Maybe you’ve heard? There’s an apocalyptic election in the works.
Meanwhile Black lives still matter, damn it, fossil fuel facilities are back on the march, and (blushing now) we’re doing some fundraising. But more on that later, let’s start with the apocalyptic:
CLIMATE VOTE PROJECT
We all know this election couldn’t be more consequential. Join 350.org volunteers from across the country to call infrequent voters who care about the environment. Let’s make all our votes count this year! Training and tech support provided. You’ll need a phone and computer to make calls. We are all about helping people vote successfully—no pro-candidate electioneering required.
Climate Vote Project: Get Out the Vote with 350.org
Wednesdays, September 9th and 16th, 3:00 PST – Pre-register here
Saturdays, September 13th and 20th, 1:00 PST – Pre-register here
(Note: registration forms list east coast times)
And keep an eye on our social media for more events—we’re getting trained up to lead our own phone banks!
PLEDGE OF RESISTANCE TRAINING SERIES
It’s always a good time to build up your nonviolent resistance skills, but especially now as we head into what is likely to be a tumultuous election and aftermath. All trainings are FREE—please register in advance. Want to share? Send your friends to our Trainings page.
Take to the Streets! How Movements Can and Do Win
Friday, September 11, 12:00–1:30pm
Staying Safe and Healthy at Protests with 350.org
Tuesday, September 15, 4:00–6:00pm
Know Your Rights, with the National Lawyers Guild
Wednesday, September 16, 6:00–7:30pm
Intro to Security Culture
Tuesday, September 22, 6:00–8:00pm
De-Escalation and Peacekeeping at Protests
Saturday, September 26, 11:00–1:30pm
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Climate justice requires racial justice and deep systemic change to end both systemic oppression and state repression. Black Lives Matter.
The massive nationwide uprising for Black Lives, opening minds, hearts, and possibilities, though being met by increasing state repression, continues! We stand in solidarity, following the lead of black organizers in the fight against anti-black racism and the police state. History shows that sustained and disruptive non-violent protest is one of the only ways to bring about the deep systemic change we need. Thank you for all the ways you are participating on and off the streets.
Opportunities
Seattle: Black Lives Matter Solidarity document: curated list of Seattle protests, petitions, and donations, updated periodically.
Calendar of all BLM events in Seattle in all neighborhoods, by many groups.
Important protest guides and safety info
Keeping Yourself Healthy & Safe at a Protest – 350 Seattle webinar recording.
The Seattle-King County Black Lives Matter Protest Guide
A guide put together by some local Seattle street medics, with graphics.
RACIAL JUSTICE IS CLIMATE JUSTICE LEARNING SERIES
Join us for a series of conversations on the deep connections between racial justice and climate justice. Throughout the month of September, 350 Seattle teams will host guest speakers to help us draw the connections between climate campaigns and movements for racial justice.
Check out our awesome lineup of Thursday evening conversations!
Prison Abolition with Dean Spade (Seattle University School of Law)—September 10th
Defund Police with Nikkita Oliver, Jerrell Davis and Oloth Insyxiengmay (Decriminalize Seattle)—September 17th
Affordable Housing with Maya Garfinkel (Be: Seattle)—September 24th
Environmental Justice with speakers from Tacoma LNG Resistance—October 1st
All webinars begin at 6:00pm. Sign up here to register for one or all! Shareable event page here.
Have questions? Contact Shemona. There is no climate justice without racial justice!
BOOK CLUB UPDATE
Over the next two months we’re doing a deep dive into the history of Indigenous resistance to the expansion of the U.S. empire.
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Author’s Note through Chapter 3—September 9th
Chapters 4 through 6—September 23rd
Chapters 7 through 9—October 7th
Chapters 10 to the end—October 21st
Discussions are on Wednesdays, held on Zoom from 6:00–7:30 pm.
Interested in joining us? Email bookclub@350Seattle.org.
SOLIDARITY TEAM
Fighting climate destruction means fighting against all the systems that fuel the destruction of our planet, including white supremacy, colonialism, heteropatriarchy, classism, ableism and more. We invite you to join the Solidarity team as we work to build coalition across justice-oriented movements.
