What’s New for September-October 2025
It all begins with an idea.
Dear Climate-Concerned Friends,
We are excited to share several new developments in our ongoing public outreach about climate issues:
FAMER’S MARKET TABLE
Several group members hosted an information table at the Independence Farmer’s Market on Saturday, September 20. Shoppers stopped by to talk about climate issues and take fliers or photos of our posters announcing the next Climate Café (See below.) We plan to host tables at other local events including craft fairs. Look for special announcements of these opportunities for you to stop by and chat with us.
EXPLORING OUR PERSONAL RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
A 2026 Climate Café series We are considering hosting a short series of Climate Cafés focused on the personal side of climate change. The goal is to provide a free, safe, and welcoming space where community members can connect and share how they feel about this “too big to hold” challenge. These sessions would be participatory, with an emphasis on group conversations in our regular Café format. The focus is on fostering connection and mutual support through shared dialogue.
Possible discussion topics include:
Climate anxiety
Eco-grief
Intergenerational impacts
“What can I DO?”
If you are interested in joining these discussion please send us an email.
OREGON SENATOR DEB PATTERSON
Senator Patterson will meet briefly with our group at 6:00 PM on November 20 at the Monmouth Senior Center. We will discuss how we can interact with the state’s climate-related programs. You will receive further notices about this important event in the coming weeks.
VIDEO: IMAGINE OUR FUTURE
Our climate group sponsors an annual contest called Imagine Our Future where we invite everyone to share their vision of a positive future for our community in original poems, essays or artworks. Look for an upcoming announcement of the 2026 contest.
Meanwhile, inspire your vision with this inspiring video:
UPCOMING SPEAKERS: Seeds for the Sol
A speaker from the Corvallis based solar-energy promotion group will address the public at St. Patric’s Parish in Independence one evening in October. You will receive a special announcement once the exact date and location within the Parish are determined.
From the group’s website (seedsforthesol.org):
Seeds for the Sol is a nonprofit, grassroots organization taking action now to remove the financial barriers to residential energy efficiency. Our neighbor-to-neighbor funding model mimics the natural cycles of planting, harvesting, and renewal, helping more households move toward net zero. This funding model addresses climate mitigation and adaptation, energy equity and outreach, and workforce development by making affordable housing more energy efficient.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Climate Cafés: Our Climate Cafés are free and open to the public. For the remainder of 2025, we will meet from 7:00 to 8:30 PM on the third Thursday of every other month (October and December, 2025) at the Monmouth Senior/Community Center, 180 Warren Street, Monmouth. Join us to discuss your climate concerns and ideas for climate action.
Monthly Zoom Meeting: Join our next regular Climate Group’s Zoom meeting at 6:00 PM, Monday, October 13. This meeting is primarily about organization and task distribution for our various group activities. Since you are on this Newsletter’s mailing list, you should automatically receive a notice and link to the Zoom page a day or two before the meeting. If you don’t receive that, and want to attend, please send us an email we will send you the link.
What’s New for July-August 2025
Dear Climate-Concerned Friends,
CLIMATE CAFÉS
Our Climate Cafés are free and open to the public. For the remainder of 2025, we will meet from 7:00 to 8:30 PM on the third Thursday of every other month (August, October and December, 2025) at the Monmouth Senior/Community Center, 180 Warren Street, Monmouth. Join us to discuss your climate concerns and ideas for climate action.
Oregon’s new recycling law (was) explained:
Joshua Brandt, owner of Brandt’s Sanitary Service, explained Oregon’s new Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) during an informal talk at our June 19 Climate Café. In an engaging and wide-ranging talk, Brandt explained the basics of the new law, the first phase of which began in July of this year. That first phase is implementing a rule, almost unique in the U.S., that requires companies that make, sell of distribute packaging, paper products and food serviceware to pay fees to help ensure their products are recycled responsibly.
In essence, the Act shifts the cost of recycling from local governments and residents to producers of those products by requiring them to join a PRO (Producer Responsibility Organization) that oversees and coordinates the recycling process. The PROS are responsible for funding improvements to Oregon’s recycling infrastructure, collection systems and facilities. Ultimately, these improvements will make recycling in Oregon easier, cheaper for citizens and cities, and more comprehensive.
Although there is not room here to discuss the law and Brandt’s presentation in detail, more information may be found at Oregon Department of Environmental Qualitiy’s website about the RMA. Our thanks to Mr. Brandt for helping those of us in attendance to understand the law, and his willingness to communicate about it to members of the public who are interested.
