NPR's Talk of the Nation: Changing Face of America

Live Town Hall Meeting: Portland

Listen to Talk of the Nation's Town Hall Meeting from Thursday, July 27, at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT in 14.4 or 28.8

Talk of the Nation Juan Williams

Livable Cities

What makes a city livable? Money Magazine named Portland one of the "10 most livable cities in the U.S." Two movements are contributing to the city's "livability" -- urban environmentalism and legislating communities.

Oregon was the first state to pass a bottle bill, and Portland was the first city to ban styrofoam. Now, the city and the state are leading a new movement -- urban environmentalism. Many in the City of Roses says it's the reason Portland is such a nice place to live.

But many Americans say a lot of places in the U.S. have lost their sense of community. Despite disagreement about the hard numbers, there seems to be a palpable pessimism on the local and national level: fewer people vote, they say they don't know their neighbors, and you can't lean out the window and tell someone else's child to behave without repercussions from the parents. Portland, Oregon is one city that's willing to define and legislate its community.

Talk of the Nation broadcasts live from Portland this month. In the first hour, host Juan Williams talks with guests about urban environmentalism.

In hour two, Williams explores how legislating communities can help a city or town achieve a sense of place.

Return to The Changing Face of America home page.

Guests:

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber, M.D., elected governor in 1994 and 1998, and practiced emergency room medicine for 13 years.

Mike Houck, urban naturalist with the Portland Audobon Society.

John Charles, environment policy diretor for the Libertarian Cascade Policy Institute.

Vera Katz, mayor of Portland.

Robert Liberty, executive director of 1,000 Friends of Oregon, a 25-year-old non-profit group working for smart growth.

Randall O'Toole, senior economist with the Thoreau Institute -- a Libertarian Environmental think tank, and a lifelong resident of Oregon.

The Changing Face of America is an 18-month-long NPR series that tells the stories of regular, everyday Americans and the issues they face at a time of rapid and dramatic change in the U.S. This special series can be heard on NPR's Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered and Morning Edition.