I love my heat pump: it heats, it cools, it filters the air and it’s efficient. But like any home upgrade, it costs money to install. As does adding insulation and weather sealing. The end result is a more comfortable home with lower energy bills.

As a Eugene Sustainability Commissioner (it’s a volunteer role for the city, but the views expressed here are my own), I’ve been part of many discussions about how to support the transition to a clean and efficient energy future. In short, how do we pay to upgrade more homes?

The Eugene Clean Energy Fund will do just that. It taps into a small amount of profit from the biggest corporations operating in Eugene, those making over $1 billion (a billion!) in profits, and uses that money to help improve Eugene’s buildings to use less power, run on cleaner energy and train more people in emerging technologies.

We could argue about the minutia of the measure, but in the end, it comes down to this: A no vote keeps us on the same path of bad business as usual — an unstable climate, more wildfires, hotter and drier summers, or worse. A yes vote helps bring in new funds for important projects that will be paid for by giant corporations (the ones that oppose this measure and sent us mailers filled with false info about it).

I’m happy to vote yes on Measure 20-388, the Eugene Clean Energy Fund, and take a step toward our healthier future.

Laura Allen
Eugene