Oregon Environmental Council

Oregon Environmental Council or OEC is an Oregon-based, member supported nonprofit environmental advocacy group. The group is known for its work on state environmental legislation such as the bottle bill and pesticide use reporting. Programs include work with policy, business and individuals to solve global warming, protect kids from toxic exposure, ensure clean and healthy rivers, build sustainable economies and ensure healthy food and local farms.

History

Back in 1968, a group of ordinary citizens came together to form the Oregon Environmental Council. These were PTA and garden club members, outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists and other folks who believed they could get more done to protect the legacy of a clean and healthy Oregon by working together.

OEC's 17 staff are housed in Portland, OR and travel across the state to work with advocacy partners, business and citizens. The executive director is Andrea Durbin who has served since 2006. Andrea is the fifth person – and the first woman – to serve as executive director.

Key Accomplishments

Key accomplishments of Oregon Environmental Council include:

• 1968 - Passed Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Bill
• 1971 - Led citizen support that passed Oregon’s bottle bill, the first in the nation.
• 1977 - Secured nation’s first ban on certain ozone-depleting chemicals.
• 1991 - Secured the nation’s first law requiring state agencies to minimize pesticide use.
• 2003 - Passed a first-of-its-kind tax incentive for insurance companies to offer Pay-as-You-Drive (per-mile) auto insurance. When available, PAYD insurance will offer drivers more control over driving expenses and provide a strong financial incentive to drive less.
• 2006 - Won national EPA Children’s Environmental Health Excellence Award for our Eco-Healthy Child Care and Tiny Footprints programs that help parents and caregivers reduce children’s exposure to toxic chemicals
• 2007 - Launched the Carbon Neutral Challenge for Oregon wineries, with more than 30 wineries participating to reduce their carbon footprint.
• 2008 - Released landmark Pollution in People report, which tested the bodies of 10 Oregon men and women for chemicals, followed by the Price of Pollution report, the state’s first-ever economic assessment of the true costs of environmentally triggered disease in Oregon.

See also

• Sustainability
• Biodiversity
• Global warming
• Recycling
• Ecology
• Earth Science
• Natural environment

Oregon Environmental Council Web sites

• Oregon Environmental Council homepage
• Tiny Footprints resources for parents