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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2016)
Friends of Trees plants twice a month from October to April every year. “For environmental issues, we are working really hard on trees that will be resilient to climate change in our selections,” Burke says. “We’ve been doing experiments on trees from California for the high vandalism, high rent- al area west of campus. Urban heat island effect is a really big one we address.” Donations can be made to Friends of Trees at friendsof- trees.org or 503-282-8846. — Jeslyn Lemke Beyond Toxics Takes On Big Business Beyond Toxics is everything the Trump agenda hates. So give this group some love. The folks at Beyond Toxics stand up for the environ- mental health of low-income and minority communities that have historically been disproportionately impacted by pollution. “Our concern is primarily with people and their expo- sure and vulnerability to chemicals,” says Joel Iboa, the environmental justice community outreach manager. Grassroots victories include forcing Union Pacific to clean up wetlands where they dumped creosote railroad ties, helping coastal communities stop a coal export termi- nal and fighting (and stopping) aerial herbicide sprays near some rural communities. On the policy side, Beyond Toxics helped pass the law to ban field burning, passed the nations’ most protective pesticide regulations for school and banned gas stations from spewing the potent carcinogen benzene into nearby neighborhoods. The group says that many toxics problems unfairly impact lower-income, rural and vulnerable communities. The concentration of polluting industries and lack of access to services that promote healthy living is especially burdensome because political and socio-economic condi- tions prevent these communities from demanding change, Beyond Toxics tells EW. In the Trump era, expect less power for the poor and the vulnerable and more to go to Big Business and its pollut- ing ways. Help Beyond Toxics fight for what’s right. To donate go to beyondtoxics.org or call 541-465-8860. — Camilla Mortensen SOCIAL ISSUES Giving to the Civil Liberties Defense and American Civil Liberties Union What civil rights, right? President-erect Donald Trump — who thinks the Bill of Rights is a crisp twenty — has already tweeted (tweeted, for Christ’s sake) that he would like to either jail people who burn the American flag or revoke their citizenship. For real? Likely we’re heading for one serious clampdown on civil liberties, with the big- gest assault coming at our First Amendment rights of free speech, freedom of the press, peaceable assembly, etc. It could get ugly quick, but there’s hope. This is where Eugene’s very own Civil Liberties Defense Center (CLDC) comes in. Led by founder, exec- “Since we have 25 years of legal experience from our attorneys, they’re able to respond to a request by commu- nity groups,” he continues, noting that the CLDC is step- ping up its training and outreach in the coming months as the new administration transitions into office. “Hopefully this is a wake-up call to some people to be engaged, be more active and do proactive things to protect and support their communities,” Denson says. You can learn more about the CLDC and donate through their website at cdlc.org, or call 541-687-9180. And don’t forget to throw something in the stocking for that other stalwart of civil liberties, the American Civil Liberties Union, which has a long history of defending Americans against unconstitutional nonsense; donate or become a member of ACLU of Oregon at aclu-or.org. — Rick Levin utive director and all-around local hero Lauren Regan — who recently filed a class-action lawsuit for retaliation and excessive force against cops at Standing Rock on behalf of water protectors at the proposed North Dakota pipeline — the CLDC offers, among other things, legal advice and representation for social justice activists. The organization has also provided legal observers at local protests and training for youth activists and others. So how is the CLDC responding to the coming era of Trump tomfoolery? “We’re gonna mostly be carrying on. We respond to community needs,” says associate director Charles Denson, who points out that the center also offers “know your rights” training for immigrant communities. “I imagine that’s going to be very important in coming years,” Denson adds. CALC Acts Locally for Human Dignity Think globally, act locally: It’s the stereotypical faded bumper sticker here in Eugene, but it’s also enacted by one of the best nonprofits in town, Community Alliance of Lane County, commonly known around these parts as CALC. CALC program director Michael Carrigan says “the mission of CALC is to educate and mobilize for peace, human dignity, racial, social and economic justice.” Since the election, CALC has created an “I Got Your Back” rapid response team to address hate crimes in the area. Its members pledge to respond “wherever bigotry is happening so none of our neighbors need endure bigotry alone,” Carrigan explains. CALC is seeking volunteers to join the response team to keep Eugene and Springfield safe from hate crimes because, as Carrigan says, “the best way to fight the Trump agenda is by taking action.” CALC also has been involved with a coalition of local organization supporting the Standing Rock pipeline pro- test, and currently they’re hoping to find a volunteer with some organizational skills to help plan events and coordi- nate efforts. Adrienne Bennett, CALC’s coordinator for major donor and volunteer programs, says that “what CALC really, really needs is people who are willing to plug in on the day-to-day level. We want people on the administrative level to help prep us for bigger rallies and other actions.” “The whole campaign divided us on a lot of levels,” Bennett continues, “and the great thing about CALC is that CALC is about community.” She says she hopes to see Eugene “come together despite our differences to work for a better future for us all.” CALC is a place for all kinds of people to work toward a better future for all. Carrigan says he welcomes every- one: the rich, the poor, the unhoused, the undocumented, “communities of color and working class folks who care about working for peace and justice.” Interested in volunteering for CALC? Call 541-485- 1755 to see where you can plug in. To donate, go to cal- clane.org/donate-to-calc to see a list of options. — Kelly Kenoyer FRIENDS OF TREES DIGS DEEP Miserly Billionaires Don’t Care about Poor People Our billionaire real estate mogul-in-chief might be the stingiest billionaire on the planet. Despite Trump’s own claims that he’s an “ardent philanthropist,” reporters at the Washington Post have been unable to locate a shred of evidence pointing to Trump’s charitable cash donations in any amount over the past five years. When Trump gives, it tends to be in the form of free rounds of golf at any number of Trump-owned courses or land-conservation agreements. So unless Oregon’s homeless are avid golfers or secret real-estate gurus, it’s unlikely they’ll get much love from our next president. Those looking to fill gaps left by the Trump agenda should consider supporting organizations that assist the homeless. In Eugene, Community Supported Shelters provide what they call “safe spots” (commonly known as rest stops), replete with drinking water and porta-potties, as well as trash and recycling services. CSS takes a hous- ing-first approach by putting up and maintaining four small, semi-permanent homeless encampments in which inexpensive Conestoga huts provide the unhoused with secure places to sleep and store their belongings so that ‘Give’: Eagle Park Slim Eugene is getting the blues as we face our first Christmas without the late, great Eagle Park Slim. On a cold, rainy, windy autumn day in 2014, I went to my friend Slim’s apartment, digital recorder in hand, to ask him to create a guitar arrangement and sing some songs I had written. One of these songs, titled “Give,” echoes the theme of this week’s cover. On the third take, Slim nailed it. He leaned back on the sofa and, smiling with success, said in that smooth voice of his, “Jimi does it his way, B.B. does it his way, and Eagle Park does it his way!” — Richard Hunt eugeneweekly.com • December 15, 2016 13
