We spent three days bundled up (the temperature was in the mid-20's to low 30’s) with binoculars at hand, looking for and viewing wildlife such as wolves, bison, elk, coyote, bald and golden eagles, ravens, big horn sheep and more.  We were blessed with a close viewing of the Blacktails and Druid pack of wolves on our first day and witnessed an intense attack. I use the word blessed because we never know quite what we’d see each day and the opportunity to see wolves restored to Yellowstone and in their natural setting was quite aw-inspiring.

Cell phone coverage was limited to non-existent on our vacation, which allowed us to shutout the "noise" of everyday city life and simply "be."  We were able to be part of our natural world and in turn be renewed by it.

It was a reminder of why we created For The Next-to be part of conserving our precious planet and all its inhabitants and, most importantly, making it simple and easy for you to do the same by connecting and donating to our environment.  So that years from now, our kids may too explore the wildness of our Earth.

View photographs from our trip on Facebook.

We hope you enjoy Donate Again and as always, we love to hear your feedback.

Login and donate again today!

3BY10 is a monthly presentation and networking event, in which three creative professionals or students from the Portland area get ten minutes each to present a recent project, discuss a trend, or just talk about the local design scene. Talks are followed by a round table discussion and social hour at a nearby lounge. Admission is always free.

5:45pm - Doors open at The Art Institute of Portland's Industrial Design Shop, located on NW Couch between 8th and Broadway.
6:00pm - Presentations begin.
7:00pm - Social hour at Someday Lounge, two blocks away at 125 NW 5th Ave.

Synopsis of David's talk "Focusing on Passionate People"

The environmental challenges we face today are unlike anything previous generations have experienced. Solving these problems takes more than one person or organization, it takes a community. Building a community requires nonprofit organizations to their direct focus to people and not just solutions to the problems at hand.

With design thinking we can shift focus to people and their passions, enabling us to tap into the power of shared vision. In this short talk David will discuss the creation of For The Next and how we applied design thinking to building a bridge between people and environmental nonprofits.

12th Annual Watershed Wide Event
Saturday, March 6 at 9am - 12 pm with lunch afterwards
Register online

Lower Johnson Creek Bike Tour
Saturday, April 3 at 9am - 12:30pm
In partnership with Audubon Society

Morning Bird Walk
Saturday, May 1 
Returning guides Christine Steele and Joe Liebezeit
To register email info@jcwc.org

Johnson Creek Watershed Council Annual Meeting
Thursday, May 27 
Reed College, Portland

Johnson Creek Bike Tour
Saturday, June 1
With Executive Director, Matt Clark
To register email info@jcwc.org

Ecotrust, one of our nonprofit community members, has been hard at work protecting sensitive marine ecosystems around the world. Learn more about their great work and the benefits of marine protected areas by watching their video, Zoning for People and Fish, below.

This topic is near to our hearts because we founded For The Next with the focus of using design to build a bridge between people and environmental nonprofit organizations, paving the way for individuals to support the reversal of their environmental impact and help improve the planet.

For those not familiar with Webvisions, the conference explores the future of design, content creation, user experience and business strategy to uncover the trends and agents of change that will shatter peoples assumptions about the web. The conference is held annually in Portland, Oregon and this year runs from May 19 - 21.

Synopsis of Ryan's Webvision Session "Design Thinking for Social Change"

Our world is at a crossroads. We face problems unlike any generation before us. Diminishing natural resources, pollution, and climate change are so complex, so multifaceted, that traditional problem-solving methods yield little success.

As designers we have an opportunity to assist the world in solving the pressing issues of our day. Our unique training in tackling problems using a multidisciplinary human-centered approach (known as design-thinking) is what governments and NGOs around the world desperately need. There are ten potential projects for every design thinker with the time and talent to solve them (Tim Brown, Change By Design).

How does one start down this path? The issues are so vast it may seem hard to find a starting point. Luckily it is not. The journey begins by asking yourself two simple questions: What is my personal design philosophy and what do I believe is the most important issue?

This session will discuss how designers can leverage their talents, skills and processes to assist in solving global problems. Attendees will learn how to connect their passion with the issues, and unlock the power of shared vision. Real world examples will be provided to assist attendees in understanding the impact they can have on the world around them.

Over the last two decades countless volunteers, conservation groups, and local businesses have worked to protect the Oregon Badlands. Earlier this year all of their hard work paid off. On March 30th, 2009 President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act, designating the Oregon Badlands as Wilderness. This is Central Oregon's first desert Wilderness.   

The Wilderness designation is one of America's strongest tools in protecting our natural environments for perpetuity. It is the highest form of protection for public land and requires an act of Congress.  The Oregon Natural Desert Association's work has been key in the Oregon Badlands achieving a Wilderness designation (read their report).  They are the only group working exclusively to protect Oregon's high deserts and have become a national leader in efforts to protect our most unique and treasured public lands. Learn more about Wilderness.   

Next time you visit Bend make sure to take the time and connect with one of Oregon's natural treasures, the Oregon Badlands Wilderness.

In addition to our waistbands being stretched, our garbage cans are maxed out with leftover trimmings from the festivities and parties. Traditionally, more garbage is set out curbside in the month of December. This extra bulge finds a new home in our local landfills. Rather than the waste from our holiday consumption being an after thought, with pledges to adopt new habits in the New Year, why not try some alternatives this year and reduce your garbage can's waistline.

• Look for gifts with minimum packaging, such as handmade gifts.
• Give a gift to a concert, play or zoo.
• Send your Christmas cards by email.
• Buy local. Not only does it support your local economy, but products have to travel less to get to you reducing resources used.

Find lots of great ideas and ways to be wise about holiday waste at www.oregonmetro.gov.

If you have an idea to shrink your trash cans waistline we'd love to share it with our followers. Email your ideas it to questions@forthenext.org.

For The Next,

Thanks for the December newsletter - I really enjoyed it! It's nice to be reminded to be mindful of the environment during the holiday season, when it is so easy to get distracted. I wanted to share a few environmentally-friendly holiday ideas that you might enjoy. We've definitely been taking "Shopping local" to heart - Devon and I both did a lot of our shopping right in our neighborhood this year. We have several shops within walking distance of our home and I was able to get all of Devon's gifts there this year. And, it was so much less stressful shopping in those stores than in Target or Walmart. No parking hassles, the people are helpful, the gifts feel special, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that even our local boutiques have pretty good holiday sales! 

