Building on the Past: A Journey Into the Heart of Oregon’s Activism
by Meagan Golec, Major Gifts Officer
When I was hired at OEC three years ago, I had a lot of nonprofit experience but had never worked in the environmental sphere. I came equipped with a deep love and appreciation for wild spaces, and a strong belief that we need a healthy environment to thrive. I knew that Oregon was considered an environmental leader in the United States. Still, I was unaware of the deep history of activism in the state – especially the early leaders who worked hard to ensure our environment had representation.
Early on, I spent much of my ...
Oregon Clean Grid Summit: Q&A With Attendees
Last month, OEC, Renewable Northwest, and our partners in the Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative (OCGC) joined in person with a diverse group of clean energy stakeholders from across Oregon for the first annual Oregon Clean Grid Summit. The summit brought together 120 community leaders, industry experts, and federal and state officials for a dialogue about how to reliably, equitably, and affordably deliver clean energy to households and businesses in Oregon.
This all-day, in-person event offered insights into the role of regional energy market and transmission developm...
New Staff Q&A: Max Light-Pacheco
OEC is excited to introduce our new Community Engagement Manager, Max Light-Pacheco!
Since graduating from U.C. Davis (in his home state of California), Max has worked for Americorps, the Nature Conservancy, the Phoenix Zoo, and one•n•ten, a nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth in Arizona. His work is driven by a lifelong love of nature, a passion for community, and a deep understanding of where the two intersect. This knowledge of people and planet makes Max an invaluable addition to our team.
Give Max a warm welcome the next time you see him out in the world repres...
2024 Legislative Wrap-Up: 5 Key Environmental Wins
The doors are now closed on this year’s “short,” 35-day legislative session in Oregon. Traditionally, the short session is used to re-balance the budget, tweak existing statutes and wrap-up unfinished business from the long session. However, in recent years the legislature has shifted to taking up one or two major issues, as well. This presents a huge opportunity for advocacy groups like OEC where there are no off years for climate and environmental justice.
This session, the Governor and lawmakers made it clear that their primary focus was housing (see SB 1537) ...
The Clean Grid Explained: Key Terms for Understanding How Electricity Moves in Oregon
In the upcoming 2025 legislative session, policy-based solutions to the impacts of climate change remain a top priority for OEC. As climate-fueled disasters like wildfires, scorching heat, and drought in our own backyard become increasingly hard to ignore, it’s more important than ever that we not only seek protections from the threats we currently face, but also look ahead to mitigate future harm.
Simply put, moving toward clean energy is the #1 thing we can do to start to curb the climate crisis. But to do that, we have to start from the source.
Enter: The ...
POSITION FILLED: Director of Programs
Join OEC as Director of Programs, a dynamic leader who fosters team purpose, launches initiatives, builds coalitions, and advances environmental progress. Your strategic vision, communication skills, and commitment to organizational development will drive the mission-driven success of our organization.
POSITION FILLED – NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICANTS – Interim Digital Communications and Marketing Coordinator
We are excited to announce that we're hiring for an Interim Digital Communications and Marketing Coordinator at OEC. We're looking for someone who's tech-savvy, skilled in digital trends, project management, and various digital marketing areas. If you are a creative and collaborative communicator with expertise in copywriting, web development, SEO, and graphic design, we want to hear from you!
2021-2022 Impact Report
See OEC's impact in 2021 and 2022.
Click here to download.
Investing in a Better Transportation Future
Oregon is receiving more than a billion dollars from the federal government through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This money will be allocated to projects around the state by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), under the direction of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC). The OTC is currently considering key decisions about spending this money, with final decisions due in March.
Oregon Environmental Council, as a core member of the Clean and Just Transportation Network, is calling on the OTC to spend the money on projects that make it ...
A Climate Conversation with Congresswoman Bonamici
Congresswoman Bonamici left OEC members feeling optimistic after learning about how federal initiatives can support climate progress here at home and how smart infrastructure investments can set us up for a clean, thriving economy in the years to come.
