 In spite of the chaos the dismantlers of democracy and human rights are wreaking on our country, we’re off to a strong start in February with state legislative visits and forest campaigning! We need YOU to keep up the momentum! STATE CLIMATE BILLS & LOBBY DAYS IN SALEM350 Eugene is continuing to advocate for strong climate policy. Here’s some of what’s happening and where we need your support: SB681 - The Pause Act - Moratorium on Private Equity Investments in PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) - We’re making progress! Last Tuesday around 100 constituents spoke with 42 Senators and Representatives along with their aides and made a compelling case for the Pause Act! After last year’s success with the COAL Act, our Divest Oregon Coalition worked with chief sponsor Senator Golden and others to support the 2025 Pause Act. This act codifies a portion of the Treasurer’s Net Zero Plan by pausing for five years the state’s PERS private equity investments primarily in fossil fuels, which are not transparent, illiquid & risky.  Divest Oregon Coalition group photo with Sen. Golden  Visit with District 8 Representative Lisa Fragala  Visit with District 7 Representative John Lively SJR28 - Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment (OCERA) This comprehensive environmental bill will put the right to a Healthy Environment into our state constitution and will help protect other programs like our Climate Protection Plan. There was an inspiring Lobby Day on December 11th. More to come. Stay tuned. OCERA’s Legal team will be hosting a panel discussion at the 2025 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference being held at the University of Oregon February 28th through March 2nd. Plan to attend and get involved. You can hear an in depth conversation with OCERA organizer, Linda Perrine, on Michael Gaskill’s Coast Range Radio podcast. SB80 - Stand Up to Factory Farms SB 80 would prohibit new and expanding large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in existing Groundwater Management Areas, due to the ongoing public health crises over dangerous levels of nitrates in drinking water. For more climate and environmental bills moving through the state legislature, check out 350 Eugene’s Campaign page. WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
HOW CAN I STAY ON TOP OF ALL THIS? A great place to receive regular updates on state legislation is from our friends at Mobilizing for Climate Action Together, MCAT (sponsored by Oregon League of Conservation Voters). They have teams on every bill and keep track during the leg session. Wonderful! You can sign up here.  OUR TREES ARE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK! More logging doesn’t fix the forests Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) SHOW UP & SPEAK UP As climate activists, we know that protecting our mature and old growth forests is our best chance of sequestering massive amounts of atmospheric carbon. Not to mention preserving vital habitat for wildlife and purifying our water and air. So we are throwing down with our forest conservation allies to protect what’s left. The NWFP is one among dozens of US national forest plans currently under review. It’s not looking good. This informative one-pager on the NWFP provides an excellent overview for Cascadia’s forests (including a map). IT’S TIME TO GET EDUCATED & PUSH BACK Wed., Feb. 12th - Rally and public meeting about the NWFP, featuring our neighboring Willamette National Forest. When: Rally outside at 4:30 pm (rain or shine) in support of ecologically sane forest practices. Stay for the presentation at 5:30 pm, followed by Q&A. (We will bring great sample questions like these.) Where: US Forest Service office in Springfield (3106 Pierce Parkway). Hang with your forest-climate buddies, learn more about the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) and ask hard questions. We have signs, banners, chants and more. See you there! Thur., Feb. 13th - 6:00 pm - Webinar - The Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance is hosting a call to unpack the NWFP and potential threats and opportunities affecting the future of PNW forests. Topics include: Tribal sovereignty, forest conservation and fire inclusion; panelists are Grace Brahler (Wildlands Director at Cascadia Wildlands), Ryan Reed (Fire Gen and NWFP Federal Advisory Committee member), and Tim Ingalsbee (Executive Director of FUSEE). Register here! Note: The Alliance is short $3,000 of its fundraising goal. If you are able, please consider a donation to the Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance to ensure that the Alliance's one-of-a-kind critical work continues.  We Need You to Comment! Tues., Mar. 4th - 5:30 to 7:30 pm - Attention Forest Lovers! Join us at Drop Bear Brewery at 2690 Willamette St., Eugene for a Mardi Gras celebration & comment-writing workshop. HUGE amounts of comments are needed NOW during the Northwest Forest Plan’s public review process ending March 17th. (Let’s break some records!) Join us in an informal, convivial setting to hear three forest experts explain the NWFP and what the US Forest Service is proposing. We’ll explain the commenting process and help you write YOUR comment. (You don’t have to be an expert.) Bring your mobile device and we’ll show you how to submit your comment on the spot, or you can take material home and comment from there. Do your part to protect our old growth forests while celebrating Mardi Gras! Delicious food & beverages will be available to purchase. Tell Our Senators to Oppose the “Fix Our Forests” Act! Send a quick email to or call your Senators today!  The Senate is poised to vote on the “Fix Our Forests” Act, which paves the way for unnecessary logging while undermining vital protections for endangered species. The “Fix Our Forests” Act would bypass essential environmental protections and accelerate logging under the guise of wildfire prevention and forest health. Not so fast! Please contact Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley and strongly urge them to oppose this destructive bill. It will take less than a minute, but your input could significantly impact the future of our forests. Thank you! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE - TAKE A BREAK FROM SCREENS Street Messaging Engage & Educate the Public: Save Our Old Growth Forests!  When: Thur., Feb. 13th and Thur., Feb. 27th, 2:00-3:30 pm Where: Along West 18th Ave, east of the Bi-Mart parking lot next to Westmoreland Park We’ll display the beautiful tree signs we painted and others with forest climate messages. Meet up on the south side of 18th at the corner of the Bi-Mart parking lot just before 2 pm. Bring a lawn chair if you like to sit down and dress for the February weather. We hope you can join us! Fresh air & friendly conversation. Save the DateOn March 25th in Roseburg, join community members and advocates across the region for a rally in protest of the Bureau of Land Management’s auction of the critically important old-growth forest threatened by the Blue and Gold project. Send an email to federal elected officials urging them to stop logging in the Blue and Gold project. The rally will take place around 9:00 am during the auction and will be followed by a short hike into some of the threatened old-growth forest. RSVP and/or volunteer by filling out Cascadia Wildlands ’FORM. It’s time to SAY NO TO BLUE AND GOLD! We’ll be organizing carpools. Stay tuned. Only SHOWING UP IN LARGE NUMBERS with very loud voices speaking truth to power EVERY DAY can turn the tide on extractive, exploitive industry practices.  GET OUT THE VOTE - there are a few races that need our support. If you want to write postcards, contact Deb at [email protected].  In Other News Lane County Today is a local show that features the activities of 350 Eugene and other environmental, peace and justice communities in the Eugene, Oregon area. Lane County Today is broadcast on Community Television of Lane County, Comcast channels 29 and 1088, Saturdays 4:30 pm & 5:00 pm, Tuesdays 7:00 pm & 7:30 pm and Wednesdays 7:00 am & 7:30 am. The Lane County Today playlist can also be viewed here on YouTube. Presently, 16 half-hour shows are broadcast and posted. (Credits to Peter Dragovich.) Need inspiration in these times? Who doesn’t? Encircle Film’s February 20th film is "Citizen George", presenting the life and work of Philadelphia-based Quaker activist George Lakey, a nonviolent revolutionary who has worked his entire life for justice and peace, guided by his ideal of societal transformation. Find more information, links to the trailer and ticket sales on the Art House website. We hope you’ll join us there. Bill McKibben (350.org & Third Act founder) always inspires and informs us! His latest, Pushing Back, Short-Term and Long - How to Make Progress Part II, is worth a read. Find it here.  350 Eugene’s Year-end Fundraising Was a Success!
Big thanks to so many of you who stepped up and made generous donations, alongside our amazing group of current & new “Sustaining Donors.” We reached our goal of $10K! With extra thanks to The Towhee Fund of Oregon Community Foundation and the Suwinski Foundation for their special grants. We’ll be putting it to good use! Let’s be fierce.