I realize that not everyone has the luxury of being able to walk to local boutiques to do their shopping, so here are a couple of other things that we've been trying to do, that may be more widely applicable. 

• When we buy gifts online for family members, rather than having the gifts shipped to us, and then shipping them to family after we wrap them, we take advantage of their gift wrap service and ship gifts directly to family members. Better to ship once, than twice!

• Last year, we bought a lot of gift bags on after-Christmas sale. We try to wrap our presents in the bags instead of in wrapping paper, because we can reuse the bags year after year. Same goes for decorative gift boxes. It's a small investment up front, but it saves a lot of paper from going in the landfill.

• We have to fly to see our family for the holidays, which is terrible for the environment. To try to make up for it, we ask for carbon offsets or tree donations (where a tree gets planted somewhere on your behalf) as presents. The added bonus of these presents - nothing to haul back to Chicago on the plane!

Thanks again for the great newsletter, and happy holidays. We're so impressed with how For the Next is growing and can't wait to see what 2010 brings for you!

-Brook

If you have an idea to shrink your trash can's waistline during this holiday season we'd love to share it with our community. Email your ideas it to questions@forthenext.org.

January 16th	9am to 12pm - Installing cuttings at Pascuzzi Pond, Tualatin.
January 23rd	9am to 12pm - Plant 5000 wetland plugs at Knez Preserve.
January 30th	9am to 12pm - Plant 5000 wetland plugs at Knez Preserve.
February 6th	9am to 12pm - Harvest and install native willow and shrub cuttings at Cedar Mill Wetland.
February 24th	9am to 12pm - Bare root planting.
February 27th	9am to 12pm - Bare root planting at Pascuzzi Pond, Tualatin.
March 6th	9am to 12pm - Bare root planting at Cedar Mill Preserve.
March 13th	9am to 12pm - Install 4,000+ native, bare root plants at Hedges Creek March

For more information on how to get involved in Adopt A Wetland or scheduled planting event or volunteer opportunities contact TWC land steward Jennifer Wilson, at jennifers@wetlandsconservancy.org or 503.957.6980.

If you like pictures of wetland, wildlife, plants and people, Wetlands Conservancy has an opportunity for you.  They are looking for a volunteer to create a digital photo library. Contact info@wetlandsconservancy.org or 503 691-1394.

Don't worry, we are still available to provide help maintaining content, but this new feature allows organizations complete control over when and what to update on their web page. If you have any questions or feedback about this new feature, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are here to support the great work our nonprofits are doing. 

Stay tuned for more exciting new nonprofit and donor features in the months to come!

"Around the holidays Michael and I donate to a charity that has touched our hearts during the year. Often times the charities are social services right here in Portland. Recently, I realized that as much time as we spend exploring the Oregon wilderness, we are giving very little back. This year especially, parks across the country have struggled for funding and some have had to close.

Recently, one of our friends started a non-profit called For The Next, which allows you to donate to environmental non-profits. Many of these non-profits haven't had a way to promote themselves let alone set up an online donation tool. Through For The Next, we were able to donate to several non-profits that we love and adore, including EcoTrust and Hells Canyon Preservation Council."

-Sarah's Threads. Read the full article

If you have a story or perspective you would like to share with For The Next's community, send an email to questions@forthenext.org.

Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) has been working to protect the temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska and Sitka's quality of life since 1967. They are based in the small coastal town of Sitka, Alaska, located on the west coast of Baranof Island in the heart of the Tongass National Forest. 

The Tongass National Forest, at 17 million acres, is the largest national forest in the U.S.and the largest remaining temperate rainforest in the world. The Tongass, which comprises almost all of Southeast Alaska, is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, but it is owned by all U.S.citizens.

At the core of the Sitka Conservation Society mission is the idea that humans need to protect some lands in their natural state for cultural and ecological reasons. Sitka Conservation Society was born when several Sitkan families banded together to submit the first citizen's proposal in Alaska for designation of a Wilderness Area, in 1967. After a 13 year struggle, they successfully established the West Chichagof- Yakobi Wilderness Area, thus protecting all of the outer coast of the northern Tongass. Ever since, they have ceaselessly advocated for further protection of Tongass wildlands so future generations may always have the opportunity to admire and make use of pristine Alaska.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to For The Next?  Send us an email at questions@forthenext.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

The Oregon Royale is a localized version of the traditional French cocktail Kir Royale. This celebratory sipper is a flute of sparkling wine topped with Clear Creek Cranberry Liqueur and a twist of lemon, with $1 from each cocktail going to The Wetlands Conservancy and their efforts to permanently protect and conserve Oregon's greatest wetlands. "The Oregon Royale is the ultimate taste of the season. It's festive, it's seasonal and it gives back to our community," says Darren Creely, owner and bartender of Cafe Nell, an American brasserie in Northwest Portland.

Clear Creek Cranberry Liqueur is made with Oregon cranberries grown along the Southern Oregon coast, a region and industry that the Wetlands Conservancy is working in to provide tools and advice for land management and restoration.

The Oregon Royale is $9 and will be available from now until January 1, 2010 at Cafe Nell, located at 1987 NW Kearney St., Portland, OR 97209 (corner of NW 20th Ave. and Kearney).

Hells Canyon Preservation Council, one of our nonprofit community members, protects and restores the natural treasures of the Hells Canyon-Wallowa and Blue Mountain ecosystems. They are a small, rural-based organization, headquartered in La Grande, Oregon, in the northeast corner of the state. Hells Canyon Preservation Council monitors roughly 6 million acres of federal public land in Oregon, Idaho and Washington, and they do so with a small dedicated staff of just 6 people.

Learn more about this special ecosystem by visiting the Hells Canyon Preservation Council's Facts and Photos slideshow.

