My Other Car Is a Bicycle

By Hilary Berg, OWP Editor

The other day while driving in Portland, I took mental inventory of the many bumper stickers out there. In the Rose City, it’s all about green.

“May the Forest be with You” is pretty good. “Save the Earth. It’s the only planet with chocolate” definitely hits home. “COMPOST: The rind is a terrible thing to waste” is really quite clever; and “Your fries give me gas” just makes me laugh.

Whether plastered on the back of an SUV — I am not kidding; I’ve seen it many times — or on the back of a Prius, bumper stickers are supposed to say something about the person behind the wheel. Whether or not the driver’s actions match his adhesive admonishments is another story.

These decals are a lot of fun; but actions speak louder than words.

Honest-to-goodness “green” people take Mother Earth very seriously. Achieving a smaller carbon footprint takes effort. Kermit the Frog wasn’t kidding: It’s not easy bein’ green.

If you want to soup up your sustainability, look no further than local wineries and vineyards for inspiration. One of the greenest groups in the state, the Oregon wine industry is impressive in its eco efforts.

As you read the August issue, you will discover how sustainability is at the core of the industry’s success. The vines sure like it, and the wines show it.

For members of the Deep Roots Coalition, dry farming is a fundamental practice that’s earth friendly and, they say, leads to wines more characteristic of place.

Notice the news included in the feature. Russ Raney, one of the founders of the DRC, has decided to sell his winery, Evesham Wood. We included it with the cover story to underscore the fact that Raney’s dry farming practices will live on through new owners Erin and Jordan Nuccio.

First-time OWP contributor Janis Miglavs wrote the second feature about a one-of-a-kind Biodynamic tasting. Miglavs may be a newbie to our pub, but he is a longtime photographer and writing professional, and I knew he would impress.

In fact, all the August contributors did an excellent job.

For them — and for you — I will end my letter with a little bumper sticker humor: “Always proofread. You might have something out.”

Clever. I totally need of those for my car.