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 The dizzying chaos of misinformation and threats coming from our nation’s capital has begun. We’re in a dangerous place. Not only must we confront and find solutions to the climate crisis, but we also must resist and disrupt the toxic, racist, totalitarian, fascist, misogynist, patriarchal bullies now running our federal government. Let’s come together. Stay focused, re-evaluate and retool to meet this moment with courage and solidarity. What does this mean for you? It certainly means taking care of you and yours… AND it also might mean stepping up and joining in more climate action. We are rapidly surpassing many of the planetary thresholds, including 1.5 degrees Celsius, with their concomitant feedback loops and tipping points, creating catastrophic weather events and destabilizing the planet’s natural systems on which we all depend. Despite massive advances in renewable energy, fossil fuel use continues to increase, all while the oligarchs super-charge their exploitation of our one and only cherished planetary home. We know it’s going to get worse. We’re focusing our actions where we think we can make the most difference:
This is where we’re going in 2025. We are glad you care. We are glad you are awake. If you’re reading this, you know the only way through this is TOGETHER. Because when we fight together, we win. Thank you for supporting 350 Eugene in 2024. Your generosity continues to amaze us. There is much to do. Let us begin. Take Action TUNE-IN, TURN-OUT, SPEAK YOUR TRUTH - LET’S BUILD POWER LOCAL POLICY Monday, January 27th at 7:30 pm - Eugene City Council at City Hall or via webcast We always start the new year showing the Mayor and City Council that Eugenians expect bold action on climate. Support local progress!
Street Messaging Thursday, January 30th - 2 to 3:30 pm - Street Messaging for a Clean, Electric Eugene! Meet at 15th and Chambers. Dress for the weather. Everything is provided. Engage the community with positive energy. All are welcome. Meet new friends.  STATE POLICY The long session of the Oregon Legislature began on January 25th and will run through June. This year there are a number of climate-related bills. We’re focused right now on these two and you can help.  Lobby Day for The Pause Act (SB 681) Tuesday, February 4th in Salem 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Last year, our legislature passed the COAL Act. Grassroots organizing made that happen. Phenomenal! This year the amazing Divest Oregon coalition has been working on The Pause Act (SB 681), a bill that will be the first of its kind in the country. It will mandate a 5-year moratorium on new Oregon Treasury private investments – generally known as private equity (not public / not transparent / much more risky) – that we expect will be invested at 10% or more in the fossil fuel industry. However, the Treasury’s own NET Zero Plan outlines that we must stop new private investments in fossil fuels. The Pause Act would require it. If you’re planning to come, please fill out this RSVP form. Organizers need to know you're coming so we can assign all of us to a lobby day leader and provide enough complementary lunch for everyone. Invite your friends! Carpool from Eugene: email Patty at [email protected] if you want to catch a ride or can offer a vehicle. If you are driving yourself, meet at 8:30 am at Salem First Congregational Church, 700 Mission St NE, Salem. Brief Background Private investments are problematic for the following reasons:
 Check out this cool video to see why they are so problematic and why we need the Pause Act… You can find more details on the Pause Act web page and you can also follow Divest Oregon on Instagram or Facebook. Sign up for Lobby Day and email Patty for a ride at at [email protected] today! Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment (OCERA)  OCERA held its second successful lobby day in December when over 50 Oregonians spoke with legislators about LC 2562, the “Right to a Clean, Safe and Healthy Environment” amendment to the Oregon Constitution. The goal is to have the bill referred to the 2026 ballot. The momentum is building as we add more Co-Chief Sponsors and Co-sponsors for the bill. But MORE are needed, so our advocacy continues. Current OCERA Co-chief sponsors: Senators Golden, Manning, Prozanski, Representatives Gamba, Andersen, Tran Current OCERA Co-sponsors: Senators Campos, Frederick, Jama, Meek, Pham, Reynolds, Taylor and Representatives Chaichi, Fragala, Hartman, Helm, Hudson, Marsh, Nelson, Nosse This amendment will put the right to a Healthy Environment into our state constitution and protect Oregonians from the threat of diminished federal protections on the horizon. We need this now more than ever. Oregon has joined a growing number of states trying to pass such bills. The OCERA bill (LC 2562) will get a bill number in the coming weeks and there will be opportunities to come to Salem and to send written testimonies of support. This could be our best chance to protect Oregonians clean water, clean air, our rivers, forests and beautiful natural areas. Stay tuned for lobby day information coming up. You can learn more at the OCERA website and contact the OCERA Team at [email protected]. Listen to Coast Range Radio’s podcast interview with Linda Perrine, an organizer with OCERA, (and former 350EUG leader) to get a clear picture of what’s at stake. More State Climate Bill Priorities The Building Resilience Coalition’s priorities are focused on expanding and protecting these important climate bills that passed in 2023:
Priorities in 2025: One-Stop-Shop - HB 3081- expands program to provide a single resource for accessing energy efficient / electrification incentives and Get the Junk Out - SB 88 - limits non-energy costs passed on to ratepayers You can check out our other state climate policy allies' priorities at Oregon Just Transition Alliance and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. It is a VERY important year for climate action on a state level. Please watch our newsletter for more info coming throughout the session! FOREST DEFENSE  Urgent Action Needed Today! It’s a ruse! In the first week of the new federal administration, the “Fix Our Forests” Act is skipping committees and environmental review and heading to the US House of Representatives for a vote. It might be there now. Despite its name, this bill is bad news for our forests. It will open the floodgates for unwarranted logging and roll back protections for endangered species. It’s urgent we contact our U.S. House representatives immediately and urge them not to support this tree-killing bill. It will take less than a minute, and your voice could make all the difference for our forests. Call or email your representative directly using this link to find your Representative's contact info or use Environment American’s easy form to send an email now. Short background / talking points:
Time is of the essence. Can you please contact your U.S. House representative TODAY? Quick form here. Thank you. The Pacific Northwest Forest Plan - it’s in the cross-hairs The US Forest Service is in the midst of a 120-day comment period as part of its efforts to update the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan. Developed to curb the impacts of destructive logging on imperiled species like the northern spotted owl, the plan is meant to guide agency stewardship of 17 national forests stretching from western Washington and Oregon down to northwestern California. Our backyard. But, among other things, some of which are good, their recommendations include more mature and old growth logging. Wait. What? What’s good: efforts to increase Tribal Inclusion and incorporate Indigenous Knowledge in forest management — a long overdue commitment. What’s bad: significantly increased logging targets and heightened fire risk in mature and old-growth forest watersheds. 350 Eugene’s Forest Team is joining with our forest conservation allies and gathering information to engage our climate community and support pushback on the agency’s blatant attempts to increase road-building and logging in our irreplaceable forests in the NWFP Amendment. US Forest Service Public Meeting, Wednesday, February 12th at 5:30 pm - Join us! The public is invited to attend the agency’s local information session on the Willamette National Forest plan at the Willamette National Forest Supervisor’s Office located at 3106 Pierce Parkway in Springfield. These meetings in the various national forests across our state are billed as public meetings to learn more and discuss the proposed NWFP amendment. They include an introduction to the Plan, an overview of the proposed amendment, key details about the proposed action and alternatives outlined in the Draft Environmental Statement, and information on how to engage during the 120-day public comment period, followed by Q&A. Email Deb at [email protected] if you think you’ll be coming so we can organize ourselves. *Note: participation at these meetings does NOT count as official comments on the draft NWFP amendment. We want to show up to let the agency know that people care about our forests and don't want to see more logging, and that we care about tribal inclusion and environmental justice. AND…  We’ll be hitting the streets in February with positive forest messages to engage & educate our community on how to protect our best natural climate solution - our forests. Watch for Street Messaging on February’s calendar for details. Stay tuned. To get the basics on the Northwest Forest Plan and where it stands today, take a look at Oregon Wild’s Webcast: How to Save the Northwest Forest Plan, which explains the history of the plan, provides an analysis of the Forest Service’s proposal and how the public can get involved. Quest by Cycle Calls for Artists to Design Game Badges! Deadline is February 28th! - Tell your friends! Resilience and Regeneration- Resources for this moment What if the climate crisis is an invitation to deepen our spiritual selves? By Charlie Wood. WAGING NONVIOLENCE: People-Powered News and Analysis. January 16, 2025 A New Resource For These Unthinkable Times - Check it out! https://www.unthinkable.earth/  What does more climate action mean to you? Here’s another idea… The Chamber of Commerce is working hard to pack the city’s various public (volunteer) committees and commissions. The progressive community needs to do the same! Are you, or do you know someone, who has the interest and time to devote to these important volunteer opportunities?
