Portlanders have been talking in their sustainable libraries and wheat grass shot-shops about building a big, new off-road bike park. The city, and state, listened. Oregon teamed up with Indiegogo, and is looking to raise $100,000 to turn 38 acres of unused earth into a bike utopia. This could be the beginning of a new era of infrastructure investment; crowdfunding is big, but the government hasn’t so much as dipped its toe in the communally-funded pool. Since the recession, budgets have been slashed, and infrastructure projects have been stalled. Oregon could pave the way for cities and states around the country to repair their bridges and bottom lines.
[Image: Build Gateway Green, Indiegogo]
Tag: oregon
Social Enterprise Incubator Hatches in Portland, Oregon
Birds of a feather flock together, so it makes sense that a new sustainable business support center in Oregon is called Hatch. Tenants in the green co-working space (including energy-efficient lighting and recycled windows) will work alongside liked-minded companies who share their commitment to doing good while making a living. The site will also sponsor and support newly emerging social enterprises in the LaunchLab and host monthly expert lectures. This kind of collaborative co-working space is picking up steam around the country as part of the “new mutualism” movement that brings independent workers and businesses together for win-win partnerships.