Using our node model, smaller groups partner with organizations and communities pushing forward specific issues, like immigration justice, indigenous sovereignty, and abolition. Nodes meet at least once a month, in addition to a larger monthly meeting for the whole Solidarity Team.
We seek real power shifts and transformational change. We engage in both action and reflection as we work to avoid recreating the same systems we seek to change.
To get involved, contact Anna or Meg O. for more information or a Zoom link to our next meeting.
And, yes, we do have a fundraising pitch, but hang on! Here’s four zombie dinosaurs!
STRIKE THREE FOR KALAMA METHANOL
It’s been a while, so let’s review: in its first application, the company proposing the world’s largest methanol refinery tried to ignore the climate impacts of the project altogether–strike one!—so they were sent back to the drawing board. In version two they claimed it would actually reduce greenhouse gas pollution, using numbers and assumptions that were so unrealistic–strike two!—the Department of Ecology took over the process.
Now Ecology’s version of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement has just been released, and it acknowledges what we’ve known all along—if built this project would be one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, adding 4.6 million metric tons of climate pollution every year for 40 years!
What’s more, this version still assumes a ‘business as usual’ scenario where methanol plants continue to be built elsewhere, and this one might be slightly cleaner than the others. That’s unacceptable: we need to be done with business as usual, full stop.
So, let’s call strike three on this terrible project! Warm up for the hearings with this workshop:
No Methanol! Pre-hearing rally and comment workshop
Monday, September 14, 6:00–7:30pm, online, RSVP here.
Next, sign up to give a public comment at these hearings:
Public Hearing: Stop the Methanol Refinery!
Thursday, September 17, 1:00–5:00pm, online, RSVP here.
Tuesday, September 22, 10:00am and 6:00pm, online, RSVP here.
Can’t make those dates? You can still add your voice to help shut this project down: submit an online comment here. Or spread the word: write a letter to an editor and post to social media.
And check out this excellent article from Sightline about how the fossil fuel industry is trying to spin Ecology’s assessment to their advantage.
TACOMA LNG RESISTANCE
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) not only runs on dirty fossil fuels but plays dirty too. The legal appeal of the final permit for the Tacoma LNG fracked gas refinery and storage operation was set for next month, but recently got pushed back until March next year. According to the press statement by Advocates for a Cleaner Tacoma:
“There are a number of variables that have led to this delay, including legal tactical maneuvers by PSE, which we interpret as an attempt to overwhelm and wear down our resolve. We won’t be worn down and are fervently resolved to continue. We choose, instead, to view the delay as an opportunity to continue to gather evidence, build awareness, and call out the disingenuous and self-serving narratives of fossil fuel companies like PSE. We will continue to stand in solidarity with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and will continue the work necessary to protect the community from the devastating effects of an LNG refinery in our region.”
PSE was also featured in the Guardian article, The gas industry is waging war against climate action, for their role in holding back the transition to renewable energy. Our for-profit gas company that pretends to be a friendly, local public utility is in reality spending millions to defeat local attempts at banning gas hookups in new construction, lobbying at all levels of government, making attempts to intimidate grassroots activists, targeting children with coloring pages and online games, building infrastructure before permits are granted, and violating Constitutionally protected Treaty rights.
Can you answer the call to build awareness and shine a light on both this dangerous, racist, fracked gas facility and Puget Sound Energy’s overall bad practices? To receive action alerts and updates send an email to our listserv, and sign up here to join our fracked gas social media amplification squad. To get more deeply involved, fill out this volunteer form or email Anna, and become part of 350 Seattle’s Tacoma LNG Resistance Team, currently planning artful actions, education and outreach through documentary screenings and discussion forums, social media storms and more!
Tacoma LNG Resistance Team Meeting
Thursday, September 10, 12:00pm
Register here.
And register now to join us on the evening of Wednesday September 16th for a screening of Native Daily Network’s powerful documentary, followed by an hour of breakout rooms and discussion. Ancestral Waters tells the story about the Puyallup Tribe’s fight to protect their home from this dangerous Liquefied Natural Gas refinery, currently being built on their historic fishing grounds in violation of sovereign treaty rights.