Applications accepted from January 1 to January 31, 2025. For more details, visit the City of Eugene’s announcement here.  On January 20, 2025, a lot of us were tuned into Rebecca Solnit’s uplifting webinar with Bill McKibben and others, The Way We Get Through This is Together: Celebrating Community. It’s worth a watch. We stand together.
The oligarchs are afraid. Let’s celebrate community, stay informed and be even more strategic. Resist the urge to shut down. Take heart from our BIPOC relatives who for generations have struggled against oppression. That is what resilience looks like. Looking with clear eyes at this moment, let’s each pick up our stone and move this mountain.  Dear Friends of 350 Eugene, 2024 was a great year! Thanks for all your support! Now we’re looking 2025 squarely in the face and the 350 Eugene team of volunteers continue the fight for climate-sanity! We’re on a warrior’s journey together. Steady as she goes. Let’s be ready! If you haven’t already, you can still make a 2024 donation to our grassroots work. Go to our website's donate page here and make a contribution today to serious & creative local climate action! THANK YOU! From the Board President: Like our family, you may have a tradition at this time of year to revisit an inspiring story that exemplifies courage against all odds; a story that reminds us of what we can do together, that binds us together and lifts our spirits. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is our “go to”, and the renowned climate scientist, Michael Mann (and YOU), may agree. He said this on election day in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists:  “Especially resonant for me at this time is an exchange between Sam and Frodo, midway through their journey, as Frodo begins to doubt his resolve, and questions whether he is up to the seemingly hopeless task he has been given:” Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam? Sam: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo … and it’s worth fighting for.” Michael Mann goes on to say: “We too must choose to do battle against the forces of darkness, fighting back against a malevolent movement that represents fascism, authoritarianism, racism, misogyny, and bigotry, a movement that uses antiscientific disinformation as its preferred weapon. We do this not because our success is guaranteed. Given the forces mobilized against us, we are clearly the underdog. No white wizard will come to our rescue. But we have truth and justice on our side. And the stakes simply couldn’t be greater. We continue to fight for a livable planet, for us, our children, and future generations. Because it’s worth fighting for.” There are a lot of challenges stacking up at the federal level, but there is a ton of important work that our scrappy grassroots team of agitators can do at the state and local level: that’s where we’ll focus. Read on to see where and how YOU can jump in! This is your last chance to donate to our work in 2024. Go to our website's donate page here and make a contribution to local grassroots climate action today! THANK YOU! - Patty Hine New in 2025
Local PolicyCITY - The City of Eugene will have a new mayor, Kaarin Knudson, and Ward 1 Councilor, Eliza Kashinsky, both friends of good climate policy. This is good news! We’ll continue to advocate for building decarbonization through an increase in the “gas supplier tax” and other policies so Eugene can meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, do our part to reduce planet-heating pollution, and be a state leader in the equitable transition to clean, renewable energy. Kudos to Ian Penn & Danielle Klinkebiel of the Eugene Sustainability Office, and Chief Financial Officer, Twylla Miller, for their excellent presentations on climate action and budget/revenue progress during the 12/9/24 City Council Work Session. To hear the recording, go to this Youtube video.  Federal funds are flowing down to state and local jurisdictions from Biden’s Inflation Reduction and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts. Sweeping investments and projects are already underway. The energy transition is HERE. We will continue to engage and educate policy-makers in the city, county, local utilities, school boards and community organizations and push for the changes we need to see. We’re running out of time. STREET MESSAGING CONTINUES - (watch our website calendar for January dates & locations) The Holiday Market Street Messaging was met with a “hail downpour” but not before we enjoyed connecting with market-goers! Fresh air & conversation with your climate buddies and community, followed by informal social time. Everything is provided and all are welcome!
State PolicyOregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment (OCERA) Lobby Day  Great success getting co-sponsors for the OCERA bill at Lobby Day on December 11th! Big thanks to the organizers and our local state policy team, Dan Mulholland, Linda Kelley and Robin Bloomgarden, pictured above, with new bill co-sponsor Oregon House Representative-elect District 8, Lisa Fragala. You can read the bill here. It’s a game-changer! Divest Oregon - The Pause Act - Pause PERS Private Investments in Fossil Fuels in 2025! A Five-Year Moratorium on Private Fossil Fuel Investments Divest Oregon has had a very busy year: Successfully passed the COAL Act by building strong ties with legislators, spoke at monthly Oregon Investment Council meetings, got Treasurer-elect Steiner to commit to the Net Zero Plan and elevated it to an issue in the Treasurer's race, held a successful Treasurer candidate forum, worked with allies in WA, IL, CA and NY and presented nationally as state divestment experts. Wow! You can look / listen to the December meeting slides and recording to get a glimpse of how much progress our campaign is making. Here’s a fact sheet on the Pause Act. In 2025, if you are willing to meet virtually with your legislator in support of the Pause Act in January or attend an upcoming Lobby Day in Salem (date TBD), please fill out this form. Even if you’ve signed up in the past, please sign up again to get your new legislator info and you’ll be contacted! Note: For virtual Pause Act meetings, we’ll schedule the meetings and invite you. Someone from Divest Oregon will attend and do a constituent prep beforehand. More on state climate policy: Established by state law in 2007 as the Global Warming Commission, the newly named “Oregon Climate Action Commission,” was created to recommend ways to coordinate state and local efforts to reduce Oregon's greenhouse gas emissions, and to help the state, local governments, businesses, and Oregonians prepare for the effects of climate change. The Commission will meet on January 10, 2025. The public meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to noon online. At this meeting the Commission will discuss Natural and Working Lands and the Commission’s 2025 Work Plan. Most of the meeting will focus on reviewing work plan topics and will generate input for future areas of focus and priorities in the coming year. The agenda and meeting information, including how to listen in, is available on the Commission’s website. FOREST CLIMATE DEFENSE- the news isn’t good As you know, the US Forest Service has been tasked to update all its national forest plans, ostensibly with climate and biodiversity protection in mind. The plan governing our region, the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), is a landmark policy from 1994 that finally and significantly protects our region’s old growth and imperiled species. It is being threatened. The Initial Analysis of Northwest Forest Plan Amendment Draft Environmental Impact Statement Alternatives (four-page) summary report from Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Bird Alliance of Oregon and Wild Earth Guardians shows that the U.S. Forest Service has proposed its own sweeping changes to the NWFP that could double—and potentially triple—logging levels on our national forests and re-open mature and old-growth stands to aggressive logging. After four years of hard work by the national Climate Forests Coalition and our own regional Pacific Northwest Forest Climate Alliance (PNWFCA), organizers are re-evaluating how to be most effective at protecting what’s left of our national and private forest lands given the change in national leadership. We’re gearing up for action in 2025 with planning retreats, commenting sessions, work groups and spring / summer events. It can be a steep learning curve for climate activists to wrap our heads around national land management practices, but the single biggest climate solution in Cascadia is without a doubt protecting mature and old growth forests! How do we fight back? Educate ourselves, network, support and show-up with our forest conservation allies! Wednesday, January 22nd - Firefighters for Safety, Ethics and Ecology (FUSEE) and partners will be hosting the Just Futures Symposium with speakers discussing the impacts of the NWFP on Tribal inclusion and environmental justice. RSVP here. Free and open to the public.  