2025 September Newsletter!
While summer lingers in the air, we can feel the gentle tug of autumn. 350PDX has been in quite a state of transition–making it through our financial crisis and reimagining the ways we should go forward. It is such an exciting time, and the change of season feels appropriate.
We have so much to be grateful for, especially our community and amazing volunteers. You rallied around us and helped save 350PDX with your time, donations, art, advice, and words of support. Thank you. At our next Action Night, we want to show our appreciation and share our vision for a new, more inspiring and impactful 350PDX. Save the date: September 18, and look for an email with more info soon!
Also, we hope to see you at Sun Day, September 21, a national day of action that will celebrate the sun power revolution and bring us together to stand up to people and policies aiming to stop the clean energy transition. Sun Day PDX is one of 215 events happening nationwide! There will be speakers from Ecotrust, Oregon State Senate, Union of Concerned Scientists and more, a parade/march across the Hawthorne Bridge, and a “Sun Ball” from Making Earth Cool! More info here! And please see our Arts Team section below, they need folks to help with our magical puppets!
Team News
Fossil Fuel Resistance Team
The 350PDX Fossil Fuel Resistance Team spent the summer learning together about different campaigns we can focus on, and we’re excited to have made decisions and rolled up our sleeves to get to work! These campaigns include: Transitioning the CEI (Critical Energy Infrastructure) Hub, Make Polluters Pay, and Fighting the Energy Impacts of Data Centers & AI. If any of these topics interest you, now’s a great time to join the team!
We’re also getting ready and excited for the 25th Rumble on the River Community Forum on Thursday, September 25th and would love for you to join us.
Rumble on the River 25 – What Can We Do About The CEI Hub?
Come learn about what’s behind and ahead with the on-going CEI Hub Policy Project and celebrate the 25th in our series of Rumble on the River community forums.
Thursday, September 25th at 1241 Lloyd Center
5:00pm The Unpresidented Brass Band performance
5:30pm Rumble Co-Sponsor Tabling & 25th Rumble Celebration
6:30pm Rumble Community Forum
More info here!
We also invite you to join us at two upcoming film screenings for the documentary Chasing Chimeras: The Lure of Deceptive Climate Solutions, happening at Cinema 21 on Wednesday, September 24 at 7 PM and at St Johns Twin Cinemas on Wednesday, October 15 at 7 PM.
JOIN THE FFR TEAM: Our next meeting is on Zoom on Tuesday, September 9 at 5:30pm. Please reach out to Team Lead Ben Platt for the Zoom link: benplatt59@gmail.com. After that, our next meeting is in-person at the 350PDX office on Tuesday, September 23.
Forest Defense Team
The Forest Defense team is continuing our work on two major campaigns: (1) increasing the tree canopy in Portland, focusing on shade equity (2) pushing for climate-smart management of the state forests through preserving legacy forest on state lands and lengthening logging rotations on plantation forests on state lands.
In the shade equity campaign we are encouraging the city to approve a strong Urban Forest Plan. The Climate Resilience and Land Use Committee will review a draft plan on September 11th.
In the state forest campaign, we are working to raise awareness about the upcoming timber sale of a legacy forest near Astoria. If this sale, known as Middle Big Noise, goes through, 100 acres of mature, diverse forest in the Clatsop State Forest will be clear cut. We think it should be preserved for carbon storage, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat. This fall, the team is planning a hike in the Middle Big Noise area and would love to have you join us!
We are also asking Governor Kotek to appoint a new state forester who will consider climate change and ecological management as top priorities. The governor will nominate the new state forester, a position that is currently empty.
GET CONNECTED: Join the Forest Defense Team meetings on the first and third Monday of each month from 6:00-7:30 pm. Contact volunteer team leads Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org) to get involved.
Arts Team
Throughout July and August and into September, the 350PDXArts Team is turning the “World on Fire” truck into a huge float for Sun Day, September 21. The float showcases Portland’s natural resources and the many successful renewable strategies humans use for energy.
To do that, we work at the 350PDX workshop (3639 N Mississippi) 4 days a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, from 1:00-4:00pm. We’ll continue to do so until the float is finished or until September 21, whichever comes first. Some puppets also need finishing: the dragonfly and the powerful new Mourning Mothers puppets showing grief for the changes in our world since fossil fuels. We also need a small army of puppeteers for the Sun Day rally and parade.
Please join us! Let Donna know if you can help: murph1949@aol.com. No experience necessary!
350 Washington County Team
We presented our first Electrification and Sustainability Fair in Hillsboro on August 9. Six months of planning in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and local allies came to beautiful fruition! Attendance numbers were near 500, there were more than 40 exhibitors, and lots of electric vehicles to check out. Oregon’s climate activist and 2025 Kid Governor Rosie Lanenga spoke to attendees and tried out e-bikes and scooters.
There were tons of fun activities for the whole family and free ice cream treats as well. Door prizes included a STIHL electric lawn trimmer, a two burner induction cooktop, pool parties, and more. The event was a huge success.
Our summer potluck on August 24 was well-attended and we got to have a chat session with special guest Senator Janeen Sollman (district 15).
Our next online meeting will take place at 6:30pm on Tuesday, September 9. For the link, join us here. Our general activities include: tracking government at multiple levels around climate and environment, connecting with the Beaverton and the Tigard Climate Action teams, stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our events and to our monthly online meetings (6:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month).
SW Team
Welcome to the Southwest Neighborhood Team, which includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland. We work together to raise awareness of the climate emergency.
Our street corner demonstrations continue weekly in September, every Friday from 4:00-5:00pm at SW Multnomah & SW 35th Avenue. We reach hundreds of commuters with our climate action signs in a highly visible location. Street parking is available or reach us via bus or bike. We have extra signs to share!
Join our upcoming outreach event. We will be promoting our Climate Action Now yard signs at the Hillsdale Farmers Market from 8:30am to 1:oopm. on Sunday, October 5. To sign up for a 2-hour shift please contact Pat at patk5@msn.com.
GET CONNECTED: Join our monthly Zoom meeting on Monday, September 15th, from 6:30-7:30pm. To get involved, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com.
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350PDX is excited to welcome the Portland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to the 350PDX Workshop! DSA shares many of our commitments to justice, community power, and art as a tool for liberation. We’re proud to build partnership and solidarity while also stewarding our space and resources wisely. Welcome to the workshop—we’re glad you’re here!
As we make the space more welcoming, we’re on the lookout for a few things to help warm up the vibe—barstools to increase our seating options, and especially floor lamps or string lights (because fluorescent lights are not friends with coziness)! If you’ve got any of these items to spare, we’d love to hear from you.
With so much gratitude,
Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica
