Lorelei -- We won't mince words. Locally, the election sucked. Despite the largest, most diverse coalition in Washington state history, and despite the heroic efforts of 6,500 volunteers, I-1631 was defeated, because Big Oil spent more money than any other industry in state history to buy this election. But painful as it is, we have to remember: it's a single loss, and today, we are in far better shape to respond to the climate crisis than we were before the election. (also....KXL died another death!) The 400 organizations that formed the Yes on 1631 coalition came together in unprecedented breadth, reach, trust, and energy. That isn't going away―and it leaves us in a better position than ever to fight for climate justice in Washington state. Here's what you can do this month, time sensitive first: MASS MOVEMENT As a member of MASS, Move All Seattle Sustainably, the transportation team has been advocating for investment in transit, walking, and biking infrastructure. The MASS coalition wrote Mayor Durkan and Councilmembers this letter about transportation spending prior to the City Council's budget vote on November 14th. It urges the Council and Mayor Durkan to do a lot more to move our transportation system toward carbon neutrality. Specifically, our streets must be made safe and comfortable for pedestrians and bikers and our bus system needs to become a rapid transit system, where buses come frequently, reliably, and they speed riders through the city in bus lanes. Can you help support these requests as the final budget negotiations continue?
Here are two easy emails to send before Tuesday, November 14: MASS has momentum―we will continue our advocacy for a clean, affordable, safe, and effective transportation system as Seattle moves into the "period of maximum constraint." Stay tuned! BE BOLD, TACOMA The city of Tacoma will be voting on November 13th whether or not to renew the interim regulations that have been protecting us from new industrial development in the port. While it seems likely they will vote to renew them for another 6 months, we would like them to strengthen them as well. Add your name in urging the interim regulations to also pause expansion of existing industrial and non-industrial uses in the port―most specifically, fossil fuel expansion. Currently they don't even need a permit! As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change made clear, we can't allow any expansion or development of fossil fuel infrastructure. THE HOUSING CRISIS IS A CLIMATE CRISIS Seattle needs more housing that is affordable across all incomes, but resists change in a way that prevents it. Our history is one of racial covenants that barred people of color from owning houses in most of the city―and when that became illegal, exclusionary zoning reserved the lion's share of buildable land for single family housing, i.e. for our wealthiest residents, the great majority of them white. And this was reinforced by redlining, i.e. exclusionary lending, for many years. We can't have an equitable and welcoming city without changing zoning, yet the city has never done the community-driven work necessary to discover what an equitable growth strategy could look like. Council member Mosqueda's office has sponsored a budget amendment to do exactly that, but it didn't survive the last round of budget-mangling. To help get the amendment, as well as other recently trimmed climate-related funding, into the city budget, send this email to council, or your own mail to council@seattle.gov, before Wednesday, November 14, and add these or similar words: "I strongly support funding the Racial Equity Toolkit (RET) to examine the equity impacts on the 24-year-old Urban Village Strategy (UVS), and report back with findings and recommendations for the city's growth strategy, as required by the GMA, in advance of the planning for the next major Comprehensive Plan updates, anticipated to begin in late 2019 or early 2020." SHOW UP FOR GREEN PATHWAYS Got Green has been a driving force behind the Green Pathways Fellowship, a way to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and give youth of color access to good environmental jobs. Originally, the budget request was for $164,000, but the newest budget released only shows $100,000 in funding. While this amount is a huge win for the young leaders who have worked so hard to get this on the table, it is imperative that the City of Seattle really walks their talk on equity. Can you show up at the budget hearing to demand full funding of Green Pathways? Seattle City Council Select Budget Committee Wednesday, November 14, 9:00am City Hall, 600 4th Ave S, Seattle 98104 If you can't make it, please take a moment to call your councilmember and the at-large councilmembers, too! MARATHON'S SPILL RESPONSE Tesoro, Andeavor, Marathon Oil… the refinery in Anacortes has been changing hands like a hot potato. But more to the point, new ownership opens the door to public comments on the refinery's woefully inadequate spill response plan. Click here to send a pre-written comment, and consider these points when personalizing it: - They want to make xylene, so they need to be able to clean it up, contain the fumes and deal with the explosions.
- They need to have response plans that specifically address all the critters in the water and their watery home, cleaning up the crap that sinks, like tar sands and diluted bitumen. UGH!