Join Us for More January EventsThursday, January 16th at 6:30 pm film at the Art House - Eating for Tomorrow  Eating For Tomorrow is a powerful and brilliantly produced documentary that exposes the devastating environmental impact of our current food systems. With the planet teetering toward ecological collapse, the film calls for a global dietary shift and illuminates the path to a sustainable future for us all. 350 Eugene is co-sponsor. Learn more and buy tickets here. Sunday, January 19th at 1:00 pm Anti-imperialist Rally & March at the Wayne Morse Federal Courthouse, 405 E 8th, Ave. Eugene - Defeat Trump’s Extreme-right Billionaire Agenda. Other NewsWe have a new social media channel: Blue Sky! Have you seen our cool slides in the local theaters? (Hats off to Joanie Kleban - our Artivist in Chief.)   The Emerald Valley Electric Vehicle Association (EVEVA) has a great FB page where you can learn about the latest incentives and local EV opportunities. Check it out! Some good news & national fame for 350 Eugene - In the Microgrid Resources Coalition (MRC) Newsletter under Oregon: The MRC continues building upon its successful work with the State Legislature and the Oregon Department of Energy to create a County Energy Resilience Grant Program that will fund the planning of microgrid and resiliency projects in local communities in Oregon. In collaboration with our local coalition partners like Sustainable Northwest, Community Renewable Energy Association, 350 Eugene, and other key stakeholders, the MRC is preparing to engage in the 2025 Legislative Session and advocate for policy proposals that will advance microgrid and community energy project development across the state of Oregon. (Note: Big thanks to our awesome local Policy Team’s efforts and their innovative work on the Eugene Airport’s Solar Project / grant from Oregon Department of Energy!) It’s 2025 and you know it’s time to act, personally and collectively! For some ideas, we like Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s short list, from her book “What If We Get It Right?” 2024:
  The momentum is still building and we’re not backing down. The vast majority of people want to drastically step up efforts to confront the threat of climate-breakdown. But governments don’t act with the urgency that the accelerating crisis demands! We can change that. We know there are daunting difficulties ahead, and it just got harder, but ACT WE MUST! Climate change is HERE and we won’t turn away from our obligation to secure a stable-climate future. Show-up, write emails, protest, comment & carpool to Salem! LOCAL City of Eugene Climate Progress - Long on Talk… Short on Action IMPORTANT WORK SESSIONS TOMORROW! The Sustainability Office staff just finished an extended, robust public engagement process concerning potential building decarbonization strategies. They, along with the Climate & Sustainability Revenue Advisors (to pay for the strategies), will be presenting their recommendations at two work sessions tomorrow. (Note the Climate Revenue work session was previously scheduled for 12/11, but has been added to the 12/9 Decarbonization work session.) Will councilors act once they have the facts? Let’s watch and see! Where & When: Monday, December 9th at 5:30 pm at City Hall, 500 E 4th Street. JOIN US! We’ll be there tomorrow evening at 5:30 pm! (You also can tune-in remotely with this link, if you prefer.) Please note: Only Monday evening work sessions may be attended in-person. Holiday Market Street Messaging Fun Hit the streets to educate & inspire holiday shoppers about climate! Saturday, Dec. 14th - Join us to display Climate Action and Climate Justice banners & signs. It’s a great time to visit with other climate-concerned people and engage the public with our message. Stand next to or hold our signs or banners and wave at our fellow citizens who are driving, biking and walking by. Bring your own Climate Action signs, if you’d like. Bring a lawn chair if you like to sit down. Where & When: W. 13th Ave next to the Fairgrounds and Holiday Market, near Monroe St. (Meet at the corner of 13th & Monroe just before 1:30, or look for the signs and banners along 13th Ave west of Monroe if you arrive later.)   Support Health & Safety in West Eugene! Oppose the USD Eugene Clean Fuels transloading facility in the Trainsong neighborhood! The City of Eugene is accepting written testimony regarding the Eugene Clean Fuels Zone Verification application during a 14-day period from December 3, 2024 through 5:00 p.m. on December 17, 2024. Please send an email to [email protected], urging the city to disapprove their application. More info here. A very brief email does the trick. They count each one on all issues! STATE We need strong state policy on Climate! Come to Salem to make it happen! LOBBY DAY - Wednesday, Dec. 11th (8:00 am to 4:00 pm) at the capitol in Salem. The Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment (OCERA) represents the most effective, efficient and meaningful way to bring balanced, systemic change to how Oregon manages our environment, and emphasizes safety and health, especially for our children and future generations. 350 Eugene is organizing a carpool to attend lobby day and meet with our representatives, leaving Wednesday morning at 7:15 am. If you would like to join in, contact Deb at [email protected]. In Salem we’ll meet up at the First Presbyterian Church, 770 Chemeketa Street NE, around 8:00 am for an orientation and coffee / tea. (There’s free parking in the church lot.) Come in person or meet virtually with your representative. Register to participate in advance here. You’ll find all the relevant information in the sign-up form. Celebrate some good news: Oregon's Climate Protection Program has officially been restored, despite big polluters spreading misinformation to drown out your voices. With your help, we sent a strong message: We will NOT let big oil and gas companies operate business as usual. Thank you! Divest Oregon and the Bill Proposed in the 2025 Oregon Legislature  This amazing campaign keeps racking up wins! Learn more here. FEDERAL Environment Town Hall Thursday, December 19th at 11:30 - Oregon League of Conservation Voters is hosting a Virtual Town Hall on the Environment with Senator Ron Wyden. As we prepare for the newly elected president and Congress to take office, let’s join this call to learn directly from Senator Wyden about the ongoing fight for climate action and environmental protections in D.C. Register here. Fracked Gas Resistance - GTN XPress Update The Stop NW Gas Expansion Coalition is a grassroots alliance of public health, faith, climate justice, and local groups from across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. We are fighting back against the unnecessary and rapid expansion of fracked methane gas and fossil fuels across our region. While the GTN Xpress project has been approved by the federal government – the fight to stop it continues in the courts. Recently a Politico report exposed the fact that pipeline inspectors have found the 63 year old pipes to be corroded and damaged. We can’t let weak federal pipeline rules put “profit over safety!” The fight is far from over! Stay tuned. Forest Defense is Climate Defense We are still reeling from rumors of reversing hard fought (and won) battles to preserve and protect our national forests and public lands. With all national forest plans now under review, the signs are that timber production will dramatically scale up. The U.S. Forest Service plans to redefine what is considered “mature” and “old-growth” to weaken protections and ramp up logging in the older public forests that absorb climate pollution, filter drinking water, provide needed habitat to imperiled fish and wildlife, and increase Cascadia’s resilience to wildfire. National and regional orgs are pulling together a short list of mature & old-growth logging projects to re-elevate with the Forest Service with the hope that some or all of them could be canceled before the next administration. Meanwhile, we in Cascadia are in a particularly critical time. In our region, the Northwest Forest Plan (adopted in 1994), which was an historic win for endangered species and stopped the worst of old growth logging, has just entered its 120-day public comment phase, ending March 17, 2025. Stay tuned for a BIG PUSH to submit massive comments to stave off the worst for our forests - a vital natural climate solution. The fight is on. NEARBY… In the beautiful Umpqua Watershed… You can help stop the Bureau of Land Management’s latest plan to log over 1,000 acres of resilient old growth forest habitat west of Yoncalla in the Blue & Gold Project. Send an email using this tool (quick & easy) to Biden and our U.S. Senators today to tell them we need our mature and old growth forests in the face of climate change and the biodiversity crisis! Thank you.  Transportation Folks in the Friendly Neighborhood are organizing to improve access to public transportation. If you are interested in learning more and/or joining this group, Contact Sandy Gill at (541) 357-1837. Resilience and Regeneration Work Group Inspiration & Instruction Film recommendation: At Work in the Ruins (YouTube 9/24/2024; 1 hour 4 minutes) with Dougald Hine. Dougald Hine is a social thinker, writer and speaker. He co-founded the Dark Mountain Project and has collaborated with scientists, artists and activists to explore how we might live together in these times. His latest book is At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Science, Climate Change, Pandemics & All the Other Emergencies (2023). An Opportunity in Our Community: Climate Cafe - Free Gathering First Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm at 70 E Howard Ave, Eugene. (Organized by Mike Meyer.) We’re the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For With the recent federal election results, it’s now more important than ever to focus on local and state actions to keep building momentum towards a safe and clean energy future. We’re in this for the long haul and there’s solid momentum, which has been boosted by the landmark climate policies of the Biden administration. This will continue regardless of who is in the White House. Hey! Don’t forget our wins! Even during the last T-administration together we: Stopped the Jordan Cove LNG terminal and Pacific Connector Pipeline, Saved the Elliott State Forest and Reinstated Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan! And next time… we’re bringing the puppets!  