Part 2: Meandering Through a Meadow

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/forthenext 

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/forthenext

Vimeo:  www.vimeo.com/forthenext

LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/companies/for-the-next 

Part 1: The Crossroads

Cascade Land Conservancy  -  hosting a free 2-hour workshop on how citizens can effectively participate in the land use process.  Learn more

Ecotrust  -  selected to allocate $30 million in federal tax credits to innovative initiates that create economic, social and environmental benefit in the Northwest's rural and disadvantage communities.  Learn more

Forest Park Conservancy  -  holding a monthly volunteer work party on Saturday, November 21.  No previous experience requires.  Learn more 

Friends of the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge  -  holding a bird identification and attracting class.  Discover what those little brown birds in your backyard are.  Learn more

Hells Canyon Preservation Council  -  working to protect Bighorn sheep in Oregon, Idaho and Washington.  You can help too!  Learn more

Johnson Creek Watershed Council  -  announced the results of their Springwater Cycle Stroll event.  Their twelve dedicated participants traveled 335 miles on the Springwater Trail during the month of September and raised over $3,400 to support restoration, education and outreach.  Learn more

Oregon Environmental Council  -  working to protect children from harmful and toxic plastics.  Learn more

Oregon Natural Desert Association -  holding Crooked River Restoration Day on December 4.  Learn more

The Freshwater Trust  -  created a software platform, StreamBank, to help streamline stream restoration projects.  Learn more

Upper Deschutes Watershed Council  -  restoring the Deschutes Land Trust's Camp Polk Meadow Preservation.  Learn more 

Wetlands Conservancy  -  conserving and restoring Oregon Closed Lakes Basin, including Warner Basin, Malheur Basin and Silvies River floodplain wetlands.  Learn more

Wild Salmon Center  -   working with seafood companies and commercial salmon fishermen to advance salmon sustainability across the Pacific Rim.  Learn more

The Wetlands Conservancy's (TWC) mission is to conserve, protect, and restore the physical and ecological values of wetlands, other aquatic systems and related uplands. They accomplish these goals through education, research, acquisition, and promotion of private and public stewardship. 

Founded in 1981, TWC promotes community and private partnerships to permanently conserve Oregon's greatest wetlands. Working throughout the state, TWC protects and restores these important lands by promoting private and community stewardship, supporting conservation, and working in partnership with local communities. TWC is the only organization in Oregon dedicated to protecting and conserving Oregon's greatest wetland's, our most biologically rich and diverse lands. We train, educate and provide assistance directly to landowners, citizen groups, and businesses to increase local conservation and restoration of key wetlands. Our constituency spans the entire state of Oregon from the urban based Willamette Valley to small isolated ranches and farmers in rural Oregon. TWC has successfully protected and restored more than 1200 acres of key wetlands in 28 sites in Oregon.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to For The Next? Send us an email at questions@forthenext.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

After months of development and testing, For The Next's donation system is open for you to begin using. At forthenext.org you can search, find and donate to various environmental nonprofit organizations. We make it easy for you to connect with and support nonprofits that share your ideals.

Our nonprofit community currently represents 12 nonprofits (and growing) throughout the Pacific Northwest. We continue to develop a strong representation of Pacific Northwest organizations, which is where we are located; however, we are committed to expanding services to include organizations throughout the United States.

Check out our nonprofit community now and begin supporting the restoration, preservation and rejuvenation of your environment today.

Recently we became aware of confusion related to our name, which presented obstacles to accomplishing our mission. After careful consideration, it was a unanimous decision among our directors to change our name.

Our new name, For The Next, highlights one of our organizations inspirations: ensuring future generations enjoy the beauty and wonders of our world. For The Next continues the idea of individuals donating one percent of their income to environmental nonprofits.

You'll begin seeing our new name, For The Next, along with our public launch within a week.

We are excited to announce Hells Canyon Preservation Council has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are our eastern most organization and we are proud to support their efforts.

Hells Canyon Preservation Council protects and restores the natural treasures of the Hells Canyon-Wallowa and Blue Mountain ecosystems. From the remote splendor of Hells Canyon and the Seven Devils to the rolling highlands of the Zumwalt Prairie, from the winding waters of the Grande Ronde to the crystalline lakes of Eagle Cap, from the protected breaks of the Wenaha-Tucannon to the rugged summits of the Elkhorns, they envision inspiring wildlands and pure waters where native species thrive in harmony with prosperous rural communities.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to announce The Forest Park Conservancy has joined the My 1 Percent community. As avid users of Forest Park we are thrilled to add them to our community and happy to support their efforts.

The Forest Park Conservancy's mission is to maintain, preserve, protect, and improve the City of Portland's Forest Park so as to enhance its value as an irreplaceable asset for wildlife habitat and for the use and enjoyment of the public. For those not familiar with Forest Park, it is America's premier urban forest with over 5,000 acres of forested 'wilderness' in the City of Portland's West hills overlooking the Willamette River. 

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to announce Johnson Creek Watershed Council has joined the My 1 Percent community. We are excited about their watershed action plan and happy to support their efforts.

Johnson Creek Watershed Council's mission is to inspire and facilitate community investment in the Johnson Creek Watershed for the protection and enhancement of its natural resources.  They formed in 1994 to fill the need for a single organization which could have the entire watershed as its focus.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to announce Cascade Land Conservancy has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are our first organization headquartered in Washington nonprofit and we are excited to support their efforts.

Cascade Land Conservancy fills a unique niche as the largest land conservation, stewardship and community building organization in Washington State. For over 20 years, The Conservancy has led efforts to conserve more than 155,000 acres of forests, farms, shorelines, parks and natural areas. They have developed a bold conservation initiative, The Cascade Agenda, to accomplish two big goals:

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

The Freshwater Trust has been hard at work this summer restoring the Middle Fork John Day River.  Take a moment to learn more about their efforts and the work they are doing to protect Oregon's rivers.

We are excited to announce Ecotrust has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are a unique organization whose role is to innovate, invest and inspire. We are excited to welcome them and happy to support their efforts.

Ecotrust's mission is to inspire fresh thinking that creates economic opportunity, social equity and environmental well-being. Ecotrust is headquartered in Portland and is a unique organization; it integrates public and private purpose and for-profit and non-profit structures. Ecotrust's many innovations include co-founding the world's first environmental bank, starting the world's first ecosystem investment fund, creating a range of programs in fisheries, forestry, food, farms and children's health, and developing new scientific and information tools to improve social, economic and environmental decision-making. 

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent?  Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

Since the close of our private beta test on September 25, we have been working hard to incorporate feedback received from our beta participants and complete the final development tasks.  We are excited to say My 1 Percent is almost ready.  

