TRIG Activites

TRIG Director Bob Doppelt to Lead "From Me to We" Workshop at Esalen Institute: March 8-10, 2013

 Through talks, group exercises, and personal introspection, participants will identify the many systems they are dependent upon, how their actions affect those systems, the moral and ethical principles that must guide their reactions to those impacts, how to make a personal commitment to protect all life on the planet, and how to free their minds from outdated and erroneous beliefs and begin to think and act sustainably. Participants will also learn how to design strategies for motivating friends or coworkers to make the shift From Me to We. Learn more and sign up for the workshop here.

TRIG Board Vice Chair Ernie Niemi Challenges Coal Exports on Economic and Moral Grounds

"Eugene City Council members soon will weigh the pros and cons of a proposal to ship coal by train through the city to the Port of Coos Bay. The coal — 10 million tons per yea — would be shipped to Asian countries, where it would be burned for electricity and manufacturing."Read more.

TRIG Offers Free Introductory One Hour Webinars on Behavioral, Organizational, and Social Change

TRIG executive director and systems change expert Bob Doppelt offered a series of free one hour webinars this fall on a variety of behavioral, organizational and social change topics. Learn more.

Disappointment of Bonn Negotiations Underscores Urgent Need for Shift ‘From Me to We’

Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire featured an article by Bob Doppelt on the need for world leaders to acknowledge their moral obligation to reduce emissions and respond to climate impacts through a meaningful international climate treaty.

TRIG's Cara Pike Leads Social Change Institute

TreeHugger blogger Brian Merchant attended the 2012 Social Change Institute at the Hollyhock retreat center in British Columbia, an annual event co-convened by Cara Pike, director of TRIG's Social Capital Project. Merchant described his experience in his June 20th post: Each Year, Canada's Top Activists & Social Entrepreneurs Head to a Remote Island. This is Why.

Business Leaders Need Systemic Thinking

Read TRIG Director Bob Doppelt's article that outlines the five inter-related commitments that can help leaders make the shift from linear to systems thinking, Business Leaders Need Systemic Thinking for Sustainability (appearing in The Guardian's Sustainable Business Leadership Hub - May 18, 2012). 

Making a Moral Call to Action on Climate Change

TRIG director Bob Doppelt participates in the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate events in Washington D.C. over Earth Day.

Release of Health and Climate Guidebook

TRIG and Biositu, LLC, announce the release of Public Health and Climate Change: A Guide for Increasing the Capacity of Local Public Health Departments. Climate change is already impacting public health around the world, a trend that can be expected to increase in the United States and elsewhere as temperatures rise. Responding to the seriousness of the coming challenge, many local health departments have started integrating planning for the health impacts of climate change into existing programs in spite of stretched budgets and time. The new guidebook provides a much-needed framework for initiating and integrating climate planning within county, regional, and tribal public health departments and agencies. The strategies and activities presented in the guidebook enhance efforts to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for impacts. An upcoming series of webinars will complement the guidebook and further build institutional capacity to prepare for the health impacts of climate change. Read more about our work with the public health sector here.

The Guardian features TRIG Director

Read TRIG Director Bob Doppelt's article that outlines the five inter-related commitments that can help leaders make the shift from linear to systems thinking, Business Leaders Need Systemic Thinking for Sustainability (appearing in The Guardian's Sustainable Business Leadership Hub May 18, 2012). 

Solarize Eugene

Read how TRIG's Solarize Eugene program is boosting residential solar installations in Eugene Water and Electric territory here Going Solar, here Group Buying Project Aims to Increase Solar Installations, here A Cheaper Solar Solution, here Takes Money to Save Money with Solar Power, here Local Program Harnesses Power of the Sun, here New Program Offers Big Incentives to Go Solar, here EWEB Grants Make Solar Projects More Affordable, here Eugene Weekly Biz Beat, and here Group Celebrates Eugene Solar Program.

Toward A Resilient Watershed

TRIG's latest planning guide serves as a supplement to watershed assessments by posing questions of how climate change will impact the structure and function of the watershed. Toward a Resilient Watershed: Addressing Climate Change Planning in Watershed Assessments helps watershed managers understand how future climate scenarios could affect their management decisions and identifies proactive measures to improve the resilience of stream habitat and water quality.

