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Weekly Serving of Good News, 6-17

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…

In a First, Wind and Solar Generated More Power Than Coal in U.S.

A bright spot in the darkest hour

Is Geothermal Energy The Key To Decarbonization?

Company Tests Paying Coffee Farmers Who Grow Sustainably 

US-made wind and solar components are now cheaper than imports

Rocks: The Unexpected Powerhouse of Sustainable Solar Energy Storage

Almond Yogurt Is Healthier and More Sustainable Than Dairy, Study Finds 

Ford’s first carbon-neutral assembly plant to produce electric Explorer, next-gen EVs

Compressed air and hot sand are poised to reshape the grid-scale battery landscape.

Tidal Wave Energy Is Emerging Globally: Find Out Who’s Leading the Way

Collegiate Competitions Supercharge the Future Clean Energy Workforce

‘One step closer.’ Vineyard Wind begins laying foundations for offshore wind turbines

UK’s Offshore Wind Pipeline Closing In on 100 GW

The Amazing Giant Heat Pump Of Esbjerg

Compiled Good News stories 

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Save the Date!

Interfaith Green Teams

Thursday 6-15, 7-8 PM, The Climate Action Team invites members and friends interested in collaboration with local faith-based green teams.

Juneteenth Celebration

Mon 6-19, 4-7 PM, at Linn-Benton Community College. A Celebration featuring Black owned business expo, community tabling, guest speakers, vaccination clinic and more.

Faith in Place:

Thursday 6-22, 4 PM,“Climate Change: Past, Present and Our Ability to Impact the Future ” Climate scientists Dr. Rachel Licker and Dr. Mark Potosnak will share data and indicators of climate change, the impact of efforts to date, and future actions we can take to continue to address climate change.

Carbon Sequestration in Soils:

Monday, 6-26, 6:30- 7:30 PM, Markus Kleber, a soil scientist at Oregon State University, to discuss Carbon Offset at the Neighborhood Scale.

Climate Action Team 5th-Thu Zoom

Thursday 6-29, 7-8 PM, Members and friends are invited to an informal follow up to April Earth Day Climate Service, which focused on developing relationships through care for Earth.

Climate Action Team Business Meeting

Thursday 6-22, 7:00 – 8:15 PM All members and friends interested in helping UUFC put into practice our declared (as per the printed order of service) dedication to climate action and climate justice are invited and encouraged to participate. 

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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 using this google form. Optionally, you may  anonymously also share other recent climate action. 

Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Ask Congress to Put a Price on Carbon in 2023. A carbon fee and dividend will drive energy innovation, giving every American community access to abundant, affordable clean energy at a predictable price..  With a price on carbon, polluters pay. People get a carbon cashback. It will:

• help low and middle income people afford higher prices
• keep Americans healthier and living longer by reducing air pollution
• help reduce America’s carbon pollution 50% by 2030—putting us on track to reach net zero by 2050  

Environment Oregon

Mercury is dangerous — it can do serious damage to a child’s developing brain. Yet we still allow it to pour from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, where it then settles into nearby rivers and lakes. No more!. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering stronger limits on mercury pollution from power plants for the first time in a decade — and we must seize this opportunity to make sure they’re enacted. Tell the EPA: Enact strong limits on mercury pollution from power plants.

Stop the Money Pipeline

Greetings from New York, where the sky is orange and the air quality index hit a staggering 484 on Wednesday afternoon – nearly 200 points higher than what is considered hazardous for all living beings. The immediate cause of this crisis is wildfires in Canada, the real cause is the climate crisis.  Citi Bank continues to pour money into the fossil fuel industry, fueling this crisis. They try to greenwash their actions, saying they care about climate change, but actions – and dollars – speak louder than words, and Citi is responsible for more than $330 billion in funding to fossil fuel companies in the last seven years. Please write to Citi’s leadership calling them out for their complicity in the climate crisis. Their CEO is Jane Fraser (jane.fraser@citi.com), their CFO is Mark Mason (masonm@citigroup.com), and board chair John Dugan (john.dugan@citi.com).

OSPIRG Students

When insurance companies such as The Hartford insure new fossil fuel projects, they contribute to more extreme weather and climate disasters in our future, which in turn will require bigger insurance payouts. That makes no sense — but together, we have a chance to convince The Hartford to better protect both consumers and the climate by no longer underwriting fossil fuel projects. Tell The Hartford: Stop insuring climate risks.

Do petitions work?

Petitions can help advance a cause by:

• Raising awareness and signaling public opinion to decision-makers, influencing their decisions;
• Showing the media that there is a story worth covering;
• Helping organizations gain supporters and identify people who may want to get more involved on an issue; and
• Providing an accessible avenue for activism and civic engagement, inviting people who might not otherwise get involved in those spaces to participate.

Are Petitions ‘slacktivism’?

Critics have often labeled online petitions as another form of “slacktivism,” pointing to their low-risk nature that doesn’t commit its signers to any further action other than the click of a button. But it’s exactly that ease and accessibility which make petitions powerful tools, Clark-Parsons says. “Both research and anecdotal evidence tell us that most people will not take part in activism that requires great risk or high levels of commitment,” Clark-Parsons said. “What critics refer to as ‘slacktivism’ can actually create an alternative outlet for those who would typically not get involved in any movement at all.” With the help of petitions, organizers and movement leaders can visualize who their supporters are and who are “the people who agree with their mission but aren’t willing to take major actions to support it just yet,” she says.

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Climate Solution Happenings

Together we make a difference.

— Citizens’ Climate Lobby

When people join together to collectively advocate for climate solutions, they become part of powerful forces that can bring about society-wide changes.  For example, the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy climate change organization, empowers everyday people to work together to build support in Congress for national bipartisan solutions to climate change.

By focusing on shared values rather than partisan divides, Citizens’ Climate Lobby builds relationships with community leaders and with federal elected officials and with Congress, always starting from a place of respect, gratitude, and appreciation.  Citizens’ Climate Lobby believes that relationships based on mutual respect and understanding are what bring lasting climate change solutions.  CCL provides training, tools, and support for volunteers to build such relationships and to promote climate solutions that have appeal across the political spectrum.

Shared by Deborah Clark

Member UUFC Climate Action and Corvallis chapter Citizens’ Climate Lobby  

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Of Note This Week

It’s not the job of children to fix the climate crisis. We must show them grown-ups are leading the way. The Guardian

Reflections on the Business Resolution for the 2023 UUA General Assembly: “Complete Divestment from the Fossil Fuel Industry and Subsequent Reparations” UU Ministry for Earth

Climate change, poverty, and inequality are the defining issues of our age. World Bank