Visioning
Each of us has a different vision of the future, and different ideas about what is compelling and important for our community. We know that Salem will face challenges in the upcoming years as a result of climate change—the recent wildfires are just one of many extreme weather events that can occur. But Salem also has many strengths as a community, and much more capacity to become even stronger.
The first pillar of the Climate Action Plan process is Visioning. So what will a strong Salem look like in 30 years? We need your help to create this vision, which will help guide the rest of the planning process. As we identify vulnerabilities and develop strategies to reduce Salem’s climate impact and make the community more resilient, we’ll refer back to this vision to ensure we’re working to create outcomes the Salem community is striving for.
Envisioning a Resilient Salem activity. During the first workshop, the Task Force was asked to share their ideas about what a resilient Salem of 2050 would look like. Resilience is the ability to adapt to and thrive in an ever-changing environment. We’d like to ask you the same question and to invite you to share your ideas about what a thriving Salem could look like in the future. Click the tab “Add Your Visioning Ideas” below to start sharing your input. (If you’re interested in reviewing the video of the Task Force completing this Visioning exercise, check out the livestream recording at timestamp 1:36:45.)
What do you already love about Salem? activity (see map below). “Drop a Pin” on the map and add a note about your favorite place or aspect of Salem, including an image if you can!
The livestream recording and slide deck from the Task Force Workshop focused on Visioning are available for your review on the Project Resources page, along with the results of the October Community Survey.
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What would a carbon-neutral and resilient Salem of 2050 be like?
On October 12, 2020, the Salem City Council adopted a greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal that calls for emissions to be reduced 50% by 2035 (based on 2016 levels) and to be carbon neutral by 2050. This bold and ambitious goal will guide the development of Salem’s Climate Action Plan and of the City’s activities for years to come.
Creating a practical vision of the future is the first step in our climate planning process because it depicts a destination at which we plan to arrive where emissions have been reduced and Salem residents are protected from extreme weather events.
Close your eyes and imagine the City of Salem 30 years from now. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced and the City is carbon neutral. The City is experiencing more extreme weather events, but the Climate Action Plan has been successful, and the community has increased its resilience. Salem will be highlighted by a major news magazine as the “Climate Resilient City of the Year.” You have been selected to lead a tour of the reporters through the community, to show them and inform them all the different aspects that have made Salem successful, visible or not.
Think about the questions below, and click the “Add Your Idea” button to write down ONE characteristic per idea card of a carbon neutral and resilient Salem that you would like to see in the future, as concretely as possible. (Instead of writing “emissions reduction” consider writing “EV transportation infrastructure” or instead of “clean energy,” write “distributed solar power.”) You can add as many idea cards as you like, so please only share one distinct idea per card. You can also comment on others’ ideas and/or use the heart icon to “like” other ideas, to show that the idea is something you envision as well. This activity will be available until December 11th.
- What achievements in Salem are you most proud of?
- What are some of the ways that greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced?
- What kinds of things do you see and hear walking around?
- What kinds of protections against climate hazards do you see?
- What does transportation look like?
- How is the economy working?
- What socio-economic characteristics do you see?
- When you interview residents, how do they feel about their city?
- How are organizations and residents helping each other in times of need?
- How do critical services work?
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Who in the city is vulnerable?
View All Ideas5 months ago
Phase out combustion engines within the City limits.
Phase out combustion engines within the City limits over the next 15 years, starting with small appliances such as gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers.
5 months ago
Increase the city's overall tree canopy cover.
Public parks are invaluable to our communities. Every Salem/Keizer citizen should have access to safe, healthy and welcoming parks.
5 months ago
Healthy food options are available to senior residents to help them age in place
6 months ago
I'm concerned you're more focused on resilience/adapting to climate change (cc), than on preventing catastrophic cc. Please think bigger.
Encourage bike/walk with better city street layout. This means looking at parking and public transit.
6 months ago
First things first: Meet emissions goals, draw down carbon, then focus on resilience.
The Salem city council has already agreed on two essential goals: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to get halfway there by 2035. These goals are paramount, and can best be achieved by strong measures to reduce per capita carbon emissions and to shift to renewable energy wherever possible--especially in transportation. Longer term goals should focus on relocalizing and diversifying our economy as much as possible--especially in food production and distribution--and on prioritizing regenerative agricultural methods that sequester carbon in topsoil. These two goals go hand in hand. Only THEN should we focus on building climate resilience, through widening riparian buffer zones to control increased flooding, hardening infrastructure on fire-vulnerable homes, and stop building houses in fire-prone areas (such as hilltops and ridges).
