UPDATE ON THE ASHLAND CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE

One of the hallmarks of Ashland is that many of us care about living sustainably. We reuse and recycle, eat organic, protect wildlife, and conserve our natural resources. We live in a beautiful community and want to protect it for future generations. One aspect of living sustainably is reducing the climate pollution we create as we go about our daily lives. But how can we do that?   

Lorrie Kaplan, Rick Barth, and Candace Turtle formed the Ashland Climate Collaborative (AshlandClimate.org) in 2021 to help answer that question.  A volunteer-driven nonprofit organization, the Collaborative is a hub for Ashlanders to work together to reduce climate pollution and live safely and responsibly in a changing climate.  

Ashland has a Climate & Energy Action Plan with a goal of reaching net zero by 2050 and building resilience to drought, wildfire, and other effects of climate change. The Collaborative complements and extends the City’s efforts by providing education and outreach for local residents, as well as advocacy on climate policies and programs. 

The Collaborative’s philosophy is that community and individual choices make a difference, especially if thousands of motivated communities across the country also do what they can. While no single community can solve the problem, many, acting separately or together, can have a big impact.

“We can reach our climate goals, but not by just barking at the City,” Lorrie said. “We need to do this together.” 

In 2024, the Collaborative hired Erin O’Kelley Muck as its first Executive Director. Before that, Erin owned Ruby Slipper, designing beautiful websites for nonprofits across Southern Oregon. Not surprisingly, the Collaborative just launched a snazzy new website at AshlandClimate.org.

Today, more than 30 Ashlanders volunteer with the Collaborative’s “Action Teams.”

• Electrify Ashland Nowprovides free home energy assessments and consultations to help residents convert their homes from “natural” gas (methane) to clean electricity.
• Streets for Everyonehosts fun bike events and is working to make Ashland  safer for walking, biking, and rolling so we can use our cars less around town.
• The Community Compost Teammakes it easy to turn our food scraps into healthy soils. With support from the Ashland Food Co-op, they run the food scrap drop-off at the Growers Market, diverting eight tons of food scraps from the landfill in 2024, where they would have created climate-warming methane.
• The Water Conservation Teamprovides tips for using water wisely.
• Neighborhood Climate Clubsbring neighbors together to learn about and take action on climate change. 

The City will soon issue a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The Collaborative will study the CWPP to determine how they might help bring the community together to reduce fire risk. 

The Ashland Climate Collaborative doesn’t have a physical address, but you can visit them at AshlandClimate.org. They also have a monthly e-newsletter with tons of information and resources, as well as opportunities to socialize and find joy with others concerned about climate change. Contact them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..