Anya

Faith Based Climate Action 7/22/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good News

Climate Action Opportunities

Of Note, This Week

Save the Date

Good News

Weekly Serving of Good News, July 22, 2023

Good news is a powerful motivator for action, & there‘s lots of good news about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice.
Here are a few recent examples, refreshed weekly on Saturdays.

Biden making $20 billion available from ‘green bank’ for clean energy projects

European Union Approves Ambitious Nature Restoration Law

Renewable deployment surge puts world on track for net zero pathway

Decarbonization Is Happening Faster Than You May Think 

Cambridge University solar farm to boost net zero target 

Old electric vehicle batteries now store solar power

Oil Field Company Leads Innovation To Power Homes With Geothermal Energy In Oklahoma

‘Breakthrough’ geothermal tech produces 3.5 megawatts of carbon-free power

Western governors push for geothermal energy to be another boom in renewables 

Scientists Are Growing Sustainable Buildings From Fungi Now 

Regenerative agriculture offers sustainability, climate resilience to local ranchers 

How A Swedish Tech Company Is Making Renewable Energy From Abandoned Mines 

Genetically edited wood could make paper more sustainable

Harnessing Bacteria and Sunlight: A Revolutionary Path to Sustainable Energy

VW’s US Innovation Hub just revealed 4 EV breakthroughs

Compiled stories

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Faith-based Climate Action Opportunities

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

The organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization, are listed <here>.

Ban toxic seeds that kill birds and bees. Just one small seed has deadly consequences for birds and bees. Millions of seeds are treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, contaminating the entire plant as it grows. Plus, most of the pesticides on the seeds don’t stay there — 95% gets rubbed off or washed away, contaminating the surrounding environment. That turns a cornfield into a toxic minefield for a tiny bee or a hungry bird. Tell Gov. Kotek to ban toxic seeds that kill birds and bees.

Environment Oregon 

Environment Oregon 

Save our oldest forests. Logging and other threats are encroaching on what little mature and old-growth forests we have left. Our oldest forests support a vast network of plants, animals and insects, sheltering the diversity of nature. And trees grow even faster the older they get, storing more carbon from the atmosphere and acting as a natural climate solution. Protecting our old-growth and mature forests is one of the best things we can do to help tackle climate change, save wildlife habitat, and keep our country beautiful. Tell the Biden administration: Save our oldest forests

Nature Conservancy

The climate emergency demands an emergency-level response. The devastating effects of the intertwined crises of climate change and rapid biodiversity loss are here and affecting everyday life in stunning and undeniable ways. The United States must meet this moment and lead with unprecedented urgency to collectively steer the fate of life on Earth back to safety. We cannot meet the essential climate targets unless we leverage the power of nature to restore and protect lands and waters. Send your message to Congress

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Of Note This Week

Of Note This Week is a source for current climate-change information at the local, state, and national levels.  It is refreshed weekly on Saturday.

Friends of the Earth

Article: Gulf and Environmental Groups Call on Interior Department to End Routine Fast-Tracking of Offshore Oil Drilling Projects

Inside Climate News

Article: ‘Giant Methane Factories’: Hydropower Has Long Been Touted as Clean Energy. But Is It?

The Colorado Sun

Editorial: Scientists have given the ultimate warning on climate change. Will we finally listen?

UU Service Committee

Indigenous Lives and The Climate Crisis: A Photo Essay Series

Part 1,   Part 2,   Part 3

Vtdigger

Article: Vermont’s flooding this week is historic. What role did climate change play?

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Save the Date

Thu 27 July 7:00 – 8:00 PM Zoom
Share and Discuss: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to share and discuss actions we are taking to reduce our personal carbon emissions and to influence local, state, and nation policy and legislation. Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

Mon 31 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Franklin Square Park
(Between 15th and 16th Streets, and Polk and Taylor Avenues)

Home Energy Fair – Funding & Support for Everyone: This festive event is a great opportunity for both homeowners and renters who want to save money by lowering their monthly utility bills. Fair
exhibitors will help attendees find out about state and federal money that’s available now to make homes more energy efficient. Cool off with your friends and neighbors at one of our community’s loveliest parks to enjoy snacks and conversations with nonprofits and businesses who will be there to support you. Sponsors: Jobs Addition Neighborhood Association (JANA) and Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Energy Action Team.
Contact: greenstevens@gmail.com

Mon 7 Aug, 6:30 – 7:30 PM, In person, UUFC social hall, or Zoom

Home Retrofit Clinic: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to participate in a Home Retrofit Clinic, presented by Nancy Everson, that will focus on the benefits, logistics, and incentives available for switching from fossil (aka natural) gas to electricity for heating, cooling, cooking, and water heating.
Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

