SBI Final Report:
Following a year-long process involving countless hours and hundreds of community members, the SBI Final Report was completed and submitted to the Eugene City Council. The Report and Recommendations were presented to the City Council on September 25, 2006 (SBI Presentation for the City Council). See the City of Eugene's website above for current sustainability efforts, some of which, including the recently established Eugene Office of Sustaianability, were a direct result of the SBI recommendations as adopted by the City Council.

The Final Report contains background information on the SBI process and the recommendations for the City Council and other local organizations that will support the process of sustainable economic development in Eugene.

The Appendix contains information gathered throughout the process that helped inform the Task Force in formulating their recommendations. It includes industry background reports, summaries of community input, examples of businesses applying sustainability principles, examples of state and municipal government sustainability programs and policies, a summary of Task Force committee members who began the process of developing sustainability assessment indicators and much more.

Thank you to all those community members who have provided valuable input and expertise throughout this journey to support sustainable economic development within our community and the surrounding area. The Report would not be possible without your collaborative efforts.

The following tools can be used to assess your current sustainability efforts and find ways to improve what you are already doing. They are roughly ordered from the simple to the complex. Simple ones are predominantly web-based, take several minutes or less to complete and return broad, general results. The complex end of the spectrum includes tools that involve in-depth data entry and a dedicated effort to complete. Whichever level you choose, we hope this will begin to broaden our community's understanding of sustainability issues and how they can be applied in your own life or organization.
Feel free to suggest other tools you have found helpful or to comment on these, via email.

To learn more about Mayor Kitty Piercy's Sustainable Business Initiative (SBI), see the links above.

Note: we have not verified the accuracy of these resources and you should use them at your own discretion. Their listing here is strictly informational. Neither the City of Eugene or the SBI endorse any financial transaction that may be requested.

The Ecological Footprint
A project of Redefining Progress and Earth Day International, this is a simplified assessment of one’s ecological impact or footprint. Through a short survey, it determines how many Earths it would take to maintain your current lifestyle, if all people on Earth lived the same way as you do.

Carbon Counter
This is a short web-based home assessment tool to measure your family’s carbon emission footprint. It takes just a few minutes to complete.

Energy Star
This calculator estimates the energy savings and environmental impact of using Energy Star compliant office equipment compared to conventional office equipment - including PC/Monitors, faxes, printers and copiers.

Home Energy Suite
A variety of easy to use web-based calculators using local Eugene data to estimate energy use for your home, appliances, and lighting. Also a tutorial on the fundamentals of electricity generation, a home energy library and even a Kid's Korner. Made available by the Emerald People's Utility District.

Recycled Paper: The Paper Calculator
Developed through collaboration of Environmental Defense and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, this calculator compares the environmental impact of 13 major grades of paper with different levels of recycled content and provides an easy to read summary to help you communicate the benefits of improved paper choices.

Recycling: Environmental Benefits Calculator
Estimate the benefits of recycling using this easy to use, comprehensive calculator developed by the Northeast Recycling Council. This MS Excel spreadsheet addresses a wide range of materials including paper, glass, plastic, computers, food scraps and more using localized data for energy use through easily accessible websites listed in the survey. It accounts for materials source reduction, reuse and recycling. It also automatically generates charts and tables that can then be placed in a supplied MS Word Fact Sheet.

Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ)
According to the University Leaders for a Sustainable Future website, this is "a survey instrument designed to assist students, faculty members, staff and administrators in determining the extent to which their college or university is sustainable in its teaching, research, operations and outreach."
"The SAQ is a qualitative questionnaire designed to help you assess the extent to which your college or university is sustainable. It aims to: raise consciousness and encourage debate about what sustainability means for higher education practically and philosophically; give a snapshot of the state of sustainability on your campus; and promote discussion on next steps for your institution.  The SAQ is used in a 3-4 hour exercise with a group of approximately ten representatives including staff, students, faculty and administrators.”

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
"GRI's vision is that reporting on economic, environmental, and social performance by all organizations becomes as routine and comparable as financial reporting. GRI accomplishes this vision by developing, continuously improving and building capacity around the use of a Sustainability Reporting Framework, the core of which are the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines."
The GRI is a non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and "a collaborating centre of the United Nations Environment Program." This is a very detailed process that will take considerable effort to complete but is also part of a global effort to better understand the application of sustainability principles within organizations of all sizes and types through standardized reporting procedures.

Sustainability Resources on the Internet
The resources below reflect monthly topics covered by Public Service Announcements provided by local Cumulus Radio stations from August 2006 to July 2007.