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for some big announcements as we prepare for our launch, including exciting additions to our nonprofit community.

We are excited to announce that the Wild Salmon Center has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are our first organization focused solely on protecting wild pacific salmon and we are happy to support their efforts.

The Wild Salmon Center's mission is to identify, understand and protect the best wild salmon ecosystems of the Pacific Rim. They devise and implement practical strategies, based on the best science, to protect forever these extraordinary places and their biodiversity.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent?  Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to share that the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) was named the ninth best nonprofit to work for in Oregon by Oregon Business magazine. The OEC was also the only environmental organization to place in the top 10.  This year was the first year for Oregon Business magazine's "The 100 Best Nonprofits to Work for in Oregon." See the entire list here.

We are proud to have such an esteemed organization be part of our community. Congratulations to Oregon Environmental Council on your achievement!

We are excited to announce that the Oregon Natural Desert Association has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are our second organization headquartered in Central Oregon and we are happy to support their efforts.

The Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) is a grassroots organization committed to protecting, defending, and restoring the health of Oregon's native deserts for present and future generations.  They are currently the only group working exclusively to protect Oregon's vast High Desert. Over the past 20 years, ONDA has earned many successes including the protection of Steens Mountain as the nation's first "cow-free" Wilderness in 2000, and the removal of livestock from both the Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge and the Wild and Scenic Owyhee River. 

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent?  Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to announce that the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are our first organization headquartered in Central Oregon and we are happy to support their efforts.

The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council seeks to protect and restore the upper Deschutes River watershed through collaborative projects in restoration, monitoring and education. They focus their work on developing and implementing high priority stream restoration projects and engaging with the community to protect and manage local rivers and streams. All of their work is design to complement the efforts of other conservation partners include another one of our nonprofit community members the The Freshwater Trust.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent?  Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

Last Friday, with great success, our beta test period concluded.  The entire My 1 Percent team wants to take a moment to thank all of our participants.  We are extremely grateful for their time, feedback and donations.  During the beta test over 60 donations were made totaling over $500 to environmental nonprofit organizations.  

We were pleased to hear words of encouragement and are looking forward to our public launch in late October. 

Freshwater Trust, one of our nonprofit community members, has been selected as a finalist for a Tom's of Maine Community Grant. Grants worth $20,000 each will be awarded to five winning organizations. The winners which are selected by the public.

Freshwater Trust's grant proposal is to engage 300 students and community members to make significant improvements to Whychus Creek, enhancing the historic reintroduction of federally threatened native steelhead fish that once spawned and lived in this stream, and involve 500 people in a watershed summit featuring Richard Louv, world-renown author of “Last Child in the Woods.” This project will have real benefits to central Oregon by: improving habitat for the native steelhead fish that once again call Whychus Creek home; fostering a freshwater stewardship ethic among the community and its youth; and enhancing the quality of recreational opportunities. 

You can vote for up to five finalists every day. Please show your support for Freshwater Trust by voting for them each day until October 30th. 

Last weekend we took a break from our busy lives and held a staff retreat in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. There is nothing quite like a little backpacking to clear the mind and open the heart. Under the stars great conversations seem to naturally unfold. 

We spent the weekend exploring some of the finest scenery Oregon has to offer, while discussing the vision of My 1 Percent. Getting outdoors and enjoying what we are working hard to protect turbocharged our creative energies. Many exciting ideas where born on the climb up Duffy Butte. While our time in the wilderness was short we returned refreshed and invigorated, ready to create the next chapter for My 1 Percent.

Check out photos from our trip on Flickr. We hope they inspire you to explore the wilderness and spend time with nature.

It may seem a little quiet at My 1 Percent from the outside, but this is far from the truth. Since the August launch of our private beta test we have been hard at work analyzing all the feedback received. A few bugs have been caught and fixed on the beta site, along with a list of changes and additions we are making for the public launch. Everything is going well and we remain on track for a fall public launch.

Stay tuned for some exciting nonprofit announcements over the coming weeks. There are some great organizations who will be joining My 1 Percent soon and we look forward to sharing them with you. 

Special thanks to all our beta testers for their time and effort. The feedback has been excellent and the donations generous. In the first week of testing over $400 dollars was donated.

We are excited to announce that Friends of the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge is now part of My 1 Percent's network of nonprofit organizations. As one of the first organizations to join our community, we are pleased to support their work in Oregon.

Friends of the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge mission is to support the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. They are dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Refuge for the benefit of fish and wildlife, and for public education and recreation. 

For those participating in My 1 Percent's private beta in August, we look forward to your support of Friends of the Tualatin Wildlife Refuge and you may visit their page on our beta site to learn more. For others, go to www.friendsoftualatinrefuge.org to learn more. 

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are proud to announce the start of our private beta test today. This is a big milestone and an exciting moment in the pursuit of our vision: a centralized location where people can donate a portion of their yearly income to a network of credible environmental nonprofit organizations; bringing together people and organizations to improve Earth.

The purpose of the beta test is to ensure our online donation process is both easy to use and functioning properly before it is made publicly available in the fall of 2009.

We would like to thank our beta participants for their effort and assistance in making My 1 Percent great.

If you have a question related to our private beta test, please email beta@my1percent.org.

We wanted to pass one some great news to you. Oregon Environmental Council has been named one of the 100 Best Nonprofits in Oregon by Oregon Business magazine. This is the first annual nonprofit celebration by Oregon Business, who is well known for conducting the 100 Best Companies in Oregon survey. A full ranking of the 100 Best Nonprofits will be revealed in the October issue of Oregon Business

Oregon Environmental Council joined our network of nonprofit organizations earlier this month. We are proud to have such an esteemed organization be part of our community. Congratulations to Oregon Environmental Council on your achievement!

View the latest installment of 1 Perspective, a series of short videos where you hear firsthand from people about what motivates them to live greener. This week listen to Tanya, My 1 Percent Communications Editor, share her perspective on My 1 Percent.

Interested in sharing your perspective with the My 1 Percent community? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org.

1 Perspective - Tanya from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

We are excited to announce that The Freshwater Trust is now part of the My 1 Percent community. As one of the first organizations to join our community, we are pleased to support their work in Oregon.

