Compiled by Barbara Drew, Earth & Climate Ministry

Following is a brief synopsis of news from various local, state, and national sources compiled by the Earth & Climate Ministry.

• Electronics Recycling — Sat., Oct. 4, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., Central Bucks East High School, 2804 Holicong Rd., Doylestown, PA 18902. No TVs or monitors.
• Salem Oak at Woolsey Park — The historic Salem Oak (with offspring) in Hopewell Township is now protected and surrounded by a native-plant garden—thanks to UUCWC’s Jeanne DeMoss. It’s near the entrance on Washington Crossing/Pennington Rd. Stop by and see it!
• Gardens for Wildlife: “Gardening Is for the Birds” — Free webinar, Tue., Oct. 22, 7:00 p.m. Learn how to make your garden a haven for birds and other wildlife. Register here.
• Environmental Justice Win in Trenton — The East Trenton Collaborative helped secure U.S. EPA listing of the Historic Potteries site on the National Priorities List, unlocking federal funds to clean up legacy lead contamination from 19th–20th century pottery manufacturing—critical for protecting children’s health.
• Fix Our Forests Act Reintroduced — Bipartisan legislation to improve forest health, increase wildfire resilience, and accelerate restoration was reintroduced on Jan. 16, 2025 (H.R. 471). Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is a supporting organization.
• Global Climate Finance Agreement — Nearly 200 countries agreed to scale investment to $1.3T per year by 2035 for cutting climate pollution and adaptation. Wealthier nations committed to mobilize $300B per year through 2035 via public and private finance—hailed as a foundational blueprint for future climate funding.
• EVs as a Grid Resource — The Union of Concerned Scientists finds integrating electric vehicles into California’s grid could save $1.8–$11.7B per year. With bidirectional-charging models, EVs can power homes during outages and even return power to the grid during stress events.
• Maine’s 100% Clean Power by 2040 — A new law sets Maine on course to source all electricity from wind, solar, and other carbon-free resources by 2040.

Send news items for consideration in the next CrossCurrents to earthministry@uucwc.org.