Author: Francine Chinitz

CCL Volunteer, Portland Chapter Co-leader

Civic Engagement

One of the things I love about Sunnyside is the way so many of us have stepped up to support a sustainable future. We ride our bikes. We recycle. We plant backyard gardens. We install solar panels. We shop at farmers markets. While all these are important, I know it’s not enough. That’s why I also volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) to try to make a real impact on climate change.

I build political will around the importance of carbon pricing by asking members of Congress to support the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. This bipartisan policy places an increasing price on fossil fuels at the source, and returns net proceeds to all households. Every month you would receive a dividend check to spend as you choose.

Why put a price on carbon? It is the single most effective solution we can implement to curb emissions. In fact, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said, “We cannot solve the climate crisis without effective carbon pricing.” Why am I asking you to help me pass a price on carbon at the national level? We are running out of time and this policy would reduce carbon emissions by 50% in just 10 years and help us get to net zero by 2050. For our livable future, let’s all work for change on the local and federal level. For more CCL information, contact me at [email protected]. I hope to see you at our next CCL meeting on August 14th.

Emergency Preparedness and the SNA Board Meeting

The Other Emergency, an earthquake, that is…

For many of us in the emergency preparedness world, this pandemic is ‘practice’ for the BIG ONE. That is not to downplay in any way the seriousness of our current world issues. This is to say that, due to our training, both as professionals and volunteers, we were a bit calmer at the onset of the pandemic as we reviewed and revised our own preparedness efforts to meet the current challenge. This work and planning is ongoing. In the big picture, it is best to prepare and then improvise as needed.

Working at the micro-neighborhood level, it’s my job to get my neighbors as prepared as possible, having offered training, materials, workshops and tips over the years. This is hard work, but worth the effort.

Let me walk you through a very good scenario that I hope can take place after a major disaster in my neighborhood. After the event, when I have made sure my home and family are okay and it is safe to do, I plan to walk through my neighborhood and check in on my neighbors. I know most of them by name and by sight, and know they have enough food and water to last for two weeks. They all have a shelter-in-place plan that is activated and are keeping themselves as safe as possible, knowing that it is possible that we will be without any emergency services for the immediate future.

As we are able, neighbors help neighbors nearby. 

Those with radio communication skills like ham operators will be able to share news and critical information when cell phones and the internet are down. There are many licensed ham operators in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

We are calm and do the best we can because we all prepared ahead of time.

We prepare, and then we improvise.

Where are you on the preparedness continuum? Start where you are and keep going!

Are you interested in Oregon’s legislative process?

To learn more about the work of the Oregon legislature, visit
www.oregonlegislature.gov. These are direct links to the representatives whose districts cover the Sunnyside neighborhood:

Senator Kathleen Taylor (District 21)
http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/taylor

Representative Rob Nosse (District 42)
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/nosse

The Other Emergency, an earthquake, that is…

For many of us in the emergency preparedness world, this pandemic is ‘practice’ for the BIG ONE. That is not to downplay in any way the seriousness of our current world issues. This is to say that, due to our training, both as professionals and volunteers, we were a bit calmer at the onset of the pandemic as we reviewed and revised our own preparedness efforts to meet the current challenge. This work and planning are ongoing. In the big picture, it is best to prepare, and then improvise, as needed.

Working at the micro-neighborhood level, it’s my job to get my neighbors as prepared as possible, having offered training and materials and workshops and tips over the years. This is hard work, but worth the effort.

Let me walk you through a very good scenario that I hope can take place after a major disaster in my neighborhood.  After the event, when  I have made sure my home and family are okay, and it is safe to do, I plan to walk through my neighborhood and check in on my neighbors. I know most of them by name and by sight and know they have enough food and water to last for two weeks. They all have a shelter in place plan that is activated and are keeping themselves as safe as possible, knowing that it is possible that we will be without any emergency services help for the immediate future.

As we are able, neighbors help neighbors nearby.

Those with radio communication skills like ham operators will be able to share news and critical information when cell phones and the internet are down. There are many licensed ham operators in the Sunnyside neighborhood.

We are calm and do the best we can because we all prepared ahead of time.
We prepare, and then we improvise.

Where are you on the preparedness continuum? Start where you are and keep going!