inventive solutions as well as more thoughtful and reduced consumption.

Read full story…

Right to repair bill creates opportunities for Lake Oswego residents

Remember when we used to go to the shoe repair shop? Or wait for the repairman to fix our TVs and washing machines? That era ended when the world of cheap goods arrived, and it became more convenient and affordable to toss things out. Repairmen went out of business, and a throwaway mentality took over our society. This even extends to pricey electronic devices. Even though we know about the cost of waste – the dirty oceans, methane escaping from landfills – we often feel forced to buy a new product even when a simple repair would do the trick.

The Oregon legislature just passed a first step solution to e-waste: they thumbed their noses at some of the big tech companies and passed the “Right to Repair” bill.

LOSN proudly sent testimony in support of this bill, which was co-sponsored by Senator Wagner, Representative Nguyen, and others. It is a triple bottom line winner: 1) Helping the environment by reducing e-waste, and cutting the pollution caused by the manufacturing of unneeded replacements, 2) Helping our society by providing more choices for consumers, reducing the digital divide by creating a market for used goods, and leading to new jobs for repairmen, and 3) Helping all of us to become more prosperous as we affordably fix our electronic equipment.

Advocates have been working on this bill since 2019. This year, the bill got bipartisan support, and goes farther than similar bills in other states. It includes:

  • A requirement that consumer electronics manufacturers make replacement parts, diagnostic tools, and repair manuals available to consumers and third-party repair shops.
  • A prohibition on tech companies blocking third-party components that could replace the manufacturers’ parts.
  • A prohibition on sending misleading alerts or warnings about the use of third-party parts to inhibit users.
  • A prohibition on inhibiting devices’ performance if consumers install third-party parts.
  • Penalties of up to $1,000 a day for violators.

This law builds on Oregon’s tradition of environmental leadership. So, as you buy your next phone, think carefully about the color, shape, and features that you like. That phone could or should be yours for a long, long time.

FAQs: Recycling in LO

Amanda Watson manages the city’s sustainability program, and that includes managing responsibly the waste the city and its people generate. To get answers to some of the recycling questions we all face weekly, we sent her a couple of questions, and she provided answers that we can all use.


For citizens who mean well and intend to recycle as much as we can, it can be daunting to remember exactly what is recyclable. And when we look at a plastic object, we may want to recycle it even though the chart on the refrigerator doesn’t mention it.

To find out many people call Amanda.

Read what Amanda says.

Oregon’s 2021 Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act Pushes Responsible Recycling Upstream to the Manufacturers and Expands the List of What You Can Recycle

For too long the manufacturers of plastics have evaded their responsibility for the piles of discarded plastics that plague the world in so many ways. But that era is coming to an end soon.

Back in 2021, Oregon’s legislature passed Senate Bill 582, the Recycling Modernization Act. It created a method to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the recyclability of packaging materials sold in Oregon. At that time, Oregon was only one of two states to enact a law of this kind, with Maine having been the first.

The Act directed the DEQ to establish a Recycling System Advisory Council, comprised of representatives from local governments, community-based organizations representing historically underserved groups, small businesses, the recycling industry, processors or material end users, and producers of the products specified in the act. The Council has been hard at work writing the rules that will make this Act a reality.

Read full story…

Resources

Clackamas County sustainability page: https://www.clackamas.us/sustainability

Clackamas county repair fair page: https://www.clackamas.us/recycling/repairfair

Just Porch It distributes useable clothing shoes, bedding, etc., to community groups. Textiles that aren’t usable are sent to be made into rags: https://justporchit.com/

Medication Take Back: https://medtakebackoregon.org/

Community Warehouse, Free Geek, ReStore, Rebuilding Center, SCRAP

New Season for plastic or James’ Events

Metro: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling

Metro Find a Recycler: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling/find-a-recycler

Repair Finder (includes more than Portland):https://www.portlandrepairfinder.com/

Ridwell Subscription: Picking up hard-to-recycle items:  https://www.ridwell.com/

Upcoming Events

Repair Fairs in Clackamas County
  • Lake Oswego April 6, 2024, Adult Community Center, 505 G Ave, Lake Oswego. 10 am to 1pm.
  • Wilsonville April 27, 2024, Wilsonville Library, 8200 SW Wilsonville Rd., Wilsonville. 10 am to 1 pm.
  • Happy Valley May 4, 2024, Happy Valley Library, 13793 SE Sieben Park Way, Happy Valley. 10am to 1pm.
  • Molalla- June 8, 2024, Molalla Library, 201 E 5th St., Molalla. 11am to 2 pm.
  • Canby- July 20, 2024, Canby Library, 220 NE 2nd Ave, Canby. 10 am to 1 pm.
  • Estacada- August 10, 2024, Estacada Library, 825 NW Wade St., Estacada. 11 am to 2 pm.
  • Milwaukie at the Milwaukie Sustainability Fair. September 7, 2024. 10723 SE Main St., Milwaukie. 10 am to 2 pm.  The Sustainability Fair is 10 am to 3 pm.
  • This will be outside in the parking lot where the farmer’s market is located.
  • Oregon City- October 5, 2024 -Oregon City Library, 606 John Adams St., Oregon City. 10 am to 1 pm.
  • Sandy Library November 2, 2024, Sandy Library, 38980 Proctor Blvd., Sandy. 10 am to 1 pm.
  • 4/20 Lake OSwego Resource Sustainability Fair
  • 4/20 Planet Con PCC Rock Creek Campus. Sustainability Fair. Collection, resource table, free swap table, repair fair: https://www.planetcon.org/

