Salem Citizen Climate Protection Petition

To the City Council of Salem:

All of us have children, grandchildren, or other loved ones who will suffer the consequences of uncontrolled pollution that is radically destabilizing the delicate heat balance that allowed human civilization to evolve and thrive across planet Earth. Humans need a stable, predictable climate, where agriculture can flourish and where catastrophic “100 year” severity floods, fires, famines, and droughts do not happen again and again, year after year, with increasing frequency and severity.

Salem is already experiencing negative consequences of climate destabilization. We cannot afford – in terms of economic health, human health, or environmental health – to continue business as usual.

Therefore, we call upon the City Council of Salem, the Capital City, to join with Albany, Ashland, Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Forest Grove, Gladstone, Gresham, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Lincoln City, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Portland, and Vernonia in civic recognition of the severity of the challenge we face and the need for sustained local commitment to practices to address the climate crisis and that will reduce the harm to future generations.

Specifically, we call upon the City Council of Salem to

1.    ADOPT THE 350 ppm GOAL:  Adopt a science-based target for emissions reductions actions needed to reduce the concentration of CO2 and other heat-trapping gases 350 ppm CO2 equivalent.

2.    CHARGE FOR EMISSIONS & REBATE THE CHARGES 100%:  Implement programs to reduce private-sector emissions using charges for use of fossil-fueled energy and emissions of heat-trapping pollution, with 100% of the fees collected returned to the people of Salem through a monthly per capita rebate, thereby encouraging creative, market-based solutions to greenhouse gas emissions and making polluters pay, rather than making us all pay for polluters.  

3.    SLASH PUBLIC SECTOR EMISSIONS: Act now to reduce current emissions and cut future emissions through comprehensive policies such as anti-sprawl land-use policies, urban forest restoration projects, mass transit, shifts from fossil-fueled power sources to non-polluting power sources, and opposing any export or trans-shipment of coal and oil through Oregon.

Date	Printed Name	Signature	Age (if < 18)	Ward or Neighborhood