SEAPORT SOUND OIL TERMINAL EXPANSION
Ruh-roh! Even though Tacoma’s mayor has signaled that the repeatedly extended Tideflats Interim Regulations should be made permanent, SeaPort Sound Terminal (formerly Targa) is seeking to exploit the living heck out of their legacy property privileges and tidewater real estate, filing for a 14-fold expansion of their hydrocarbon storage containers. UGGGH!
Are there major issues with the permitting of this project? Yup! Here’s three:
- No scheduled review of the impacts to rail or vessel traffic.
- No analysis of the environmental impacts of draining and refilling the tanks.
- No analysis of the additional air pollution this project will cause.
It’s time to step up and demand that the city of Tacoma protects all of us in the Puget Sound region from dangerous projects that further lock Tacoma into its role as a hub for the fossil fuel industry!
SeaPort Sound Terminal Expansion webinar
Thursday, September 10, 6:00pm
Details here.
Got that on your calendar? Now send this letter!
PSE’S COLSTRIP VILLAINY
Ready for another example of Puget Sound Energy’s nefarious underhanded double-dealing? If PSE sells off their remaining stake in the most polluting coal power plant in the west to NorthWestern Corp, that makes them the good guys, right?
Wrong! As usual with Pervasive Sneaky Evil, there’s more to the story. Here’s our top four points:
- Selling Colstrip will allow Unit 4 to run until 2042 instead of 2025, producing over 5 million tons CO2 per year, the equivalent of 1 million cars. NorthWestern told Montana regulators they intend to run Colstrip Unit 4 until 2042. PSE’s sale violates the intention of our new 100% clean electricity law, which ends all coal by 2025.
- PSE’s promise to buy back Colstrip power from NorthWestern makes PSE customers pay a higher price. PSE will have to buy Colstrip power even though other power choices are much cheaper.
- PSE is selling extremely valuable transmission lines from Colstrip well below their long-term value. PSE’s own study says massive increases in transmission from Montana and Wyoming will be needed. Under no circumstance should this ratepayer-owned transmission asset be sold.
- The proposed sale implies ratepayers will pay for additional pollution even though we no longer own the plant. PSE set aside $350 million to clean up the Colstrip coal ash waste ponds, but the sale exposes PSE ratepayers to more liability. The only way to avoid legal problems on cleanup costs is to retire the plant in 2025 for all owners.
So, what to do? Register for a virtual public comment hearing where the Utilities and Transportation Commission will “gather input from customers” on PSE’s attempted sale of Colstrip assets.
UTC Hearing on the Sale of Colstrip Unit 4
Thursday, October 8, 1:30pm and 6:00pm
Audio only, to register call 888-333-9882
Sign up now and put those factoids in your calendar for easy reference later!
Can’t make that date? Submit comments in writing here, or email comments@utc.wa.gov. Be sure to reference Docket UE-200115.
STOP THE MONEY PIPELINE
Trans Mountain & Insurance
Trans Mountain’s insurance policy expired at the end of August, and though we won’t know for sure which companies renewed their coverage until the official certificate is published next April, it’s clear that our calls, emails, and tweets were heard across the world: three global insurance giants, including Trans Mountain’s lead insurer Zurich, all cut ties with the destructive pipeline this summer! Watch and share this video to learn more about how 350 Seattle and our partners are taking on Trans Mountain’s remaining insurers.
Chase
Miss beating up on the world’s largest funder of fossil fuels? Our friends at 350PDX have launched the Takeover Chase Online: together activists across the country are leaving thousands of educational reviews of every Chase bank branch all across the internet. Soon anyone using the internet to find a Chase branch will also be learning about its role in the climate crisis. Click here to join the action!
BlackRock
The campaign against the world’s largest investor in fossil fuels is heating up. Organizers are calling for a swarm of actions at BlackRock offices around the world this month. Learn more about the actions here and about the campaign here.
And as ever, you can stay up-to-date with everything happening with Stop the Money Pipeline by signing up here.
And, yes, we are doing some fundraising, but first let’s talk about some federal and local stuff…
FEDERAL CLIMATE BILLS
The new and growing 350 Seattle Federal Team is currently reviewing federal climate bills in Congress, with the hope that 2021 will be the year that Congress finally steps up and passes bold climate legislation. To promote such bills, three meetings with Seattle area Congressional representatives have already been scheduled.