Michael Cairns Memorial
About 100 people attended the dedication of two interpretive panels at the site of the recently-established wetland in North Riverside Park in Independence on the bright, warm morning of June 28. The panels commemorate the life of one of our group’s founders, Michael Cairns, who was instrumental in the establishment, planting and permanent protection of the wetland. In attendance were members of Michael’s family, Independence’s former and current mayors, and a number of community members including several members of our Climate Action Group.
The wetland, which should still be vibrant a century from now, serves as a reminder of what dedicated community members, such as Michael and others, can accomplish with persistence and dedication to a good cause or project.
Planned Projects
Community Garden and City of Monmouth Climate Plan: Both of these projects are in their early stages. Some of us are meeting with community members about the Community Garden idea, and we should soon be hearing from the City of Monmouth staff about how we can help them formulate a Climate Plan. We should have more information about both of these projects in our next newsletter. If you are interested in working on either project, contact us.
Monthly Zoom Meeting
Join our next regular M-I CAG Zoom meeting at 6:00 PM, Monday, August 11. This meeting is primarily about organization and task distribution for our various group activities. If you want to receive an invitation to attend, please contact us to let us know.
What’s New for May-June 2025
Dear Climate-Concerned Friends,
CLIMATE CAFÉS
Our Climate Cafés are free and open to the public. For the remainder of 2025, we will meet from 7:00 to 8:30pm on the third Thursday of every other month (June, August, October and December, 2025) at the Monmouth Senior Community Center, 180 Warren Street, Monmouth. Join us to discuss your climate concerns and ideas for climate action.
Special Speaker Presentation: Joshua Brant, owner of Brant’s Sanitary Service — which serves Monmouth, Independence and Dallas — will explain Oregon’s new Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act at our Thursday, June 19 Climate Café. The law is designed to update Oregon’s recycling system by building local community programs and leveraging the resources of producers to create an innovative system that works for everyone. Josh will take questions from the audience. To learn about the local impacts of this new environmental regulation, please attend and bring a friend.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wetland interpretive panel dedication.
This notice about the celebration of an important achievement of one of our Climate Group’s founders is from the Lukiamute Watershed Council’s website .
Join us at North Riverside Park on June 28 at 10am for the unveiling of two interpretive panels that celebrate the importance of wetlands and Michael Cairn's efforts to protect and restore them in our local community! Afterwards, we invite you to Divine Distillers to raise a toast in honor of Michael and the many community partners and individuals who helped bring his vision to life. We hope to see you there!
Michael Cairns (1948–2024) was a visionary leader and advocate for both environmental and social causes in the Monmouth and Independence communities. In 1999, he helped establish the Luckiamute Watershed Council and later became its first manager after retiring. His legacy includes a beautifully designed wetland near the Willamette River west of the Independence Sports Park, now thriving with native plants, birds, and wildlife. He alsoplayed a key role in restoring Ash Creek’s streamside habitat at what is now OSU Extension’s Mt. Fir Inspiration Gardens. To honor Michael, we’re working with his wife, Gail Oberst, to create an educational display about the wetlands he helped bring to life.
Also, here are some Watershed Council Projects and volunteer opportunities.
Destination Inspiration
Our local Master Gardners will host open-house tours of Mt. Fir Park and Inspiration Garden all day on Saturday, June 21. The seven-acre garden is located on F street between 7th and 9th Streets in Inspiration. Dogs on leash are welcome, and there is a play area for kids.
Our 2025 Imagine Our Future contest winners!
See the poetry, art and short stories of community contributors to our 2025 contest to visualize our area’s near future when climate change is in abatement and the world has chosen a more sustainable path. Kirsten Bachmeier’s poem, If I Had Time, Someday I Will is our Best In Show.
Look for upcoming announcements of our 2026 Imagine Our Future contest.
ONGOING PROJECTS
Community Garden and City of Monmouth Climate Plan
Both of these projects are in their early stages. Some of us are meeting with community members about the Community Garden idea, and we should soon be hearing from the City of Monmouth staff about how we can help them formulate a Climate Plan. We should have more information about both of these projects in our next newsletter. If you are interested in working on either project, contact us.
Monthly Zoom Meeting
Join our next regular M-I CAG Zoom meeting at 6:00 PM, Monday, August 11. This meeting is primarily about organization and task distribution for our various group activities. If you want to receive an invitation to attend, please contact us to let us know.