It's mid-March and we've had 2 great gatherings down at the south waterfront to begin discussing the city's physical, pyschological & spiritual health.
Livability and thriving intact neighborhoods was at the top of the list of things people want to preserve. Definitely an element associated with the "heart meridian". Concerned about rising costs of living here and inequality, people being priced out of the city.
Keeping Portland weird was also up there. There's a vibrant young energy here in the music scene, the outdoor community and from skateboarders & zoobombers, which acupuncturists tell me corresponds to the city's very healthy liver meridian.
A clean and healthy urban ecosystem is of course important. Ecologists and naturalists noted that the city's increasing density fueled by Portland's growing population and strict urban growth boundary is going to put pressure on urban green spaces & wildlife habitats. The flip side is sprawl which has a much bigger downside. How do we balance this?
Of course cleaner rivers. The Willamette is so much cleaner than it used to be but people want it to be clean enough to swim in it. Sort of a litmus test.
Around the issues of traffic and congestion, the new I-5 bridge project came up. Some people are concerned that adding more lanes over the Columbia will just worsen the traffic congestion in Portland.
By the end of the month I hope to have devised Portland's acupuncture treatment, choosing point locations that best represent the city's short and long term health issues.
Stay tuned...
Saturday, March 15, 2008
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