We’re starting with a pitch this month—for us. We get over 3/4 of our funding from individuals like you—and this week’s Give Big event is our single biggest fundraising opportunity. Can you schedule a donation to support our work this year?
If you need some inspiration, check out our team members’ stories under “Fundraisers for this nonprofit.” Or our annual report for last year.
Okay, down to business…
YES, THIS IS THE MOMENT
Together, we won a 100% clean energy future for Washington and now it’s part of our presidentially-inclined Governor’s climate plan for America. That’s great! But… we also need Governor Inslee to champion a healthy climate by opposing new mega-fracked gas projects right here at home. That starts with saying no to the Kalama methanol refinery—which is on track to be Washington’s largest climate polluter by 2025—and the Tacoma LNG facility, which is being built despite the opposition of Northwest Tribal nations and without all of its permits. With major permitting decisions coming up this summer,Governor Inslee has a critical role to play in whether these dirty fracked gas projects move forward.
Please call Governor Inslee and thank him for his leadership on 100% and let him know that it’s time to take the next step and stand up to fracked gas in Washington: 360-902-4111. A climate champ doesn’t quit!
CAMP OUT IN KALAMA
The proposed Kalama fracked-gas-to-methanol refinery is on track to be Washington’s single largest climate polluter by 2025 and threatens clean air and clean water for our region. With a major permit decision coming up this summer, now is the time to stand with Kalama locals fighting this mega-fracked gas project.
No Methanol—Land & Water Action and Community Camp-out
Saturday, May 18, 1:30–6:30pm
Camp Kalama RV Park, 5055 Meeker Dr, Kalama 98625
Join us and the Power Past Fracked Gas coalition for a celebration of water and community in Kalama—we’ll have kayaks on the Kalama River, and a family friendly rally and picnic on the beach at Camp Kalama. Camping optional! More info and RSVP here.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE, TACOMA?
Opposition and calls for more oversight continue to grow surrounding Puget Sound Energy’s proposed fracked gas refinery and storage project. 17 Washington tribes have released this letter to Governor Inslee, and the office of AG Bob Ferguson weighed in as well. Then last week, the Tacoma Human Rights Commission released a letter urging the city to protect the life and health of residents, including the more than 1500 immigrants detained in the for-profit Northwest Detention Center.
Please call Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli at (253) 591-5130 and demand they conduct a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Tacoma LNG project.
Then speak from the heart to Tacoma City Council and Mayor about why we need to limit the expansion of fossil fuel projects in our region!
Tacoma Tideflats Interim Regulations
Tuesday May 14, 5:00pm
747 Market St., Tacoma 98402
More details here
LISTEN UP, PSE
Puget Sound Energy has been promising to hold an Executive Listening Session since the middle of last year. Now after multiple delays, we’ve got a date! We’re not sure who the lucky executive will be, but please, join us for a fun-filled evening as we tell Puget Sound Energy executives (with members of the Utilities and Transportation Commission in the audience) that we won’t pay $133 million for fracked gas infrastructure that violates treaty rights, contributes to climate chaos and will primarily be used to sell gas for corporate profits. Oh, and we don’t want that damn pipeline expansion in Snohomish County, either.
PSE: No More Gas Projects!
Wednesday, May 22, 4:00–8:00pm
Bellevue Hilton, 300 112th Ave SE, Bellevue 98004
In classic PSE fashion the exact time remains unconfirmed—follow the event page for updates. Can’t make it? Sign our petition to add your voice!
UNIST’OT’EN CAMP
Come to the frontlines! For the last ten years the Unist’ot’en Camp has been controlling access to their unceded territories in British Columbia exactly where the gas industry wants to build multiple fracked gas pipelines. This a critical moment for their struggle as TransCanada’s Coastal GasLink pipeline has won an interlocutory injunction against the camp and is seeking a permanent injunction.
Unist’ot’en Construction Camp May 12 – 31. The call is out for supporters to come and help build multiple cabins for the continued reoccupation of traditional Wet’suwet’en territory. People with carpentry, cooking, camping, and frontline skills or a good attitude and a willingness to work hard and follow indigenous leadership are desired. The camp is a full day’s drive north of Seattle, near Houston, BC. Learn more on the camp page and sign up to come to the camp here!
COAL MINING IN KING COUNTY—WTF??