You are not alone in feeling disoriented with the deepening and dizzying dread of an autocratic society with no environmental or civil guardrails. We got out the vote and now the voters have chosen. Our vital work remains before us, but our tactics must change. The path forward is uncertain, but this much is clear: We stick together and we persevere, clear-eyed, braver and smarter than ever. We stand on the shoulders of peace and justice warriors, past and present. TAKE ACTION: There is much we CAN do! We must focus locally. We must reach out (beyond our comfort zone) and support our talented allies, especially youth and BIPOC. We must more generously fund / resource these efforts with our creativity, time and money. We must support each other in the work to save the planet with the greatest dedication we can muster, and do it with love and joy. Are you in? Here’s some local work to be part of right now. SHOWING UP IS 99%:  ACTION 1: Attend Eugene City Council Meeting - it sounds boring, but we make it fun! Monday, November 25th at 7:30 pm at the new City Hall at 500 E 4th Ave. (old EWEB building pictured above). Since the withdrawal last year of Eugene’s residential electrification ordinance, advocates have been working tirelessly with city staff to implement GHG-reduction strategies in the Climate Action Plan 2.0. This January we usher in a new Mayor and Ward 1 Councilor, and anticipate greater engagement and progress around climate, as the federal and state IRA funds flow into Oregon, Lane County and Eugene/Springfield. But what we need now is POLITICAL WILL to maintain forward momentum. That means WE HAVE TO SHOW UP before January. Public comment time at city council is an important way to let the council know we have their back when it comes to enacting strong climate policy going forward. Our message is this:
Public comment is “in person only.” Sign-up starts at 7:00 pm. You have 2 ½ minutes to make a difference. Join your climate buddies at city council Monday the 25th. Come to speak or join in solidarity with those who do. See you there! (Social time following.) ACTION 2: Tune-in to the Sustainability Office’s Reports on Climate Progress Monday, December 9th at 5:30 pm - Work Session: Update on Building Decarbonization Wednesday, December 11th at noon (12:00 pm) - Work Session: Climate & Sustainability Revenue Use this link to access and watch the livestream on December 9th & 11th. See how far we’ve come and how far we have to go. Show them we’re concerned and engaged. Get to know the players and who supports (or doesn’t) city climate action. You might be surprised. (Note: Work sessions can only be viewed on-line and there is no public comment.)  ACTION 3: Stand up for Golden Gardens Park in West Eugene! Thursday, November 21st at noon (12:00 pm) - Virtual Meeting with City & Neighborhood We need a plan that respects both recreation needs and our environment! Golden Gardens Park, a beautiful natural place in the Bethel neighborhood, is one of the few places in Eugene where wildlife like herons, bald eagles, and Western Pond Turtles thrive in their natural habitat (located on Jessen Dr., SW of Jerry’s on Highway 99. Map).  The City of Eugene plans to develop a large sports complex, including 14 sports fields, lighting, parking, and unfortunately, the addition of plastic artificial turf, which would introduce harmful microplastics into the environment, disrupt sensitive ecosystems, and degrade the park’s wildlife habitat. We don’t have to use the fossil fuel industry’s new favorite product, PLASTIC, on our kids’ sports fields! City staff will discuss the final design for the park, which includes 124 acres of natural area, a trail system, and sports facilities. This is our opportunity to ask questions, raise concerns, and request nature-friendly solutions. And please complete the City Survey. Your voice makes a difference! Attend the public (virtual) meeting and share your thoughts on this proposal and advocate on behalf of natural, organically managed grass over artificial turf and protections for wildlife habitats. Virtual Meeting Thursday, Nov 21, 2024 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom: Register here For more information, here is the Beyond Toxics "Case Against Artificial Turf" info sheet. ACTION 4: Street Messaging - hit the streets to educate & engage our community on climate! Join us in December on the streets of Eugene to display signs and banners with a Climate Action and Climate Justice message. It’s a time to visit with other climate concerned people and engage the public with our message. Stand next to or hold our signs or banners and wave at our fellow citizens who are driving, biking and walking by.
When: Friday, December 6 from 1:30-3:00pm Where: W. 18th Ave just east of the Bi-Mart at 18th & Chambers Meet at the east corner of the Bi-Mart parking lot just before 1:30 or look for the signs and banners along 18th Ave whenever you arrive after that. When: Saturday, December 14 from 1:30-3 pm. Where: W. 13th Ave next to the Fairgrounds and Holiday Market, near Monroe St. Meet at the corner of 13th & Monroe just before 1:30, or look for the signs and banners along 13th Ave west of Monroe if you arrive later. In Solidarity, we hope you’ll be with us out on the streets! ACTION 5: Attend the Weatherization Workshop - A Just Transition Series! Saturday, November 16th 3 to 4:30 pm Learn how to make your home cozy & energy-efficient this winter while saving money! This workshop focuses on the needs of BIPOC community members, renters & homeowners in Eugene-Springfield area.  🛠️ FREE supplies + DIY demos 🍕 Free pizza & refreshments 💰 $50 stipend for participants Register here. ACTION 6: Read local UO Sophomore and leader of the Climate Justice League, Jack Dodson’s, latest critique of the UO administration’s failure to honestly engage in the divestment issue in the Emerald. We’re working side-by-side with strong, young climate leaders! ACTION 7: Attend World Toilet Day! Tuesday, November 19th at 6:00 pm at Whirled Pies on 8th & Charnelton in Eugene Meet your peeps and learn about a more sustainable future!  Inspiration(Quick Watch & Listen) WATCH: There’s a brand new story about what’s happening with our forests. Wildfires… it’s a brand new world! What do the most destructive fires have in common? Here’s a short video (12 mins) from PBS’s “Weathered Fast Fires” that will shock you. The title of this short is: Is this type of fire impossible to stop? Check it out! LISTEN: The Coast Range Association is a scrappy organization on the north central coast that advocates for protecting Oregon communities, oceans and forests. It regularly hosts a very local and (often spectacular) podcast called Coast Range Radio. We highly recommend a recent program, State of the Climate Emergency 2024: State of the Climate Report, with co-author Dr. Jillian Gregg (Principal Investigator, Executive Director of Terrestrial Ecosystems Research Associates (TERA) in Corvallis). In this short interview, Dr. Gregg talks about the report's terrifying findings and how we can break through the climate action gridlock. (Apple podcast link and Spotify link - 38 mins.) Good News - We Helped Do ThisOregon Protects Elliott State Research Forest As a Carbon Reserve - Savor the Moment In October, Oregon adopted a new forest management plan for the Elliott State Research Forest—one of the largest (and newest) research forests in the U.S. This plan boosts protections for salmon and other at-risk species, and also makes the ENTIRE 83,000-acre forest a carbon reserve, prioritizing its value in storing harmful greenhouse gasses over timber harvest. “This is a precedent-setting moment for Oregon,” says Wild Salmon Center Oregon Policy Manager Michael Lang. “Governor Kotek and the Oregon Land Board deserve huge thanks for their leadership. This visionary plan can serve as a model for other public forests in Oregon.  We were there with our voices, our art, our indomitable spirit! Together, we win! It is time to hold each other close with grace and empathy. It is time to do that “extra thing” you were waiting to do, like subscribe to that Substack newsletter that helps you cope, send some money to that new organization with young leaders. It’s time to cross over and lend support to the labor movement or join in re-indigenizing the world. It’s time to build bonds of love and connection for the long haul in these uncertain times. Let’s be fierce.  As the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King said, “Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter - but beautiful - struggle for a new world.”
