What is Salem doing to prepare for disrupted climate conditions?

[John Gear]

Government is a nonprofit, so this article about how all nonprofits need to engage on climate raises the question:  what is the City of Salem doing to prepare for climate disruption and it's effects?  

We can expect higher food prices, higher utility bills, higher public health costs, both more heat stress emergencies and increased winter storm damages, more flooding AND more droughts, more domestic violence (correlates to heat), to name just the obvious immediately local issues, without even considering things like lack of snowpack to feed the Santiam where we get our great water.

What if Salem spent a few hundred thousand a year to begin taking steps to improve our prospects in this new world we're making, where the past is no longer a reliable guide to the future (the basis of the ability of any company to offer insurance)?  Where might we find that money to strengthen our resiliency?

The Cohen Report

The Climate Change Conundrum

The National Climate Assessment report released by the White House earlier this week merits action by more than environmental groups. Climate change is so big and so hard to wrap one’s mind around that it deters groups from acting, but we have some ideas about what all nonprofits can do.

READ THIS ARTICLE ON NONPROFITQUARTERLY.ORG »

[Cliff Boyer]

Thank you for this post and information John. There is a group in Salem some of you may already be familiar with: Salem Climate Activists. They have submitted a proposal to become a Salem chapter of 350.org,  which among other things, is campaigning for colleges, universities, local governments and other institutions to divest fossil fuel companies from their investment portfolios. I have looked into Salem's portfolio from what information is online and while it does not appear that fossil fuels makes up a large part of the portfolio, symbolically it would be huge to get Salem city government to divest. Although, given the fossil fuel interests represented in the past and currently in the city council it would be a near impossible task. (Also see John's post re: the candidates for city council this year.) I remember as a reporter for then Salem Monthly covering the drive to get the City of Salem to adopt the Mayor's Climate Treaty a few years ago and it got ugly with personal attacks on activists appearing before the council.

More importantly perhaps is the fact that there is a group already formed and evolving here in Salem that is making all issues related to climate change it's top priority. If you wish to join their Google and/or Facebook group email salem.clima...@gmail.com and their next meeting is Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m. at the IKE Box.

Another interest of mine is in the Transition Town movement. See The Transition Town Handbook by Rob Hopkins and Google this movement for more information online. Given the political climate of Salem, I believe this is the most viable way for our community to become more resilient in the times ahead. Given the White House report just released we do need to come together as a community to address what I consider the most pressing issue we face. If the climate and environment collapse nothing else matters. Please also visit http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/05/06 to see the 90 second video. It is short and powerful.

If anyone is interested in discussing the Transition Town idea please contact me, Cliff Boyer at cliff...@comcast.net.

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From: "Gear, John" <gea...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 8, 2014 9:35:16 AM
Subject: [uucs_coffee_hour:950] What is Salem doing to prepare for disrupted climate conditions?

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[John Gear]

Cliff, is SCA working with Citizens Climate Lobby (Laura Carver, Hans West, Phil Carver etc.)?

I hope so, Salem's activist community is so small that fragmentation of efforts really penalizes us.

I know a bit about Transition, I tried to get Salem Transition Initiative for Relocalization (STIR) going a while back (2008-9) and found we couldn't get much traction.  I think there are still a few folks working along those lines -- I hear hints of that now and then.

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[Cliff Boyer]

I'm not sure about the two groups working together. I know Hans well from working with him at PeaceWorks (Hi Hans!), have met Phil a couple of times, and Laurie Daugherty who is one of those spearheading Salem Climate Activists. I will check into this -- you're right, it would be great to come together to pool resources and energy. I have not been able to be as actively involved with SCA as I'd like up to now because of work obligations and I'm taking a class on the nights it usually meets. I'm hoping to jump into the fray more actively soon.

Re: TT I'm happy to hear that at least something has been explored. If you learn anything more about current efforts I'd be happy to hear about it. It is something I would like to share with SCA at some point, but they seem more politically involved right now with the 350.org drive and coal/oil imports, etc.

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From: "Gear, John" <gea...@gmail.com>
To: "Cliff Boyer" <CLIFF...@comcast.net>
Cc: "uucs coffee hour" <uucs_cof...@googlegroups.com>, "Carver, Phil" <philip...@comcast.net>, "laura carver" <laurag...@gmail.com>, "WEST, HANS" <wes...@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2014 8:08:40 AM
Subject: Re: [uucs_coffee_hour:950] What is Salem doing to prepare for disrupted climate conditions?