In the first week of Occupy Portland, at least two dedicated occupy 'media' tents were erected. One in particular had a six foot portable table, six chairs and power strips juiced by silent generators. Some came to briefly peck away on their own devices; others came to meet, presenting their own ideas, or seeking stories. This tent was exclusively for journalists.
Illona, spotted by trademark orange duct tape, greeted me sheepishly, almost shy. She is anything but this, come to find. We first discussed the condition of the camps, sharing the opinion that such garbage littering around us was an incredible eyesore. The topic of sanitation had first arose, the idea that someone should write about what they do.
Who They Are
"What who do"? I remember asking. From there, Illona and I traversed the square bearing south, ending in the corner of SW 3rd and Madison."This is where the trucks pull up," she points, indicating the curbside of the busy one-way, two-lane southwest street of Madison, proving without a word the insurmountable odds of getting garbage out of the squares - for free.
"It must be next to impossible to stop here", I surmised, as an occupier from the sanitation crew stood in the street diverting traffic from the coveted 12 feet of curbside. He directed drivers with an intensity, having to shout more than once, "You can't park here. A truck is circling the block to stop here. This is the Occupy Portland Sanitation loading zone"!
Indeed, the southeast triangle of grass strip consisting roughly 40 square feet represented what this makeshift society had determined to be a proper location for waste disposal, all in a simple do it yourself work station. This was the birth of the Occupy Portland Sanitation Crew. (PIC)The trash containers lining up along the Chapman Square walk was an obvious call to recycle and reuse. This played well in proximity to the Engineering and Electrical camp which had lodged behind: plenty of debris that someone left for junk other crafty engineers had found use for.
Where They Are Now
One would be hard pressed to put a name to face, but the return of Occupy Portland in what organizers had coined "Occupy West Coast Ports" was the only formal call to action to officially come from the Occupy Portland movement since the camp closure in November. But familiar faces they we, as the late model Ford Ranger pulled up, a Shultz portable restroom in tow.
Arriving to swap out clean portables and deliver vital toiletries was none other than volunteer Glenn of the Occupy Portland Sanitation crew. Glenn, who works for a road construction company as a flagger, had rented six port-a-potties for the "Close The Ports" event here on Monday December 12.
"You paid for these restrooms out of your own pocket"? Not exactly.
Even though television news crews shared full access, the restrooms, toilet paper pyramids, family-sized hand sanitizer bottles and stacks of 2 gallon spring water containers had all come from the Occupy movement - paid for jointly, by vote, from the General Assemblies of Occupy Portland and Occupy Oakland from their respective general funds. "Even the gas for my truck", he grins.
In all, roughly 18 portable restrooms were allotted for Portland West Coast Shut Down alone, not including cases upon cases of premium grade toilet paper, first aid supplies, emergency drinking water, paper towels and feminine hygiene.
This is an example of the kind of organizing our city should consider at it's grassroots, to deem a personal bar of minimum acceptance, as a guide to proper city event planning.
Glenn, who had donated his time, labor and vehicle for the event had his own hoops to jump through.
"Does Shultz know your rented the portables for this event on behalf of Occupy Portland"?
"Nope, not a word, so far", he puts, tersely. Glenn, as it were, drove to Shultz to rent six portables for the event on Sunday. An event on Monday, they exclaimed? What kind of event is this that happens on a Monday?
Explaining he is merely a flagger, curiosity-turned-monotonous had carried the subject away, much to his relief. Glenn does not want to get caught up in politics, though he doesn't mind being quoted as a source.
"Are you Hungry? I have apples, bananas, fruit rolls-ups, granola bars..."
"Hmmm, a granola bar would go well with my lunch", I venture. Glenn rips into a new box of Nature Valley. These, along with the fruit, had come out of his own pocket.
"Here, ya go, bro. Thanks for stopping me to ask", he adds with a smile.
"And thank you for answering my questions", I responded jubilantly.
It is exactly two months past deadline, but the story of Occupy Portland Sanitation has now been told. The Sanitation Crew is a Spoke in The Wheel.
As of Wednesday, the Sanitation Team description and guidelines is as follows:
Sanitation
Making sure that the occupation is a sanitary space for all campers while practicing environmental stewardship. This committee currently has no POC. Care to start?
from www.occupyportland.org/organize
Your thoughts about this article? Could a Sanitation Spokes Council acquire a seat on Mayor Sam Adams city planning committee? Email your thoughts to g.brunty@gmail.com or twitter @endhour
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