Sustainable Governance and Organizational Change Publications
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The Sustainable Governance and Organizational Change program includes the University of Oregon Sustainability Leadership Academy and projects related to sustainability change management and governance strategies for local governments, communities, and private companies and watershed governance and sustainability.
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Item Open Access Guidelines for Conducting a Special Needs Emergency Management Assessment(Resource Innovations ; Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2006-05) Bollig, Shaun R.; Lynn, KathyItem Open Access EPA policy on flexible state enforcement responses to small community violations: an assessment of activities and results, 1995-1998(Center for Watershed and Community Health, 1998-09) Dowling-Wu, LyndaIn June of 1998, the Chemical Commercial Services and Municipal Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency determined that there was a need to evaluate the effectiveness of its Policy on Flexible State Enforcement Responses to Small Community Violations ("the policy."). The Center for Watershed and Community Health was identified as an appropriate organization to carry out the evaluation based on the experience of staff with the policy and with the flexible compliance programs in Oregon and Idaho. This report focuses on the programs operating in Nebraska and Oregon. The Nebraska Mandates Management Initiative project (NMMI) and Environmental Partnerships for Oregon Communities (EPOC) both represent well-established programs that have been developed the most fully. NMMI was begun in 1994 and was initiated from the Nebraska Governor's Office. EPOC was begun in 1992 and began in the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The purpose of this report is to examine how states have implemented the policy and whether the policy itself is effective in outlining parameters in which individual states can have discretion to offer comprehensive multi-media assistance to small community violators. Flexible compliance programs that take a multi-media approach to enforcing regulations are an alternative to the traditional methods of enforcement. By understanding the impact of the policy on these flexible compliance programs, the EPA will be better able to assess the effectiveness of the policy and make revisions as necessary to improve its responsiveness.Item Open Access Crisis or opportunity? Oregon's environmental programs at the crossroads: a framework to decouple economic growth from environmental impacts to achieve sustainable development(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 1999-10) Doppelt, Bob; Shinn, CraigIt is clear to many that Oregon’s approach to environmental management is at a crossroads. The state can continue to manage the environment one crisis at a time or, it can establish an framework which leads to agreement over what is needed to manage the environment sustainably and mobilizes, guides and integrates efforts to achieve those ends. This would help resolve today’s problems and respond to new ones before they become crisis. It would also position Oregon as a center of excellence in environmentally efficient business and community development. This document outlines the potential components of a framework to achieve the latter. This can be called a framework to place Oregon on a path towards Sustainable Development. The proposed framework has three overall components: the state would declare that achieving sustainable development is a top priority and establish clear goals and a mechanisms to mobilize, guide and integrate government, private sector and community efforts towards this end; each state agency would adopt clear goals and outcome-based strategies to align internal rules, regulations and programs and to mobilize, guide and support constituent efforts to achieve the new state sustainability goal; and ongoing private sector and community sustainability efforts would be complemented by new initiatives aimed at the common state goal of achieving sustainable development.Item Open Access Stewardship Plan: HB 3135(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 1999) Oregon. Legislative Assembly. House of RepresentativesDeclares sustainable development as policy goal of State of Oregon. Establishes Sustainable Development Task Force to study feasibility of adopting goal oriented and performance based regulatory system to achieve goal. Declares emergency, effective July 1, 1999.Item Open Access Executive summary: “Towards a Sustainable Oregon”(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2000)The statewide use of “green” building practices in commercial and residential development could lower energy, water and construction related clean-up costs in Oregon and Washington by more than $90 million per year while providing a direct benefit to salmon habitat and the environment by reducing construction impact on streams and watersheds. Commercial tenants of “green” buildings pay up to 35% less for lighting, heating and cooling, water and sewer fees. Widespread adoption of electricity conservation practices in Oregon and Washington can save hundreds of megawatts of power - generated in this region largely by hydroelectric dams that can have a harmful impact on salmon - and save residential and commercial consumers more than $70 million dollars each year. Simple water conservation measures adopted throughout Oregon and Washington would reduce water consumption by nearly 15 billion gallons each year – enough for 114,000 average families of four for a year – and save consumers $12 million annually on their water bills. Construction sites generate nearly 60,000 pounds of sediment per acre per year. This sediment