The quality of our environment is something that affects all of us, and it will take action at all levels of society to reach our goals for a sustainable future. Southeast Uplift supports neighborhood-based sustainability committees and green teams to help get grassroots projects off the ground. These volunteer groups work to find creative ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their neighborhoods, while also building a sense of community.

Neighborhood Sustainability Committees

Neighborhood Climate Action Planning Handbook - Now Available!

SE Uplift partnered with Masters of Urban and Regional Planning students from Portland State University to create a Neighborhood Climate Action Planning Handbook that will provide a resource for neighborhood groups interested in working to reduce their carbon footprint.  Neighborhood representatives have participated in focus groups to brainstorm actions that can be taken.  There was also an Open House event to collect additional input from the community.  The completed handbook is available.  Click here to download the PDF.  For more information contact Tim at 503.232.0010 x313, or email tim@southeastuplift.org.

The SE Portland Tool Lending Library has a home! 

For the past few months, volunteers have been organizing an effort to create a tool library in SE Portland, similar to the libraries in N and NE.  Tool libraries eliminate the need for every community member to buy new tools and store them by lending used tools for free.  It’s a great way to share resources in order to reduce energy consumption and solid waste.  

The library now has a location at St. David of Wales Church at 2800 SE Harrison.  With the award of a Neighborhood Small Grant and a fantastic team of volunteers from the community the library is set to open this spring.  

If you are interested in getting involved with the effort, donating tools or becoming a member contact Steve Couche at steveco1948@comcast.net.

Solarize Portland

SE Uplift and the Mt. Tabor Land Use Committee are collaborating with Energy Trust of Oregon to offer a community solar installation program for Southeast Portland homeowners.  Solarize Portland will help Portland residents overcome the logistical hurdles of going solar at home, including who to hire, what equipment to buy, how much to budget and where to start.  With Solarize Portland, interested neighbors will join forces to conquer the process as a team, and realize cost savings with bulk purchasing power.

Visit www.solarizeportland.org for details.  For information about how to get your neighborhood involved contact Tim at 503.232.0010 x313 or email tim@southeastuplift.org.

Transition SE South

This new group aims to bring the Transition message of building community resilience for a low carbon future to the southeast neighborhoods south of Powell and west of 82nd Ave.  Future monthly meetings will include an introduction to the Transition approach, a demonstratin of the Bright Neighbor software for community networking and resource sharing, and other events depending on the interests of people who become involved.  For more information email transitionsesouth@gmail.com.

The first event will be Thursday, September 17, at 7:30 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church, SE 39th and Steele.  It will be a showing of The Power of Community:  How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, followed by a discussion about how neighborhoods can work toward a lower-carbon future and build community in the process.

Sunnyside
The Sunnyside Sustainability Committee is currently working on ways to assist community members in reducing energy consumption in their homes. Their focus is on the low-cost, simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint, while also saving money on energy bills. Their meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Sunnyside Environmental School, from 6-7:30 PM.  

The committee is also initiating the Transition Sunnyside project to inspire a community-level conversation about how to begin shifting our patterns of living away from a heavy reliance on fossil fuels (oil, gas, grid-supplied electricity) and toward more local alternatives for food, transport, household energy, and water.  Their lecture and speaker series happens at 7pm on the third Tuesday of every month.  All are welcome.  Check out their website for a schedule of events, or email Reuben at 9watts@gmail.com.

Buckman                                                                                                                                    The Buckman Sustainability Committee has partnered with Portland State University students and Southeast Uplift to take steps towards creating a more sustainable neighborhood. We believe that the awareness and action of the community are vital in achieving sustainable outcomes, and we are looking at ways to organize neighbors around the central themes of sustainability, and brainstorm projects for the future.  

Their first project is to create a community composting program within the neighborhood.  The first composting site will be at SE 15th and Alder and will be part of a Village Building Convergence project.  For details email buckman-sustainability@googlegroups.com.

HAND
The Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood has initiated a Campaign for a Carbon Neutral Neighborhood. Through dissemination of information, increasing the sharing of goods and skills, and advocating for green infrastructure and development in their neighborhood they hope to achieve this.  Here are some of their current projects:

HAND NEIGHBORHOOD SUSTAINABILITY MEETING At Muddy Boot Festival!
Sun. 9/13, 5-6pm

Meet your neighbors interested in all aspects of sustainability!  Compare notes, share ideas, learn about the neighborhood association's green team, and more!  If you live in the Hosford-Abernathy neighborhood, or are interested in neighborhood organizing, come share your thoughts!

In conjunction with the NW Earth Institute and the Muddy Boot Organic Festival, we will be facilitating the formation of NW Earth Institute Classes to begin in July.  Contact Ethan at Ethan@handpdx.org

An ongoing project of the Green Team is neighborhood asset mapping and block organizing. Contact Alex at chair@handpdx.org

Visit their website for more information.

Richmond
The Richmond Neighborhood Sustainability Committee is dedicated to finding ways to raise awareness about environmental issues within our boundaries, build a sense of community and camaradrie, and have fun! 

The committee is currently working on ways to encourage community members to learn more about the issues surrounding the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) $4.2 billion bridge proposal.

They meet the last Monday of every month at 7 PM at Cafe Pallino, 3003 SE Division.

Check out their website to learn more.

SMILE                                                                                                                                Sellwood-Moreland holds a family friendly ‘Green Drinks’ event on the first Wednesday of every month at the Muddy Rudder at 8105 SE 7th Ave. The concept is to provide a purely social platform for neighbors to meet one another and discuss anything sustainability related, as well as neighborhood initiatives. For interested parties, the monthly SMILE general meeting directly follows at 7:30 at SMILE Station, but participation is not required. Contact Philip Krain at pk@amberwinds.net to find out what topics will be discussed at the next Green Drinks or to sign up for the distribution list.

Kerns
The Kerns Neighborhood Association’s Sustainability Chair has created a community-composting site at the SW corner of NE 31st Ave. and NE Couch, which provides a space for anyone in the community to bring their compostable materials. The site provides information on the correct way to compost your materials. The neighborhood is ready for the next project. Contact Sandra Bao at sandrabao@gmail.com with your ideas.

Do you have an idea?

Contact tim@southeastuplift.org