Helpful Information
What is the Milwaukie Climate Action Plan?
Milwaukie’s Climate Action Plan is the roadmap to preparing for and reducing the impacts of climate change for Milwaukie's current and future generations.
Developed by community members and staff through numerous workgroups, surveys and a large climate summit, the Milwaukie Community Climate Action Plan includes opportunities for local government, households, businesses and organizations to join together to address the challenge of climate change. In the face of the climate crisis, the City of Milwaukie declared a climate emergency on January 21, 2020, accelerating the goals outlined in the original Climate Action Plan by five years and recommitting the city to taking fast and effective climate action.
Read the full Milwaukie Community Climate Action Plan and the Household Climate Action Plan today!
Haga clic aquí para aprender más sobre el Resumen Ejecutivo y Estrategias para los Hogares del Plan de Acción Climática de Milwaukie
Learn more about the adopted 2018 Milwaukie Community Climate Action Plan by watching the video below!
What are Milwaukie's Climate Goals?
Milwaukie has three main climate goals, shown below. These goals were accelerated by a Climate Emergency Declaration by City Council in 2020 - the current dates for each goal are shown below.
Milwaukie's accelerated climate goals
Why invest in trees for climate action?
Growing and managing a healthy tree canopy is one of the most cost-effective ways to lower community carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Trees reduce the intensity of the urban heat island effect, where developed areas with a lot of dark paved surfaces like asphalt and concrete heat up and stay hotter than surrounding landscapes that have more vegetation. Trees shade hot streets and buildings, reducing energy bills and improving community health. Trees capture surface water and stabilize soils, improving community resiliency to flooding and other storm events which are increasing due to climate change. Trees are also offer significant ecosystem, cultural, historical, and aesthetic benefits to the community!
Learn more about Milwaukie's urban forestry program by watching the video below:
What are Electric Vehicles and why promote them?
The electrical grid is becoming cleaner over time as more carbon-free generation sources like solar and wind are built. Powered by electricity, Electric Vehicles (EVs) produce much less emissions compared to their fossil fuel counterparts. EVs also create less air pollution, are quieter, require less maintenance, and can be more affordable to drive - and who wouldn't want that?
The city is working with local utilities to increase the amount of charging stations available in Milwaukie, and exploring ways to reduce costs for first-time EV ownership through the climate fund. The city also is looking to explore other electrified transportation modes like e-bikes and electric buses.
Learn more about EVs and access information in other languages through Forth Mobility's EV 101 website.