September: Energy
1) Rocky Mountain Institute: An entrepreneurial non-profit that fosters the efficient and restorative use of resources by business, civil society and government. that has a focus on energy policy as well as the development of alternative energy technologies. A driving force at RMI is energy efficiency and renewable energy research and policy advocacy.
2) Sacramento, CA Energy Programs. Sacramento PV Pioneers: A Sacramento Municipal Utilities District program that leases roof space from customers to install solar panels, which then provide the utility with clean renewable energy. (NOTE: This particular program may no longer be available since we first reported on it but you can find additional ways that the SMUD is incorporating "green practices" and renewable energy programs in their offerings.)
3) Green Points Program, Boulder Colorado: An incentive program for incorporating solar and renewable energy and other green building practices into the design of new buildings.
4) Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), Eugene, OR: provides a number of support programs for renewable energy and energy efficiency such as free energy audits, incentives for renewable energy in the form of loans and rebates, free energy efficiency consulting and more.
5) Emerald People's Utility District (EPUD): A broad variety of energy-related news, energy calculators, conservation tips and information on how to reduce your home energy use through equipment purchases and available incentives/rebates, a list of energy websites and more.
6) Ashland Solar and Renewable Programs, Ashland, OR: These programs encourage solar and renewable energy use including the purchase of green tags to offset emissions, the installation of solar on a number of city-owned buildings, and an educational program that provides students with hands-on experience with alternative energy.

October: Transportation
1) Sequential Biofuels – Biofuel supplier for the Pacific Northwest; they recently opened the first West Coast retail fueling station specifically for biofuels – biodiesel and ethanol
2) Oregon Biofuels Network: Oregon Environmental Council advocacy group
3) Eugene-City of Bicycles: This City of Eugene site includes bike maps, local bike resources and links to other transportation alternative issues.
4) Center for Appropriate Transport: A non-profit organization focused on community involvement in manufacturing, using, and sustainable transporation advocacy; programs include Pedalers Express delivery service, education and youth programs, Oregon Cycling magazine and more.
5) Lane Transit District: System-wide information on routes, services, "commuter solutions" and progress on EmX, the new Bus Rapid Transit system being constructed for the Eugene-Springfield metro region.
6) Green Car Congress: News on sustainable transportation
7) U.S. Department of Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center - E-85 Fleet Toolkit

November: Holidays

December: Finance and Funding for Sustainabilty
1) Sustainable Wealth Management: Investment advisors in Eugene, Oregon
2) Socially Responsive Financial Advisors: Investment advisors in Eugene, Oregon
3) ShoreBank Pacific: Lending, Banking, Science Consulting to Assist Sustainable Projects
4) ShoreBank Enterprise Pacific: Specialized Loans, Consulting Services
5) Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund: Focused on sustainable job development in Vermont; also a good resource for sustainable economic development in general.

January: Social Equity
1) Overview of Social Equity Indicators: A report prepared for the October 2005 SBI Task Force meeting.
2) The Coalition for a Liveable Future: Based in the Portland, Or. metro region, this non-profit is a collaboration of 60 community organizations providing research, policy advocacy and public education "to strengthen and broaden regional planning efforts to ensure a healthy, equitable, and sustainable future for the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area."
3) Urban Habitat: Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, this non-profit organization works "in partnership with low-income communities and communities of color to advance social, economic, and environmental justice in the Bay Area and beyond" through policy analysis and advocacy, leadership development, research and participation in strategic coalitions.

February: Recycling and ReUse
1) BRING Recycling: One of the nation's oldest non-profit recyclers, BRING has been leading the way in the southern Willamette Valley since 1971, educating and encouraging people on the benefits of reuse and recycling through a variety of programs. They're currently building a new retail home that is "an engaging learning center and theme park of reuse, waste reduction and conservation," that will also be a model of sustainable development.
2) Zero Waste Alliance: A non-profit partnership of universities, government, business and other organizations working to develop, promote and apply Zero Waste strategies
3) Association of Oregon Recyclers: A nonprofit coalition that encourages recycling in Oregon
4) Institute for Local Self-Reliance - Waste to Wealth: News and articles about recycling, deconstruction, extended producer responsibility, and more
5) Grassroots Recycling Network A network of activists and professionals working towards zero waste
6) Oregon Department of Environmental Quality - Solid Waste Program
7) US Environmental Protection Agency - Municipal Recycling