Community Solar Tool

In conjunction with the University of Oregon, TRIG has developed an innovative Community Solar Tool (CST) to help increase and expedite community-based renewable energy projects across the country. This sophisticated online tool allows communities to plan and implement local "solar gardens" according to their specific needs. Our goal is to significantly increase the use of renewable solar energy and give communities the capacity to build solar energy projects for the benefit of their residents and the environment. Click here for more information and to view the draft CST on line.  

University of Nebraska Offers Climate Masters Program

TRIG's award-winning Climate Masters program will now help Nebraskans reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Read about it here UNL Joins Oregon and New Mexico in Hosting Climate Masters Program and here Climate Masters to Spur Local Action to Reduce Emissions 

TRIG's South Florida Project Highlighted in Yale
Environment 360

Read more about the landmark Regional Climate Change Compact spearheaded by TRIG 
in this article: Florida Counties Band Together to Ready for Warming's Effects

SE Florida Climate Compact Award

Four SE Florida counties were recognized for their achievement by the National Association of Counties in implementing the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact.

The Compact is the first of its kind, involving a major commitment between counties to reduce emissions and actively prepare for climate impacts through a robust climate action plan. TRIG staff has been instrumental in the success of this project since its creation in 2009 - read more here.

PNW Climate Conference

TRIG is a sponsor of the 2nd Annual Pacific Northwest Climate Conference hosted by the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group September 13-14, 2011 in Seattle. Our presentation, "Bridging the Gap Between Climate Impacts Research and Regional Policy Makers and Actors" describes how TRIG's Climate Futures Forum process provides a model for integrating local expertise with scientific information to help communities develop effective climate adaptation plans. Click here to hear the presentation by Stacy Vynne of TRIG's Climate Leadership Initiative.

Willamette Valley Resilience Compact SUMMIT 2011

The successful summit sponsored by TRIG and the Center for Sustainable Communities at Willamette University drew praise from participants as well as commitments to continue working for the good of the whole valley.

From OregonLive: Valley Folks Talk About the Future
From Salem News.com: Willamette Valley Resilience Compact kicks off with local officials
From NPR: Willamette Valley Cities, Counties To Consider 'Compact'

Read more about the WVRC here.

A Shared Vision of Resilience

The idea of bringing local governments together to build resiliency to common problems - such as extreme weather events, economic hardship and water management - via a "Compact" was spawned after TRIG led successful Climate Future Forums throughout the Willamette Valley and developed a similar initiative in the Miami-Dade County region of Florida. The first-ever Willamette Valley Resilience Compact Summit, sponsored by TRIG and hosted by the Center for Sustainable Communities at Willamette University, was held on December 12, 2011. Representatives and elected officials, along with state agencies and supporting organizations, all shared ideas for joining forces to create a sustainable future for the valley and its inhabitants. A draft Compact will be finalized in 2012, representing the intention of all participants to continue working toward a shared vision of resilience for the Willamette Valley. Read more about this innovative project. Read local press about the Summit here.

Klamath Basin Research Cited

In the Klamath Herald and News, TRIG's research is highlighted in an article describing the region's quest to develop a strategy for preparing for climate change. The 2009 report, Preparing for Climate Change in the Klamath Basin, was prepared by TRIG's Climate Leadership Intitiative as part of its Climate Futures Forums project. Click here to read the full article.

NY Times Blog features TRIG Director

Read TRIG Director Bob Doppelt's reader response, Can Humans Move from Tweaks to Leaps?, highlighted on Andrew Revkin's Dot Earth blog.

TRIG's Social Capital Project in Grist

TRIG's Social Capital Project Director Cara Pike is featured in a recent Grist article, "Time to Ruggedize: We Should Talk More About Climate Change." Citing SCP's communications and behavior change work, Roberts describes the challenges of making global warming relevant to people's daily lives in order to promote public engagement.

Yale Forum on Climate Change features
Survey of 65 Climate Leaders

TRIG Director Bob Doppelt's survey of 65 leaders involved with climate change was featured in an article by Bud Ward in the Yale Forum on Climate Change. The report, Making Progress on Climate Change in Challenging Times, which summarizes the key obstacles and priorities for making progress in the coming years according to the interviewees.