Strange but true: the federally permitted John Henry Coal Mine in King County is seeking final permits to resume mining, which would make it the only active coal mine in Washington State. There’s still one major hurdle to go, a Natural Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the Department of Ecology to regulate wastewater. We expect the draft permit to be released in May or June, so get your opposition boots ready – we’ll be mobilizing folks around the state to comment on the permit, attend public hearings and pressure their public officials. To get involved and added to the action listserv, email Emily.
YEAH, WE’RE PRIMED ALRIGHT
Amazon tech workers have been pressuring the company to release a comprehensive climate justice plan (over 7,000 of them now) and at this year’s shareholder meeting they’ll present their resolution to the board. Join us for action outside the meeting to bring community pressure and call on Amazon to take responsibility for its climate impacts.
Amazon: Come Clean on Climate
Wednesday, May 22, 8:00–11:00am
Fremont Studios, 155 N 35th Street, Seattle 98103
RSVP and sharable event page here
Questions? Contact Rebecca.
GETTING CHASE OUT OF FOSSIL FUELS
April was quite the month! Across the country, people took action against Chase in 22 cities. Here in the Seattle region, we visited all 44 branches of the world’s largest funder of fossil fuels. You can check out the wrap-up video here. Moving forward, May 21st is Chase’s Annual General Meeting, and, well, let’s just say we’ll be keeping an eye on what happens there. For more details on the Chase campaign check out our blog, and to get involved with a distributed research program we’re running, please fill out this form!
NAFTA? FIX IT!
The likelihood of Trump’s climate-killing, worker-harming, Big Pharma protecting NAFTA 2.0 being brought to a vote in Congress has increased as pressure builds on both Republicans and Democrats to approve it. That’s why we’re ramping up our efforts to counteract that pressure. Two ways to help:
- Join us at food coops around the region to hand out flyers and collect signatures against the deal—email Selden to join this effort.
- Call your Congressional representative at 1-855-856-7545, or find your representative’s direct dial number here. Tell them to oppose any vote on the NAFTA deal until its fixed. A real NAFTA replacement needs stronger labor and environmental standards with swift and certain enforcement mechanisms—and it can’t sneak in language that locks in high medicine prices. The corporate provisions allowing fossil fuel companies’ lawsuits against Mexico over environmental standards must be removed, along with the whole corporate-rigged regulatory chapter.
Thank you for helping to stop this rigged deal!
OLYMPIA WRAP UP
It was a good year for the climate and the environment in Olympia—the best year in over a decade, thanks to new legislators in both chambers who supported a few overworked champions by demanding that leadership let them deliver on their campaign promises to support climate action. It’s proof that elections matter.
And thanks to the hundreds of members of the Civic Action Team who made nearly 4,500 legislator contacts this session to champion important climate bills. Your calls and emails helped pass bills that will give Washington carbon neutral electricity by 2035, cleaner, less polluting buildings, and make sure the Salish Sea is a safer place for our orcas and salmon. Here is our list of the bills that passed and the ones that didn’t—and look for our session wrap-up blog early this week.
But keep in mind that we’re not done—nothing passed this year puts us on track to hit what the IPCC has told us is necessary to prevent climate chaos. There’s still lots of education and action needed in Olympia.
No Cap and Trade
Alerted to a cap and trade bill by our friends at Got Green, we took a position against this false solution that has failed to protect frontline communities from being burdened with even more pollution. To learn more about why we oppose cap and trade, check out our No Cap and Trade blog.
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, including upcoming support and education opportunities. Our monthly meeting is a great place to learn about our work and current projects. Please join us Monday, May 20 at 7:00pm to hear more about ways we can deepen our understanding of systemic oppression and be in solidarity with climate justice organizations. If this is your first meeting, please plan to arrive at 6:30 for an orientation. RSVP to Kara for the address of a home in the Wallingford neighborhood.
Our People Gonna Rise: Undoing Racism Workshop Series
The final workshop in the series is this next weekend, and you don’t need to have attended the first two to attend this one! Highly recommended, and amazingly there is still room this time!
