Recycling tips for January
By Bonita Davis, Master
Recycler and SE Resident
Remember Cyber Monday? Last year’s big push to top one-day records for sales are now becoming Cyber Everyday for some.
The Sierra Club reported on a recent national survey that found shoppers made 51% of their purchases online in 2016, up 3% from the prior year.
Some 165 billion packages are shipped in the US each year according to a Forbes report on a Fast Company survey. That’s the equivalent of one billion trees!
Convenience, variety, ease, shopping on the fly, and the feeling we get when we find a package at the door (not unlike getting a gift) all contribute to the increase in online ordering.
Online shopping can save us time, but the savings can be eroded if more blocks of time are being spent on the internet.
It can save energy by reducing total trips, thereby reducing carbon emissions, and congestion from single person car trips. It will definitely increase the amount of packaging material in your household.
Shopping with our planet in mind, we can reduce impacts by:
- Using feedback cards and surveys to ask for less packaging, or packaging that is recyclable, post-consumer or eco-friendly.
- Reuse, recycle packaging cardboard and paper at curbside. Options for Styrofoam (agilyx.com); plastic film used for bubblewrap and air pillow packing (plasticrecycling.org.)
- Purchase more than one item at a time.
- Use two day (or more) deliveries to save on fuel economy. Special trips more than a planned route to our door, have a greater environmental impact.
- Buy less. Just because it’s now possible to shop from almost anywhere for almost anything all the time, doesn’t mean we have to.
- Shopping with our community in mind:Shop local!
Like many other SE Portlanders, I chose my neighborhood for walkability, the local “main streets,” the coffeeshop culture, the great open markets and the restaurant/cart scene.
Whether by foot, bike, or bus, so much is close to where we live and work. Shopping can also be social when we see our friends and neighbors out an about.
It is fun to know your barista, chefs and grocers by name. It feels good to support the local shops that in turn provide the vitality, jobs, and the community involvement that make SE Portland a great place to live.
Business Beat
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PORTLAND DOCTOR is a primary care clinic in SE Portland that opened in December 2018. Dr. Christabeth Boyd, the physician-owner, is trained in family medicine and can see patients of all ages for acute illnesses. She can serve as PCP and manage chronic illnesses in those 18 and above. They are located at 1235 SE Division St., Ste. 115, 503.673.3400.
CALLIGRAPHY classes for beginners of all ages. Affordable classes at Artist & Craftsmen Supply SE and around SE Portland. Sign up at rockpapercalligraphy.com.
ZEN INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION & HEALTH joins Brightside Space on Mt. Tabor at 6018 SE Stark St. Miho Hatanaka is a Registered Dietitian and provides nutrition consultation for people who want to gain more confidence in their body. Open office hours are Wednesdays between 1 – 5 pm or call at 503.765.7129 to schedule an appointment. Currently, providing free 15 minute phone consultations. For more information: ZENintegrativenutrition.com
DAN’S LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE – A professional company with over forty years experience. His work includes, yard clean ups, large hedges, shrubs, tree trimming or removed, planting, stump grinding, barkdusting. No job is too big or roo small. Call 503.704.0100.
Help in the cold
SE Uplift’s Muzammill Afzal, Community Engagement Coordinator, wrote about ways to help the unsheltered and unhoused neighbors who do not have access to a safe and warm space when the weather gets really cold.
To help someone locate shelter, including transportation to safe shelter, call 211 or go to 211info.org. There are multiple winter and year-round warming centers.
All government buildings are open to people seeking to get warm when warming shelters are not open. This includes libraries and community centers.
If someone outside is unsheltered and their life could be in danger please call 9-1-1.
Other ways to help our unsheltered community members: consider donating food, blankets or warm clothes to a shelter located in your neighborhood.
Drop off donations at Transition Projects, Do Good Multnomah, Portland Homeless Family Solutions and Join.
Donate to people directly if you see someone who is cold and in need of food and warmth.
This is a great way of getting to know unhoused community members. Buy or making hot coffee, tea or cocoa for an unhoused community member and continue sharing these resources with your neighbors.
