Who's online

There are currently 1 user and 14 guests online.

Sustainability and Environmental Justice: Why Race (Still) Matters

Portland prides itself on its status as one of America’s greenest cities — but the benefits of living in a sustainable city are not distributed equally among its residents. When compared with its white population, Portland’s minorities tend to live in areas with poorer air quality and higher asthma rates. Minorities are also more likely to live in neighborhoods where the land is contaminated by past use and where it is harder to access natural areas. On January 22, City Club welcomes Willamette University Law Professors Robin Morris Collin and Robert William Collin for a discussion of sustainability and environmental justice.

Robin Morris Collin, Director of Willamette’s Certificate Program in Sustainability Law, will discuss the impact of human and economic activities on the larger ecosystem, while highlighting how minorities in Oregon often receive an inequitable distribution of the benefits and burdens of policies intended to enhance sustainability. Robert William Collin, Senior Research Scholar at Willamette’s Center for Sustainable Communities, will address how the work of environmental justice activists can challenge racial disparities in Portland and produce a genuinely more sustainable community.

Purchase tickets at www.pdxcityclub.org or call 503-228-7231 x110.

Where: The Governor Hotel, 614 SW 11th Ave., Portland OR 97205

When: Doors open at 11:30 AM, Program begins at 12:15 PM and concludes at 1:15 PM

Transportation and parking: The Governor Hotel is accessible by bus, Portland Streetcar and MAX light rail. A SmartPark garage is located one block away from the Governor Hotel at 730 S.W. 10th Ave.

Cost: Luncheon tickets are $16 for City Club members and up to two guests, $20 for nonmembers. Limited coffee/tea table tickets are $5 and are available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. General seating is free for members and $5 for nonmembers. A limited number of $5 coffee/tea tickets are available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.

Reservations: Reservations required for lunches only; reservations close at 2 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the event. Reservations for lunch are strongly encouraged. To reserve a lunch via telephone, individuals (members and non-members) should call our voice mail reservation line, 503-228-7231, ext. 110. A limited number of lunch tickets are generally available at the door. Luncheon tickets reserved after the 2:00 PM Wednesday deadline or purchased at the door will be subject to an additional $4 charge. General seating and coffee/tea tickets will be available at the door.

Sponsors: Friday Forums this quarter are sponsored by Stoel Rives, LLP, The Standard and West Coast Bank