is a major culprit in clogged streams and damaged salmon habitat, raises the risk of flood damage, and increases filtration costs for water users. Instituting erosion control measures on the 15,500 acres used for construction sites in Washington would save taxpayers nearly $2 million annually. Urban landscaping uses more than a million pounds of pesticides in the Willamette Valley alone – that’s more than three times agricultural use and costs about $760,000. These pesticides runoff with rainfall, polluting streams. Reducing urban pesticide usage to agricultural levels throughout the region would save nearly $1 million in Washington and $780,000 in Oregon. Green building practices can reduce the amount of impervious surfaces (i.e., pavement), that speed rainfall runoff, increasing floods and carrying pollutants into streams by 50 percent. In addition, green buildings use less wood, reducing demand for lumber that may be necessary for intact forest ecosystems and valuable shading of salmon streams.Item Open Access Executive Order No. EO 03-03: a sustainable Oregon for the 21st Century(State of Oregon, 2003-06-17) Kulongoski, Ted, 1940-This executive order is intended to support and drive the goals of the Oregon Sustainability Act (Act) adopted by the Legislature in 2001. Using the powers vested in the Oregon Sustainability Board under the Act, this Order directs the Board and state employees to move us closer to a more “sustainable” state.Item Open Access Public agency handbook on sustainbility(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2000)In practical terms sustainability means applying cost-saving techniques and systems planning to phase-in the development of "closed-loop" economic systems. In closed-loop systems, non-toxic, renewable sources of energy and raw materials are extracted from nature in a manner and at a rate that does not degrade ecological systems. There are environmental and economic reasons for a sustainability initiative. A growing stable of research shows that while sustainability practices may require initial investments, they generally have a rapid payback leading to large returns in investment. Sustainability can be defined through direct means and by following a set of principles. An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a system that addresses those aspects of organizational or community operations which impact the environment. An EMS includes an organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the organization's environmental (sustainability) policy.Item Open Access Towards a sustainable Oregon: barriers and policy recommendations(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2000-12-12)State and local governments in Oregon can play a key role in helping Oregon firms and communities achieve the multiple economic, social and environmental benefits of sustainability identified in the economic reports. While this is not an inclusive list, the following actions can help achieve this end: 1. Set clear sustainability goals and targets, and gather the right data; 2. Establish state sustainability center; 3. Promote new sustainable technologies and industry; 4. Foster increased product-service combinations; 5. Encourage sustainability within financial services; 6. Foster the adoption of private sector sustainability practices; 7. Promote sustainability benchmarking; 8. Improve product quality; 9. Facilitate the introduction of sustainable products and services into the marketplace; 10. Develop zero emissions and waste programs and policies; 11. Assist small and mid-sized firms to adopt sustainability practices; 12. Expand green building and construction; 13. Spur the construction of sustainable industrial estates; 14. Develop "Economic Value-Chain" programs; 15. Promote the development of bioproducts (a “Carbohydrate-based Economy”); 16. Foster and support sustainable agriculture; and 17. Support sustainable rural development.Item Open Access Towards a sustainable Washington: the benefits of “decoupling” economic growth from the growth of environment impacts(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2000-09-26) Doppelt, BobThe Center for Watershed and Community Health, a research institute in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, in partnership with academic and private economists in Washington, is investigating the costs and benefits of environmentally sustainable business and government practices. Five major economic reports and two handbooks have been produced so far. Each found that the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices is good for the overall economy, good for individual businesses, good for government, and, almost as a side benefit, good for salmon and the environment. In short, we found that sustainability practices are often just plain good business.Item Open Access A template for local government sustainable development initiatives(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2001-01-29) Bryant, Steve; Burgess, Scott; Hare, Wes; Jordan, Roger; Mott, Gregory; Pappas, Cynthia; Rohde, Karl W.; Schubert, John; Friedman, Bill; Swaim, Mike; Tiffany, Willie; Wheeldon, Carole; Welsch, AlexanderThis document outlines a step-by-step process, or template, which any local government can follow when adopting sustainable development policies, programs and practices. It is intended for use with an introductory companion document entitled Context and Background for Local Government Sustainable Development Initiatives. Members of the League of Oregon Cities developed both documents, with staff assistance from the Center for Watershed and Community Health at Portland State University. The documents are working drafts, and the authors request feedback on their usefulness, content and presentation. While organized sequentially here, the development of