OCA Annual Meeting: “Local Climate Action:  Keeping the Momentum Going”

Sunday, February 8, 2015, 4-6 PM Elwha Klallam Heritage Center, 401 East 1st Street, Port Angeles Join Olympic Climate Action (OCA) for its annual general-membership meeting.  OCA has numerous climate-action and education initiatives planned for 2015 and invites those interested in protecting our community from climate change to attend.  The program will include: A review …

OCA joins letter to Congress opposing Fast-Track and TPP

OCA has joined 45 other organizations in a letter to Congress opposing Fast Track authority on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. "Under negotiation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example, are rules that would grant foreign corporations the right to sue governments, in private tribunals, over …

OCA ACTION ALERT:  SUPPORT INSLEE CLIMATE PROPOSAL

Governor Inslee proposes plan to limit carbon emissions Declaring it “time for polluters to pay their fair share,” Gov. Jay Inslee just proposed a sweeping new cap-and-trade system that would cut carbon emissions while generating $1 billion a year for schools, transportation projects and low-income tax rebates. Our state is already feeling the impacts of global …

Tuesday’s election will help determine our climate future

Below are two action requests related to Tuesday’s election, which will influence the course for climate action (or inaction) at the federal level. From Environment America: If we don't do more in the next few days, politicians who deny the science behind climate change and want to dismantle EPA programs will win control of the U.S. …

State Legislators: dis-affiliate from ALEC

OCA has signed on to a nationwide letter to state legislators initiated by the Natural Resources Defense Council, asking them to dis-affliate from any connections with the climate-change-denying American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), in spite of ALEC's feeble attempts to deny their denial.

OCA writes Clallam PUD objecting to their opposition to a carbon tax

Here is the letter that OCA wrote to the Clallam County Public Utility District (PUD) objecting to their letter to the Energy Northwest power suppliers' consortium opposing the idea of a carbon tax.  This PUD position was taken without public input, and the letter was sent without public notice.  It is a great disservice to …

People’s Climate March–solidarity actions across the Peninsula

People's Climate March:  solidarity actions across the Peninsula on Sept. 20-21 On the weekend of Sept. 20-21, people around the world will gather for what promises to be the biggest climate demonstration in history, centered upon the People's Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21, two days prior to a special climate summit …

Why we need a carbon tax now

OCA is affiliated with the Citizens' Climate Lobby, a national organization lobbying for national carbon fee-and-dividend legislation.  Here is an editorial from the Wenatchee World written by two fellow CCL members:  Carbon tax commentary. OCA is communicating with U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer to urge him to co-sponsor carbon-tax legislation.  We urge letters to Rep. Kilmer …

Climate adaptation grant for North Olympic Peninsula

Olympic Climate Action helped develop this grant , "Planning for Climate Change on the North Olympic Peninsula Summary" and serves as a partner on it.  We will encourage local elected bodies to implement the changes recommended in the report, which will be developed with reference to the best available science and in discussion with the …

Climate adaptation grant announced in PT Leader

This commentary piece in the Port Townsend Leader describes the grant on which OCA is collaborating with the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development Council, to study the probable impacts of climate change on the North Olympic Peninsula and work with local governments to develop strategies to take those impacts into account.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby workshop Sunday, June 29

Sunday, 6/29/2014, 3-5 pm, Elwha Heritage Center (socializing at 2:30) OCA has joined the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), a nationwide, non-partisan organization working to create the political will for a livable world. Personal changes to reduce carbon footprints are very important, but if we are going to halt global warming, we need systemic change. CCL is asking Congress to …

OCA’s “Our Oceans in a Changing Climate” event June 6-7, 2014

On June 6-7, 2014, OCA led a series of activities focused on the health of the marine waters that embrace the Olympic Peninsula:  an evening of engaging folk music and a day of enlightening speakers and activities for the whole family.  Here are some photos of that event. Friday evening June 6: Dana Lyons Concert …

“Greatest dereliction in the history of the Republic”

The United States' response to the climate crisis has been beyond pathetic. It is probably the greatest dereliction of civic responsibility in the history of the Republic.  James Gustave ("Gus") Speth, former Chair of the President's Council on Environmental Quality , New York Times 2015-05-15.  

Let’s not waste our time on deniers

"Science is real and verifiable,  With the health of our families and our futures at stake, the American people expect us to act on the facts, not spend precious time and taxpayer money refuting manufactured uncertainties."  EPA administrator Gina McCarthy speaking before the National Academies of Science, 4/28/14

First in, last out

“The art of communion with the earth we can relearn from the Indian. Thus a reverse dependence is established. Survival in the future will likely depend more on our learning from the Indian than the Indian’s learning from us. In some ultimate sense we need their mythic capacity for relating to this continent more than …

OCA to screen “Years of Living Dangerously”

First episode in blockbuster new series on climate change Olympic Climate Action and the Elwha Klallam Heritage Training Center are co-sponsoring a local showing of the first episode of Years of Living Dangerously, followed by a live video chat with some of the series' stars and producers, and a special message from Oscar winner James Cameron.  The event …

OCA helps land climate-impacts grant

A consortium led by the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, including Olympic Climate Action in Clallam County and the Local 2020 Climate Action Group in east Jefferson County, has been awarded a $152,000 grant from the National Estuary Program's Watershed Protection & Restoration Fund, administered by the the WA State Dept. of Ecology.  The project, pending finalization of …

What price a grandchild?

