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I'm 27, live in Salem, commute to Eugene several times a week for school, and grew up outside of La Grande. My concern is with policies on climate change and other environmental issues. My experience with rural Oregon included a family that recycled because garbage service didn't extend to our house and people whose lives depended on the timber industry. Now I recycle for different reasons, but I see so many more "environmentalists" in urban Oregon, trying to save the precious wilderness that is on the other side of the state. While I agree that we need to all do our part to conserve and live responsibly, I fear the issue for many rural Oregonians comes down to employment and transportation. Not only are these people not heard by urban Oregon, they often feel that their actions are not as significant in the big picture. What is one F150 against a whole city of Hybrids?

posted 5 years, 1 month ago
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