Become a Climate Master

In January, Oregon State University kicks off its first-ever The Climate Masters Program.

The award-winning carbon reduction education program begins Tuesday, Jan. 5. The program educates and supports individuals in reducing their personal and household carbon footprints, which lead to emission reductions and increasing climate literacy.

Participants receive 30 hours of research-based training on climate change science and actions for shrinking personal climate footprints. Course topics are designed for homeowners and renters and include: green building, home energy, transportation, water, renewable, food and more.

Climate Masters is modeled after other programs such as the Master Recycler and Master Gardener programs. Climate Master trainees “pay back” some of the costs of the training by volunteering at least 30 hours of time to help other community members learn what they have learned through information booths at local events, private consultations, and local presentations. Past participants have averaged two tons of emissions reductions per person per year and have cut home electricity use by 12 percent in one year.

The cost to participate is $66, discounted for two or more from same household. Climate Master runs Tuesdays, 6-8:50 p.m. for 11 weeks at Peavey Hall 272 on the OSU Campus.

The program is offered out of a partnership with Linn Benton Community College, OSU Extension - Benton County and the University of Oregon Climate Leadership Initiative. To register or find out more information call 541-757-8944 ext 5105 (LBCC).

Help the city identify bike, ped needs

The City of Salem is seeking public input to identify high priority locations that need bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements.

Proposals are requested by Dec. 31. Projects will be evaluated and referred to city council in early 2010. Some projects could be constructed as early as the summer of 2010.

Input from Neighborhood Associations, schools, other interested groups, and individual residents will help staff prioritize projects to fit the available funding.

The November 2008 Keep Salem Moving! Streets and Bridges General Obligation Bond Measure included $1,644,000 to address bicycle and pedestrian safety needs, with a focus on making connections to schools and parks safer. Of that amount, $431,000 is designated to fund pedestrian crossing safety projects, and $1,213,000 is designated to construct missing sidewalks and bicycle lanes to schools and parks.

Submissions should include the location, description of the need, and how the proposal addresses the criteria for either pedestrian crossing safety projects or missing sidewalks and bicycle lanes to schools and parks. For a proposal form and evaluation criteria, visit the city’s Web site, www.cityofsalm.net.

Needs for safety improvements are expected to be greater than the available funds. Projects not recommended for funding are considered for inclusion in the bicycle and pedestrian elements of the Salem Transportation System Plan.

Submit proposals to Julie Warncke, Transportation Planning Manager, Public Works Department, 555 Liberty Street SE, Room 325, Salem, Oregon 97301-3513 or jwarncke@cityofsalem.net. For more information, please contact Warncke or Kevin Hottmann at 503-588-6211.

Straub Center hosts wind class for kids

Elementary school students can attend a free class on wind power during the month of December.

The Straub Environmental Learning Center is hosting two sessions. The first, for second and third graders, is slated for Dec. 9. The second session, for fourth and fifth graders, will be held on Dec. 16. Times for both classes are 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Participants will explore the power of wind, how the sun contributes to it's creation, discover windmills larger than the Statue of Liberty, and how to harness its power for the benefit of the planet. The class includes the construction of an electricity-producing windmill.

Classes are held at the 1320 A Street NE, in Salem. Pre-registration is not required.

Hold up, don't toss that holiday Styrofoam

Packages start rolling in with increased frequency during the holidays generating a mountain of Styrofoam packaging, but there's now a local option for recycling it.

Fresh Start Market, 3020 Center Street NE, in Salem, accepts clean dry block packaging foam, meat trays, egg cartons and clean Styrofoam takeout containers for recycling. The site cannot accept foam with tape, construction foam or packing peanuts (but call 503-588-5169 for reuse options on the latter.)

Bailey Payne, recycling coordinator for Marion County Public Works Environmental Services, offered other tips for a greener holiday season:

Reuse whenever possible.

Tear off the backs of greeting cards and use the back for scratch paper.

Remove ribbons, bows and, ideally, tape from gift wrap before putting them into the recycle bin.

Order holiday greeting cards from a recycling service. St. Judes Ranch for Children (www.stjudesranch.org) is one option.

"Most gift wrap can be recycled," Payne said. "Cards & gift wrap that have a metallic foil can not be recycled. When I get envelopes like that I just rip off that part of the envelope that has it and recycle the rest."