If you give a boy a heat pump costume…
Local climate action in Central Oregon has become a buzzing topic as we witness the wide variety of people coming to the table to advocate for climate policy. Brennan Breen is the campaign coordinator for Energize Bend, a coalition started in partnership withThe Environmental Center. Not only does Brennan run the campaign, but he was also the recipient of the Earth Hero Award alongside other changemakers in Central Oregon. Brennan may not like the attention, but staff still like to remind him of his “hero” status at least weekly.
Despite his humble attitude, the truth behind this award is that Brennan has been working on local climate policy for the past year, and this climate policy is the first of its kind.
Some people are still pretty against the concept of climate change, and this is a startling reality of working in the climate space. Sometimes we have to take climate out of the equation and focus on the economics or the health impacts instead. While this can be frustrating, it’s a critical part of running any successful campaign — meeting people where they are and finding the topics that will move them. No one does this quite like Brennan.
Let me paint the scene: it’s a city council meeting in downtown Bend. The stakes are high, the air is thick, and there are signs in the audience promoting natural gas. But there are even more signs from the crowd saying things like “Climate Action Now” and “No Planet B.” Amongst a sea of blue shirts, the stage was set for Brennan to adorn himself in a box shaped like a heat pump condenser, complete with a matching air handler hat.
Local police informed us that Brennan couldn’t keep the hat on during the public comment meeting, but he could put it on during his personal public comment. Sitting on the edge of his seat — because that’s the only way he could sit while wearing a large box around his body — Brennan set the tone for how seriously we are taking local climate action. So seriously, in fact, that it became funny. Giggles arose from the crowd as Brennan waddled to the front, and camera phones immediately began snapping pictures of his costume as the room quieted down. Mayor Kebler quickly pulled out her phone to take her own photo, tried not to snicker, and then intently listened to Brennan’s comment. The rest became a blur as laughter filled the room, and the grin Councilor Platt wore could probably be seen across Bend as his pride for Brennan peeked through. Brennan used humor to make an impression, and we are proud to say that City Council plans to move forward with the Climate Impact Fee! Thank you Councilors!
Brennan is the Earth Hero of 2026 for this exact reason. He has gone above and beyond not only to engage local people in a very complicated policy, but also to support youth that show up for the campaign. This type of community action is not easy and it requires countless touchpoints. Brennan is helping shape grassroots activism in Central Oregon through a youth-centered lens, and we can’t wait to see how his passions for heat pumps and climate action continue to grow.
