A tree in Minto-Brown Island Park on a foggy morning. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter)
Salem wants to know how you think the city should adapt for climate change in the next 30 years as it embarks on a yearlong process to develop a climate action plan.
Residents have until Dec. 11 to weigh in on ideas they would like to see in the future to either reduce the city’s carbon footprint or help it adapt to changes like hotter summers and more extreme weather events.
LINK: Visioning ideas
People can comment on other’s ideas or use the heart icon to “like” them. Commenters are encouraged to use a series of questions as a framework when formulating their response. Some of the questions include what achievements in Salem they’re most proud of, what kinds of climate protections they’d like to see or who in the city is the most vulnerable to climate change.
One comment suggested that each neighborhood should have a place to buy or trade fresh food. Others said the city should aim to have net zero emissions by 2050.
Several countries have introduced targets to reach net-zero emissions, a process of removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere to balance out remaining human-caused emissions.
The Climate Action Plan Task Force was created this summer to guide the process of developing a plan. The group met on Nov. 18 to go over members’ vision for the future of Salem related to climate resilience.
The 40-member task force came up with several ideas for a vision, including a robust incentive program for energy upgrades, maximum possible tree canopy coverage and better frequency of public transit.
Have a tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected].
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