March: Buy Local
1) Willamette Farm and Food Coalition/Lane County Food Policy Council: A private non-profit organization committed to developing a more secure and sustainable food system in Lane County, OR and facilitating a greater understanding of the environmental, economic and social impacts of our food choices.
2) Eugene/Sprinfield CSAs (Community Supported Agricluture): Local list of CSAs provided by Horton Road Organic Farm.
3) Helios Resource Network: A non-profit organization in Eugene, OR promoting community livability through networking and providing a business directory, sustainability information and matching grants to local non-profits.
4) Think Local First: A "Buy Local" campaign of the Sustainable Business Network of Portland; they encourage consumers to purchase a wide variety of locally made products and services providing information resources and a searchable online database of over 300 businesses that's also available to download.
5) foodroutes.org: A national organization promoting locally produced food.They provide information on the benefits of buying local as well a searchable database to help you find local providers.

May: Landscaping
1) Sustainable Landscaping: A thourough introduction from the Colorado State University Extension Service with information ranging from design to site diversity to maintenance of a sustainable landscape.
2) Plant Selection for Sustainable Landscapes: Pacific Northwest specific information from the Oregon State University Extension Service.
3) Green Roof Project of the Nothwest EcoBuilding Guild: An informative "work in progress" providing how-to info, plant selection and current projects.
4) Green Roof Project of the American Society of Landscape Architects: An extensive archive of the process of installing a green roof on the ASLA offices in Washington, D.C.
5) Chicago City Hall - Birds on a Cool Green Roof: Informative article on process of developing and the benefits of installing a green roof on Chicago's City Hall.

June: Paper and Office Supplies
1) Living Tree Paper Company: "A leader in developing printing and writing papers made from nonwood fibers and post-consumer waste" for a wide variety of uses including everyday office or home use, graphic design/artists, musicians and more. Customers include, among others, Mitsubishi Motors, Patagonia, the University of Oregon and musicians, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jackson Browne and The Foo Fighters.
2) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT): "A procurement tool to help institutional purchaser in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes."
3) Blue Dolphin: A wide variety of reused and recyclable office supplies including paper products, toner cartridges, file cabinets and refurbished printers available online.

July: Water

---------

The following (and many above) were gathered during research conducted for background reports prepared for the SBI roundtables. You can find more resources in individual background reports.

Sustainability in Healthcare
1) Green Guide for Healthcare: A best practices guide for healthy and sustainable building design, construction, and operations for the healthcare industry. This is a pilot program that adapts the LEED Certification for green building model, to the unique needs and challenges faced by the healthcare industry.
2) Healthcare without Harm: An international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups.
3) Hospitals for a Healthy Environment: Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) “is a voluntary program designed to help health care facilities enhance work place safety, reduce waste and waste disposal costs and become better environmental stewards and neighbors.”
      The Oregon Center for Environmental Health coordinates the Oregon Chapters of Healthcare Without Harm and Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
4) Healthy Food, Healthy Hospitals, Healthy Communities: Stories of Health Care Leaders Bringing Fresher, Healthier Food Choices to their Patients, Staff and Communities, is a report on the movement within healthcare to incorporate more sustainably raised, local and organic meats and produce into their operations. The report is made available by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy - Food and Health Program
5) Potawot Health Village: From the Founders of a New Northwest archives, an award from Sustainable Northwest, this article describes a culturally appropriate outpatient clinic for Native Americans in Northern California.

Sustainability in Education: K-12 and Higher Education
1) Earth Care: This program focuses on educating teens about sustainability by demonstrating the connections between the global society and nature in part by providing sustainability curriculum and training to interested teachers.
2) Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education and Second Nature: These organizations are dedicated to making sustainability a core value of higher education institutions across the country.  They offer a number of valuable resources as well as a chance to network and connect with other campuses employing sustainability nationwide.
3) Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB): Provides a number of sustainability educational services such as EWEB Education Grants Program, Classroom presentations and tours, Education activities, and Instructional materials.
4) Oregon Green Schools: Their mission is to help Oregon schools set up and maintain effective, permanent waste reduction and resource efficiency programs that improve school environments and communities, and to recognize schools for their efforts and achievements.  They provide hands-on assistance, curriculum and funding resources and recognition and events.
5) Portland Public Schools Resource Conservation Program: The Resource Conservation Program works with schools on energy efficiency, water conservation, stormwater management, solid waste reduction, and recycling.

• SBI Home
• Task Force Members and Meeting Dates
  
• Roundtable Topics and Meeting Dates
  
• Methods and Process
  
• Workplan
  
• Archives
  
• City of Eugene
  

About Us | Who We Are | Programs
Publications & Press | Links and Resources