Eugene
With so many different areas needing attention and help, the TAO Eugene Working Group is focusing on clarity and action. To facilitate this, we have divided up into five action teams who meet in between our full group monthly meetings. Their task is to gather information to share with the entire group and suggest an immediate action or actions that can be taken in their particular focus area. These teams are Clean Energy, Citizen Advocacy and Lobbying, Forestry and Watershed, Climate Finance, and Democracy and Voting.
We continue to join forces with other like-minded, local groups. On Tuesday, March 4, several TAO Eugene members joined 350.org and others at a lively “Take Action Together” event to hear an explanation of the proposed revisions to the Northwest Forest Plan. They also learned how to write and submit comments to help save our old growth forests from being opened to clear cutting again.
We have welcomed over a dozen new members to our roster and look forward to getting to know them better and being on the “front lines” with them as we resume holding postcarding parties to support important upcoming elections.
Thurs., March 27, 2025: Next meeting of Eugene Working Group: Da Ra Café at 5:30 p.m. for socializing and no-host snacks and sips and 6:30 p.m for the Business Meeting. Email debravquayle@gmail.com for more information or to RSVP.
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Corvallis
Our February TAO meeting was an encouraging group with new folks joining us. Several Third Actors who made the trek to Salem for the Divest Oregon’s Pause Act Lobby Day gave an uplifting report of their experience.
Cyndi McAlipine shared an organizational chart to explain how Third Act Central organizing works and the three areas of focus: Democratizing Energy, Climate Finance and Democracy and Voting.
A Third Actor shared news of the midterm elections, and how we can get involved with more postcarding through the Environmental Voter Project. It was agreed by the majority of our group that, for those who could attend a half hour before our meetings, we could start writing postcards together.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, a couple of us attended Senator Jeff Merkley’s Town Hall in Dallas, Ore. It was a packed house with people lining the walls. He answered questions honestly and with feeling, without political doublespeak, expressing his concerns over how the Supreme Court will respond given the recent immunity ruling. His charge to all of us was to “show up”, organize and let our voices be heard! He will continue to do what he can.
Many Third actors joined a throng of concerned citizens in front of the Benton Courthouse in support of the International Women’s March, Saturday, March 8. The collective resistance was obvious as people filled both sides of the block expressing their concerns for our country.
Corvallis area residents—join us at Third Act Corvallis as we stand up for our climate and democracy!
Bend
Third Act members Ray Gertler, Jack Nicholl, Julieanne (Jules) Moratti-Green, Mike Reed, and others have been working hard to move our Bend, Oregon City Council to upgrade the City’s climate plan. They have testified before Council sub-committees and also at City Council meetings, providing vetted evidence showing that the new climate plan measures being considered make economic sense, improve our community’s health and safety, and reduce Bend’s carbon footprint! We cooperated with other environmental groups that are also leading the charge to make Bend more eco-friendly!
In addition, Mike Reed coordinated with statewide faith groups to host an Earth Summit on March 16. The Earth Summit was held at 18 different “hubs” across Oregon and featured important Oregon and local climate/environmental information. Our hosting “hub” here in Central Oregon featured “Bend Electrification: A pathway for a clean and healthy future.” This presentation informed our community of current climate plan deliberations and ways to actively participate NOW to see Bend City Council adopt a reasonable, forward-thinking climate plan. Sadly, the street word is that our Bend City Council appears (because of fossil fuel lobbying???) to want to weaken and delay any meaningful climate plan reform. We need more community awareness and participation!