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Contact: Coordinators@350salemor.org
350salemor.org | 350 Salem OR on Facebook
We offer presentations, educational programs,
information tables at events on
Climate Change: Basic Science - Policy - Solutions - Activism
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EVENTS
Tuesday November 13, 2018 Salem City Council Meeting. 6:00 pm Council Chambers Salem City Hall 555 Liberty St SE RM 220. Public Hearing on Increase in Solid Waste Fees.
(Due to the Monday Veterans' Day holiday, this meeting is on Tuesday.) Thanks to 350 Salem OR member Jim Scheppke for providing the following information:
At Tuesday’s City Council meeting City staff will ask that the Council adopt an increase in garbage rates requested by garbage haulers to cover increased costs due to recent restrictions on recyclables.
The Council will hold a public hearing on this at Tuesday's meeting. This is not enough. The decision is being rushed.
Salem residents in Marion County already pay some of the highest garbage rates in the state. This likely because haulers are forced to take our garbage to the Covanta Marion incinerator, the only garbage incinerator in Oregon. In the mid-1980s, when the incinerator was first proposed, burning our garbage to generate electricity sounded like a good idea.
Today with our concerns about climate change, it's not such a good idea The burner, owned and operated by a giant multinational corporation, ranks #18 among all Oregon facilities required to report greenhouse emissions to the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality and #1 in Marion County. It emits over 160,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year. It is also expensive to operate which contributes to our high garbage rates.
In West Salem, which is in Polk County, haulers send garbage to the Coffin Butte landfill near Corvallis that is much more environmentally friendly. It captures and burns methane to generate electricity It’s emissions are only about 28,000 metric tons a year and it is cheaper to operate. West Salem garbage rates are significantly less than in the rest of Salem.
There are many other issues that need airing out at the Salem City Council before rates are increased. More than holding a public hearing., the Council needs to hold a work session to gather all the information from Marion County Solid Waste and the garbage haulers and others before making their decision. They need to consider alternatives for the short term and for the long term concerning how we handle our solid waste in Salem.
If this concerns you, please comment at the public hearing on Tuesday. If you can't make the meeting, or prefer to comment in writing, you can submit written comments to the City Council c/o the City Recorder by sending an email to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Please ask the Council to delay action on any rate increase until they can hold a work session that will enable them to make a fully-informed decision.
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Wednesday November 14, 2018 Salem Friends Meeting House 490 19th Street NE Salem 6:30 pm NW Permaculture Institute Free Film: The Man Who Stopped the Desert Through reforestation and restorative agriculture, Yacouba Sawadogo, a peasant farmer from northern Burkina Faso in Africa, "has become a pioneer in the fight against desertification and hunger."
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Save the Date: December 5 Our Salem Public Workshop (revisions to Salem Comprehensive Plan) Court Street Christian Church, 1699 Court Street NE 6:00 pm
Learn about and give input on Phase 1 of Salem's new comprehensive plan.
Phase 1 includes a greenhouse gas inventory to be completed in the next few months. At the public workshop you can ask questions and advocate for the inventory results to be used to create a Climate Action Plan (CAP) for Salem, beginning next year. The CAP and the Comprehensive Plan need to work together in a way that will serve to reduce our emissions in the future.
UPDATES
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Jordan Cove /Coos Bay LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) Export Terminal and Pacific Connector Pipeline.
While the Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality and US Army Corps of Engineers review over 42,000 (!!!) comments submitted regarding water quality permits under their jurisdiction, Jordan Cove submitted a new application to the Oregon Dept. of State Lands regarding a different set of permits and easements. DSL has a few weeks to determine whether the application is complete and ready for review. Once the application is complete, DSL will open a public comment period and hold hearings in several locations.
Stay tuned. We'll let you know what you can do next to help stop this foolhardy and dangerous project.
No LNG - No Pipeline - No Fracked Gas in Oregon
Why Should Salem Care About the Jordan Cove LNG Terminal and Pipeline? Check out the Guest Opinion in Salem Weekly by 350 Salem OR member Laurie Dougherty here.
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Kalama Methanol Refinery After the defeat of coal, oil and LNG terminals on the Columbia, this project would be another insult to the Columbia, bringing fracked gas to be refined in Kalama, WA to produce methanol for shipment to China for manufacturing plastics. The first Environmental Impact Statement was overturned by a state hearings board for neglecting to cover the climate change impacts of this energy intensive project. An analysis by the Stockholm Environmental Institute indicates that these impacts would be very large.
Jasmine Zimmer-Stuckey of Columbia Riverkeeper recently pointed out another good reason to stop this project: the world is already awash in plastic waste and China's decision to drastically reduce imports of recycled plastic for reprocessing means it will only get worse.
Comments are being taken now on the new Environmental Impact Statement. Columbia Riverkeeper has more information and links for submitting comments here.
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Climate Change, We'll See You in Court
Our Children's Trust Federal Trial
"We all have the same rights to life, liberty, and property — but these rights depend on a safe climate. We are 21 young people suing the President and Federal Government, with the support of Our Children’s Trust, to defend the rights of youth and future generations." The federal government won a temporary stay of the trial, however the US Supreme Court ruled that the trial could go forward. Check here to find out when the new trial date is set.
Youth v. Gov Our Children's Trust
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IN SOLIDARITY
Poor People's Campaign
350.org has endorsed the Poor People's Campaign "because it lifts up the voices and deepens the leadership of those most affected by systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, and ecological devastation and it is working towards building unity across movements.
At this time of intensifying political, economic, and moral crisis, with the lives of the most vulnerable under vicious attack, people in growing numbers around the country are fighting back for their lives, communities and deepest values. And we are deeply committed to supporting the struggles of the most vulnerable and standing in solidarity with these communities...Any actions against the fossil fuel industry, for climate justice, and a fossil free world that 350 groups organize will be incorporated as moral revival action. In order for your actions to be part of this important effort you will need to connect with the local PPC chair in your state. Here is the list of state chairs. If you have trouble getting in touch with a Chair you can email Laurel Ashton at: laurel@poorpeoplescampaign.org.
To find more about local PPC activities, contact salemorjustice@gmail.com.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
IPCC REPORT ipcc.ch/report/sr15/
Global Warming of 1.5 °C an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a special report with an urgent message, as described in its press release:
"Limiting global warming to 1.5ºC would require rapid, far reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society, the IPCC said in a new assessment. With clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, limiting global warming to 1.5ºC compared to 2ºC could go hand in hand with ensuring a more sustainable and equitable society....'One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from this report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1°C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes,' said Panmao Zhai, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I. The report highlights a number of climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5ºC compared to 2ºC, or more."
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Would you like to get our ACTION ALERTS?
Dear Friends, we send these email Updates twice a month. However, more and more often, events and activities come up or change in between them. We will occasionally send additional Action Alerts on an "as needed" basis and for information only.
If you have not already received an Action Alert and would like to get them, let us know at Coordinators@350salemor.org. You will continue to receive this Update twice a month as usual.
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Check Out Our Website https://350salemor.org/
Find out how to join one of our action teams. Check in on our favorite Twitter people (Bill McKibben trumps Trump every time). If there's something you'd like to see on the website, please contact us at Coordinators@350salemor.org.
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350 Salem OR
Website: https://350salemor.org/
350 Salem OR email address: salem.climate.activists@gmail.com or Coordinators@350salemor.org
Look for 350 Salem OR on Facebook
Local Action to Protect the Global Climate
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