Happy New Year! Our resolve to fight for climate justice is as strong as ever. Whether it’s marching for racial justice, talking to our neighbors about green, affordable social housing, or contacting the WA state legislature to push through the most progressive climate policy we can, we are ready to throw down for the world we love.
From City Hall, to the streets, on Zoom, or at a potluck, we hope you’ll join us this year as we build power and community. Starting tomorrow, at the annual MLK Day March — because racial justice is climate justice!
MLK MARCH
Join us Monday January 16 to honor Dr. King’s legacy with community-led workshops, a rally, and a march. More info from the Seattle MLK Jr Organizing Coalition here.
350 Seattle and our friends with the Seattle Antiwar Coalition (SAWC) will be one of the many groups joining the march. Come say hi if you can!
STAFFING UPDATES: WE’RE HIRING
We’re hiring for a Digital & Communications Director — have you checked out our job announcement yet? The application closes a week from today, January 22!
The Digital & Communications Director will work closely with our volunteer leaders, Executive Director, and Campaigns Co-Directors to tell our story, grow our grassroots base, and strategically amplify our organizing and power. Responsibilities include managing our website, email, and social media platforms; collaborating on communications for 350 Seattle campaigns and fundraising efforts; and developing digital strategies. We’re looking for someone with a strong anti-racist and anti-oppression orientation to join us in the work of making 350 Seattle a more accessible and inclusive organization.
Does this sound like you, or someone you know? Check out the job announcement and share with your networks!
HOUSE OUR NEIGHBORS
House Our Neighbors (I-135) is a community-led ballot initiative to create affordable, green social housing in Seattle — and it’s on the February 2023 ballot!
Unlike conventional low-income or subsidized housing where far-away institutions have the decision-making power, social housing is managed by the people who live and work there — that means the majority of decisions are being made by people who are directly impacted. And on top of this core climate justice value, Seattle’s social housing initiative calls for Passive House Standards, the highest bar for energy efficiency and building green.
This is the model we need for Green New Deal Housing, so let’s make sure it passes on the ballot February 14. Sign up here to join other 350 Seattle folks who are ready to throw down for social housing! We’ll be working as a team to get out the vote, with phonebanks, canvasses, ballot parties and more.
Spread the word: sign up to canvas with the House Our Neighbors campaign! In the coming weeks, the campaign is hosting canvasses all over the city, including in the University District, Lake City, Beacon Hill, Ballard, Capitol Hill, Columbia City, Mount Baker, and West Seattle. Learn more and sign up here.
SEATTLE FOR A GREEN NEW DEAL
This winter, Seattle City Council is going to pass a policy that will set a deadline for when Seattle’s big buildings have to transition off fossil fuels. We’re gearing up for a big push to demand targets in line with climate science and justice, to close the door on false solutions like “renewable natural gas” and to ensure the policy creates hundreds of good green union jobs upgrading Seattle’s buildings!
If we win this fight, we could see all of our schools, libraries, university campuses, grocery stores, hotels, office buildings and large apartment buildings in Seattle upgraded for 100% clean energy and cooling in the next decade. With massive amounts of new federal money available to do these upgrades, there is no excuse to not do this now. But it’s going to take a big push to overcome the resistance of big landlords, developers and the fossil fuel companies who want to delay these upgrades as long as possible.
Because Seattle is one of the first cities doing this, what we do here will set standards for cities around the US — so we have important work to do! With lots of supported roles and learning opportunities, this is a great campaign to plug into if you’re new to organizing or want to build your skills.
Green New Deal: Get Involved Call!
Tuesday Jan 24, 7:00-8:00pm
Online, register here.
TAKE LEGISLATIVE ACTION WITH THE 350 WA CIVIC ACTION TEAM
It’s that time of year again — time to build grassroots pressure and pass sound and just climate policy in the Washington State legislature. Last year, we collectively took more than 21,500 advocacy actions in the short legislative session through our shared campaign, the 350 WA Civic Action Team (CAT).
This year, it’s a long session, and we’re creating twice-weekly actions for bills on Housing, Recycling and Waste Management, Transportation, Forestry, Salmon, Building Electrification, and more.
You can read about our legislative priorities and get connected to easy and accessible action with CAT.
- Watch our campaign launch video.
- Share info about CAT with your friends and community. The more people signed up to take action with CAT this year, the bigger our impact will be.
- Make sure you’re signed up to take action with us.
- Follow CAT on Instagram.
JOIN THE 350 PNW REGIONAL GATHERING
It’s time to convene with our 350 comrades from across the region for our semi-regular gathering. This is a chance to meet people organizing toward climate justice in their communities and to build relationships with our 350 colleagues.
Join us for an hour of sharing, connecting, and learning about what’s moving in the climate movement with our 350 friends from all over the PNW.
350 PNW Regional Gathering
Monday, February 13, 6:30–7:30pm
Online, register here.
AVIATION TEAM
Get the lead out! Leaded aviation fuel, still used at the King County International Airport (Boeing Field), is harmful to nearby residents. Tell the EPA to ban leaded gasoline in small airplanes by Tuesday, January 17!
The Aviation Team is also looking for people in Representative Larsen’s district (WA-02) to help us contact him about the FAA reauthorization. If you live in his district or you want to get involved in any of the many things we are working on, contact Laura.
Aviation Team Monthly Meeting (Second Tuesday)
Tuesday, February 14, 7:00-8:30pm
Zoom here; Meeting ID: 889 1871 9961; Passcode: 080923
Contact Laura to learn more and get involved.
FEDERAL TEAM
The House of Representatives may be quickly devolving into chaos, but 350 Seattle’s Federal Policy forges on with smart priorities and effective advocacy! In 2023, we will continue taking the fight for climate justice to Washington, DC. Join us as we oppose new fossil fuel projects, pressure President Biden to declare a climate emergency, advocate for strong climate provisions in the next Farm Bill, and push for a climate-peace clause in all US trade agreements.
