I’ve long known of my aversion for chaos, blood, and violence, but somehow I thought that if it really came down to it, I’d rise above myself and commit heroic acts. But then, a year ago, I took Neighborhood Emergency Training, which is all about what to do in case of disaster. For seven Saturday [...]

Last winter I joined some friends for a rally sponsored by Basic Rights Oregon on the capitol steps in Salem. Despite my keen interest in politics I had never actively rallied for a cause in the state capital before, and it was certainly an eye opener. As my friends and I strolled around [...]

“These hillsides are extremely prone to slides, even without development. When you start building subdivisions and roads, taking out trees and roots that absorb water and hold the slopes in place, you change the balance of forces. And one result is landslides.”
John Ferguson, Geo-technical engineer
To the editor,
The “teachable moment” from natural [...]

Here’s how I’m making a difference in the world: I’m waiting for my car to drop dead. When it does, I’m not buying a new one. In the meantime, I’m practicing not having a car by riding my bike everywhere I can. This year I hope to get farther with this experiment than I [...]