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Faith-based Climate Action 7/15/23

hand holding a sign reading Climate Action Now at a protest

Good News

Climate Solutions Happenings 

Climate-action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date

Good News

Weekly Serving of Good News July 15, 2023

Good news is a powerful motivator for action, &  there‘s lots of  good news  about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice. Here’s a sample…

The Oregon legislature delivered big for the environment in 2023

Oregon State scientists find better way to capture carbon from industrial emissions 

A Big Step Forward: New Breakthrough Could Lead to Cleaner Hydrogen Energy

Utah’s FORGE geothermal site proves it’s more than just wishing wells 

New Iceland Tech Shakes Up Global Geothermal Energy

France boosts tidal sector with €65m and revenue support for FloWatt

Amazon has 5,000+ Rivian EV delivery vans on the road 

‘Revolutionary’ solar power cell innovations break key energy threshold

TURBINES IN SSJID CANALS COULD GENERATE POWER

US approves construction for Orsted offshore wind project off New Jersey coast 

Sustainability: New catalyst makes chemical processes more efficient and less harmful to the environment

Norway’s new phosphate deposits are so massive they could guarantee solar power and electric cars keep running for the next 50 years

This Shell station removed all of its gas pumps

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July Climate Solutions Happening

The Oregon Climate Resilience Package! Deborah Clark

 The bipartisan Climate Resilience Package, which was recently passed by the 2023 Oregon legislature, is chock-full of climate solutions that will make life better for all Oregonians! Heat pumps powered by renewable energy will be more accessible. Homes and buildings will be safer and more energy efficient. Electric trucks & buses will replace diesel ones on our roads. Solar and storage will be more affordable for homes and businesses. Resilience hubs will be created by and for frontline communities. Farmers, ranchers, and forest owners will be able to adopt more sustainable practices. Our air will be cleaner. Jobs in the clean energy economy will flourish across the state.

The Climate Resilience Package incorporated climate solutions from about 20 climate bills.  The package included prioritization of Oregonians most vulnerable to climate change: people of color, low-income families, individuals with disabilities, and residents in rural areas.  By investing approximately $100 million, the Climate Resilience Package will enable the state to leverage at least 10 times that amount in federal funding.

This legislative success reflects the hard work of countless advocates such as you, volunteers, and of course, legislative champions.   Together we make a difference!

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Faith-based Climate Action Opportunities

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

The organizations whose calls to action we amplify, and the number from each organization, are listed <here>.

Sat 15 Jul

Citizens’ Climate Lobby  The PROVE IT Act

The bipartisan PROVE IT Act requires the Department of Energy to study the carbon emissions of certain goods produced in the U.S. compared to other nations.  You can think of this bill as step one in getting a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) in the U.S. We need to show a huge wave of support now to bring CBAMs across the finish line later so they can drive down emissions around the globe. Send a short, customized message to your House Representative and Senators asking them to cosponsor it. 

EarthJustice  Electric Grid

As we move towards a 100% clean energy future, we need to urgently build more power lines to move clean energy across the country. Thousands of solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal projects in various stages of development are waiting years for approval to connect to the U.S. electric grid. More than 2,000 gigawatts of solar, wind and battery storage projects are languishing in the queue, according to the Department of Energy. That’s more power than the U.S. currently generates. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a critical role to play in accelerating the transmission infrastructure we need to meet U.S. climate commitments. Call on FERC to act. 

Interfaith Power & Light  2023 Farm Bill

Urge Congress to prioritize the needs of communities and the climate, not corporate profit margins. These include:

  • Expand access to SNAP and other nutrition assistance programs 
  • Fund small-scale farmers, regenerative agriculture, and climate-friendly practices, from planting to packaging to delivery;
  • Eliminate food waste and invest in urban agricultural projects that allow all people access to locally-grown, sustainable fresh food; and,
  • Protect the dignity, health, and safety of those responsible for working the land.
  • Fund international programs that train farmers to adapt to climate change and provide emergency and developmental support to more than 4 billion people around the world.

This is our chance to improve this crucial legislation. It’s time for Congress to invest in long-term solutions that address hunger, food access, and climate resilience.  Petition Congress

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Of Note This Week, Sat 7/15/23

US DOE

Website Investments in American-Made Energy

UUA

Article UUA Board Statement, Post-General Assembly 2023, Regarding Divestment Reparations

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Save the Date

Sun 16 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Avery Park (exact location TBD)

Whole Food Plant-based Picnic Potluck & Lawn Games: We are vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores attempting to eat and/or learn more about the health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.  First time attendees do not need to bring a dish.  Bring your favorite lawn game. RSVP for more details about this monthly potluck; usually the 3rd Sun. 

