Climate Solutions

08/28/2026

Some good news: we removed one more unfair charge from your ! In a moment when many Oregonians are feeling squeezed by rising costs, every little bit helps.

Cascade Natural Gas has agreed to phase out line extension allowances for Oregon residential customers, helping control costs for customers over time. Simply put, line extension allowances are one of the costs built into the delivery charges on customer bills.

For years, customers have been required to help cover the cost of expanding the gas system, even when they didn't directly benefit from those projects.

Read more about what line extension allowances are and what comes next:

Some good news: Cascade Natural Gas has just agreed to phase out line extension allowances for Oregon residential customers. You might be asking what line extension allowances are. And why should I care? The short version is, we removed one more unfair charge from your bill.

08/26/2026

Natural gas isn’t clean, it’s a huge industry fraud. So what do we say about a potential new gas-fired power plant in Centralia, Washington?
“It’s shocking to see Ecology poised to speed this high-cost, polluting gas plant through the permitting process when so many unanswered questions remain.
It shouldn’t be easier to build a massive gas plant in Washington than it is to build cleaner, cheaper options like solar, wind, and battery storage. A new expensive gas-fired power plant should be the option of last resort, not the starting point.”

Full statement to the press available on WA Conservation Action website

08/25/2026

Need a reliable car? Access to clean transportation shouldn't be limited by income. Oregon's Rebate Program can help families lower transportation costs, reduce spending on gas, and make cleaner transportation more accessible. And, the program opens today!

You may already qualify for up to $7,500 toward a new electric vehicle or up to $4,000 toward an eligible used electric vehicle. Many people who receive SNAP, Oregon Health Plan (OHP), WIC, TANF or other qualifying benefits may be eligible. Eligibility is based on residency and household income.

Learn more and see if you qualify: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/aq/programs/Pages/ZEV-Rebate.aspx

08/24/2026

Major polluters could help fund home energy upgrades through Oregon's Climate Protection Program. Learn how investments in , and could lower energy bills and improve air quality for communities across the state.

Read more in the Oregonian:

The state program is inching closer to reality while natural gas utilities, suppliers of gasoline and large industrial plants fight it.

08/21/2026

As fires rage across the PNW, we’re immensely grateful for the folks risking their lives to keep the rest of us safe.

Meet James Ellis, born and raised in Tacoma, WA. James is one of many incarcerated wildland firefighters doing this critical and grueling work. Right now, he’s on active duty, traveling across Washington to fight some of the country’s toughest fires.

🔥 “There was one part...when we were literally standing with an inferno under our feet. We didn’t understand it until we were in the midst of it…it was like an oven underneath us."

🔊 We’ve compiled conversations with James into two blog posts, with a third coming once firefighting cools down. You can read or listen to his stories - we recommend listening if possible! James is an incredibly engaging, funny, and knowledgeable storyteller.

https://www.climatesolutions.org/article/2026-06/face-danger-personal-account-wildland-firefighting

08/20/2026

Solutions to smoke and pollution don’t have to be complex or costly. With air quality still in the 🟨🟧 range for much of the Pacific Northwest, we’re sharing one of our favorite DIYs for a super easy, cost-effective air cleaner that you can make in minutes. All you need is a box fan, an air filter, and a bungee cord (clamps and duct tape work, too!)

Step 1: Lay the box fan face down
Step 2: Place the air filter on the back of the fan, with the flow arrows pointing to the front (important!)
Step 3: Loop the bungee cord around the back to hold the filter in place
Don't forget: Replace the air filter when it's dirty

Tip: Check the packaging of your air filter for a MERV rating between 11-14.
Tip 2: This one-fan-one-filter combination is most effective for a single large room; this is not a replacement for other safety measures like keeping windows closed, masking outdoors, or to purify the room in a larger home space.

Save this post to come back to, and DIY your own home air filter.

08/18/2026

How can Oregon deliver affordable, reliable energy while meeting growing demand?

That's one of the questions we’ll be answering at the 2026 Oregon Infrastructure Summit, where leaders from state agencies, local governments, tribes, utilities, ports, and businesses will discuss the investments, policies, and infrastructure needed to power Oregon's future.

Our Oregon Director, Nora Apter, will join the panel Energy Infrastructure: Where We Stand to explore the opportunities and challenges facing Oregon's energy system.

We hope to see you there!

Date: Sept. 16, 2026
Location: Salem Convention Center, Salem, Ore.
Register now: https://theoregonsummit.com/

CC: Oregon DEQ Northwest Environmental Business Council

08/13/2026

The myth of clean “natural” gas is decades in the making.
CCI’s latest report, “The Fraud of ‘Clean’ Natural Gas: How Big Oil and Gas Created the Myth that Natural Gas is a Climate Solution,” reveals how the oil and gas industry manufactured and promoted the false claim that natural gas is "clean” in the 1970s—and has deliberately deceived the public about its safety and risks ever since.

How Big Oil and Gas Created the Myth that Natural Gas is a Climate Solution

08/11/2026

Washington state is revising their energy codes, and we’ve been advocating for modern, efficient, and clean buildings.
Many older homes and buildings are still powered by “natural” methane gas - which releases toxic particulates like nitrogen oxides when burned. This dirties the air we breathe inside, hurting our hearts and lungs 🫁 and pollutes the air outside, harming our planet. 🌏

What does it mean for a building to be clean? ⚡
It means installing more efficient electric technologies like heat pumps, induction stoves and dryers. It also means making sure new homes and buildings constructed are “electric-ready”, even if they do still use gas, making it easier and cheaper to make a clean switch down the road.

Washington state is on track to have some of the strongest building codes in the nation – thanks to the 2,128 of YOU who signed on to our petition this summer.
The State Building Code Council is considering their amendments, and we’re following the process closely and will keep you updated.

Learn more- BuildElectricWA.org

08/05/2026

Washington State is updating their building codes, and today advocates are testifying in Olympia to call for clean, healthy, energy-efficient homes and buildings.
Learn more about how building codes can help you and our climate →
https://www.buildelectricwa.org/

Washington is going electric for healthy homes, good jobs, and a safe climate Clean codes for healthyhomes & buildings!Every three years, Washington State updates its energy codes - rules that regulate energy use and energy efficiency in buildings. We’re advocating for strong, climate-friendly cod...