Allies to Immigrants
Sunday, May 12, 2:00–8:00pm
Centilia Cultural Center, 1660 S Roberto Maestas Festival St., Seattle 98144
(Right next to the Beacon Hill light rail station)
Facilitated by the Mangrove Collective, this workshop creates a safe space for difficult conversations as we come together and commit to ending racism in our climate justice work. The format will be a mix of short presentations of how oppressions (specifically racism) work and how individual experiences can intersect along axes of different oppressions; small group storytelling (longer times with opportunities for deeper sharing and deep listening); large group sharing (shorter and mostly of highlights from small group discussions); and time for individual creative reflection. Please click here to reserve your spot so we know how much food to prepare! Cost: sliding scale, scholarships available. Contact Kara for more info.
What is now called the Licton Springs neighborhood in Seattle was once a spiritual and medicinal gathering place for the Duwamish people. There were once hundreds of springs, but most have been paved over and destroyed by development. One remaining spring is in Licton Springs Park, and the Urban Native Education Alliance is leading a campaign to designate it a historical landmark. Read more here, and sign this petition calling on the Landmark Preservation Board to give this spring landmark status—then share with friends, neighbors, and co-workers!
National Bail Out is a Black-led and Black-centered collective of abolitionist organizers, lawyers and activists building a community-based movement to end systems of pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration. They are once again running the #FreeBlackMamas campaign to raise bail for black mothers to get out of jail and be reunited with their families for Mother’s Day. Consider skipping the flowers and cards this year and using that money to make a donation to #FreeBlackMamas today!
CITIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Portland reduced their greenhouse gas emissions while their population grew. How can we do that?!
Cities Climate Summit II: A model for success!
Saturday, May 11
Sorry, the event is full, but you can sign up for the video here
Climate planner Susan Anderson will describe how the City of Portland and Multnomah County brought greenhouse gas reductions from goal to reality. Cities account for 70% of national greenhouse gas emissions, and while local K4C cities have set goals, they aren’t meeting them. Sign up for the video to learn from Portland’s example, and check out the local group holding K4C cities accountable.
TRANSPORTATION IS 62% OF SEATTLE GHG
If you get around on foot, bike, or wheelchair, please take 5 minutes to complete this WSDOT active transportation survey—strong survey results could help shift funding priorities toward zero-carbon transportation.
Bike update
The bike community really came through at the Bike Master Plan open houses, refusing to fight over the scraps, standing up for prioritizing bike lanes in communities that need affordable transit the most, and insisting it’s the city’s job to prioritize bikes over cars. Because you all turned out, climate was front and center in every discussion. SDOT has asked for an extension, so it’s likely the BMP won’t be before the City Council until June.
Stand up for faster buses!
Join us and the MASS Coalition at Tuesday’s meeting of the Seattle City Council’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee, as we speak up for faster buses! The committee will be hearing reports on Move Seattle and RapidRide implementation. These plans are moving very slowly, and many projects have been pared down or delayed. Buses carrying scores of riders shouldn’t get stuck behind a sea of single-occupancy vehicles! The City needs to be more ambitious about climate, starting with prioritizing public transit on our roads.
Sustainability and Transportation Committee—Prioritize Public Transit
Tuesday, May 7, 1:30–3:00pm
Meet up at 1:30 in City Grind cafe in the lobby for talking points, meeting at 2
Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle 98104
Shareable event page here
The other kind of movement politics
350 Seattle’s Transportation Team is co-sponsoring this event with Red May Seattle, featuring Mimi Sheller, author of Mobility Justice: The Politics of Movement in the Age of Extremes. Come rethink the way that the climate crisis, immigration, and our everyday transportation issues fit together.
Mobility Justice
Sunday, May 19, 12:00pm
NW Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Seattle 98122
UW Transit passes for all—we keep fighting, and winning
Last summer, we won transit passes for many of UW’s union workers, and last month, MASS Coalition (Move All Seattle Sustainably) got UW Administration to back down on a proposal to increase U-PASS costs for professional staff and faculty. Now we will be testifying during the public comment at 5:30 to show that UW employees and community allies support a fully-subsidized U-PASS for ALL UW employees without distinction! Come stand with us as we testify as a group. Full transit benefits will help the UW reach its Campus Master Plan goal of lowering the drive-alone rate to 12%.
UW Regents Meeting—Transit Passes for Employees
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 5:15 – 5:45pm
Gerberding, Room 142, UW Seattle Campus
Shareable event page here
Interested in joining in our work?
Next Transpo meeting
Monday May 13, 4:15–5:45pm,
Room 330, Vance building, 1402 3rd Ave
HOUSING POLICY IS CLIMATE POLICY
Affordable Housing Week, May 13–17 has tons of events where we can learn about what folks are doing toward affordable housing in Seattle right now. Lots of interesting topics such as Renters Rights 101, Anti-displacement Forum, and Parking and Housing Affordability. Check out the whole list here.
