Welcome to Open Spaces
Open Spaces is a forum for voices that speak with knowledge and understanding of matters currently affecting all of us.
“When artists, entrepreneurs, and agents of social change cluster, they look for forums where they can interact and be challenged and provoked. In Cascadia, Open Spaces plays this role. It is where thoughtful people publish essays that push readers to think outside their comfort zones.”
— Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day
and current president of the Bullitt Foundation
No constitutional office of the United States is bestowed by the formal approval of fewer people than federal judge. How can it be that such government officials enjoy substantial power yet effectively answer neither to the people nor to Congress? Learn about Judicial Activism.
Reports focused on climate change and health continually present the same key messages: 1. climate change is here, 2. it is bad for your health, 3. immediate actions can reduce further risks, and 4. climate action has immediate and substantial health benefits.
In short, if you’re concerned about health, it’s time to take climate action.
An insightful, passionate and entertaining examination of how voters make political decisions, and of what any party or politician needs to do to win their allegiance.
Poet Richard Benner (author of our recently featured poem “Godscape of Clouds”) offers his thoughtful insight into this uncertain time as we emerge from the pandemic.
Are we who live in today’s America too divided to ever again peacefully occupy the same space, much less come together to find real solutions?
Why are sea otters missing from the Oregon Coast? Learn about the history of otters in Oregon, how we got to this point, and about the Elakha Alliance’s restoration efforts to reestablish the ecological and cultural balance for future generations.
Top: Quiet Contemplation
A serene landscape at the National Shrine of St. Therese, north of Juneau, Alaska.
Left: Wildflowers
To see more of Harry’s work, visit his photography showcase.
International Climate Change
For updates, visit the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) website, where one can find Summaries for Policy Makers from recent and upcoming Synthesis Reports.
Photo: Visible Earth, NASA