Phew! We did it (almost).
After a year and a half of research and engagement, the city has a complete draft of Tualatin’s Climate Action Plan to share. I’d love to tell you more…
How we got here:
One of the Tualatin City Council’s 2030 Vision Goals is for Tualatin to be “an environmentally active, sustainable, responsible, forward-thinking community.” In the winter of 2020, the Council approved city staff to begin work on a plan to address climate change on a local level.
The Climate Action Plan (aka CAP):
The plan helps us understand how we are likely to experience climate impacts right here in Tualatin. Think of it like a roadmap, designed to help the city to take meaningful action in two primary ways: 1) to adapt to the changes in climate that we’re already experiencing, such as heat waves and wildfire/smoke, and 2) to reduce the city’s collective carbon footprint to net zero by 2050.
Quick vocab refresher:
- Climate Action – efforts taken to combat climate change and deal with its impacts
- Carbon Footprint – the total amount of greenhouse gases (gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our day-to-day activities, such as eating food, buying clothes or furniture, driving around town, and heating or cooling our homes.
- Net Zero – when the amount of carbon emissions produced equals the amount removed from the atmosphere. Reducing carbon emissions as much as, and as quickly as, possible is a major component of reaching net zero by 2050.
- Adapt to climate change – how we can become less vulnerable to, and get better at, handling the negative impacts of a changing climate.
We’ve got the draft plan, now what?
While the plan is nearly complete, it’s not over yet. We still need to present the plan to City Council on November 13th and 27th and have them adopt it. Once adopted, city staff can begin implementation – aka we’ll be done with the “planning” and get started on the “doing.”
The last piece of the puzzle – YOU
This plan was shaped by you, the Tualatin community, and we want to be sure we got it right.
Two things we know: 1) climate action isn’t without controversy and we bet that you have some thoughts – positive, negative, or somewhere in between, and 2) we certainly didn’t get to talk to everyone during the planning phase.
This brings us to the final chance to voice your support or concerns. Ask questions. Learn some more. Get some tips. Although the draft plan may look complete, it’s not yet set in stone. Feedback at this final stage may make or break what appears in the final, adopted plan and what actions the city prioritizes going forward.
Click/Scan/Enter to win by November 10
Our online open house website (scan the QR code to the right with your smartphone or visit form.jotform.com/jlainvolve/tualatin-cap-ooh-2) gives an easy-to-read overview of the plan and asks seven multiple choice questions about everyday things related to climate actions – food, health and safety, natural resources, energy, transportation, urban life, and the local economy.
If you‘ve ever been on the other side of a survey, there is a true thrill in seeing results come in as people answer the questions! In exchange for your thoughts, you can enter to win one of five $50 gift cards.
This online open house is for everyone. Why not make it a social affair? Share the link with friends, family, and neighbors in Tualatin. Have them answer the questions on their own then chat about your answers.
Besides, climate – aka long-term weather patterns in a specific place – is always a solid conversation starter!