 With elections right around the corner, it’s difficult to think of much else. So much is at stake. And with climate progress so slow and the accelerating global heating & biodiversity crises so perilous, we must do everything we can to protect our democracy so we can protect what we love, our only home: Earth.  We’re Getting Out the Vote! Our amazing GOTV Team has written & mailed out approximately 12,000 postcards! Wow! Working alongside scads of local groups here and across our country, we’ve sent the message that THIS ELECTION is the most important of our (and perhaps anyone’s) lifetime! Thanks for your dedication, the many donations for stamps, and the hours and hours of writing. (Thanks also to those super heroes who are phone-banking & door-knocking in swing states!) 350 Eugene Vote Climate Street Messaging Join us this month on the streets of Eugene to display signs and banners with a Vote Climate message. It’s a time to visit with other climate concerned voters and engage the public with our message. Stand next to or hold our signs or banners and wave at our fellow citizens who are driving, biking and walking by. When: Thursday, October 24 from 3-4:30 pm Where: Corner of E. 30th Ave & Hilyard St & East of Hilyard along 30th Meet in the southeast corner of the Albertson’s parking lot just before 3:00, or look for the signs and banners at that corner and east on 30th Avenue whenever you arrive. When: Halloween! Thursday, October 31 from 3-4:30 pm You are welcome (but not required) to come in costume and even bring a “Vote Climate” sign to go with your costume. (Example: for Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz: Vote Climate by Nov. 5… from Oregon to Kansas and beyond, we need climate leaders!) Where: Meet at the NW corner of River Road & Maxwell Rd., just before 3:00, or look for the signs and banners along the west side of River Road near Maxwell. Parking is along Hamilton Ave or Court Dr., both west of River Road and north of Maxwell. Bring your own “Vote” signs, if you’d like and a lawn chair if you like to sit down. Rain or shine!
Think Climate. Vote Climate. Save our home. No Partisan Gerrymandering In Lane County: Vote no on Measure 20-362!  This summer, right-wing County Commissioners pushed a surprise deal, Measure 20-362, onto the November ballot. They want new voting district boundaries that give them a political advantage, changing them mid-cycle, five years ahead of schedule before two of them have to run for re-election in 2026. The current districts were updated by a democratic, transparent citizen-lead process, just three years ago. There is no legitimate reason to monkey with the districts now. We say:
More MAGA County Commissioners Ignoring Constituents  Oakridge is home to rich local pioneer and Indigenous history, and is surrounded by sensitive elk herd calving grounds. It was also recently recognized as the Mountain Biking Capital of the Northwest . Despite vigorous public outcry and the county’s own Planning Commission’s unanimous vote against rezoning Oakridge’s TV Butte for a gravel mine, the Lane County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to continue to pursue the proposed quarry. This fight was fought and won by grassroots resistance in 2015 and must be stopped again. You can help! Come to the Benefit to Save TV Butte Fri., Nov. 1st from 7 to 11:00 pm at Hybrid Gallery 941 W. 3rd, Eugene  Gather with your Earth-Protector buddies. Let’s save what we love. Come to the benefit! For more info, check out the OakridgeStrong website. We can stop this for good. Locking-in Polluting Fossil-gas with Eugene Citizen Tax Dollars Using Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemptions (MUPTE) Does it make sense to you to pass a Climate Recovery Ordinance (2014), create a Climate Action Plan 2.0 (2019), pass an ordinance to mandate all new residential construction under four stories be built with only electric for water & space heating, which had to later be rescinded due to a court decision in California (2023)... all WHILE giving tax subsidies to developers to build with dirty fossil gas infrastructure? No, it doesn’t make sense. It’s inconsistent, at best and hypocritical at worst! Why create a five-year “Accelerated MUPTE” pilot program to stream-line a process that purports to reduce planet-heating emissions by building smaller dwellings that use less energy and are near transit lines (maybe), which does nothing to strengthen protocols that actually REDUCE emissions, like electric-only? It’s a no-brainer. TAKE ACTION Tune in at noon to the Wednesday, October 23rd work session of the Eugene City Council using this link, and in advance (like today) send an email to [email protected] to tell them it’s past time to stop giving tax subsidies for any buildings with fossil fuels! DEQ is Planning to Approve a Disaster for the Columbia River Estuary?! At Port Westward, near Clatskanie, OR (in the estuary of the Columbia River, a little over halfway from Portland to Astoria ), a Houston-based company called NEXT Renewables LLC Oregon is proposing to construct a major new refinery. This refinery would immediately become one of Oregon’s top greenhouse gas polluters. The refinery would be one of the largest of its kind in North America, risking accidents from the storage of dangerous, flammable, toxic, liquid fuel, while displacing a thriving farming community and harming fish habitat in a sensitive and unstable area. TAKE ACTION Sign Columbia Riverkeepers’ petition and tell DEQ and Gov. Kotek to protect the Columbia River and our climate from NEXT’s pollution and greenwashing today! Justice for West Eugene - Dangerous Transloading Project Threatens Neighborhood TAKE ACTION TODAY IS THE LAST DAY the City of Eugene has to withdraw its decision approving the zoning verification for the proposed biofuel transfer station in the Trainsong neighborhood. Send a message TODAY to [email protected] asking them to withdraw their approval. Overburdened West Eugene should be free of toxic air and noise pollution and fire hazards. Don’t have time to write your councilor or don’t have one, take this easy URGENT action today with Beyond Toxics’ email form! Save the Date Check out the website & FB event! Come to the People's Fall Fest at WOW Hall, 291 West 8th St., on Sunday, October 27th from 10:30am to 2:30pm to celebrate our community's environmental and social justice organizations. It's a Spooky Event, so dress for it. More info here. Take care of yourselves and each other. This is a time for solidarity and grace. Let’s keep our eyes open and summon our collective courage. Come what may, when we fight together, we win! Is it worse to have no climate solutions – or to have them but refuse to use them? The Guardian (Oct. 16, 2024) by Rebecca Solnit   We know we have the solutions to the problems we’re facing right now. Ordinary people everywhere are stepping up their actions to protect democracy and this beautiful planet! If not us, then who? We’re lobbying, protesting, speaking up at public meetings and engaging / educating the community! Read on and check out our website calendar for times & places to jump in. Fall is CLEAN UP TIME, and do we ever have our work cut out for us! Thanks for all you do. When we fight, we win! BIG OPPORTUNITIES TO CLEAN-UP LOCALLY Support the No Gerrymander in Lane County Campaign! Far right county commissioners have slipped a last minute measure onto our November ballots that would alter district voting maps mid-cycle, undo the independent citizen commission recommendations, and cost taxpayers at least an additional $75,000 (during a budget shortfall), all with no public hearing or comment process, despite vociferous opposition from the League of Women Voters, county staff, a large cadre of elected officials (past and present) as well as scores of county residents. Peter DeFazio says, “Gerrymandering under the guise of so-called ‘independent redistricting’ is misleading and an affront to genuine democracy. TAKE ACTION Get involved. Tell friends. Vote NO on Measure 20-362. More info at www.nogerrymander.com and donate to protect fair elections in Lane County!  Think Climate. Vote Climate. Save our home. 350 Eugene Vote Climate Street Messaging Join us in October to HIT THE STREETS of Eugene to display signs and banners with a Vote Climate message. It’s a time to visit with other climate concerned voters and engage the public with our message. Stand next to or hold our signs or banners and wave at our fellow citizens who are driving, biking and walking by. Here are the dates, times and location for our October sign events: When: Friday, October 11 from 3-4:30 pm Thursday, October 24 from 3-4:30 pm Where: Corner of E. 30th Ave & Hilyard St & East of Hilyard along 30th Meet in the southeast corner of the Albertson’s parking lot just before 3:00, or look for the signs and banners at that corner and east on 30th Avenue whenever you arrive. Bring your own “Vote” signs, if you’d like. Bring a lawn chair if you like to sit down. Stay tuned and check our website for a possible added Vote Climate street messaging event the last week in October at 350eugene.org! SEE YA IN THE STREETS! Another Toxic Project in West Eugene?  