Portland United Against Hate, a community coalition in partnership with the City of Portland’s Office of Community & Civic Life, is piloting a system to document hate/bias incidents.
This system will allow us to have a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of violence here and to provide support to those targeted.
Communities most likely to be targets are the least likely to report their experiences to law enforcement.
If you have experienced or witnessed a hate/bias incident, report it to Portland United Against Hate by going to reporthatepdx.com.
These partners can help too: Latino Network, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Unite Oregon, African Youth and Community Organization, Lewis and Clark Community Counseling Center, POIC+RAHS, Q Center, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, Fair Housing Council of Oregon, and IRCO Africa House.
Human Powered Lawyer Charley Gee
By Jack Rubinger
Human Powered Law Attorney Charley Gee is a Personal Injury Attorney helping cyclists who’ve been involved in accidents caused by motorists. His typical client is a biking commuter, twenty to thirty years of age, who has been injured on the way to work or school.
Gee’s office recently moved into the Gladstone Street building at SE 39th and Gladstone, the previous location for Birds & Bees Nursery and Kenilworth Coffee.
Now he is bringing light and life back to the space with vintage Fillmore-type rock concert posters and a friendly vibe. Business is booming because cyclists are at risk every time they hop on the saddle.
Gee used to have an office downtown, but did a lot of work at the Kenilworth Coffee Shop. He liked the storefront-type space, and when it become available, he found the industrial space more useful because he can store wrecked and mangled bikes as evidence; difficult to do in a downtown high-rise.
The most common type of crash Gee sees is the “right hook” where a driver turns right across a bicycle lane and hits a cyclist or causes a cyclist to run into their car.
Other types of crashes are “left hooks” where a car driver turns left in front of a cyclist, sideswipes caused by a car driver passing too closely, and “car doorings” where a driver opens their door immediately in front of a cyclist.
These days he’s seeing more injuries caused by bad city infrastructure too: potholes, and pavement cracks.
Gee has worked on many cases involving deaths and permanently disabling injuries throughout Oregon.
He said a lot of drivers respond with care, compassion, and assistance when they hit a cyclist.
“Unfortunately our legal system only has one tool to make sure the injured person is made as whole as possible and that is the money system,” said Gee.
“It’s still better than the trial by combat that the money compensation system replaced, but it is still a terrible system.
“Not a single one of my clients would keep the money they got if they were able to trade it for not being injured. What makes it worse is that the person who was driving the car has no say in whether or not the case settles.
Deep SE and NE are among the most dangerous areas for Portland cyclists.
“When there are crashes in close-in or downtown we hear all about it,” said Gee. “Usually the victim was a young professional or a student. A lot of my terrible injury cases come from east of I-205 and there are no news stories or vigils or ghost bikes.
According to the Portland Bureau of Transportation, 7.2% of commuters go by bike. This is the highest percentage of bike commuters for a large American city and means more than 17,000 people here choose to bicycle.
Nationally, 0.5% of commuters bicycle. In addition, 238% more people biked to work in 2010 than in 2000.
Portland’s bike paths are too short, too many cyclists wear black and are hard to see. Also some drivers are distracted with phones and other stimuli.
“We’re not really a bike- friendly city, but we’re a bike-friendly population,” Gee said.
“Ultimately the solution will be autonomous vehicles, which will take some time to become a part of our city’s landscape. Meanwhile, I’m working on several fronts including trying to make bike laws better.
“On the up side, the number of cycling incidents has decreased since 2004.”
Gee urges cyclists to sign up for personal injury insurance and to call an attorney immediately if they’ve been in any type of accident.
Most bike attorneys are happy to offer advice at no charge.
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For more information, call Charley Gee at 503.278.5389 or email:cgee@injuryoregon.com.
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Will 5G Juggernaut Cause Wireless Silent Spring?
By Midge Pierce
5G equipment, touted as a way to supercharge data delivery and increase interconnectivity between wireless devices will soon take over our utility poles.
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about, a SE resident claims that 5G will harm our health, how we live, work and play.