The Freshwater Trust works to keep rivers looking great. They are a statewide nonprofit organization headquartered in Portland, Oregon with satellite offices in Bend and Corvallis. The Freshwater Trust takes a holistic approach to restoring freshwater ecosystems – from restoring a river’s architecture to working with landowners to keep more water in rivers to educating children on the importance of freshwater conservation. 

For those participating in My 1 Percent's private beta this August we look forward to your support of The Freshwater Trust. Visit their nonprofit page on our beta site to learn more about this amazing organization. For those not participating in the beta, visit www.thefreshwatertrust.org to learn more.

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent? Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

We are excited to announce that the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) has joined the My 1 Percent community. They are one of the first organizations to join and we are happy to support their efforts.

The Oregon Environmental Council safeguards what Oregonians love about Oregon – clean air and water, an unpolluted landscape and healthy food produced by local farmers. They work to create innovative change by helping individuals live more sustainably, businesses become greener (and more profitable), and enabling citizens to engage their representatives to help shape Oregon's future. 

For those participating in My 1 Percent's private beta this August we look forward to your support of Oregon Environmental Council. Visit OEC's nonprofit page on our beta site to learn more about this great organization. For those not participating in the beta, visit www.oeconline.org to learn more. Keep up-to-date with the latest from OEC by following them on Twitter (@oeconline).

Do you have an environmental nonprofit to recommend to My 1 Percent?  Send us an email at question@my1percent.org or visit our nonprofit criteria page for additional details.

View the latest installment of 1 Perspective, a series of short videos where you hear firsthand from people about what motivates them to live greener. This week listen to Troy, a My 1 Percent Director, share his perspective on why 1% is important.

Interested in sharing your perspective with the My 1 Percent community? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org.

1 Perspective - Troy from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

Troy McGowan and Ryan Russell, directors of My 1 Percent, met with another Oregon environmental nonprofit organization today. The meeting was successful and we are pleased to share that the due diligence process will begin immediately. Information about the organization will be made available once their inclusion with My 1 Percent is finalized.

In March 2007 Katherine Fulton gave an inspiring talk at TED about the future of philanthropy. She discussed how innovation is enabling every individual to give their time, talents and money to make the world a better place. Kathrine covers five categories of experiments that are challenging age old assumptions about philanthropy: mass collaboration, online philanthropy marketplaces, aggregated giving, innovation competitions and social investing.

Please, take a moment out of your day to hear her uplifting message.

Troy McGowan and Ryan Russell, directors of My 1 Percent, met with two environmental nonprofit organizations in late June eager to begin a partnership. Those meetings were successful and we are pleased to share that the due diligence process is underway with both nonprofit organizations. Information about the organizations will be made available once their inclusion with My 1 Percent is finalized.

View the latest installment of 1 Perspective, a series of short videos where you hear firsthand from people about what motivates them to live greener. This week listen to Ben, a My 1 Percent Director, share his perspective on mankind's relationship to the environment.

Interested in sharing your perspective with the My 1 Percent community? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org.

1 Perspective - Ben from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

View the latest installment of 1 Perspective, a series of short videos where you hear firsthand from people about what motivates them to live greener. This week listen to Colleen Romike, a My 1 Percent member, share how she gained a new perspective on the environment.

Interested in sharing your perspective with the My 1 Percent community? Send us an email at questions@my1percent.org.

1 Perspective - Colleen from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

View the latest installment of 1 Perspective, a series of short videos where you hear firsthand from people about what motivates them to live greener. This week listen to Ryan, My 1 Percent's founder, share his perspective on our responsibility and the power of a shared vision.

1 Perspective - Ryan from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

The My 1 Percent team made great strides these past few months towards realizing our vision of a centralized location where people can donate to a network of credible environmental nonprofit organizations.

In the coming months we will be inviting environmental nonprofit organizations to join our community. We are always interested in receiving recommendations from our supporters. To request an organization be part of the My 1 Percent community, please email questions@my1percent.org. (There is an established process and criteria organizations must meet to be included. To learn more about that process, visit the Nonprofit Community page on our website.)

In addition to building our nonprofit community, we are targeting this August for a private Beta test of our online donation process. If you are interested in being a test participant, please send an email to beta@my1percent.org.

To learn more about the passion and people behind My 1 Percent, I invite you to watch our 1 Perspective video series now showing on our blog page.

My 1 Percent is happy to introduce a new series of short videos, titled 1 Perspective. With 1 Perspective you'll hear firsthand from people at My 1 Percent about what motivates them to live greener. View the premier video now and hear David, a Director at My 1 Percent, share how he gained a new perspective on the environment.

And, stay tuned for another 1 Perspective from our team to be released next week.

1 Perspective - David from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

There are two key experiences in my life that served as catalysts for the creation of My 1 Percent. The first was my trip inside Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve during the summer of 2007. The second was the birth of my first child the following year.

I want to take a moment to share a bit of my Denali trip with you through a short video I created. 

Denali - Ryan's Story from My 1 Percent on Vimeo.

Animals need freedom to roam. Cities, highways, and other man-made infrastructure inhibit wildlife's ability to freely move, which can have detrimental impacts on their survival.

Outdoor clothing company Patagonia states, "If animals' ability to move between habitats is blocked, scientists predict that as many as 25% of species will be extinct by the end of this century." Patagonia's current environmental campaign, Freedom to Roam, is focused on creating, restoring and protecting wildways or corridors between habitats so animals can survive. Freedom to Roam is a coalition of individuals, governments, organizations, and corporations who share a common vision for protecting?our wildlife. For more information and to learn how you can help, visit their FAQ page.

Filmmaker Eric Bandick highlights sustainable road projects and wildlife corridors in the film Division Street. His film is an official selection of the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival. Enjoy the trailer below.

In an effort to connect with our members and nonprofit partners My 1 Percent has created a Twitter account. Twitter is yet another way for My 1 Percent to have an open dialogue with the community we endeavor to serve.

We will use Twitter to share blogs, events, service notifications, interesting and useful links, and environmental insights. We hope you will use it to ask us questions, share your experiences, and thoughts about sustainability.

You can follow us by clicking this link: http://twitter.com/my1percent

In order to minimize our environmental impact it is important for us to consume less and to consume smart. The following list contains a few key questions to ask yourself before putting an item into your shopping cart. Not only can it help the planet, but during these tough economic times there can be a benefit to your pocket book too.

