As I said earlier, over 90% of the plastic we produce is not recycled. But why is that? We have all the recycle symbols, and we are all doing our part to sort out plastic and find places to recycle it, so what’s the problem? An Oregon Public Broadcasting article explains: Waste management experts say the problem with… (read more)
On January 22, 2023, Eugene Friends Meeting approved a Minute on Reducing Plastics in the World, and we agreed to “educate ourselves, witness, and take action, as led with efforts in these directions: Reduce, re-use, and recycle our personal and Meeting House plastics: We will encourage and educate each other to reduce our purchase of new plastics, re-use what we purchase when… (read more)
On January 22, 2023 Eugene Friends Meeting approved a Minute on Reducing Plastics in the World: Eugene Friends Meeting acknowledges that plastic waste in the Earth’s environment adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans, and that reducing plastic production, consumption, and waste is crucial if we are to overcome the problem of plastic pollution on our planet. Reducing the production and… (read more)
Native pollinators need appropriate native plants, those that are indigenous to our specific geographic area: Here in the Willamette Valley, we live in the Pacific Lowland Mixed Forest ecosystem (same as the Puget Sound Valley). Before cultivation, we had dense coniferous forests, prairies that supported open stands of oaks, and wetlands with swamp or bog communities. The original, natural… (read more)
“What if each American landowner made it a goal to convert half of his or her lawn to productive native plant communities? Even moderate success could collectively restore some semblance of ecosystem function to more than twenty million acres of what is now ecological wasteland. … we can create this country’s largest park system. It… (read more)
The concept of ‘unity with nature’ is still unsettled in Friends’ minds. Our commitment to the exploration of this concept … is alive and growing. But how to nurture it? Where will it lead us? Is it an aspect of our deepest spiritual selves, to be integrated into our whole being by quiet contemplation of wilderness and… (read more)
“We are at a critical point of losing so many species from local ecosystems that their ability to produce the oxygen, clean water, flood control, pollination, pest control, carbon storage, etc, that is, the ecosystem services that sustain us, will become seriously compromised.” ~ Doug Tallamy Bees, butterflies, birds, bats (and more) are critical to… (read more)
Forest fires are natural and important. They shape our ecosystems. Meadows and grasslands often exist because past fires kept trees and shrubs from growing there. Many species are dependent on fire’s natural role. Fires shape plant and animal communities and ecological processes, including water and nutrient cycling. Fire on the east and west sides of… (read more)
When it comes to reversing climate change, trees are a big deal. Globally, forests absorb nearly 16 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, and hold it in their branches, leaves, roots, and soils. This makes them a valuable global carbon sink, and makes preserving and maintaining healthy forests a vital strategy in combating… (read more)
Last week I wrote about the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994. While the Plan was innovative at the time, it didn’t consider some important issues we now face, such as global climate change, the role of Tribes and Indigenous knowledge in land management, and the need to protect communities from uncharacteristic wildfires. The Forest Service… (read more)
Click the picture for information about community group use of the Meeting House.