Many thanks to Amanda Watson, Jim Newcomer, Dorothy Atwood, Colleen Johnston and Susan Mead, Master Recycler, for her contributions to this newsletter.

Sustainability Certifications

Jun 1, 2023 | Education, landscaping testimonial

June 2023

Certifications for Individuals & Families

Sustainability can seem to be a complex and difficult concept to get your hands around. Fortunately, certifications are toolkits for assessments that we can use to become more sustainable in our lives.

In this newsletter, we cover various certification programs that can help individuals and families live more sustainably. We hope you find these resources valuable on your personal journey.

So what are the benefits of getting certified? What do certifications provide us?

Certification programs can help us:

  • Educate ourselves about sustainability;
  • Discover new practices and build new habits that are more sustainable;
  • Find products that deliver more with less impact on the environment and save us money;
  • Help us spread the word to others through signage and example;
  • Be part of a movement to build a better future.

Note: our June 2021 newsletter covered business certifications.

EcoHome LO Certification

The City of Lake Oswego launched a sustainability certification program in 2021 known as EcoHome LO. This program focuses on actions that residents and households can take to become more sustainable. It also serves as an excellent educational tool about sustainability and provides a comprehensive framework for building a more sustainable life.

The checklist and program cover essential topics such as:

  • Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle
  • Energy Conservation
  • Transportation
  • Civic Engagement
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • and much more

As the program website notes:”EcoHome LO’s certification program, checklists, and resources are tools designed to guide you toward a holistically sustainable lifestyle. We’ll provide a framework and structure for your sustainability plan, connect you with community groups and activities that align with your interests, and provide answers and guidance as you work to accomplish your checklist items.”

When you have attained certification, you will receive a free lawn/window sign showing your certification level and accomplishment.

An updated version of this program will be rolled out for the residents of Lake Oswego by the end of July. Meanwhile, we encourage you to look over the checklist and start reviewing the resources which are linked to each topic area title.

Backyard Habitat Certification

The Backyard Habitat Certification Program provides technical assistance and incentives to Lake Oswego residents who wish to restore native wildlife habitat in their yards. Participants are guided through three levels of habitat restoration: silver, gold, and platinum. The program focuses on the removal of invasive weeds, naturescaping with native plants, stormwater management, and wildlife stewardship.

The Lake Oswego Backyard Habitat Program is supported by the City of Lake Oswego and facilitated by Friends of Tryon Creek, in collaboration with the Portland Audubon and Columbia Land Trust.

Check out the amazing testimonials about this program below.

Using Certification to find better products

Certified products provide homeowners a way to buy products that have been assessed to be more sustainable. Products that are certified use less energy, water, and produce fewer toxins.  Certification provides value even when building or purchasing a home.

Whether you are planning a major remodel or repair or just looking to replace a light bulb, faucet, or appliance, or buy a new electric lawnmower, you should look for product certifications that provide you with the best and most sustainable choice.

ENERGY STAR (www.energystar.gov…) is your resource for information on projects and products to help make your home energy efficient. Learn how you can upgrade to energy-efficient products and make other home improvements that can deliver significant energy and cost savings, and help you transition from fossil fuels for a cleaner, healthier and more comfortable home. Also, learn how to take advantage of tax credits.

WaterSense (www.epa.gov/…) labeled products are backed by independent, third–party certification and meet EPA’s specifications for water efficiency and performance. When you use these water–saving products in your home or business, you can expect exceptional performance, savings on your water bills, and assurance that you are saving water for future generations.

Earth Advantage (www.energytrust.org/…) adds sustainability features and building processes to ENERGY STAR guidelines to produce homes that use natural resources more responsibly. Earth Advantage New Homes awards three levels of certification—silver, gold, or platinum—based on the building’s score in five categories: energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and water conservation.

LEED® for Homes (www.energytrust.org/…) – LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification program operated by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED for Homes aims to increase energy and water efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, use natural resources thoughtfully and improve the quality of the indoor environment.

