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| Sustainability |
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What is Sustainability?
Oregon Revised statute 184.421(4) defines sustainability as “using, developing and protecting resources in a manner that enables people to meet current needs and provides that future generations also can meet future needs, from the joint perspective of environmental, economic and community objectives.”
Environmental, economic, and community objectives are often called the "three legs" or "three spheres" of sustainability. In this graph, the area where the three circles overlap is the area of sustainability-the area where all the elements of a high quality of life come together. Environmental, economic and community goals are interrelated. Changes in one of these three elements create an impact in the other two.
SUSTAINING THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmentally sustainable choices conserve natural resources, protect biodiversity, stabilize atmospheric composition and global climate, and otherwise protect the stability and productivity of earth's bio systems.
SUSTAINING THE ECONOMY
A major initiative of sustainability for the State of Oregon is economic development. The Oregon Transportation Investment Act (OTIA) is making a substantial economic impact. About 18 family-wage jobs are sustained for every $1 million spent on transportation construction in Oregon. Each year during the OTIA program, construction projects will sustain about 5,000 family-wage jobs. The OTIA program benefits also support social and environmental initiatives.
COMMUNITY
Community sustainability includes efforts to create vital downtown areas, transportation systems, and preservation of historic buildings. Trained workers, clean water, and affordable housing also are part of sustainable communities. Oregon agencies are carrying out many initiatives in these areas.
IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABILITY IN OREGON STATE AGENCIES
Former Governor Kitzhaber issued Executive Order 00-07 on May 17, 2000. The purpose was to develop and promote policies and programs to meet a goal of sustainability within one generation—by 2025. Initially, the focus was on centrally coordinated functions such as building construction and procurement, and promoting a range of efforts to enhance sustainable practices and products in Oregon's economy.
The Sustainability Act was passed by the House June 30, 2001 and the Senate July 3, 2001.
Governor Kulongoski issued Executive Order 03-03 in 2003. The goal was for 20 agencies to turn the general concept of sustainability into concrete, measurable actions. To assist agencies in creating successful sustainability plans, the Oregon Sustainability Board created a 28-page guidebook. This is an excellent resource that provides definitions of sustainability and things to consider when implementing organizational changes.
Executive Order 03-03 directed the Oregon Sustainability Board to manage and carry out a number of initiatives:
- Form a Sustainability Leadership Team comprised of representatives from various state agencies. The Team provides recommendations to the Board and manages and delivers directives from the Board to state agencies.
- Create a guidance document for state agencies to implement sustainability.
- Form an Interagency Sustainability Network. The Network is an informal forum of state agency personnel, including the Team and each Sustainability Coordinator, whose purpose is exchanging information and developing new approaches on sustainability among stage agencies.
- Maintain the Sustainable Oregon website.
- Create performance standards for all agencies.
- Twenty state agencies are required to designate a Sustainability Coordinator and submit a sustainability plan.
- Purchase supplies and products from surplus. To see what’s available go to the State Surplus web site at: http://www.das.state.or.us/DAS/PFSS/SURPLS/index.shtml
- Use the life-cycle costing method when making purchases.
- When appropriate use minority, women-owned, or emerging small businesses (OMWESB). For a list of certified and registered OMWESB companies, go to the OMWESB web site at: http://egov.oregon.gov/DCBS/OMWESB/firms.shtml
Executive Order (EO) No. 06-02 was issued January 19, 2006 by Governor Kulongoski. This Executive Order supersedes and rescinds the previous Executive Orders on Sustainability. EO 06-02 gives a summary of the accomplishments under EO-03-03, and sets forth a number of new pilot initiatives to be accomplished. EO 06-02 can be viewed at: http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/pdf/eo0602.pdf
General Guiding Principles for Sustainable Procurement
- In general, change to sustainable supply sourcing should be consistent with market capabilities rather than narrow government sourcing solutions.
- Sustainable supply sourcing solutions that are quick and easy are better.
- The State must be looking toward the future and place it’s self for sustainable supply sourcing solutions that may not be possible today, but are likely to be possible within three years.
- Shared agreement in the market place on sustainable supply sourcing approaches is valued over one-sided approaches.
- Recommendations that can be acted on must be allowed under statute and rule. Statutes and rules that put forward barriers to purchasing sustainable products and services should be identified and recommended for change.
- Networking with other groups that share similar interests is very helpful
Resource Information
NASPO Resource List ( doc)
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