What price a grandchild? And if not what price a grandchild, then what price a grandchild’s grandchild?  --UK chief scientific adviser, Sir Mark Walport, commenting on the IPCC Working Group II chapter of the 5th Assessment Report, on global impacts of climate change.

Panel discusses future of clean energy in WA

“Climate Action Goes to Washington (State): Energy Solutions in the Pacific Northwest” – APRIL 1, 3-5 pm PDT  The recent agreement between Washington State, British Columbia, Oregon and California to harmonize their climate and energy policies has the potential to not just accelerate greenhouse gas reductions but also catalyze a strong, clean, and resilient economy. Join Governor …

Start with love

This essay by Bruce Bode, minister of the Quimper Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship in Port Townsend, explores the question, "How do I move forward when things look so bleak?"

Middle school video contest

For middle school parents and teachers on the North Olympic Peninsula: To supplement the national contest described below, Olympic Climate Action is offering a $50 cash prize for the best short (30-120 seconds) video on climate change submitted by a middle-school student on the North Olympic Peninsula.  Rules: ·         Entries must have been submitted to …

Photos from Plant-for-the-Planet

Here are some images from Presidents Day week 2014, when Mike, Zoe, and Stella Foster came to the Olympic Peninsula as climate ambassadors, visiting schools and planting trees and shrubs. Link to video:  "Here's a worm"

OCA joins U.S. Climate Action Network

Today Olympic Climate Action joined the U.S. Climate Action Network, part of the worldwide Climate Action Network.  This move puts OCA in touch with other climate activists, the better to collaborate with our colleagues worldwide.

Let’s get down to work

From David W. Orr, Ecological Literacy: It is easy...to throw up one's hands and conclude with the Kentucky farmer that "you can't get there from here."  That conclusion, however, breeds self-fulfilling prophecies, fatalism, and resignation--in the face of an overwhelming need to act.  We also have the historical examples of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and …

If not us, then who?

James Adcock left these thoughts on the Sightline blog (paraphrased): http://daily.sightline.org/2013/05/07/harnessing-our-dark-optimism/ 1) Even tiny little partial successes represent saving millions of human beings from death or untold suffering, including watching their children die of starvation, heat stroke, or lack of water. 2) The morality of one’s actions is not dependent on the morality, or lack thereof, …

Comments to State Leg on proposed spill bills

OCA comments on proposed oil-spill bills to WA State Legislature Here are the letters we sent; we urge you to write as well.  Both legislators responded positively to our letters, so we're encouraged. 2014-02-03 Hargrove 2014-02-03 Tharinger

100 Demonstrate vs Keystone in Port Angeles & Port Townsend

Calling on President Obama to Reject Keystone XL; State Department Study Is Flawed As part of a national day of protests, Olympic Climate Action in Port Angeles and Fossil Fuel Action in Port Townsend conducted rallies on February 3, calling on President Obama to reject the controversial Keystone XL pipeline following the release of the State …

Scientific case for radical emissions reductions

The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in England just hosted a conference underscoring the point that we need to get very serious very quickly about reducing our greenhouse-gas footprint.  The conference website includes videos of all the talks, including a keynote address by Naomi Klein.

Rhetoric does not trump science

Cal Thomas is entitled to his own opinions, but not his own facts, to paraphrase wise words attributed to the late Senator Daniel Moynihan. In Thomas's commentary, "Ice breaking climate change fears" (published in the Peninsula Daily News on 19 September 2013), by egregiously cherry-picking data and misrepresenting facts and/or, perhaps, simple ignorance, he represents a philosophy …

Greenhouse gases soar to record levels

The amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2012, with rapid growth in both carbon dioxide and methane concentrations, according to a report released by the World Meteorological Organization.

World economic leader calls for broad energy policy reform

In a speech last week, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) called for immediate worldwide reform of economic and political policies to avert climate disaster.  Included in his speech was the imperative that we leave most existing reserves of fossil fuels in the ground and provide a credible and stable …

Send comments to State Climate Workgroup

Washington State is working on a strategy to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions statewide, and your testimony is needed by Oct. 30: Background about the State Climate Workgroup and how to submit public comments Background info from Climate Solutions Testimony submitted by OCA

Study points to spreading unlivability

Urgent time frame seen for climate change Researchers at the University of Hawaii have developed a "climate departure" index:  the year when the mean climate of any given location on Earth will shift completely outside the most extreme records experienced in the past 150 years. NBC News story Full article in the journal Nature