Expanding the Ban & Cherry Harvest is Wrapping Up
Expanding the Ban & Cherry Harvest is Wrapping Up plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.
Two years ago the city of Portland banned the use of plastic bags and that ban may be spilling over into the suburbs and beyond. A group called Environment Oregon is gathering signatures from residents in Tigard, Lake Oswego and Beaverton in an effort to ban the bag in those towns. Some residents are not too keen on the idea although the cities themselves may be open to the idea. After the ban went into effect in Portland the use of reusable shopping bags skyrocketed.
After a questionable start the NW cherry harvest is wrapping up. BJ Thurlby with NW Cherries says they are hoping to see a total of 15-million boxes when all is said and done.
THURLBY: I think that we are probably 95% along. You know this is winding down in a hurry and with the warmer weather we’ve had and we did have a bit of a compressed bloom on the backend and we’re seeing that now so we are now harvesting the late harvesting orchards. Most of those orchards are in the northern part of the state of Washington and some of the upper, higher elevation areas in the state of Oregon but that’s really all that there is left.
Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.
Sunset Magazine offers readers a glimpse into all the unique and wonderful ways to “experience the west”. Every year they show their Sunset Idea Houses during their big Sunset Celebration Weekend event. The houses are showcases for well designed green-built living. This year Sunset is going all out by not just showcasing an Idea House, but an Idea Town in Seabrook, Washington. Seabrook is laid out to be pedestrian friendly, with smaller houses in a clustered design incorporating back lanes, (anyone remember alley ways?), and neighbor friendly front porches; all with the convenience of being able to access a community’s important public spaces and necessities with just a five minute walk. Starting this Friday tours of the Idea Houses within the Idea Town will be offered with a portion of the proceeds going to the Seabrook Community Foundation, which benefits several causes throughout Grays Harbor County. Walkable communities aren’t a new concept, before the introduction of the automobile communities needed to be compact and pedestrian manageable. Thankfully, we are rediscovering the importance of once again building true “community”.
Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.