a sustainability initiative is not a linear process. You can start anywhere you want. Some communities may follow the template step-by-step, starting with the adoption of authorizing policies and guiding principles. Others may initiate pilot projects to understand the costs and benefits of the approach. The more effective sustainability initiatives usually circle back and forth through the inter-related steps a number of times as they develop and continually improve their program. This template, therefore, simply outlines the common, major components of successful local government sustainable development initiatives. It offers suggestions for how to approach key issues. It also provides examples of how various communities have approached the issues. Though there are commonalities among strategies, there is no one-size-fits-all design. Each local government must develop an initiative tailored to the unique needs, culture, economy and environment of its community.Item Open Access A template for resource productivity/sustainability programs in forest products manufacturing facilities(Center for Watershed and Community Health, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government, Portland State University, 2001-03-26) Harvey, Dale; Smith, Elizabeth; Jimerson, Lee; Schooler, Eric; Loupin, Patrick; Sohn, Howard; Schroader, Scott; Kimmel, Max; Watson, Lisa; Welsch, AlexanderThis document introduces the principles and practices of resource productivity and sustainable development as they may apply to forest products manufacturing firms and facilities. It was developed by a group of forest products professionals with staffing assistance from the Center for Watershed and Community Health at Portland State University. This is a working draft, and the authors request feedback on content, presentation and usefulness. Part I of the document provides background information on resource productivity and sustainability. It is intended to prepare the reader to use the template outlined in Part II. The template is organized around the steps involved with answering the five key questions that should drive the development of your resource productivity/sustainability program.Item Open Access Building a sustainable Oregon from within: a formative review of the State of Oregon’s Sustainability Initiative(Center For Watershed And Community Health, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2002-10) Farrell, Ben; Mintz, Melanie; Zimmerman, Adam; Doppelt, Bob; Baldwin, JohnThis report summarizes the results of a formative review of the State of Oregon’s efforts to adopt sustainability measures. In May 2000 Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber signed Executive Order No. EO-00-07 (EO) directing Oregon state government to develop policies and programs that will assist Oregon in meeting a goal of sustainability within one generation – by 2025. In 2001 the Oregon Legislature enacted House Bill (HB) 3948, making the adoption of sustainability measures within state government part of state law. For the purposes of this report, the combination of the Governor's EO and HB 3948 is referred to as the State of Oregon's “Sustainability Initiative,” or simply the “Initiative.” This review was undertaken to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the process of institutionalizing sustainability into everyday state agency operations and to identify actions that could enhance the success of the Initiative over time. The review was also undertaken as a learning experience for University of Oregon graduate students Ben Farrell, Melanie Mintz, and Adam Zimmerman, who did the majority of the planning, research and writing. Bob Doppelt, Director of the Center for Watershed and Community Health, and Dr. John Baldwin, University of Oregon Associate Professor of Planning, Public Policy and Management, supervised the project.Item Open Access Executive Order 02-03: sustainable practices by state agencies(State of Washington, 2002-09-18) Locke, Gary, 1950-Item Open Access Status and trends of sustainability practices in Lane County: an analysis of survey data(Program for Watershed and Community Health, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2003-10-10) Scott, Jennifer P.; Nunez, Tina; Reesor, David; LeVan, ShandaIn the spring of 2003, a written survey was mailed to 157 businesses and non-profit organizations in Lane County that were determined to have potentially applied sustainability practices or policies in their operations (i.e. to be considered part of the “sustainability sector”). The goal of the survey was to determine the extent to which sustainability practices are being applied, the types of practices adopted, their costs and benefits, the potential for future growth, and what may be needed to help expand the practices. In June of 2003 a second survey was mailed to 113 public agencies in rural and urban communities from throughout Lane County. This survey sought to determine the extent to which the agencies have applied sustainability practices, the financial, social, and environmental outcomes of those applications, and their interest in doing more. This report summarizes the findings and potential conclusions that can be drawn from the information received from the two surveys. The analysis for of the private sector survey was completed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and the analysis of the public sector survey was completed using MS Excel.Item Open Access Fifty leading economists warn Oregon : global warming to come with a big price tag(Global Warming and Society/Climate Change Resource Center, Resource Innovations, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon, 2005-10-11) Doppelt, Bob; Goodstein, Eban S., 1960-Oct. 11, 2005 press release to Oregon leaders warning of economic impact of global warming.