Proposed hazardous fossil fuel project… Our allies with the Active Bethel Community & Beyond Toxics have organized a community conversation about a proposed biofuels transfer station in West Eugene. What could go wrong? How would this affect our climate goals? USD Clean Fuels LLC is planning to build a biofuels rail-to-tanker truck transfer station in the Trainsong neighborhood, which will bring 40 tanker truck trips daily through this neighborhood already struggling with pollution. Despite this, the City Council has yet to fully consider the dangers posed to Trainsong residents, especially children and pets, who already live near the proposed superfund site from the former J.H. Baxter creosote plant. All residents of River Road, Trainsong and Bethel will feel the impacts of this proposed construction project. The city is poised to approve this project unless we come together to demand better protections for our community. Date & Time: Monday, October 7th, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Location: Lions of Judah Christian Center, 2600 Wood Ave., Eugene, OR 97402 (Google Map) Mayor Lucy Vinis and City Councilor Lyndsie Leech (Ward 7) will be there to listen to citizen concerns and help answer questions about the impacts of this project. COME TO THE MEETING! Forest Defense is Climate Defense Support the National Forest Biomass Emissions Act Good news! The first federal policy to address the impacts of biomass was recently introduced. (It’s about time.) This legislation directs the EPA to collect data on air and noise pollution from biomass. It instructs the EPA to assess biomass emissions. It orders a study of the community health near biomass facilities. Biomass emits more carbon than coal. This industry has destroyed millions of forest acres in the US South and they’re coming for our PNW forests. Most biomass plants operate in rural areas with low wealth and majority Black communities. Biomass plants emit air and noise pollution 24 hours a day. Biomass is an environmental injustice. Send a strong message using this quick form to your U.S. Senators and Representatives to support the Forest Biomass Emissions Act. We need big changes at the federal level to protect our forests from the scourge of industrial biomass. (Takes two minutes.) Thank you for sending your message now.  SEND A MESSAGE NOW Oregon Legislature - State Policy Oregon Coalition for an Environmental Rights Amendment (OCERA) A Successful Lobby Day at Salem Capitol Legislative Day OCERA organized a successful lobby day in Salem during September Legislative Days on September 24th!  Thank you to Catherine Thomasson (peeking out from behind Deb on the left) for scheduling appointments and organizing so many legislator meetings! 43 advocates from multiple coalition organizations spoke to legislators about why we need an Environmental Rights amendment in Oregon. Mel Martin and Linda Perrine testified before the Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire committee introduced the Amendment. Stay tuned for the next Legislative Day lobbying event from Dec. 10-12, 2024! Is a constitutional amendment a new idea? No. Three states already have fundamental and enforceable constitutional environmental rights protections: Pennsylvania (1971), Montana (1972), and New York (2021). Similar provisions exist in other state constitutions yet are not considered fundamental / enforceable, so results have varied. Many other states have pending amendment referrals in their legislatures and Hawaii has just negotiated a settlement with Earthjustice and Our Children’sTrust. Everybody, everywhere! In the streets & in the courts!  Patty Hine & Deb McGee with Senator James Manning. See and read more here. The Eugene Environmental Film Festival is here! October 11-20, 2024 at the Art House Check out the film festival and join your local climate buddies for a special debut of our local Grassroots Climate Story in the new Gas Leaks documentary “Electrifying Eugene,” premiering at the Art House on Thursday, October 17th at 6:15 pm. Here’s the film’s trailer. More info about the showing here. The Art House address is: 492 E 13th Ave. in Eugene.  See you at the Art House on October 17th at 6:15 pm! Let’s Electrify Eugene! Incentives to make West Eugene residents homes more energy efficient! This fall, the Bethel Clean Energy Project is connecting low-income West Eugene residents to incentives for new space heaters, air conditioning, water heaters and insulation, at little to no cost. The program meets over three nights on the following dates: Tuesdays - October 8, 15 and 22 from 6:00-8:00 pm. (Free dinner included.) Participants receive a free Home Energy Score from EWEB that recommends energy efficiency improvements to help them save money, education about available incentive programs to reduce the cost of improvements, and help getting bids from local installers. The program also provides a stipend to put towards your energy efficiency projects! Previous participants have received free and reduced cost heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and insulation for their homes. If you are a West Eugene resident and are interested in participating in the program or learning more, please fill out the interest form here: Bethel Clean Energy Project Form. Tell your friends! You Were ThereForests Over Profits Mobilization  The Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance hosted the False Climate Solutions teach-in on Tuesday, September 24th in Portland, featuring Thomas Joseph, Carbon Pricing Educator from the Indigenous Environmental Network, Julia Bernal, Director of the Pueblo Alliance and New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition, and Brenna Bell, 350PDX Forest Climate Manager. Each speaker highlighted a different false climate solution - carbon offsets, "renewable" hydrogen, and industrial biomass energy - and came back to the same theme: capitalism and colonialism are at the root of the climate crisis and the only real climate solutions are ones that move away from these systems. On Wednesday, September 25th about 60 people braved the rain and protested the timberland investment conference, Canopy (formerly "Who Will Own the Forest"), at the World Forestry Center. With songs, chants and speeches, we let them know that just greenwashing the name and rhetoric of the conference does not mask its true intent to transform more land and natural processes into money. A wet and lively time was had by all! (Below is Green Man, Stephen Fuller-Rowell, from Eugene!
Thanks to the 350 Eugene Forest Defense Affinity Group (the Fireflies) for showing up and to our generous Portland hosts for their hospitality! See ya next year!  You can still sign-up for Quest by Cycle, an exciting bicycling adventure / scavenger hunt to promote clean, healthy active transportation. Family friendly. Play the game! Fall is Clean Up Time! If we all do our part, we’ll make a powerful difference for our democracy and for our environment. Thanks for all you do!   Sunday, Sept. 22nd at 1:00 pm Quest by Cycle Launch Party! With so many possible ways we each can make a difference, from changing personal habits to demanding strong political action from governments… How can you help? Read on… Support Active Transportation: walking, biking & public transit! Did you know that over 40% of our planet-heating pollution comes from the transportation sector? (The next highest is from buildings.) Transportation emissions are difficult to influence because the majority of transportation policy and funding is not locally controlled. But… People everywhere (including right here in Eugene) are working together to revolutionize our transportation system to make it more sustainable, healthier and ultimately more social.  For several months, 350 Eugene has supported an exciting project: Quest by Cycle. Quest by Cycle is a free eco-adventure game that encourages participants to complete cycling-related tasks around their community, promoting sustainability and healthy living. Players earn points by completing various fun and engaging challenges, turning everyday rides into an adventure while fostering community transformation. We’re excited to invite you to the Quest by Cycle Launch Party on Sunday, September 22 from 1-4 pm at Arriving By Bike! This free eco-adventure game promotes cycling and sustainability through fun, community-based challenges. Come join us for a live game demo, raffle prizes, and activities that celebrate our shared commitment to a fossil-free future. Event Details:
 Watch the cool video that Lane Transit District produced recently highlighting the exciting Quest by Cycle project!  Tuesday, Sept. 24th Legislative Lobby Day for an Environmental Rights Constitutional Amendment - Virtually! You might think that our constitutional rights to life and liberty include natural life support systems -- that a right to a clean and healthy environment is an implied, enforceable right (and it should be). Unfortunately, case law has made it clear that if it's not expressly stated, there's no guarantee it will be recognized. So, to make our expectations clear, to restore a responsible, sustainable balance between competing interests, we need certain language in the Oregon Constitution to clearly expect and enforce our fundamental right to a healthy environment. That’s where YOU come in. 350 Eugene is organizing specific legislator visits in the on-line format for the following representatives and times: Rep. Nathanson (HD-13): 9:30 am Sen. Manning (HD-14): 10:30 am Rep. Fahey (SD-7): 3:45 pm If you reside in one of these districts, please consider joining the brief virtual lobby meeting. It’s important to have numbers on these calls. Read more about OCERA in this one-pager. There’s no need for a deep dive on your part. The meetings have a leader who will guide the short meeting. Thanks for signing up here. We will contact you with links to the 15-minute online meetings with your representative. It’s easy & quick, Our legislators need to hear they have our support! If you can come to Salem on Tuesday for in-person meetings, join us for a meeting with Rep. Lively HD-7 (Chief of Staff Andrew Hickerson): 3:00 pm in his office H-481.  Everything we do matters!