- The current plan is outdated and inadequate, it needs to be updated to better protect sensitive areas and wildlife, especially our endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
Comments are due by Thursday November 15 at 5:00pm, so click here and then share the page with your friends. FOSSIL FREE KING COUNTY New infrastructure? FFKC that! The climate crisis won't wait for the next election. And neither will we. Proposals for major fossil fuel projects in and around King County threaten our communities with air, water and climate pollution. But this toxic future isn't our only option: Fossil Free King County Kickoff Meeting Thursday, November 15, 6:30–7:30pm 1919 E. Prospect St., Seattle 98112 Shareable event page Inspired by the success of Northwest communities like Portland, Vancouver, Tacoma, and Whatcom County in changing local land use codes to prohibit dirty and dangerous fossil fuel projects, we're calling on King County leaders to adopt this innovative strategy and help lead our region to a healthy climate future for all. Join us as we launch a bold grassroots campaign. Can't make the meeting but want to get involved? Contact Jess. INTERTWINE WITH US Intertwined is this Friday! For $25 ($10 kids) you get a hearty vegetarian dinner, entertainment, silent auction, tea room, dancing into the night, and the satisfaction of knowing your money is supporting 350 Seattle's bold climate action. All the details here. Intertwined – A Celebration of 350 Seattle's Roots and Resolve Friday November 16, doors at 6pm; dinner at 6:30pm Centilia Cultural Center, 1660 S Roberto Maestas Festival St, Seattle, 9814 (Beacon Hill) BUY TICKETS TODAY! Tickets cost $10 extra at the door―please buy in advance and bring a few friends. Located across the street from the Beacon Hill light rail station. Shout out to Sun Path Electric (a rad locally-owned solar company) and Corrie Yackulic Law, our Presenting Sponsors! STRONGER TOGETHER Frontline Allies welcomes your participation in everything from organizing trainings on undoing racism and other oppressive systems, to supporting our allies in climate-related justice work. To join contact Kara; more information and links are available here. Our monthly meeting is the third Monday of every month. Please join us Monday, November 19 at 7:00pm to process the impact the election and recent events have on those on the front lines and on us. RSVP to Kara for the Wallingford address of the meeting. Solidarity with the Puyallup Tribe We stand with the Puyallup Tribe in opposition to Puget Sound Energy's proposed LNG fracked gas storage and refinery project. There are many reasons to be concerned―this project would lock us into decades of continued fossil fuel dependence, cause health issues at both the extraction sites and near the Tacoma facility, and poses a physical threat to thousands in the event of an accident or natural disaster. This project also violates the Medicine Creek Treaty. Check out this documentary by Native Daily Network to learn more about how the treaty is involved, and how the Puyallup Nation has been leading us all in peaceful, prayerful resistance. We recommend subscribing to Native Daily Network on YouTube―their independent journalism has been key in spreading awareness of the project. PSCAA NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU The big public hearing for the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency last month was a huge success―hours of moving testimony, hundreds wearing red in support, and a rally with community leaders & street theater! Thank you to everyone who showed up, helped promote the hearing and helped share about it on social media! Written comment period continues until November 21st―please keep sending in comments & urging friends to do the same! Use our easy comment form, or check out 350Tacoma.org/PSCAA/ for everything you need to learn more about the project or craft your own comments. (You can comment multiple times!) We have a huge opportunity this month to defeat the Tacoma Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project by submitting comments to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, which is responsible for granting or denying a final permit for the project. LNG is liquefied methane, a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 86 times worse than coal's. The project also poses many threats to the immediate vicinity of the Port of Tacoma where Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is building it, without permission of the Puyallup people. Help Youth Voices Be Heard! Print off these coloring page comments for the youth in your life to color & mail to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA). This agency holds the power to approve or deny the final permit for the proposed Tacoma LNG fracked gas storage and refinery project. Comments are collected thru November 21st! Mail to: Puget Sound Clean Air Agency ATTN: Public Comment on DSEIS, PSE LNG Project 1904 Third Ave, Suite 105 Seattle, WA 98101 Share! Post a selfie with the colored comment and the link to this folder to encourage more comments! THREE MORE BAD IDEAS