Two opportunities to speak up for public affordable housing
We rocked the first open house for a new ecovillage on the National Guard Armory site, and now there’s another open house coming up. Join us at the next Interbay Project open house to again speak for social housing and the services and spaces that make for true community, on the scale we need to help stem the tide of displacement. Our showing up in numbers sparked others to get excited for housing opportunities, so let’s keep up the momentum.
Interbay Open House
Wednesday, May 15, 6:00pm
Ballard VFW Hall, 2812 NW Market St., Seattle 98107
Shareable event page here
The city is revving up to build some affordable housing in a really nice neighborhood, right next to Discovery Park. So, you can bet there will be pushback. Come help us support more affordable housing in all our neighborhoods. Details about the city’s plans here.
Fort Lawton Public Hearing
Meet in City Grind Espresso in the lobby at 4:00pm to prep for hearing
Tuesday, May 21, 4:30pm
Seattle City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle 98104
Shareable event page here
Backyard cottages not McMansions
The backyard cottage legislation died in the final week of the legislative session, but got quite a bit of good traction, and sparked great educational conversations with many legislators. Thanks to everyone who commented in person or in email—your work should help move this bill forward again next session.
Meanwhile, the frivolous appeal of Seattle backyard cottage legislation’s EIS by proponents of exclusionary zoning is slowly grinding along: we expect a final Hearing Examiner ruling in May, and for the Council to consider final backyard cottage legislation in June. To get ready for that, find out more about this gentle and relatively affordable density at this Capitol Hill Renters event:
All About Accessory Dwelling Units
Thursday, May 16, 6:00–7:30pm
1620 12th Ave, Seattle 98122
Tickets required, RSVP here
DROP IN WITH URBANITY
For May we’ll be doing a special joint session of our drop-in hours with the chill folks at The Urbanist. Come join us to help out with a couple of tasks that benefit both our city and our climate.
Volunteer Drop-In Hours with The Urbanist
Wednesday, May 15, 5:30–7:30pm
Cafe Solstice, 925 E Thomas St., Seattle 98102
ARTFUL ACTIVISM
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.
Art builds at the Powerhouse
3940 Fremont Ave N, Seattle 98103
Monday, May 13, 5:00–8:00pm, for No Methanol and Sunrise
Wednesday, May 15, times TBD for the Amazon rally
Save the date: Saturday, June 22, 11:00am–5:00pm, and participate in our Green New Deal ensemble in the Solstice Parade which draws 100,000 viewers to Fremont! All are welcome. Lots to create and easy, fun roles to fill! No sills needed! Sign up on our list to get notified of art builds for giant scales and giant green hand props, costumes, singing an original song from Ale, as well as batik and paper folding workshops, starting mid-May. To get involved contact Shemona.
Mural wall needed
We need a high visibility wall for a beautiful mural that gets to stay up and raise awareness. Know of one? If you do or want to help us find one, 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.
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.
Join our Photo/Imagery Library Team!
We’re organizing our photos and imagery data and are looking for folks who want to join a team to do photo sorting and labeling for our events and our imagery library. Launching the team this month! Also looking for an imagery co-librarian! Contact Lisa.
TAKING ACTION CREATES HOPE
You don’t have to be an organizer, protest-goer, phone-banker, or someone who’s ready for civil disobedience to get involved. Community Resilience is here to assist individuals in finding ways to contribute to our efforts in working towards climate justice. The climate movement requires many skills and talents, which rarely reside in one person alone. The broader our skill sets and resources are, the stronger our chances are of success.
We need you too! Add your skill to our list.
And we also need: houses or venues for benefit concerts, fabric, seeds, art supplies, blank t-shirts, beer, wine, vans, buses, trucks, building materials, organic soil, rooms, hospitality, spaces for workshops, bikes, skill shares, unicorn costumes. And more!
Please email Alexandra Blakely to plug in.
Whew. Busy month ahead! Big business and most foundations don’t fund climate action and systemic change work. They just don’t. So, we turn to you for support.
Please, schedule a Give Big donation to support our work this year.
Thank you—with your participation, donations, good will and sharing we might just give future generations a fighting chance.
350 Seattle