Mt. Tabor resident David Morrison says the next generation of wireless signals coming from ever more ubiquitous cellphone towers will have a massively destructive “cumulative effect” on populations.
Morrison is making an appeal to Portland residents to contact Mayor Ted Wheeler and express concern over technology he fears will be especially harmful to our most vulnerable: our children.
He fears physical effects range from increased cancers to attention deficits.
As schools expand wireless, Morrison says children are becoming unwitting test subjects.
He is particularly concerned that PPS reneged on promises not to renew cell tower leases on school properties.
Skeptics call Morrison’s concerns unfounded, bordering on the obsessive, but listening to him is both humbling and horrifying as he points to scientific and medical community indictments of the federal deregulation of the wireless telecom industry.
In The Bulletin, a California Medical Association magazine, Dr. Cindy Russell writes that celltowers release wavelengths that cause disruptions similar to pesticides cited in Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring. Despite celltower proliferation, testing and regulation remains inadequate.
Calling Wi-Fi expansion Russian roulette, several Portland doctors have joined radiation oncologists from around the world in calling for a moratorium on 5G technology, according to Morrison.
In a letter outlining potential hazards, they write that hazardous biologic exposure to radio frequencies may double, rising from roughly 1800/1900 Mhz of current 4G technology to 5G’s estimated 3500 Mhz.
In August 2018, forty-one nations signed a UN appeal to address the adverse impacts of so-called wireless radiation.
Morrison blames the weakening of FCC regulations and the dearth of research studies for lack of awareness about electromagnetic fields in general and 5G in particular.
In addition to contributing to declining bee, butterfly and bird populations, he is alarmed by our emotional dependence on artificial devices for household functions and entertainment.
Morrison claims 5G will enable wireless devices to advance from turning on lights to refrigerators that order milk and other functions that Alexa, Siri and Cortani are already mastering.
Next Gen technology does not replace current tech, he says, but adds to it.
“Every time you use your cellphone or send a text, cells are being changed in some way. Exposure will only grow as new buildings bring more Wi-Fi.”
5G millimeter wave frequencies vibrate off of extremities causing skin to burn, Morrison says. Given federal declassification and the lack of impact studies, not enough is known about what is happening beneath the skin’s surface.
Insurance companies, he says, decline to insure against Wi-Fi and cellphone exposure.
OMSI EVENTS–1945 SE Water Ave., Meet A Scientist: January12, or 26, 1pm. Current science gets up close and personal at Meet a Scientist. This program, held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, features local scientists who share their research and knowledge with you through hands-on activities and conversation. Meet a Scientist exclusively features professionals who are OMSI Science Communication Fellows. Star Party: January 20: Total Lunar Eclipse a free viewing of the eclipse will begin at 7 pm ending at 9:43 pm–weather permitting. OMSI Front Plaza. The Full Moon will slide through the dark shadow of the Earth, and for 62 minutes the only light hitting the Moon will be the reddish glow from Earth’s sunrises and sunsets resulting in a total lunar eclipse. OMSI Space Science Director, Jim Todd, will be presenting informal talks about the lunar eclipse and the winter night sky. Check OMSI.edu for information.
CREATIVE WRITING CLASS FOR WOMEN – Write from prompts that may lead to new stories, poems or essays. Mondays, 10 am – 11:30 am, January 14 – March 11 at TaborSpace, 5441 SE Belmont. $12 to drop in for a class or $80 for all eight weeks. All experience levels are welcome to join this encouraging group. Taught by Pushcart-nominee Linda Ferguson. For information email ljdferguson@gmail.com.
PORTLAND SINGS! Community sing-along is a casual, fun group-singing opportunity for anyone wanting more singing in his or her life. Sunday January 20 from 2-4 pm at Artichoke Music, 2007 SE Powell Blvd. Sliding scale $8 – $15. For more info see PortlandSings.com.