Certifications help spread the word

“Sustainability begins with an awareness of the impact of our actions, and there is no better way to spread awareness than by harnessing the power of your community and sharing what you know to help achieve a greener world.”

It is hard to walk around Lake Oswego without seeing a Backyard Habitat Certification sign. This program started over 10 years ago and now there are many yards that display certification signs. These certification plaques inspire others in our community to start their journey to beautiful and more sustainable yards.

Our neighborhoods have sprouted other signs that create a healthier environment for our families and all the critters that rely on the shelter and food we provide.  Here are some of the other signs you might see as you travel around Lake Oswego:

Metro program – Take the no pesticide pledge: Garden chemicals can be harmful to humans, pets, wildlife and waterways. The good news is there are many surprisingly easy ways to care for your lawn and garden that avoid putting your family and neighbors at risk.

Xerces – Leave the leaves: Leaves are not litter. They are food and shelter for butterflies, beetles, bees, moths, and more. Show your friends and neighbors that you plan to leave the leaves this fall with this beautiful yard sign produced by The Xerces Society.

Xerces – Promote Pollinators: Support conservation and spread the word about the importance of pollinators by displaying this sign in your yard.

Backyard Habitat Certification Story

-by Monica Delzeit

Rachel Carson saw it coming 60 years ago. As a medical professional, I see our number one public health concern as the climate crisis. No other public health concern will affect us all. After retiring, I felt that I could add to my love of gardening and include all the portions of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program. Despite my orthopedic issues, I’ve been able to introduce and maintain all 5 pillars of this program, without much outside help.


Monica’s beautiful certified yard

READ MORE…

The humble habitat re-wilding project

-by Mark & Leah Puhlman

We’ve always loved a project.  When we moved to the Portland Metro area, our housing search brought us to a bank-owned rancher style home on half an acre in Lake Oswego. As you can see from the pictures, we had our work cut out for us.

We quickly learned transforming a neglected, blackberry and ivy infested half acre is a marathon, not a sprint. We started slow and are still working toward our vision 11 years after we purchased the home.

READ MORE…
Pollinator Celebration

When:   Thursday, June 22, 2023
Time:     4 pm to 7 pm
Where:   Luscher Farm, 125 Rosemont Rd, West Linn, OR 97068  (map)
What:     Come celebrate pollinators
Repair Fair in Lake Oswego

When:   Saturday, August 26, 2023
Time:     10 am to 1 pm
Where:   Lake Oswego United Methodist Church, 1855
South Shore Blvd., Lake Oswego 97034 (map)
What:      Join this free community event that brings skilled volunteers and people with broken items together.
More:       Download the Flier
Save the Date: LOSN Electrification & EV Fair

When:   Saturday, September 23, 2023
Time:     10 am to 2 pm
Where:   Lake Oswego United Methodist Church, 1855 South Shore Blvd., Lake Oswego 97034 (map)

Sustainability in the City

Jan 1, 2023 | Community, Education, Past

January 2023

Embedding Sustainability in the City

The City of Lake Oswego embeds sustainability in their strategies and operations following a number of paths including making a significant investment through:

  • Prioritizing sustainability initiatives in the City Council Goals for the year.
  • Staffing a full-time Sustainability Program Manager position.
  • Commissioning a citizen’s advisory board on Sustainability.

We’d like to share with you the goals for each of these areas for 2023.

City Council Goals for 2023

The city councilors just completed a full-day goal setting retreat Saturday, January 21st, where they gathered feedback and suggestions from citizens of Lake Oswego, a number of community groups and the various boards and commissions and other stakeholders to come up with a prioritized list of initiatives under eight major goals.

For each of eight areas, they reviewed the proposed goal language and discussed the specific initiatives related to each area. They started with 40 initiatives, several which were carried over from the previous year. Their task was to prioritize the top 15 to 20 initiatives which will direct how they (and the city government) spend their time this year.

On Feb. 7, the council will vote to approve their goals for the year. (Approved goals will be available on this page after approval.)

Below are the eight areas and proposed goal language.

Climate Action. Combat climate change and strengthen the community’s resilience to climate impact.

Parks, Natural Areas, & Recreation. Invest in Lake Oswego’s high-quality parks, natural areas and recreational amenities.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. Foster a welcoming and inclusive community where all people have the opportunity to thrive and have equitable access to City services.

Transportation. Improve transportation connections, mobility and safety for all travelers and all types of trips in Lake Oswego.

City Operations. Strengthen public trust in the City through continuous improvement outstanding customer service, infrastructure investments, and fiscal stewardship.

Economic Development. Support business development and job creation in Lake Oswego.

Community Development. Conserve the community’s character, sense of place and quality of life by planning for change and growth.

Public Safety. Ensure a safe, secure and prepared community.