1. Do you really need this product, or is it just a want? Is it something you will use for a long time, or will it have a short life cycle and be in the trash can within a few weeks?
2. Can you find the item used? Is there a friend or family member you can borrow it from? Is someone else giving it way because they no longer need it? Visit the Freecycle Network to connect with over 6 million people across the globe who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their towns. Freecycle is about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.
3. If you must buy new, buy responsible. Look for products from companies that focus on closed-loop manufacturing, such as Patagonia. Purchase the product from retailers who operate in a sustainable fashion. Buy local, which significantly limits the distance a product travels to reach you. Purchase a quality product that will last, not something that will break and end up in the landfill within a few months.

I commonly hear statements such as, "Can you please throw this away?" or "We need to put the trash out tonight so they take it away in the morning." This leads me to wonder, do most people know where "away" is and what "away" looks like?

It's easy to not think about "away" because for most of us it is not in our backyard. We simply place a trash can curbside each week and the contents magically disappear. This model of waste management makes it easy to not consider the consequences of what we put in the waste basket. Our trash simply disappears with no visible impact to our immediate environment. 

I believe if we visited or saw "away", our habits and passive thoughts may change. Below is an image of "away" for residences of Portland, Oregon. It shows thousands of pounds of trash from the Portland metro area being dumped at the Columbia Ridge Landfill near Arlington, OR.

It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words. Do you have a picture you'd like to share? Send it to us at supporters@my1percent.org.

Photo: The Oregonian, Apri 22, 2009

Did you know the world's largest landfill exists in the ocean? The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a sea of floating plastic garbage estimated to be twice the size of Texas.  

Charles Moore has been analyzing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and has shocking information to share. "There were shampoo caps and soap bottles and plastic bags and fishing floats as far as I could see. Here I was in the middle of the ocean, and there was nowhere I could go to avoid the plastic," said Charles during his talk at TED 2009. He goes on to discuss how fish collected from the area had plastics in their stomach and baby albatross chicks were found dead with stomachs full of plastic trash. 

Please watch Charles Moore's talk (7 minutes long) and share what you learn about our oceans to your friends and family. It will no doubt shock you to view the enormity of this floating landfill and may inspire you to change your "plastic" habits.

Each year on April 22nd, Earth Day, special attention is giving to earth-friendly ideas and actions. But it doesn't need to be a one day wonder. This year, why not make an Earth Day resolution? Chances are an Earth Day resolution is easier to maintain then staying away from the cookie jar or exercising daily ... or another New Year's resolution that has probably run its course by now.

A recent challenge in my household has turned into a daily resolution to reduce our waste. It started by simply paying attention to what we typically threw in the trash out of habit but could actually be recycled curbside or at local recycling stations. Now, not only is our trash can less full, but we are thinking differently when purchasing new products. It is fun to see how much we are able to put into the recycling bin rather than the trash bin. And, with a 10 month old son who likes to take trash out of the can, there is an added incentive. Mark this day on your calendar by starting a new earth-friendly habit! But don't end just there, tell us about it. We'd love to share your ideas with our readers!

The past few months have been busy for the My 1 Percent team as we continue to bring our mission into full swing. We have made great progress towards creating our unique donation system and are on target to meet our milestone of privately testing our web site donations feature in June.

Since launching our new site in March, we have received excellent feedback from our supporters and appreciate your time and continued encouragement. Get ready for some exciting additions in the coming months.

Whether you use the My 1 Percent website as an individual to make a donation or as a nonprofit organization to acquire contributions, it is a complimentary service with no hidden fees. We want an individual's donation to go to supporting the environment. Therefore, only the credit card transaction fee is deducted from donations. This fee is a cost any organization has for processing a credit card transaction. When donating to multiple nonprofit organizations together the transaction fee is only deducted once. 

For nonprofit organizations who meet and maintain our criteria, being listed on our site and receiving donations through My 1 Percent is free. There are no fees or charges of any kind.

My 1 Percent is primarily funded by our directors donations. They believe they have a responsibility to improve our planet and see My 1 Percent as an opportunity to do so.

As a consumer it is important to understand how products we use are made. Often we do not give it much thought and just reach for our favorite brand on the shelf. However, knowledge allows us to make smarter, more informed decisions when purchasing products and services.

The Story of Stuff, a short video featuring Annie Leonard, is an excellent way to become informed about the life cycle of stuff we consume. The video walks us through the entire process, from extraction through sale, showing how most products are created and distributed. It also discusses the equally important issue of what happens to our stuff when we are done with it.

If you have not viewed The Story of Stuff, please take 20 minutes out of your day to watch it and become a more enlightened consumer.  

At last year's TED conference Josh Klein spoke about his research on the intelligence of crows. I recently watched the video (above) of his amazing talk. His vending machine for crows revealed that crows are incredibly intelligent. Josh's contraption trains the birds in four steps to collect coins and put them in a slot. In return the birds get a peanut. Josh doesn't think training crows to get peanuts is going to make him rich, but he does see potential to change the way we interact with the ecosystems and species that share this planet with us.

Historically, it has been the aim of man to tame nature, control it. Herbicides, pesticides, and huge machines have been the weapons of choice in our effort to keep nature in check. We have shaped the world to our liking. We grow grass with fertilizers and pesticides only to cut it down to the length dictated by the homeowner's association (can you tell I'm reading Cradle to Cradle).?

But what if we could learn to work with nature instead of against it? Josh's vending machine is an example of finding equilibrium with nature. Crow populations are exploding and let's be honest, they aren't anyone's favorite bird. Their intelligence makes them pesky and even aggressive. But instead of decimating their species, Klein hypothesizes, we could teach them to pick up trash after football games or in search and rescue.

This kind of equilibrium is essential to creating a sustainable future. Monoculture crops and cookie cutter landscaping erode soil and create the need for herbicides and pesticides. These chemicals poison our drinking water and create super-bugs that are resistant to them. While training animals to do our bidding may not be the answer, working with nature by using bio-diverse farming techniques, studying animal behavior to build neighborhoods, and thinking about where our stuff goes when we "throw it away" are real possibilities that will create equilibrium with nature.