TRUE NATURE – Winter sessions in Mt. Tabor Park. Registration is now open for Portland Parks & Recreation’s True Nature, a program that fosters deep nature connection as a means of self-development for youth. Utilize exploration, stories, songs, and navigation to develop curiosity and a strong sense of place. There is an after-school option on Tue./Thu. and an option on Wednesday afternoons. Register by January. 22. See.portlandoregon.gov/parks/truenature for details.
GROUNDWATER 101 –Saturday, January 26, 9 am – 1 pm at McKinstry Company, 16790 NE Mason St. Join Portland Water Bureau and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council for Groundwater 101, a free educational workshop that teaches groundwater basics including local geology and hydrology, the role groundwater plays in our drinking water system, and what we can do to protect this important resource that lies beneath the cities of Portland, Gresham, and Fairview. This interactive workshop is presented with a mix of hands-on and classroom-style teaching and is appropriate for adults and high school students aged 17 and up. Light refreshments will be provided. Pre-registration is required–sign up for free here: columbiaslough.org/events/event/71.
DIABETES AND HYDROTHERAPY – Hydrotherapy is one of several core naturopathic modalities that integrates sauna, bathing, toweling and other water practices. What does the literature say about the impact of hydrotherapy on blood sugar? What are key considerations for practicing safe and effective hydrotherapy? Hawthorne Diabetes Group invites you to an evening with Nikolajs Belikoff-Strads, ND, MSiMR, naturopathic physician and research scientist, Thursday, January 17, at 7 pm at Colonial Hts. Presbyterian Church, 2828 SE Stephens St. $10 donation requested; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. RSVP at MeetUp/ Hawthorne Diabetes Group. For questions, contact Julia Hanfling at 503.504.5050 or email julia@3peachesnutrition.com.
LEAD SAFE HOME PROJECTS WORKSHOP – Saturday, January 19, 11 am-1 pm – NE Portland Tool Library, 5431 NE 20th Ave. Before scraping, sanding, or remodeling any painted surface in pre-1978 housing, take this class. Great for people with a small project that may involve exposure to lead paint, such as sanding down an old window frame or a reused door, or a small renovation project in an older home. Register at communityenergyproject.org or call 503.284.6827×109. HOME ENERGY SCORE WORKSHOP – As of 2018, Portland homes require a Home Energy Score if they are going on the real estate market. These workshops are for homeowners looking to sell their home, new homebuyers, or real estate brokers. Learn everything you need to know about how to interpret the Home Energy Score report, and cost effective energy efficiency upgrades to improve your Score. Learn what an assessment entails, ways to reduce energy consumption and save money on utility bills. Wednesday, January 9, 5-7 pm – Community Energy Project, 2900 SE Stark St. A. Saturday – Jan. 19, 2 – 4 pm – Community Energy Project, 2900 SE Stark St. A. Register for the workshops at communityenergyproject.org or call 503.284.6827×112
PEOPLE’S COOP EVENTS: Seed Exchange – Wednesday, January 23, 6-8 pm. Share your seeds for the 2019 season. Clearly label your seeds with the species name, variety, year harvested, and location. If the seeds had potential for cross pollinatingwith other varieties, indicate whether you have isolated your variety. If you are not familiar with this, ask someone for help when you arrive at the event. Indicate if seeds are open-pollinated or hybrids. Please do not bring unknown seeds, invasive plants, or seeds that are too old to germinate reliably. Seeds that are more than six years old are too old. If your seeds are between two to four years old, we may want to combine them with other seeds for making seedballs. Bring containers to take seeds home in (small jars, empty packets, etc). Masking tape, markers, and other useful tools for labeling seeds will be provided, but bring your own too. No GMO or fumigated seeds please. Volunteers are needed. Contact Marisha at: marisha.permaculturerising@gmail.com Large Size Women/Femme Clothing Swap – Sunday, January 27, 6:45 pm. Approximately size 14 to 1x
This event has a capacity for only twenty-five people. RSVP at: tinyurl.com/yd8rcpxc. Please bring clothes in good condition (no rips or stains) and accessories such as jewelry, shoes, hats, belts, purses. People’s CoOp at 3029 SE 21st Ave., open 8 am – 10 pm, 503.674.2642, info@peoples.coop.