Thanks for writing and submitting comments to save Oregon’s Climate Protection Plan, for sending emails to the U.S. Forest Service to protect mature & old growth forests, and for supporting our incredible Get Out the Vote efforts. Everybody, everywhere. We need a clean energy revolution, and we need it NOW.  We’re turning out the vote for November's General Election! Is there anything more important? Sending postcards to infrequent voters works! When: Thursday, September 19th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm Where: Wildcraft Ciderworks, 232 Lincoln St., Eugene What: Cards, cards, cards! Everything is provided for you! Let’s celebrate the progressive wave! No-host bar with delicious food cart options nearby and we’ll bring some snacks too. See you there!  Invite your friends. It’s a lot of fun! CampaignsForest Climate Campaign: National Old Growth Amendment (NOGA) - Take Action! Our Local Goal - 500 Comments National Goal - 750,000 There are only 12 days left to send the US Forest Service comments to support a super strong Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for our Old Growth Forests! If WE don’t tell the Forest Service to protect MATURE trees so they can become OLD trees, there will be no Old Growth in the future! Mature and old growth forests improve our health, lessen the impacts of climate change, keep more species alive and help rural community economies. It’s easy and you can (and should) submit comments multiple times. We suggest using these three portals. Five minutes and you’re done! Thank you. Climate Forest Campaign Comment tool: https://www.climate-forests.org/take-action Oregon Wild’s Comment tool: https://oregonwild.org/take-a-last-stand-for-old-growth/ Cascadia Wildland’s Comment tool: https://www.cascwild.org/take-action-protect-mature-and-old-growth-forests-across-the-nation/ Please make a comment on ALL these sites today!  Forest Defense Is Climate Defense - deadline is September 20th 350 Street Sign Messaging for September: “Forest Protection - No False Solutions” Join us along the streets of Eugene to display signs with positive climate solutions. Our Oregon forests are our best climate protection! Stand next to our beautiful hand-painted tree signs or bring signs of your own. When: Thursday, September 19, 3:00-4:30 pm. Where: W. 18th Ave. just east of the Bi-Mart parking lot next to Westmoreland Park. (Parking available in the Bi-Mart lot.) Bring a lawn chair if you like to sit down. Stay tuned for October sign messaging dates, times, and locations with a Vote Climate theme.  September 24-26, Wall Street Investors will again join timber corporations, carbon offset & biomass companies in Portland for their annual “Who Will Own the Forest?” conference. Like last year, we’re rising up and fighting back and won’t let our forests, communities, and climate be sacrificed for the rich to get richer. Last year, hundreds of us rallied to confront these Wall Street investors and big polluters–and they felt the heat; this year they’re rebranding the conference as the very innocuous sounding “Canopy: Forests + Markets + Society”. These deep-pocket capitalist elites hope to convince the public that they are our climate saviors; if only we let them turn our forests into biomass pellets or carbon offsets the climate crisis will be averted. We see through their charade, and won’t let them get away with it. Join the forest defense & climate justice movement Wednesday, September 25th for a protest at the World Forestry Center to confront these Wall Street elites and call out their false climate solutions and show them that managing forests to maximize profits for the rich & stall climate action will be met with increasing resistance. There will be speakers, music, art & creative resistance, and more – come out to show these Wall Street elites that extractive forestry and false solutions will be risky investments in the face of staunch grassroots opposition! Want to learn more about what exactly “false climate solutions” are, and how big polluters are using them to dodge accountability for their role in creating the climate emergency and increase their profit margins? Come to the False Climate Solutions Teach-In on Tuesday, September 24th from 5:30-7:00 pm at 350PDX / the Climate Justice Workshop office (3639 N Mississippi Ave). Check out forestsoverprofits.org for the latest updates and info about plans for this year. We hope you'll join us and continue building a movement for land justice, an end to industrial forest exploitation, and real transformative solutions to the climate emergency! If you’d like a homestay or to carpool from Eugene / Springfield for the Tuesday teach-in and / or the Wednesday noon protest, contact Deb at [email protected].  State Climate Legislation - Save the Climate Protection Plan & Come to Lobby Day!  A strong Climate Protection Program gives Oregon the opportunity not only to cut harmful climate emissions, but also to create jobs, improve public health, and create cleaner, cheaper, healthier energy and transportation options that will benefit Oregon jobs, families, and the economy. The Climate Protection Program is under attack by big polluters that are fueling the climate crisis with their dirty emissions. Join us in fighting back by telling DEQ to restore the Climate Protection Program! Make your voice heard TODAY! The deadline has been extended to 9/27. Join us for a Lobby Day on Tues., Sept. 24th in Salem! We are Celebrating the completion of draft amendment language for the Oregon Coalition for Environmental Rights Amendment: OCERA. We have arrived at an official draft of the amendment language that will heighten environmental protections and clarify priorities for the State of Oregon. We will all meet for a Lobby Day on Tues., Sept. 24th in Salem! We need you to come to Salem to speak with all our legislators about why you care about protecting everyone’s right to pure water, clean air, and a stable climate. Legislators need to learn about the bill to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. We need lots of constituents to join us in Salem. People are also welcome to join remotely. Register here to receive info on the 9/16 Orientation and relevant materials for Lobby Day 9/24. Chief co-sponsor Senator Golden will also hold a hearing in his Natural Resources committee the morning of the 24th. Come wearing green to show support! We will provide talking points and explanations of the amendment at a webinar on Sept 16th at 6pm for those who cannot come to Salem in person. Please register here for more details. The same material and orientation will be provided on our Lobby Day, Tues., Sept. 24th. Divest Oregon: ...What we've been up to this summer:
Quest By Cycle Launch Party Stay Tuned for details…  It’s time for the People to exercise our power. We’re showing up, we’re engaging, we’re challenging the status quo. This is the time we were born into.   As promised, we’re holding another fabulous Get Out the Vote Postcard Writing Party to ensure maximum participation in this fall’s all important General Election. When: Thursday, September 19th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm Where: Wildcraft Ciderworks, 232 Lincoln St., Eugene What: Cards, cards, cards! Everything is provided for you! Invite your friends! No-host bar with delicious food cart options nearby and we’ll bring some pizza too. We can’t sit this election out. We need a massive turnout with Climate-Smart Winners! YOU make all the difference! ‘Cause when we fight together, we win! Come meet your peeps, hear the latest on our campaigns, and feel this good energy build and spread! Let’s do this! If you can’t come, or prefer to write on your own… We have packets of 60 cards available for pickup in Eugene or Springfield. Just email GOTV-Deb at [email protected] and she’ll hook you up.  DID YOU KNOW? Road trip, anyone? You could join with the Seed the Vote organization which recruits, organizes and can fund volunteers to go to “battleground” states to join local grassroots organizations there to door knock for progressive candidates. Starting in early September, they’ll be in AZ, NV, PA, WI, and MI and are seeking volunteers to work in these states where the Presidential race will likely be the closest, and where there’s a need to defend Senate or House seats or there’s a chance to pick up new ones. Seed the Vote works to build the number and power of progressive elected officials, while also blocking the far right from taking power in federal elections. They know that long-term changes don’t happen only through elections, so they send volunteers to local grassroots organizations that work year-round on social justice issues in working-class communities of color. How cool is that? If you are interested, check out this link to the frequently asked questions doc for Seed the Vote's door knocking program. This is the link to their sign up form / intake form. It gives folks the option to create a group for pods traveling together too. This is a doc about financial support available! and a link to sign up for info sessions on zoom if folks want more info. It’s all there, if you’re interested in face-to-face on the ground grassroots adventures, this could be your big chance!  SAVE THE DATE: SAVE OUR FORESTS! Tuesday & Wednesday, September 24th & 25th The "Who Will Own the Forest" conference is coming back to Portland (this year - rebranded as "Canopy") … and we're going back to meet them and let them know that we choose forests over profits! 350PDX will also be hosting a False Climate Solutions Teach-in with the Indigenous Environmental Network the evening before. Stay tuned for more info. Meanwhile, check out forestsoverprofits.org for the latest updates and info about plans for this year. If you’d like a homestay or to carpool from Eugene / Springfield for the Tuesday teach-in and/or the Wednesday noon protest, contact Deb at [email protected]. Join us and continue building a movement for land justice, an end to industrial forest exploitation, and real transformative solutions to the climate emergency!  The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
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