Contact: 541-908-0864 or wfpbcorvallis@gmail.com

Sponsor: Corvallis Whole Food Plant-Based Support

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Energy Upgrades for Homes

Energy Upgrades for Homes with Fossil (Natural) Gas. Nancy Evenson, a retired architect who offers Home Retrofit Clinics through the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, will speak from personal experience to both the:

  • Technological advances that make heat pump and induction
    technology incredibly clean and efficient.
  • Homeowner experience in navigating the switch from fossil
    gas to electricity.

Monday 7 August, 6:30 – 7:30 PM in the UU Social Hall, also available by Zoom, Contact michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

Hosted by the Faith Based Climate Action Team

Banned Book Reading Club

A reading club to discuss banned books and share insight as to why they have been banned. For a list of titles, please email Susie. Hosted by Susie Smyth. This is a Connect Up Event: connect@uucorvallis.org

Meets 2nd Wednesdays at 2:00 pm in the UU Library. August 9th and September 13th, 2023.

Faith-based Climate Action 7/8/23

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Good News

Climate-Action Opportunities

Of Note

Save the Date

Good News

Weekly Serving of Good News

Good news is a powerful motivator for action, &  there‘s lots of  good news  about climate mitigation, adaptation/resilience, and justice. Here’s a sample…

Sat 8 Jul

EPA Announces $278 Million Funding to Improve Drinking Water for Tribes

The Cascading Effects of Bringing Back Sea Otters

How solar and wind energy are saving Texans from a record heatwave

China on course to hit wind and solar power target five years ahead of time

USDA Investing Half-Billion to Increase Domestic Biofuel Availability

The Potential of Algae Biofuel in Transforming the Transportation Sector

From Waste to Wealth: Transforming Biomass into Biofuels through Biochemical Conversion

Waves of Change: How Tidal Power is Shaping Renewable Energy 

Net-zero emissions target for ocean shipping to be moved up to 2050

Volvo Switch To Renewable Fuels, Cuts Emissions 84%

Government of Ireland publishes Policy Statement on Geothermal for a Circular Economy

CEE and Goldbeck commission 154MW solar plant in Germany

Sun City Installs R16-Million Solar Plant To Reduce Grid Dependency

This vertical-axis floating wind turbine maker just got its first commercial order

N.J.’s first offshore wind farm gets final key federal approval

Compiled stories 

Top

Climate Action Opportunities

To help assess the engagement of UUFC members and friends in faith-based climate action and to encourage such action, please anonymously  <Share> the number of the actions below you take this week. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

Sat 8 Jul

Sierra Club: Protect Old-Growth and Mature Forests

The US Forest Service (USFS) has just initiated a process to evaluate how we conserve our forests. This announcement kicks off a 60-day comment period for the public to provide input on how to shape a future federal regulation to make forests more resilient.  Tell USFS to protect mature & old-growth forests!

Sierra Club: Stop Salmon Extinction

The Sierra Club, together with nine other NGOs, are plaintiffs represented by Earthjustice and have challenged the inadequate, illegal, and failed salmon “recovery” plans developed by the federal agencies (Bonneville Power Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation). Other plaintiffs are the Nez Perce Tribe and the State of Oregon. The courts have ruled five times against the federal agencies, rejecting their status quo salmon plans. We again challenged the Trump administration salmon plan (Biological Opinion) that was issued in September 2020.  The plaintiffs reached agreement with the Biden Administration to pause the litigation and work to develop a comprehensive plan for the Columbia Basin, meet treaty rights for the Tribes and recover Snake River salmon.  Your comments are critically important during this timeframe. Submit an Official Public Comment Urging Federal Action to Stop Salmon Extinction.

UUs for Social Justice: End hunger, expand food access, and address climate resilience

The 2023 Farm Bill is a critical opportunity to improve food security and nutrition for people and promote climate resilience in the U.S. and across the world. As Congress begins working on this important legislation, we must urge them to prioritize the needs of our communities and the climate, not corporate profit margins. Petition Congress

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Of Note

Sat 8 Jul

Sierra Club

Article: Senators Wyden and Merkley Introduce Legislation Creating Wilderness in the Magnificent Owyhee Canyonlands

UUs for Social Justice

UUA Business Resolution For Divestment Fails. The proponents of the business resolution “Complete Divestment from the Fossil Fuel Industry and Subsequent Reparations” reminded UUs that the work of fossil fuel divestment has not yet been completed within our denomination. The resolution was a victory in raising the awareness that a young, queer, multiracial collective–reflecting an influx of younger and non-white members–feels called to see the UUA fully divest from fossil fuels.The resolution was voted down by roughly 68% of delegates after strong statements of opposition from the UUA (read the UUA position). After the vote, the UUA made pledges to work on the matter.

Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Energy Action Team

SHIFT TOGETHER: HOME RETROFIT CLINIC

SHIFT TOGETHER: HOME RETROFIT CLINIC

Mon, Wed, or Fri. 1:00 – 3:00 PM or 7:00 – 9:00 PM.  You choose!

Take action as part of the Sustainability Coalition’s newest initiative to rein in climate change – Shift Together!  Nancy Evenson, a retired architect, offers free home retrofit clinics to help you move along the path toward increased energy efficiency.  Nancy will analyze your home’s current use of energy and help you identify the most important upgrades and the financial incentives that help you get there. Gather 3 or 4 households together (yours and 2-3 others) to arrange a date and time to come to Nancy’s home for a 2-hour session.  Contact: retrofit@evensonarchitecture.com

Top

Save the Date

Sat 8 Jul

Sun 16 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Avery Park (exact location TBD)

Whole Food Plant-based Picnic Potluck & Lawn Games: We are vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores attempting to eat and/or learn more about the health benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.  First time attendees do not need to bring a dish.  Bring your favorite lawn game. RSVP for more details about this monthly potluck; usually the 3rd Sun. 

Contact: 541-908-0864 or wfpbcorvallis@gmail.com

Sponsor: Corvallis Whole Food Plant-Based Support

Thu 27 July 7:00 – 8:00 PM <Zoom>

Share and Discuss Climate Action Stories: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to share and discuss actions we are taking to reduce our personal carbon emissions and to influence local, state, and nation policy and legislation. Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

Mon 31 Jul, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Franklin Square Park 

(Between 15th and 16th Streets, and Polk and Taylor Avenues)

Home Energy Fair – Funding & Support for Everyone: This festive event is a great opportunity for both homeowners and renters who want to save money by lowering their monthly utility bills. Fair exhibitors will help attendees find out about state and federal money that’s available now to make homes more energy efficient. Cool off with your friends and neighbors at one of our community’s loveliest parks to enjoy snacks and conversations with nonprofits and businesses who will be there to support you. Sponsors: Jobs Addition Neighborhood Association (JANA) and Corvallis Sustainability Coalition Energy Action Team. 

Contact: greenstevens@gmail.com

Mon 7 Aug, 6:30 – 7:30 PM, In person, UUFC social hall, or <Zoom>

Home Retrofit Clinic: The Climate Action Team invites UUFC members and friends to participate in a Home Retrofit Clinic, presented by Nancy Everson, that will focus on the benefits, logistics, and incentives available for switching from fossil (aka natural) gas to electricity for heating, cooling, cooking, and water heating. 

Questions: michael.a.hughes1951@gmail.com

Top

Queerly Beloved

recurring; 3rd Sundays 4:00 to 6:00 pm at UUFC

Join LGBTQ+ folx and allies for social gatherings centered on queer issues and themes. We understand the importance of queer community, and our goal is to provide a safe space where people can find that sense of belonging right here in Corvallis. We meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday in the afternoon. All are welcome! Questions: connect@uucorvallis.org

Check the weekly announcements for posts.

Book Group

a stack of books

The Connect Up Book Group meets monthly on Zoom, January through October.

Books are selected by the participants. You are welcome to join every month, or when the book appeals to you.

Coordinated by Laurie Reed. To get involved, please email connect@uucorvallis.org

2024 Book Selections

January: Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano

February: The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride

March: The Secret Life of Sunflowers, by Marta Molnar

April: Unmasked, by Paul Holes

May: Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett

June: Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond

July: Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus

August: Stones for Ibarra, by Harriet Doerr

September: Ava Helen Pauling, by Mina Carson

October: Wellness, by Nathan Hill

Nerd Girls Science

Women and non-binary persons are invited to come and share science news articles or books. No science background is required. You do not have to bring anything except a desire to learn and a healthy curiosity. Topics depend on what people bring to share and requests from the group – they range from astronomy to zoology and everything in between.

2nd Saturdays, 10:30 am, year round. Contact person: Priscilla Spears

Questions: connect@uucorvallis.org

Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange

Bring your unwanted jigsaw puzzles and pick out some new ones to take home as we gather and share conversation and drinks.

Wednesday Aug 2, 2023 from 4-6pm, hosted by Bobbi Bailey. In the UU Social hall and patio.

connect@uucorvallis.org

Neurodivergent Discussion

A group for people, both neurodivergent and not, to come together and discuss issues faced by neurodvergent people. Led by Anthony Acquilano.

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Saturday, June 24th, 2023. In Room 9 at UUFC.