Speak up in Washington County, Oregon
Last updated June 2021
Channel your inner “Eco Warrior” and Speak Up for the environmental issues you care about. It can be anything from avoiding single-use plastics to keeping chemicals out of our waterways. Maybe addressing climate change is your passion. Or maybe you're concerned about ALL of these issues.
Taking action is what gives us hope. Our choices matter. Be a part of the solution by talking about the issues, educating yourself and others, and taking action.
Channel your inner “Eco Warrior” and Speak Up for the environmental issues you care about. It can be anything from avoiding single-use plastics to keeping chemicals out of our waterways. Maybe addressing climate change is your passion. Or maybe you're concerned about ALL of these issues.
Taking action is what gives us hope. Our choices matter. Be a part of the solution by talking about the issues, educating yourself and others, and taking action.
_Learn. Connect. Discuss.
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Use Social Media
Social media is an amazing resource to get your voice heard. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. But it can also be harmful and a way to promote false information. Here are some tips to help you spread your message.
- Be respectful and non-judgmental.
- When sharing an article, check to see if it is from a reputable source.
- Add a personal comment when sharing an article to explain why you're sharing it. That makes the post more likely to get attention. It also educates even if the person doesn't have time to read the entire article.
- Don't overwhelm your followers with constant posts.
- Occasionally post some positive articles. It's draining to only see negative news. If people see there are potential solutions and some successes it re-energizes them.
- Fact-check posts that seem outrageous or distorted. Use well-respected fact-checking sites like factcheck.org or others.
- Support others in your social media circle by "liking" , commenting on, and sharing the posts that support your cause. This helps highlight the issue and shows support for controversial causes. For example, climate change is a dire threat to our world but is not discussed often enough.
- Don't be afraid to call out your social media friends when they spread false information. Send them the link to a fact-checking site on the topic, or a link to a reputable site with factual information. Correct them on their post so that others will know, but don't call it out rudely. There is a lot of 'fake news' and people are often relieved to know when something isn't true. Examples: "Duane, that information is false, see this link from a fact checking site." Or "Karen, please read this article that explains the real story behind that issue."
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Discuss Issues with People Who May Not Agree With You.
- Talk respectfully. No shaming or name calling. Everyone has a right to their own opinion.
- Use facts to support your position.
- Don't use blanket statements or generalizations about specific groups of people, especially in a derogatory way. People tune out and dig in their heels when they feel offended.
- Be careful not to sound offensive. Example: "Open your eyes!" can sound like you're accusing them of being small-minded. An alternative way of saying it might be, "Have you noticed..?" or "Did you know ..?"
- Show your passion for your cause, but don't interrupt or yell. Stay calm and thoughtful.
- Never talk down to people. Everyone is at a different level of knowledge.
- Ask permission to ask them questions about why they have the opinions they do. You may be surprised to find you share beliefs that are just approached differently.
- Paraphrase back to them what they said to you. This ensures you understand them correctly and lets them know you are listening to them. Don't add any interpretation to what they said. Example: "I heard you say you like Trump's trade policies." Do not include "..so you must be OK with his continuous lying."
- Use "I" statements to explain your position. It invites discussion. Example: "I am worried about the use of chemicals in agriculture and how they affect pollinators." is better than "Chemicals are killing all the pollinators."
- Talk about some actions people can take that have clear benefits. Examples: "Did you know that you can reduce packaging waste by buying dried goods from the bulk bins in stores.? This also saves you lots of money." "You can try to move all your newspaper and magazine subscriptions to online only. This not only helps save our forests, but it also saves you money and your home is less cluttered."
- If someone doesn't seem to care about the cause, talk about why they SHOULD care. It could include cost savings, their children or grandchildren, their health and safety, disappearing resources, etc. Example: "Wind and solar have shown to provide lots of new jobs, and these new plants are usually cheaper than coal. Wind and solar are both resources that will be around forever, while coal, oil, and gas are running out."
- When you get stonewalled or the discussion gets too heated, take a break from it. "Oops, gotta go." or "Well lets take a break and calm down." Look for common ground and try again later, maybe even addressing another related topic.
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Walk the Talk
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Don't like what a business is doing? Tell them.
If you see a product overpackaged or you observe a business practice that could use some greening up, let them know.
If you see a product overpackaged or you observe a business practice that could use some greening up, let them know.
- Use email, Facebook Messenger, contact forms on their web page, phone calls or ask to speak to a manager in person.
- Take a photo to help explain what your concern is. A picture is worth 1000 words.
