Speak up for Bend’s Climate Action Plan

july 2016 Bend Climate meeting 4
October 30, 2019/Lindsey Hardy/Comments Off on Speak up for Bend’s Climate Action Plan

The Bend community needs to make itself clear to City Council: Adopt the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) and we’ll be a partner in getting to work and making the plan a reality.  

The Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) is the result of a collaborative effort by the Climate Action Steering Committee (CASC) along with a broad array of community stakeholders. The CASC has completed the CCAP—a set of 20 recommended strategies and 42 related actions that consider environmental, social, and financial impacts in four key emission areas: Energy Supply, Energy in Buildings, Transportation, and Waste, and Materials. The CCAP is our plan to meet the goals laid out in the Climate Resolution that was adopted by City Council in 2016 that sets forth community-wide fossil fuel reduction goals of 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2050.

With the strategies laid out in the plan, we can reduce our fossil fuel use 49% by 2030 alone. This is no small feat and is a crucial piece of our community’s climate legacy. The CCAP lays out a pathway to achieving our climate goals that will leave a lasting legacy for our community.

Right now, we need to show City Council that the community is still willing to and committed to being a long-term partner with the City in achieving our climate action goals. We need your help to tell City Council that climate action is still a priority for our community. 

Here are some helpful resources to get started

If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Hardy at lindsey@envirocenter.org or 541-385-6908.

Important Dates

  • Wednesday, November 20th, 7:00PM @ City Hall Council Chambers. City Council Meeting. Show support for the CCAP during public comment.
  • Wednesday, December 4th, 7:00PM @ City Hall Council Chambers. City Council vote on the final Community Climate Action Plan. 

What to tell City Council

  • Immediate and meaningful local climate action is appropriate and necessary to ensure we protect our way of life.
  • The community is willing and committed to be a long-term partner in meaningful, local climate action. We all need to do our part!
  • Adopt the Community Climate Action Plan with the intent to implement all the proposed strategies, allocate resources to fulfill its commitments and goals, and use it as a guide for future decisions.
  • Include the Home Energy Score in the plan because it’s an effective way to share credible information about a home’s energy use, give homeowners the knowledge they need to reduce their energy use, and will help meet our community’s fossil fuel reduction goals.

Give public comment at City Council

To participate in the public comment section of the council meeting:

  • Meetings start at 7:00PM on the first and third Wednesday of the month. We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before. Fill out the public comment form upon arriving.
  • You will sign up on the general public comment section. You will be asked the purpose of your comments: Speaking in support of passing the CCAP.
  • When you are called to the podium, you will be asked to give your name and whether you live inside the City of Bend.
  • Public comment is generally 3 minutes but due to the high volume of comments at the last meeting, they were cut to 90 seconds. Come prepared to only have 90 seconds to speak so you can still get your important points across.
  • We recommend that you write out your comments beforehand. Keep your comments concise–it’s better not to fill allocated time–the Councilors appreciate this! Multiple people can come to the podium with you to show additional support for your message. Whoever signed up for public comment is the only person who will be able to speak.
  • You can leave your comments with the City Recorder. If you plan to do this, be sure that your name, address, and contact information are on your comments.  

Submit written comments to City Councilors

View a sample letter of support here. It is most impactful to customize this template based on your priorities and experiences. Send your written comments to council@bendoregon.gov.

You can also use this portal created by Oregon League of Conservation Voters to submit your comments directly to City Council. It is pre-populated with ideas of language you can share with Council with room to customize as you see fit.

Add your name to the community petition

Show your support by signing the community petition. We want to get 1,000 signatures by the time City Council votes on the CCAP! As of 11/19 we have roughly 550 signatures. Let’s get to 1,000 by the December 4th vote!

Remember, the most important thing you can do is share your perspective by speaking at a City Council meeting or submitting a letter of support (scroll back up!).

Share on Social Media

Customize and share the following messages on your social media accounts to promote support for City Council adopting the Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP). These are just to help you get started so feel free to pick and choose pieces from these to create your own message. You can also use one of our “I support climate action because” images and add your own reason why you support climate action. You can view and download images here (if applicable, please observe photo credits in photo names). Or use your own image that connects to a reason why you support climate action—think outdoor adventures, cozy homes, etc!

 

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