To get a jump on next year and help out with this work, contact Selden.
PRO-CLIMATE, PRO-LABOR TRADE
The wonky subject of trade is often left out of the climate conversation. Yet it’s worth remembering that most modern trade deals, including NAFTA, have weak environmental terms, allow corporations to challenge environmental laws in corporate trade tribunals, and contain a myriad other climate-killing provisions.
Interestingly, Senator Kamala Harris is one of the only Members of Congress to insist that both binding labor and climate standards be a core part of U.S. trade agreements. In fact, she has argued that trade deals that fail to address climate change, fail “to meet the crisis of the moment.”
If she’s the next VP, we want to increase the likelihood that she maintains this important position on trade. So, we’re asking you to thank her for her pro-worker and pro-climate trade stance. Let’s ensure strong climate and labor provisions are included in trade policy moving forward.
CRUISING TOWARDS CLIMATE COLLAPSE
The devastating pandemic we’re living through has had at least two positive consequences related to the cruise industry and the Salish Sea:
- The entire 2020 Seattle-to-Alaska cruise season – all 233 ships—has been cancelled!
- Work has stopped on the new cruise terminal at T46! However, a pause is not the same as a cancellation: the Port of Seattle Director has stated, “when it’s safe to cruise again, we want to be ready!”
Now is a good time to double-down on our demands for action in the face of climate collapse, public health emergencies, and systemic racial inequities:
- If you haven’t signed our petition calling for the permanent cancellation of the new terminal, please sign it now!
- If you’ve already signed, thank you! Please ask five to ten of your friends to sign! We’d like to get a whole new slew of folks to sign by September 15th.
- Please also sign Stand.earth’s petition to the CDC to extend the no-sail order for cruise ships until they clean up their act!
Numbers matter! Last February, an already-approved plan to expand an airport in Bristol, England, was stopped when more than 8,000 people objected! They successfully argued that the damage the expansion would cause to the climate, the health of local residents, and plant and animal life outweighed the narrower benefits the expansion would bring. This is exactly our stance regarding expanding the cruise industry in Seattle.
Learn more! Follow Seattle Cruise Control on social media, check out our website for in-depth info, and listen to Seattle Cruise Control member Elizabeth Burton and climate scientist Heather Price in a recent in-depth interview on Portland radio station KBOO discussing the harmful impacts of cruising and why we oppose a third cruise terminal in Seattle.
NEIGHBORHOOD MUTUAL AID PODS
Call out to South end folks! Please consider starting up a pod in your neighborhood! We have very few in the South end, and more requests are coming in.
Sign up here to be a pod captain and lead your neighborhood organizing efforts! We’ve got lots of tools and people to help you get it going and figure things out along the way! Contact Lisa if you are interested in other volunteer opportunities. Or join a neighborhood pod here.
350 SEATTLE BIKE DRIVE
Donate bikes of all sizes and types (even those needing repairs), parts, and accessories that you have lying around! The Transpo team and Neighborhood Mutual Aid Pods are hosting a bike collection this month at various sites around Seattle. We will deliver collected bikes to Bike Works bike shop on September 26th to fix and redistribute to folks in need of affordable, reliable, non-polluting transportation. Bike (re)distribution helps fight climate pollution, economic injustice, and COVID-19.
Sign up here to donate your bike(s) and bike gear!
Please tell your friends and family and share on social media! Questions? Contact Tyrell.
15-MINUTE COMMUNITIES
What if meeting our needs was just a walk away?
How far do you have to go to get groceries? To the park? To employment centers? For many of us in Seattle the answer is: “too far to walk.” But what if our communities were designed so that stores, jobs, key services, and transit were all within a 15-minute walk of every resident? That’s the basis for the 15-minute community, an idea that has been gaining traction around the world as a way to strengthen neighborhoods while reducing driving and climate pollution.
To learn more, or work on implementing the 15-minute community vision here in Seattle, contact Andrew.
ATTENTION KENMORE RESIDENTS
Doesn’t it seem like your community is missing a certain something? Something like… an asphalt plant? Yeah, wouldn’t an asphalt plant be great!