- Call attention to what they are doing well then explain your concern. Examples: "I love all the organic options at your store and all the produce sold "loose" without packaging. But please don't sell organic onions in non-recyclable mesh bags. I only want to buy 2 each time and I am avoiding plastic packaging." "I enjoy eating at your store and its great you have durable dishes. Can you please make napkins 'request only' items? Receiving 2 napkins with every order is too many for me and I worry about our forests." "I love hanging out at your coffee shop and the coffee is great. But I'd really like if you would promote using durable cups in your stores. I'm tired of seeing all the coffee cup garbage that is generated." "I love your organization and want to stay up to date via email. But please stop sending me the magazines in the mail. I don't have time to read all the articles and it is a waste of paper."
- Contact the retail outlet as well as the manufacturer. Example: Contact Colgate to explain why you will no longer be buying their non-recyclable toothpaste packaging, but also contact your local grocery store to suggest alternative toothpastes that you would like to see instead.
- If your concerns are ignored, try again later. Recruit and enlist like-minded people to also make contact to lobby for change.
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Take Legislative Action Educate yourself on city, county, state, and/or national issues of interest and Vote in every election.
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Connect with Environmental Organizations. Get on their email lists, social media, and meeting announcements. They offer information on the causes they support and how you can help through email campaigns, volunteering, donations, and occasionally attending events at the capital in Salem.
Below are suggestions of strong organizations with local affiliates.
- Oregon League of Conservation Voters (OLCV) - Advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, rates elected officials according to their environmental votes and actions, and supports pro-environment candidates.
- Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) - Since 1968, OEC has worked to protect Oregon's water, air, and land. It is a membership-based, nonpartisan nonprofit. In 2020 it is active in advancing gov. Kate Brown's Oregon Climate Action Plan (OCAP).
- 350PDX - Advocates to end the use of fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy.
- 350.org Washington County - The Washington County arm of the 350PDX organization.
- Surfrider Foundation Portland - Works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves and beaches. It focuses on water quality, beach access, beach and surf spot preservation, and sustaining marine and coastal ecosystems.
- Extinction Rebellion Portland - A global environmental movement with the aim to use nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action to avoid tipping points in the climate system, biodiversity loss, and the risk of social and ecological collapse.
- Sunrise Movement PDX - A movement of young people fighting to stop the climate crisis.
- Sierra Club Oregon Chapter - Works on protecting our state’s public lands and protecting the environment.
- Portland Audubon - Grassroots engagement to protect nature.
- Oregon Wild - Dedicated to protecting Oregon's wildlife, waters, and wild places.
- Oregon State Public Interest Information Group (OSPIRG) - An independent, state-based, citizen-funded organization that brings the voice of the public to the halls of power in Salem on behalf of consumers.
- Environment Oregon - A political non-profit organization in the U.S. state of Oregon, that lobbies for legislation in regard to environmental policy on local, state and national levels.
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Step Up and Get Involved
- Volunteer your time for eco events: sustainability fairs such as PlanetCon, neighborhood cleanups, climate strikes, etc.
- Become a Master Recycler. Master Recyclers volunteer their time educating communities about recycling, waste reduction, composting plus organizing recovery events and more. Sign up for classes in your area.
- Join a "Green Team" at your workplace or school (if available) and work on sustainable changes.
- Organize an environmental action in your own neighborhood or city. For example, start a Green Team if there isn't one, or organize an event for Earth Day. Even picking up garbage on your walks around the neighborhood is a positive action for the environment.
- Attend local city council meetings or state rallies in Salem to advocate for the policy changes that you care about.
- Sign online petitions to support causes of interest. Call or email your legislators.
- Run for an elected office where you feel you can make a positive change.
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Resources
- Inspirational video on how shifting our energy sources to wind and solar could reduce some of the world's conflicts and help save our planet (30 minutes).
- How Peer Pressure can help with Climate Change
- https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/4577
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2015/02/06/the-3-most-powerful-ways-to-change-people-who-dont-want-to-change/#24e507ac4111
- Beginners guide to activism - https://theeverygirl.com/a-beginners-guide-to-activism-10-ways-to-get-involved-with-issues-that-matter/
- https://www.zerowastewisdom.com/post/how-to-become-a-more-engaged-environmental-activist?
- National Climate Assessment - a report guided by hundreds of experts which breaks down the effects of climate change by U.S. region.
- Climate Change Indicators - Environmental Protection Agencay (EPA) website on climate change and indicators
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Climate and historical weather data and information
- NASA website on climate change
- How to Talk About Climate Change - 45 min video with Alan Alda and Dr. Katharine Heyhoe with insight on discussing climate change effectively.
- Braver Angels - non-profit group which provides training to depolarize American politics (conservatives vs liberals)