Many of the specific initiatives are directly related to sustainability. Two initiatives under Climate Action received unanimous support:

  1. Integrate climate action and resilience into City projects such as capital improvement planning, housing policy, and City facilities and fleet decisions.
  2. Update the Urban and Community Forest Plan using the findings of the 2022 State of the Urban Forest Report. Address issues related to equitable outcomes, tree species, and climate change.

Other sustainability-related initiatives that maybe be adopted include:

  • Make a financially and environmentally responsible long-term investment in a wastewater treatment plant.
  • Continue construction of sidewalks and pathways focusing on safe routes to school.
  • Continue to work on key housing initiatives and housing production strategy.
  • Implement community policing recommendations.
  • Create disaster preparedness processes and plans in collaboration with the community.

LOSN submitted input to the goal setting session. See details at this link. Although not all our initiatives made the top priority list, the two Climate Action initiatives listed above are strong endorsements of support for sustainability. In addition, a progress report on the Climate Action plan is already part of staff’s work plan.

City of Lake Oswego’s Sustainability Program Manager

Amanda Watson has been the city’s full-time Sustainability Program Manager for the past year and a half and provides a wealth of expertise and guidance to the city and the community. She is responsible for implementing the City’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan in collaboration with other city departments and community groups. She also manages the City’s solid waste and recycling franchise with Republic Services.

Amanda serves as staff liaison to the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB). Buzz Chandler, Co-Chair for the SAB, says, “As one of the Co-Chairs of the LO SAB, I work very closely with Amanda, in her role as Sustainability Program Manager for the City, and she has helped elevate our Board to becoming an ever more effective and forward-thinking advisory body for the City.  She always has a big smile, is very knowledgeable and most importantly works tirelessly at helping us manage and achieve our goals for the Board every year. She is a truly fine example of the high quality and character of LO City Staffers. We as a Board and as a City are fortunate to have her.”

Amanda has also proven to be a great partner for LOSN in promoting sustainability. Duke Castle provides a LOSN perspective, “Amanda is great sustainability advocate. She is well versed in the triple bottom line concept and has a good understanding of sustainability issues both within the city and out of it. She is a real pleasure to work with because she is so collaborative and open to the variety of ideas we bring to her.”

Amanda led the collaborative effort for putting on the first Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair last year and will be helping again this year (April 15, 2023 – check the events section for more) for what has become a terrific annual event full of resources for Lake Oswego residents.

In addition to her support on the Council and SAB’s goals, she will be focused on:

  • Completing a progress report on the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
  • Increasing use and availability of clean energy in Lake Oswego, including sharing information with community members and businesses about available financial incentives and programs for clean energy and energy efficiency.
  • Website improvements for the EcoHome LO residential sustainability certification program that launched last year.

City of Lake Oswego’s Sustainability Advisory Board

The Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) is a citizen advisory body appointed by the City Council to provide advice, citizen perspective, and expertise on issues relating to sustainability. Consisting of 7 members with staggered 3-year terms and 2 youth members with 1-year terms, these citizens promote a sustainable economic and ecological quality of life in our community. This year, their goals are:

  • Advance the adoption of electric vehicles.
  • Develop recommendations to the City Council for a ban on the sale and use of gas-powered landscaping equipment in Lake Oswego.
  • Continue progress on climate mitigation and resilience planning and implementation.
  • Expand outreach and engagement to enhance the sustainability of the city as a whole.

The full goals with the planned initiatives can be found here.

LOSN partners with SAB in many areas including the annual EV Fair, promoting the transition to electric landscaping equipment, collaboration on goal setting, and the annual Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair.

Here are some ways you can get involved with SAB if you want to work with the city on sustainability and/or climate action:

  • Attend an SAB meeting. (Meetings are the 3rd Monday of the month, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Check the LOSN calendar for more information.)
  • Provide public comment at a meeting.
  • Apply to be a member of the board. (Applications are open in the April-May time frame at this link).
Save the Date: What’s Really Going on with Climate?

When:   Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Time:     6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Where:  online forum (registration link coming soon)
Panelists: Gregg Small, Executive Director of Climate Solutions, and Meredith Connolly, Oregon Director of Climate Solutions

We have climate anxiety, climate solutions, cli-fy novels and climate impacts. But what is really happening? Climate change is a complicated issue and it’s often hard to track the intricacies of what is going on and how each of us can be part of the solution.

To answer our question and more, LOSN is proud to host Gregg Small and Meredith Connolley, two of the leading climate advocates at Climate Solutions, in this timely and informative forum.
Save the Date: 2nd Annual Lake Oswego Sustainability Resource Fair

When:   Saturday, April 15, 2023
Time:    10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Where:  Lakeridge Middle School, 4700 Jean Rd, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035
What:    Groups throughout our community will be at the fair with sustainability information and how you can get involved and take action.

Brought to you by a collaboration between the City of Lake Oswego and SAB, the Oswego Lake Watershed Council, the Lake Oswego School District and LOSN.