63 results for tag: climate change
Climate Change is Impacting Youth Mental Health
Do you find yourself or the youth in your life feeling anxious or depressed over the idea of climate change? A new study shows this is a problem sweeping Oregon and beyond. The Oregon Health Authority just released a report, Climate Change and Youth Mental Health in Oregon, documenting the impacts of climate change on the mental health of youth (ages 15-25). This study was completed under the direction of Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20-04, also known as the Oregon Climate Action Plan.
The study, one of the largest in the nation to date, documents a growing youth mental health crisis in Oregon. Climate stressors, including climate anxiety, ...
Building for a Better Future
Right now, there is an important conversation happening in Oregon, and around the country, about buildings. The buildings in which we live and work are a critical piece of the climate puzzle. They are both vital to reducing climate change causing fossil fuels and our first line of defense against climate harms like extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and air pollution.
Buildings are the second largest–and growing–source of climate pollution in Oregon, responsible for 34 percent of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to the fossil fuels used for electricity to power our homes and buildings, and the fossil gas piped in for heating ...
Oregon adopts permanent worker protections for heat and smoke just in time for this summer’s extreme weather events
Victory! OEC and our coalition of environmental, health and science, small business, and labor partners have spent the last year and a half staunchly advocating for the most protective workplace regulations possible in Oregon.
We’re happy to announce that the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responded with new, permanent rules that will hopefully set the tone for a new national standard. The heat and smoke rulemakings are a response to Governor Brown’s Executive Order 20-04, which mandated Oregon OSHA to develop these standards in order to protect workers on the job from excessive heat and smoke.
It is no ...
Reflections on the Recent IPCC Reports
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released two reports in the past eight months, both with dire warnings about the future of our planet and the need for immediate global action. If you are a concerned citizen who follows these headlines, you can probably relate that each time a flurry of articles swarms your feed there is a gut-punch feeling that may consume the rest of your day – or leave you feeling numb. You are not alone.
We have reached a point where scientific reports and collective emotional wellbeing are reciprocal. The most recent IPCC report defines what is at stake. The answer is, “a liveable and sustainable ...
Oregon Sets New Goals for Carbon Sequestration
Natural and Working Lands Proposal
Healthy forests, waters, and agricultural lands are vital to Oregon’s economy, culture, and way of life. These natural and working lands often come to mind as vital resources in need of protection from climate impacts, but they are also an essential part of the climate solution. The science is clear: in order to avoid climate catastrophe, we must radically transform the way we use our land — from how we grow our food to how we manage our forests.
Recognizing this need, Governor Brown directed the Oregon Global Warming Commission to work in concert with our state natural resource agencies to develop and ...
Oregon Climate Action Plan: 2021 Progress Report
One year after the signing of Executive Order 20-04, our coalition released a robust report assessing the state’s progress on implementation.
Celebrating Year 1 of the Oregon Climate Action Plan
Today we celebrate Oregon’s leadership, the tireless work of coalition partners, and a more stable future thanks to Executive Order 20-04.
Transportation Pricing for Equitable Mobility
The roads belong to the public. We own the right-of-way, the sidewalks and curbs and the street.
More than a decade of work will not be silenced.
2019 has been a tumultuous year for Oregonians and our environment. As we look to the future, we remain more committed than ever to the idea that people coming together with passion and perseverance can positively alter the course of the future.
There is much work yet to do: In the last legislative session, the Oregon legislature failed to vote on the Clean Energy Jobs bill. It was a disappointing outcome after an inspiring show of support for the bill over many years.
More than a decade of work will not be silenced. The crucial work of Oregon Environmental Council has always been—and will always be—fueled by the broad support of our members ...