Kenmore City Council meeting
Monday, September 21, 7:00pm
Zoom link and agenda will be posted here.
Want more information? Contact Vicki to get involved!
Fundraising? Hold your horses! We’re getting to the good news!
ARTFUL ACTIVISM
Carol Rashawnna Williams’ THE PLAGUE OF HEALING Social Sculpture Art Action debut that some of our 350 Seattle skilled artists supported and participated in—THANK YOU! Wearing red hoodies with names and ages of black people murdered by police, and Plague Doctor masks, we inhabited the park for a while as a moving part of the art installation, and then gathered for synchronized movements to bring attention to and healing from the plagues of systemic oppression and violence, and to raise funds for a tiny house BIPOC Artist project in Seattle. More about the artist here. Donation information and a recording of the performance can be seen here.
Join our virtual “Protect What You Love” Banner! There is still an opportunity for a couple more folx to sign up to creatively make a letter, photo yourself with it, and be part of the virtual message. Contact Bee.
Join the Artful Workgroup and get on our email list: We welcome all skill levels in any art form. During these stay home, stay healthy times, we can still be impactful and connected with art across distance! We’re working from home putting art on the web, or in small socially distanced groups or individually making art outside.
We’re looking for people with tech, graphic design, and video skills, for folks comfortable with Zoom, webinar, and web presentations, since that’s the main way we’re gathering in large numbers and sharing ideas these days. Contact Lisa.
We’re also looking for those with creative guerilla art ideas, for those ready to do painted mural, chalk art, and other creative outdoor social distance art forms at any skill level. Contact Lisa.
Do you have skills in any art form? We are always building out our teams in photography/videography, graphic design, music, sewing, prop building, and visual arts. And we’re looking to build teams in dance, spoken word, gorilla art, and theater. Sign up here to be added to our general Artful Activism List and tell us what skills and interests you have!
350 Seattle’s YouTube page is growing! Check out this recent training we did on Keeping Yourself Healthy and Safe at a Protest and the recording of the How to Edit a Video on Your Phone webinar. In the coming weeks we’ll be adding tons of DIY How-To videos, webinars, trainings and other awesome content!
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Please join us for emotional processing using Joanna Macy’s “Work that Reconnects” with Vivien Sharpels and Anna-Brown Griswold, both experienced facilitators. Hosted by Climate Action Families and 350 Seattle.
Climate Grief and Empowerment Group
Monthly on second Saturdays, 10:00–11:30am
Next meeting is September 12th.
Register here at least a couple of days ahead of time for the Zoom link.
Detailed info and contact for questions are on the registration link as well. Feel free to spread the word about the group to your friends with this event post.
PEOPLE’S ECHO
Hello music lovers! The People’s Echo is our song collective supported by 350 Seattle where we catch and sing songs for this political climate. And we actually have a masked and distanced song teach-in coming up later this month!
Outdoor Song Teach-In
Wednesday, September 23, 6:30–8:00pm
Volunteer Park, Seattle
More details and RSVP at the event page here!
Please be ready to wear a mask the whole time. For any accessibility needs, reach out to Bee.
We also invite you to sign up for our list serve here for more updates from The People’s Echo!
GET INVOLVED!
Here are some really great ways to start on that path of engagement! Check out our updated Volunteer Opportunities List. 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? Schedule a time to chat with Shemona either by phone or video chat.
No time? Well, never fear—you can support the work we do at 350 Seattle by becoming a monthly donor! Sign up here!
IT’S HERE! OUR MONTHLY SUSTAINER DRIVE!
Okay, here’s the deal: On Tuesday we’ll be launching our annual Monthly Sustainer Drive!
We’ve set ourselves a goal of 75 new monthly donors signed up by the end of September. We couldn’t do all of the work you’re reading about in this newsletter without your support. Only a small amount of our funding comes from big donors and exactly zero from corporate sponsors—and most foundations are wary of confrontational work like ours. We are powered by the community and by people like you.
Can you help us stay community-powered by becoming a monthly sustainer today?
Thank you for your help, and your perseverance, lovely friends! Now get on the horn and get some folkx to vote!