Each day consumersim uses up resources and creates waste. Since each one of us is a consumer, we equally share the responsiblity to reverse the impact our activities have on the environment. At My 1 Percent we believe it is our responsibility as consumers to support the repair, restoration, and protection of the environment.

Why one percent? Why not five or ten percent? The reason is simple, the power of small multiples. A million consumers bringing 1% of their income together can have an impact greater than a single large donation by one person or business. One percent is inclusive, providing an opportunity for everyone to be involved.

Imagine the change that could occur if 10% of the 116 million U.S. households (2007, US Census Bureau) gave 1% of their income to reversing their environmental impact. If these households had an annual income of $10,000/year and donated 1% ($100) it would equate to roughly $1.1 billion dollars going to the repair, restoration, and protection of the the environment.

In the fall of 2008 I made a personal declaration to give 1% of my income to environmental efforts. I hope you will join me and the rest of the My 1 Percent community in this movement.

-ryan russell

Ryan Russell, founder of My 1 Percent, was honored with the George Fox School of Management Servant Leader Award for Excellence. He accepted the award on behalf of the whole My 1 Percent team at the George Fox University's School of Management Winter Leadership Symposium on February 21st. The award is given to select alumni whose actions embody the management school's mission and exemplify servant leadership for the world.

The award itself is a handmade glass float symbolizing Oregon and the recipient's own personal network and beauty. George Fox's School of Management choose a glass float as the award because its image reflects a story and message. Handmade in Oregon, the headquarters of George Fox University, the float serves as a visual reminder that individually and with the help of others the recipient upholds the school's values, beliefs and truths in words and actions. As each float is unique, each recipient's life is beautiful and precious. It serves as a reminder that the recipient has an obligation to be a servant for the world and lead change based on faith, hope and love.

Award's Symbolism

Glass floats were used by fisherman to keep their nets afloat in the open sea. Groups of fishnets would be strung together and supported near the ocean's surface by glass balls containing air to keep them buoyant. While the nets, the catch, and on occasion the floats themselves, would get pulled down by competing pressures, the buoyancy of the balls (individually and collectively) would rise above these challenges keeping the catch safe. The floats are now a piece of beauty collected by beachcombers and decorators alike, each ball precious with its own unique markings.

Brian Dyson told the following story at a commencement address at Georgia Tech: life is busy. Our to-do list plentiful with commitments, obligations and others things to get done. Imagine all these things as balls and us as jugglers. While each ball may be important, some are more precious than others. In time, we discover the balls are made of rubber, plastic, paper or glass. If dropped, the rubber ball will bounce back, the plastic ball will be nicked or scratched, and the paper ball may crumble. However, if dropped the glass ball will likely shatter, destroying its chance to be used again. It is important to not take for granted or let slip the "glass balls" in life. Life is fragile. Brian Dyson said in his commencement speech, "Don't let your life slip through your fingers." The most important and precious things in our lives are the most fragile, they connect all other things and uphold all that is beautiful, faithful or real in our lives. Don't let the glass balls slip out of your hands.

We are excited to share our new website with you. We've got a fresh new look just in time for Spring and for you to check out! You will find expanded information about My 1 Percent and our growing community. Bookmark us for future reading!

p.s. This Sunday, March 8, daylight savings begins. Remember to change your clocks! Clock stopped working? Time for a new battery? Check with your local garbage or recycling center to find a location near you to recycle the old ones. In the Portland, OR metro area, visit Metro's website to search for a recycler near you.

The My 1 Percent team is honored to be part of George Fox University's Leadership Symposium on February 21, 2009 where we will be conducting a panel discussion on creating change through small multiples. The Leadership Symposium is a capstone event for George Fox University's MBA students, providing a platform for communicating their insights and solutions to today's pressing issues.

The symposium's theme, A World of Change, is a natural fit with My 1 Percent and we hope you will join us for this exciting event.

Leadership Symposium Details

The symposium will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at George Fox University's Newberg, Ore., campus on February 21, 2009. There is no registration cost, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please R.S.V.P. if you plan to attend (http://www.georgefox.edu/som/events.html).

George Fox University's School of Management MBA program develops leaders to be servants for the world. This development transpires through course work, discussions, minor assignments, and major projects about people and organizations, communication, ethics, and social responsibility. The program emphasizes the development of people skills accompanied by analytical capabilities. The result is a leader who is practical and needed in a dynamic world.

Twice each year these servant-leaders share their perspectives on critical topics as part of their capstone course, Transformational Leadership. This course explores historic and contemporary leadership theories and models from which a greater understanding of people, organizations, and the world emerges. Particular emphasis is given to evaluating leadership theories from a values perspective, determining ways they can be applied to the most current developments in organizational change strategies. Using this knowledge, students are presented with ways in which leadership can be conceptualized and applied to today's increasingly complex organizations. The Leadership Symposium provides students a communication platform to convey to industry practitioners and academic scholars their understanding and solutions to the most pressing management and leadership issues, concerns, and topics of our time.

The mission of My 1 Percent is to build a bridge between consumers and environmental non-profit agencies, paving the way for individuals to support the reversal of their environmental impact and help improve the planet.

To uphold the integrity of our mission and vision, My 1 Percent created a Leadership Advisory Board. The Leadership Advisory Board is responsible for advising the management team of My 1 Percent, helping to ensure all actions, communications and services reflect our mission.

We are excited to announce Tim Rahschulte as a member of the Leadership Advisory Board. Tim is a proven transformational leader displaying incredible integrity and wisdom. It was his teachings, questions and guidance that inspired Ryan Russell to create My 1 Percent.

Currently, Tim Rahschulte is an assistant professor of business for George Fox University's School of Management. He teaches a variety of courses in the Doctor of Management program and the capstone, Transformational Leadership, course in the Master of Business Administration program. Tim has 18 years of professional management experience in for-profit and non-profit organizations. Most recently, he has spent a number of years in state government serving as a principal executive manager and business transition architect responsible for enterprise-wide change initiatives.

Over these first few weeks of December all of us at My 1 Percent worked hard to create our 2009 plan. After many hours of projecting financials and calculating web development effort we are excited, and proud, to share our 2009 plan with you. We plan to have our vision of a centralized location where people can donate 1% of their yearly income to a network of credible environmental non-profits publicly launch on September 1, 2009. Backing up from this milestone, we will begin testing the My 1 Percent experience on June 1. We are excited about our plans for the New Year and the opportunity to provide a mechanism for people to help support the reversal of their environmental impact.

