Dear Environmental Action Team at Unity,
We met on October 12 to continue taking steps to better
align our environmental values with our actions and communities. As Betsy
reminded us of this gem of wisdom, passed on via Mike Meyers, we are
serving the Earth. Saving it, well, that is bigger than all of us. Here is a quick recap of that meeting, along
with some of the action items we debriefed, and ideas for future actions.
I have updated our Blog with this news and some additional
links.
First, we decided to join the No Kings actions in Eugene to stand against the Trump administration’s rollback of renewable energy projects and a wide range of other environmental protections.
The latest data on CO2 emissions and this graph on Pacific ocean warming presents a scientifically grounded warning that the world, and our country in particular, is failing to reduce our use of toxic fossil fuels, setting up further challenges for future generations. For example, see news on the latest lawsuit to the criminal actions by the Trump administration: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/16/lawsuit-trump-cancel-solar-energy-program See you on Saturday at the No Kings rally 10am-1pm, in Eugene, 405 E. 8th Ave! https://www.indivisible-eug-spr.org/
River Clean-up! A
big thank you and acknowledgement to the Unity volunteers who helped with the
Great Willamette River Clean-up on October 4. The trash hauler
award goes to…. Alison and Andy for braving the waters to haul in this! Of course, thank you to everyone else who joined
in the efforts!
On another note, let’s also acknowledge our friends with the
Interfaith EarthKeepers Alliance, Eugene-Springfield chapter. See
this link for more information about their upcoming events (we may want to ask
them to post our next events?): https://interfaithearthkeepers.org/ While Ron is out of town, does anyone want to
serve as a liaison to the IEA?
For the
next meeting:
·
Unity’s “Adopt One Block” – We decided to plan for a local
clean-up for January 2026, hoping to cover the neighborhood up to and
around the local Dari Mart. Alison will follow
up with Denice about this possibility. We need to confirm this at our November
meeting and then invite the congregation and friends to join us on the second
Sunday of January, after potluck, for a New Year Neighborhood service.
·
Update from John and Ruth about the compost
bucket, and anything else from Geneva on the kitchen team plans.
·
We decided to continue with rotating
chairs/co-chairs and notetakers for these meetings. Betsy volunteered for the
November meeting. Will someone please volunteer for notetaking?
·
At our meeting on 10/12, we briefly discussed
our previous aim of completing a guide to share with the congregation. The idea was to provide an accessible set of
links to local reuse and recycling programs. I am compiling the list of what
was mentioned in our last two meetings. Let’s add this to our agenda for November
to discuss and approve so that we can get the guide out before the holidays. Bring
your suggestions to the next meeting or email me with items to add.
Reuse, recycle, and re-purpose resources: A guide from UV-EAT
City of
Eugene's recycling flyer or the Lane
County Waste Wise tool. Webpage
for Recycle On, Oregon.
Get details about curbside and drop-off recycling. https://recycleon.org/oregon/
Our region's go-to destination for salvaged and surplus building materials, garden supplies, tools, and more! Browse our exclusive BRINGmade merchandise.
NextStep
Recycling: Accepts and recycles a wide range of electronics,
prioritizing reuse and refurbishing.
Curbside
Recycling: Check
the City of Eugene's website for a list of accepted materials, which are
typically commingled in your bin (except for glass). Be sure to avoid
contamination by not putting items like plastic bags or food containers in the
bin.
To determine how to dispose of
specific items, use the
Electronics: Donate or drop off
electronics at NextStep Recycling or St. Vincent de Paul for reuse and
recycling, which is prioritized. NextStep offers data wiping, and St.
Vincent de Paul is part of the Oregon E-Cycle program.
Construction
& Demolition Materials:
Resources are available for recycling and reusing materials
like asphalt, concrete, metal, and wood.
Reuse leaves as mulch or compost, or place them in your yard
debris container for collection by your garbage company.
Centers for reuse and repurposing
A hub for salvaged building materials, garden supplies,
tools, and other surplus items.
Accepts and recycles a wide range of electronics,
prioritizing reuse and refurbishing.
Collects and recycles consumer electronics, prioritizing
reuse and supporting local services.
Hosts repair events and offers resources to support a
variety of reuse and repurposing initiatives.
Community and waste prevention programs
Collects and recycles leaves, which are then often delivered
back to residents for use in gardens.
A community program that provides resources and events to
help people repair items instead of throwing them away.
The Lane County Waste Wise Guide provides information on
where to take hard-to-recycle materials.
Use the WasteWise Lane County app to check if an item is
recyclable or not.
Other
Places to Recycle & Donate
Eugene Habitat ReStorehttps://habitatlanerestore.org ›
donate › where-to-recycle
Stereos, Radios, Televisions, VCRs & DVD players etc…
Central Recycling Station (541-682-4120) Lane County Transfer Station
541-682-4120 (call to check)
News about bringing your own containers for Take-out
Finally,
ongoing trash and debris clean-ups can be found below for the coming
weeks.
Willamette
Riverkeepers:
Trashy Tuesday cleanup, on water. Reserve a seat in a boat
or BYOB. Details and sign up in advance:
Eugene-Springfield
River Guardians Trashy Tuesday: River House to Beltline Seat in Raft or BYOB
(ON WATER) (Copy) — Willamette Riverkeeper
McKenzie
River Trust Cleanups:
Watershed Wednesdays, 9:am every Wednesday. You need to sign
up in advance. Event
- McKenzie River Trust | Protecting Lands in Western Oregon
First-Friday cleanup at the Coast Fork confluence, sign up
in advance: Event
- McKenzie River Trust | Protecting Lands in Western Oregon
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