Kalama methanol It's coming: A full lifecycle assessment was ordered for the proposed methanol refinery (which would be the world's largest) and the results will be ready very soon. Get reacquainted with this project, then help make calls and keep an eye out for alerts―the comment period starts when the Supplemental EIS drops this week. North Seattle Lateral Pipeline Remember that six-mile fracked gas pipeline upgrade PSE wants to put across 15 salmon streams in south Snohomish County? The planning department withdrew their Determination of Non-Significance, yay! But why? "New information from the applicant." Ruh-roh! Not liking the sound of that, Scooby. Local Snohomish activists are talking to lawyers and raising money to file an appeal. Stay tuned, study up and if you know anyone affected, please, get in touch. No 2nd Bridge Our friends in Sandpoint are standing tall against BNSF's attempt to increase the through-put of coal and oil trains with a second bridge across Idaho's largest lake, but it's lonely and expensive work. If you can help, hop over to their fundraising page to learn more. ARTFUL ACTIVISM Friends! We welcome all skill levels in any art form, and have lots going on to jump into, from occasional participation to leadership opportunities. Join online here or come to art builds whenever you can! They are fun, no-skills-needed, community gatherings with food and good connections. Looking for a mural wall We are still looking for a high visibility wall for a beautiful mural. Know of one? If you do or would like to paint bus shelters with young people, contact Doug. Join the Deployment Team! Ever wish you had a role during actions and events? Come learn crucial skills with us! We need you! Contact Shemona. And if you're a skilled artist (visual, theater, dance, music...) and want to apply your skill or show others how, please let us know! Contact Lisa. LOOKING AHEAD JPMorgan Chase & Climate Disaster We've heard rumors that JPMorgan Chase will be producing a report on climate change soon. Yet, in spite of that, they continue to profit from the building of new tar sands pipelines, and the climate disaster and abuse of indigenous rights they represent. On December 15th, Chase will have the chance to walk away from a $1.5 billion loan to TransCanada, the corporation behind the Keystone XL pipeline. We are looking to support a Chase Customer Day of Action before then. If you are a JPMorgan Chase customer and would be willing to lodge a complaint or close your account to help deliver a message that funding climate disaster is unacceptable, please fill out this form. Hey, Amazonians Did you know Amazon has one of the largest carbon footprints in the industry? If you're an Amazon employee or shareholder, you can have a major role in urging Amazon to lead on a fast transition to renewable energy. Contact Rebecca to sign up for a private workshop where you can learn about the role you can play in Amazon's climate action. UW transit passes Slight correction―last month, based on initial press, we reported victory in the UW union's quest to obtain free transit passes for all UW employees. It turns out that UW has agreed to provide transit passes for 12,000 workers starting in July 2019, but an additional 9,000 workers are not covered by the agreement. We know our emails make a difference, so click here to tell UW Administration to finish the job: Extend full transit benefits to all UW employees! Valve-turner update The Minnesota trial of Emily and Annette was a decidedly mixed bag, with their ability to present the necessity defense mysteriously gutted at the last minute. BUT Ken Ward's oral arguments last week opened up a small window of hope for a full-fledged necessity defense trial in the near future—the appeals court judges asked skeptical questions of both sides, but the most skeptical asked the prosecution, "'is the harm greater' is a fact question, isn't it? It's for the jury." Which leads us to believe that rather than simply overturning Ken's conviction, the judges might order that he be re-tried with a necessity defense. No other such trials are in the pipeline, so cross your fingers! Imagine a new Nobel Would a new Nobel Prize for genuine climate action make a difference? Sign this petition and let's find out. OMG WE'RE RESTRUCTURED 350 Seattle's leadership just elected a five-person Board of Directors, completing our restructuring process. Congratulations to Peter Hasegawa, Rachel McDonald, Meg Wade, Barbara Bengtsson, and Patrick Mazza! They will start on January 1st. Thank you to our outgoing Board/Hub: Alec Connon, Valerie Costa, Emily Johnston, Sue Lenander, David Perk, and Selden Prentice. And did you know? Our structure is unique! Read about it here. Big hugs, climate warriors! See you on the dance floor at Intertwined,
350 Seattle PS People over Pipelines t-shirts are BACK! You've seen them at marches and hearings from BC to Tacoma. These beautiful t-shirts, designed by Heather Elder, are back! In red and blue. $30 each―red shirts benefit Pull Together; blue shirts benefit 350 Seattle. Get one today for your next public hearing! |
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