Monthly Federal Team Meeting
Wednesday, January 18, 5:00-6:00pm
Online; sign up for our listserv to receive the Zoom link.
Take action: speak up to stop fracked gas!
The pipeline corporation behind Keystone XL is stealthily trying to push more fracked gas through the aging GTN Xpress pipeline. If approved, methane emissions equivalent to an additional 750,000 cars would heat our climate and pollute our homes.
Submit comments opposing the fracked gas pipeline expansion by Friday, January 20. You can learn more and use the recommended sample comment here. With the comment period closing soon, now is a critical time to weigh in. Tune in to next week’s webinar to learn how you can join us for the final push:
Webinar: Oppose GTN Xpress Pipeline Expansion
Tuesday, January 17, 7:00-8:00pm
Online, learn more and register here.
ARTFUL ACTIVISM TEAM
Join the Artful Team!
We’re back to community art builds this month, starting with the MLK March! Skills welcome, not required — we’ll teach you as you go! Collaborative team tasks, like tracing, cutting, twisting ties, and painting in between the lines, are always a welcoming and fun way to drop in and be a part of the powerful art at our actions. Sign up here or contact Lisa to learn more!
Join us for a fun time making powerful art to help convince the City Council to pass strong policy for transitioning big buildings off fossil fuels by 2030. Bring smiling eyes, masks, clothes to get messy in, snacks, and water.
Art Build for Seattle’s Green New Deal
Sunday, January 29, 12:00pm–4:00pm
Power House in Fremont, 3940 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle 98103
Indoors with high ceilings; masks required while inside.
RSVP here so we can let you know of any changes to location.
Join the Art Deployment Team
The Art Deployment Team brings collaborative, powerful, and beautiful art to events for our campaigns and partner orgs who ask for our support. Volunteers play an important role in all the logistics that make the magic happen. Learn how to do critical day-of action roles, like transport, setup, positioning, and animating art at events, and how to recruit and guide other volunteers to do the same. Sign up here!
THE PEOPLE’S ECHO
Mark your calendars for the next People’s Echo seasonal community song circle! This season, we’ll gather around the fire to sing songs for winter. We welcome you to come carrying songs that feel alive for you in this time — perhaps songs of stillness, of finding light in the darkness, of coming home to ourselves.
Winter Song Circle
Wednesday, February 15, 6:00–8:00pm
Seward Park, Shelter #3, 5898 Lake Washington Blvd. S. Seattle
Stay connected to The People’s Echo for updates on community singing opportunities!
For questions, email the team.
STORY CIRCLE
Join us in person to conclude our reading of Braiding Sweetgrass — we’ll share any final thoughts about our reading experience. We’ll also discuss emergent themes from the book and this season to help us decide on our theme for the 2023 zine!
In-Person Final Friday Story Circle
Friday, January 27, 6:30–8:00pm
5031 University Way NE, Seattle 98105
We ask that attendees wear masks; we have two HIPAA filters in the office and we can also open windows.
Email Story Circle to RSVP.
PHOTOS WANTED FOR OUR PHOTO LIBRARY
We want your photos! Did you take photos at a recent 350 Seattle event, art build, or action? Are you willing to share any great shots you captured with our community? Submit your best images to our Photo Library for use in our organization’s storytelling, including our outreach, communications, and fundraising efforts. Here are our guidelines for submitting photos to our library editors.
VIDEOS!
Check out the 350 Seattle YouTube page for event recaps, DIY art videos, webinars, and trainings.
CLIMATE GRIEF AND EMPOWERMENT
We are a part of nature, and we feel her imbalance. Paying attention to our physical-emotional reactions is an important part of climate work. You’re invited to feel, digest, and move through grief together at the next Climate Grief and Empowerment gathering.
Climate Grief and Empowerment Monthly Gathering
February 11, 10:00–11:45am
Online, register here separately for each one you’ll attend.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Do you have a skill or service you’d like to offer at reduced or no charge to the 350 Seattle activist community? Or do you know of BIPOC businesses in our community who might want to be added to this list? The climate movement requires many skills and talents. You don’t have to be an organizer, protest-goer, phone-banker, or someone who’s ready for civil disobedience to get involved in climate justice. We need you: teachers, gardeners, lawyers, accountants, storytellers, caregivers, artists (whom we link with our Artful Team), and MORE!
Please fill out this form with your own offerings or with local BIPOC businesses we could be patronizing, and we’ll get back with you! Thanks!
SHOUTS AND APPRECIATIONS!
I’m so appreciative of Selden and her long-time leadership and organizing at 350 Seattle. She’s made so much advocacy possible for so many people, and her passion for Federal policy work has inspired years and years of action. Selden is thoughtful and has a critical understanding of policy advocacy, and I feel lucky I’ve gotten to work with and learn from Selden and her brilliance. —Grace, 350 Seattle
GET INVOLVED
Do you care about climate justice? Want more general information about 350 Seattle? Then check out this handy Welcome Guide for new volunteers.
Here are some really great ways to start on that path of engagement! Check out our updated Volunteer Opportunities List and our event calendar. Opportunities range from low commitment to high, introductory to skilled. All you have to do is find something you’re excited about and reach out! Unless otherwise noted, all opportunities can be done from home.
Unsure what you want to do? Still have questions about who we are and what we do? Come hang out with us at our monthly virtual orientation and get connected with real people!
Monthly Intro to 350 Seattle Call
Monday, January 16, 6:00pm
Online, register here.
No time for all that? Well, never fear — you can support the work we do at 350 Seattle by becoming a monthly donor! Sign up here!