From all of us at My 1 Percent, we wish you a happy holiday season and thank you for your support.

2009 Plan

Many of you did not have the opportunity to watch Ryan Russell present the public unveiling of My 1 Percent at George Fox University's School of Management fall leadership symposium in September. To help share Ryan's passion with you we have posted the video of his talk on My 1 Percent's website. We know you will enjoy seeing and hearing about My 1 Percent directly from Ryan. His talk is both inspiring and moving as he displays his emotions for the My 1 Percent vision.

Over the past month the My 1 Percent team has been working hard to make the vision of a centralized location where people can donate 1% of their yearly income to a network of credible environmental non-profits a reality. Before we share more about the developments at My 1 Percent we felt it was important to introduce the team to you.

Ben Purdy

Growing up, Ben spent half his time on a farm on the outskirts of Salem, Oregon with his mother and step-father. There he developed a sincere respect for the natural world through countless days spent exploring outdoors. The other half of his time he lived with his father, a math and science teacher, from whom Ben discovered a passion for creative technical exploration. Ben's life-long curiosity and need for creative expression have resulted in uncounted esoteric projects ranging from simply tinkering in the workshop to interactive gallery installations.

After graduating from South Salem High School Ben spent a year at Bennington College in Vermont where he focused on everything from theater architecture to digital music. His life took a different tack the following summer however, when he decided to pursue a technical career rather than continue at Bennington. After working on almost every aspect of software engineering, Ben found his place in the realm of user interaction design where he met Ryan and Chris. Upon hearing about Ryan's plan for My 1 Percent, Ben jumped on board immediately as it presented not only an opportunity to couple his technical and creative talents, but could also make a profound, positive impact on the world.

Chris Caddell

For Chris, involvement in My 1 Percent began with diapers. Having used disposable diapers with his two kids, he came to realize their environmental impact. This ignited a need to make up for this waste and to live the Native American creed of considering your impact on the seventh generation away from you.

On Sundays, Chris can be found coaching future point guards and quarterbacks for local youth sports leagues. When not armed with a whistle and clipboard, Chris enjoys hiking through the woods with his family, and experiencing all Oregon has to offer. For the past ten years, Chris has designed and developed user experiences for the web and desktop. He continues this effort today with the My 1 Percent team. Chris has a BA in Technical Theater from San Diego State University.

David Stewart

As a native Oregonian and a Portlander, David grew up with the luxuries of the great northwest. Whether skiing Mt. Hood, rafting the Deschutes, or camping on the coast, an outdoor adventure was never more than a short drive away. A 'city boy' at heart, it was easy to take these opportunities for granted.

My 1 Percent represents a personal sea change for David. As a father, he sees the world not just as childhood memories or an ever changing present, but as a future promise to his three children. With global climate change, disappearing habitat, and rising pollution that legacy isn't what it should be. This new found perspective is not an uncommon realization in these times. David has begun to take the initial steps toward a more sustainable future by reducing consumption, opting for a bus pass instead of a parking garage, buying local produce, and staring more intently at the gas gauge. Moreover, this personal change has served to bring about a greater understanding about our impact on the world and the realization that meaningful change won't happen unless we all do something about it.

My 1 Percent combines David's passion for collaboration, love for online experiences, and embodies his wish for a better future for his children. David has a BA in Graphic Design from Portland State University.

Ryan Russell

Whether backpacking around the Northwest, photographing the outdoors, or playing with his son, Ryan's days are always filled with passion. Passion is what fueled Ryan to create My 1 Percent. Passion to repair his impact on the environment and create a better world for his newborn son. Conceived during the final days of his MBA studies, My 1 Percent is a reflection of Ryan's personal declaration to give 1% of his income to support reversing his environmental impact. Inspired by Yvon Chouinard and his work creating the non-profit One Percent For The Planet, Ryan realized if millions of consumers gave 1% of their income they would have an impact a significantly greater than the businesses of One Percent For The Planet.

For the last eight years Ryan has been leading user experiences teams for high-tech companies. When not in the office Ryan and his wife spent time traveling the world, recently visiting such places as Denali National Park and Belize. Ryan has a BS in Software Engineering from Oregon Tech and a MBA from George Fox University.

Troy McGowan

Troy's deep connection and respect to the outdoors was developed by his family at a young age. Hiking trips in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of eastern Oregon were a summer must as a child. His wonder for the outdoors continues to grow each time he is able to 'pack light and go'. As a biology major attending Portland State University, Troy graduated in 1998 and started an environmental consulting firm with a fellow graduate in hopes of making a difference. Having worked on various stream bank restoration and wetland delineation projects, Troy cites being one of the founding participants of establishing the first native seed bank for the city of Portland as one of his favorites.

As a self described life long learner, Troy enrolled in the MBA program at George Fox University where he met Ryan Russell, founder of My 1 Percent. My 1 Percent instantly connected with Troy's ethic that we should all set out to leave the Earth in a better state of health then it was before we came into being. Troy hopes you will join with My 1 Percent so you can see your contributions make a difference in not only your life, but also the lives of future generations across the world. Troy has a BS in Biology from Portland State University and an MBA from George Fox University.

On Saturday, October 11th, My 1 Percent was publicly unveiled at George Fox University's School of Management fall leadership symposium. As part of MBA student's capstone course they are asked to share their perspectives on critical topics facing the world. For this October's symposium the topic was, "What does it mean to be a servant for the world?"

Ryan Russell's presentation, titled Catalyzing Innovation, briefly discussed four key elements of catalyzing innovation before transitioning into the ideas behind My 1 Percent. Inspired by Yvon Chouinard and his work creating the non-profit One Percent For The Planet, Ryan realized if millions of consumers brought 1% of their income together their impact would be phenomenal.

Ryan's talk was both inspiring and moving as he displayed his emotions for the My 1 Percent vision. During the presentation Ryan made a public declaration to give one percent of his income to reversing his family's impact on the environment.

A video Ryan's presentation will be posted within the next few weeks so you can see for yourself the unveiling of My 1 Percent.