The best part of embracing local living is meeting the people around you. Meet other locals at places like the neighborhood farmers market, where you’re ten times more likely to chat than in a store. And consider taking your next vacation locally. Airplanes have significant CO2emissions (find out how much at carboncounter.org).
Outings & Outdoor Classes
We love our city, but we love getting out of town just as much. Find a group like the Mazamas, a non-profit formed in 1894 that continues to offer classes and activities for every level. Search for a new hiking route in the area by type, difficulty, or even view at the Portland Hikers Field Guide. Wildflower lovers will like the plant hikes through the Oregon Native Plant Society, which lists the expected plant sightings in the hike descriptions. Set out to see Great Blue Herons and more with the Portland Audubon adult classes and field trips. Their Wild in the City series has many easy to get to meetings that include a popular Oaks Bottom evening stroll and urban ecoroof tours in addition to longer paddling and biking trips.

Portlandish Events
We’ve seen the Keep Portland Weird bumper stickers, and these two events are delightfully Portlandish. In the middle of winter ride your bike in the Worst Day of the Year Ride, an 18-mile odyssey around downtown Portland. Near the end of August find a place on the side of Mt. Tabor to see teams climb into homemade vehicles and speed down during the Adult Soap Box Derby. Past entries have been to resemble giant bathtubs, dinosaurs, and fully stocked office cubicles.