An Earth Day for Conservation and Climate Justice
Land Use Planning lays the groundwork for an adaptable and equitable future.
On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day drew crowds of 20 million people to streets, parks, and auditoriums to raise a collective voice against widespread pollution and its health consequences. Communities from coast to coast raised the alarm, serving as a catalyst for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and sweeping legislation like the Clean Air Act.
Today’s Earth Day looks a bit different. Over the past fifty years, global communities have come face to face with the existential threat of climate change. Facing a worldwide crisis caused by the very systems our society now relies on, it can be hard to feel like we can make a difference.
Fortunately, we have a secret weapon in Oregon’s statewide land use planning system, which has been fighting climate change for almost as long as Earth Day has been around.
Land Use & Climate Change
The biggest contributors to climate change are tied to the way we use our land. As more and more land gets overtaken by sprawling development, those factors stack up:
When natural areas are cleared to make room for new development, we lose important “carbon sinks” that convert CO2 to oxygen.
If that new development is far away from the community centers people rely on, new roads are built and more car trips are generated, ensuring more fossil fuels are used for daily transportation.
Standalone buildings that don’t make efficient use of space (i.e. by sharing walls) require more electricity than multi-use buildings that use vertical space more effectively.
Once that type of built environment is set, it all but guarantees a century of further impact on our climate and our health.
But, in 1973, the people of Oregon approved a visionary land use system to protect our natural resources and encourage well-planned cities and towns.
Statewide Zoning
All land in the State is zoned as either rural or urban. Rural lands are protected by limiting what can be developed, protecting open land for farming and wildlife, while urban land is planned for development. Though climate change was not on anyone’s mind at the time, the framework Oregonians set up in 1973 has prevented fifty years’ worth of sprawl and the additional damage to our atmosphere that would have come with it.*
*It has also helped communities reduce risk of natural hazards by requiring them to be considered during planning processes – especially reducing the risk of destruction by wildfire by limiting sprawl into the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
Be a Climate Hero
With more people moving to Central Oregon every day, the most impactful thing YOU can do to fight climate change is to help us advocate for well-planned cities and towns that have compact, complete and vibrant neighborhoods for all. Here are some other actions to take right now:
1. Participate in the statewide conversation on climate-friendly and equitable communities
To help reach Oregon’s goals for reducing climate pollution, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development is strengthening Oregon’s Administrative rules around transportation and land use. They have formed a Climate-friendly and Equitable Communities Rulemaking Advisory Committee to make sure the rules address the needs of marginalized communities while reducing carbon emissions.
Community Conversation on Climate-friendly and Equitable Communities
Take this online workshop & survey: This workshop and conversation are hosted by DLCD staff to get input from people across the state.
Sign up for the live community conversation. This group is coming to Bend (virtually) on Tuesday, May 11th, from 12pm – 1:30 pm. Click here to register.
2. Support adding a climate justice goal for land use planning
While Oregon’s land use planning system has been a key tool in the State’s arsenal to fight climate change, it does not explicitly address climate change adaptation, mitigation, or environmental justice for disadvantaged communities. A bill currently under consideration by the Oregon State Legislature would change that.
There are currently 19 Land Use Goals that guide local government planning in Oregon.
HB 2488, a bill currently under consideration in the Oregon State Legislature, would add a twentieth goal to address climate equity. The bill would have Oregon’s cities and counties to consider climate justice during their planning processes.
Moey Newbold, Director of Urban Planning, recently submitted testimony in support of the bill. Read her testimony here.
Support Goal 20! Support HB 2488! Click here to send an email to the committee members.
At LandWatch, we know that defending land use policy will give us the best chance of adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change. Land use advocacy is climate advocacy. Make your support of Oregon’s land use system a part of your Earth Day celebration.