Greener Pastures: Corvallis, Oregon

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With an average of 43 inches of rain per year, and winter temperatures rarely dipping below freezing, the mild climate affords local gardeners and farmers with an exceptionally long growing season, the bounty of which fills the bellies of residents with a delicious variety of fresh, organic produce nearly year-round. More than 10 organic farms sink their roots into the rich alluvial soils surrounding Corvallis, and most of them sell their produce at the twice-weekly farmer's market, as well as through several community supported agriculture programs.

A binding force in this community is the First Alternative Grocery Co-op, arguably one of the finest co-ops in the Country. With an emphasis on local, organic produce and bulk foods, First Alternative is everything a co-op should be: warm, friendly and full of character (as well as characters). But what makes this co-op unique is not so much the food it provides, but the services it offers the community: a well-used message board for ongoing and upcoming event=5, a lending library with books on ecological living, a venue for speakers and presentations, and a comprehensive recycling center that includes bins for everything from Styrofoam to used batteries.

Curbside recycling in Corvallis also is available, and Corvallis Disposal even provides free compost bins to encourage residents to compost their organic materials. All nonrecyclable material is trucked to the local Coffin Butte landfill, one of the most progressive and efficient landfills in the country-and perhaps even the world. Using methane gas produced by decaying organic matter to fuel their generators, the Coffin Butte Research Project produces approximately 2.4 megawatts of electricity per year, enough to power 2,000 homes. Not only does the CBRP produce electricity from rubbish, but according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, it also prevents 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 100 tons of sulfur dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year. And Corvallians take their clean air seriously: A comprehensive ban on smoking passed in 1998 allows citizens to breathe deeply, even in restaurants and taverns.

The community actively participates in seeking solutions to other environmental problems. Several grassroots organizations, including the Corvallis Environmental Center and the Greenbelt Land Trust, work to preserve the city's green spaces. Recently, an alternative fuels co-op has formed with the goal of providing biodiesel, which is a vegetable oil-based fuel rather than petrochemical-based, to power the community's diesel cars and trucks.

For pedal-power proponents, Corvallis has a solid network of hike lanes covering 95 percent of the main roads, for a total of 60 miles. Thirteen miles of multi-use paths wind throughout the town, making Corvallis exceptionally friendly to both pedestrians and cyclists. A 1997 survey indicated that more than 13 percent of area residents regularly commute by bicycle, one of the highest percentages in the country. Residents take their cycling seriously: The kinetic sculpture races, part of the annual art, science and technology festival known as da Vinci Days, allow folks to exercise their mental and physical prowess. Teams spend hours, even months, designing these wild-wheeled contraptions. Sporting names like the Killer Tomato or the Maltese Fulcrum, the teams' creations must survive a challenging course, but also must meet the aesthetic demands of the judges and audience.

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