 (Mount Hood and the Milky Way) Our spirits are deeply challenged to find peace in these daunting times, even surrounded as we are by the magical, mysterious wonder of our gorgeous Earth. Dr. Katharine K. Wilkinson, author, strategist, and teacher working to heal the planet we call home, explains: We live and learn, labor and love, in a brief and decisive chapter of human history. (Climate Wayfinding (2026)) It’s the temperature… it’s rising, even faster than predicted. The latest data show the steep rise over the last few years, and how much more it’s going to jump in the next 18 months.  2024 holds the record for hottest and 2026 may break that. Experts say we certainly will in 2027. Our problematic historic wealth and privilege may spare us, but there are fires everywhere you look, record heat in Europe, epic and repeating floods in Asia, spreading famine, war and migration across the globe. Warming is feeding on itself, causing ever more serious disruptions in daily lives - a polycrisis. Terrifying.  At the same time, reliable, clean, low-cost, low-barrier renewable energy is accelerating much faster than predicted… with eye-popping cost savings & innovations in batteries, transmission enhancements, distributed energy technology, plug-in home solar and more! The days of fossil fuels are numbered. The transition is underway. Exciting.  ELECTIONS: Record numbers of people are getting engaged. Enthusiasm and engagement are erupting around progressive candidates. We’re building a big public movement that will set the ground on which politicians must operate. This is where YOU come in. State and local governments are composed of actual people we know, neighbors and friends. Let’s get to work and demand they respond to this climate emergency and let’s pitch in to help them. Donate, knock doors and communicate with the decision-makers. It’s too late to stop the climate crisis, but we can protect a lot of what we love and need to survive. There’s a lot of good work to be done! Read on and take action today! Let's Drive Voter Turn-Out in NovemberThe pen is mightier than the sword! Come meet your buddies who are defending democracy! (The only thing more uplifting than fighting for a good cause, is fighting for it with friends!)  A brief introduction, followed by lots of postcard writing. Everything is provided. Friendly and casual. Everyone is welcome. Tell your friends. (No host foods and drinks.) Stay-tuned to hit the streets in October with 350 Eugene to wave and talk to people about the importance of voting. (Can’t come to the party but you’re willing to write cards? Contact Debby at [email protected].) Thanks.  The Eugene Clean Energy Fund ballot initiative qualified for the November ballot, thanks to the insanely smart and energetic work of the leaders and community volunteers! This marks the beginning of our push to reach and mobilize every registered voter in Eugene to vote YES in November.  Let’s expand the local green economy, create union jobs and community resiliency through innovative and long-overdue renewable energy projects, starting with our most vulnerable neighbors. Learn more about ECEF here. Next Steps…  Come to the kick-off fundraiser for the Eugene Clean Energy Fund on Saturday, August 22nd! Learn more about the campaign, support efforts to pass the ECEF ballot measure, and get to know other like-minded folks over snacks and drinks. Fun & casual. What: Fundraiser for the Eugene Clean Energy Fund ballot measure When: Saturday, August 22nd, from 4-6pm Where: Address shared upon RSVP It’s time the billion-dollar corporations pay their fair share! RSVP for the fundraiser here. Pledge to vote yes. Sign up to volunteer! Encourage local businesses/organizations/community leaders to endorse. And donate if you can. More Reasons to Celebrate & Join the Fight Meet the people who fought and won this historic battle at nearby Warner Creek. They have a lot to teach us at this moment! Forest defense is climate defense!  Grassroots Organizing Gets the Goods - Plug In!Join Us for Street Messaging with the Climate Emergency Theme When: Fri., Aug. 14th at 2:00 - 3:30 pm Where: 18th Ave. near Chambers (NE corner of BiMart parking lot). Come animate the banners & signs! Fresh air & friendly conversations. Stay for free pizza at Hey Neighbors! at 19th & Jefferson afterward! Election Protection  Common Cause Oregon is hosting an Election Protection training with 350 Eugene, NAACP, Indivisible, Lane County United for Immigrant Justice Network and the League of Women Voters and we'd love to have you join us! Thur., Sept 10th from 6 to 7:30 pm at UUCE 13th & Chambers More info and registration at this mobilize.us link. Everyone is welcome!  Check out the new Views from the Bike Lane substack: A Eugene-Springfield group passionate about cycling as a means of transportation and working to grow a culture of cycling in our community. HOME ENERGY SCORE: Local climate policy progress: Tune in to the Home Energy Score City of Eugene Public Hearing on Sept. 21st at 5:30 pm (using this link). Contact your City Councilor and tell them to support it. Here’s the Sierra Club's press release. A Data Center in Eugene? What, what? SAVE THE DATE - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Monday, September 14th at 7:30 pm - Eugene City Council public testimony opposing data centers. The Testimony Guide is here. Come at 7:15 to sign up to speak. Much more to come. Opposition to DATA CENTERS is exploding nationwide for a very long list of reasons. In Eugene, a group has begun to meet to organize a local campaign. If you are interested in joining, email Debby at [email protected] and you’ll receive info on how to connect. TAKE ACTION NOW: Sign-on in Opposition to Data Center Development in Eugene - Click here to sign-on. Did You Know?THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE UK… Last November, ten of the UK’s leading experts briefed an invited audience of over 1,200 politicians and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media. The briefing set out the implications of climate and nature breakdown for health, food systems, national security and the economy. Now communities and organizations in Europe are using a free-to-screen 50-minute film, based on the event, to brief the UK public about the climate and nature crisis and call for a wartime-scale response to the climate and nature crisis. There have been hundreds of screenings in village halls, cinemas, faith spaces and workplaces, bringing constituents, civic leaders and members of Parliament together to hear the evidence - and consider what an emergency response should look like. This week a group met to plan bringing the presentation to our community. Learn more about this unifying movement. This is one of the tools in the toolbox to galvanize action in this terrifying and exciting time. More info and a teaser of the film go to nebriefing.org. You should see it.  The only way is through. Let’s be fierce.
A country is only as good… only as strong as the people who make it up and the country turns into what the people want it to become… I don’t believe any longer that we can afford to say that it is entirely out of our hands. We made the world we’re living in and we have to make it over. James Baldwin
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