September 2024 Updates & Events

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our now-monthly 350PDX newsletter, featuring team updates, action opportunities, upcoming events, and more!

One of our Fossil Fuel Resistance team’s main campaigns is bringing awareness around Zenith Oil Company and the dangers its transport through Portland poses to our city and beyond. We’re excited to share a short video that 350PDX’s Communications Manager Irene Tejaratchi Hess and Campaign Manager Dineen O’Rourke created about Zenith’s history and impact in Portland—and ways you can help.

Zenith has applied for an air quality permit with the State of Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and we will soon have a long-awaited and crucial opportunity to tell the DEQ that Zenith Energy must be stopped. Check out our instagram and twitter for updates. We’ll also update our newsletter subscribers as soon as we know the start date for the DEQ public comment period! In the meantime, please share this video with your loved ones and community.

Zenith Energy in Portland: a 350PDX Video

TEAM UPDATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Forest Defense Team

Protecting Forests for the Climate Book Talk & Panel Discussion, Sept 18th, 6:00pm, Stevens Pavilion at Hoyt Arboretum

Join Canopy of the Titans co-author Paul Koberstein, 350PDX Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell, and NW Forest Climate Organizer Alex Budd for an event highlighting past and present struggles to protect Pacific NW forests. Paul will read from Canopy of the Titans, followed by a panel discussion about the timber industry, climate justice, and how the struggle to protect PNW forests is changing in the 21st century.

Forests over Profits teach-in and rally, Sept. 24th & 25th

In the Pacific NW, mature & old growth forests are vital to preserve a livable climate and livable communities by mitigating the impacts of climate change. In Oregon, logging is the single largest source of climate pollution, and 70% of logging happens on privately owned forestlands and yet, the timber industry is increasingly working to position itself as a “solution” to the climate crisis even as it racks up profits from clearcutting the forest.

On September 24-26, Wall Street investors will join timber corporations, carbon offset & biomass companies in Portland for the annual “Who Will Own the Forest?” conference, rebranded this year as “Canopy: Forests + Markets + Society” after a significant public outcry and presence at last year’s conference.  Join us at noon on Wednesday, September 25th for a rally at the World Forestry Center to confront some of the biggest climate polluters, corporate forest clear-cutters, and false climate solutions peddlers!

To start things off, come to the False Climate Solutions Teach-In to learn more about how big polluters are using false solutions to dodge accountability for their role in the climate crisis. Tuesday, September 24th, 5:30pm at the 350PDX Climate Justice Workshop, 3639 N. Mississippi. We’ll hear from Thomas Joseph, Carbon Pricing Educator with the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Julia Bernal, Executive Director of Pueblo Action Alliance and the New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition. Food & drink provided – more info and RSVP at https://forestsoverprofits.org/

Northwest Forest Plan Webinar, September 10th

The Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance, of which 350PDX is a proud member, is hosting an online webinar on Tuesday, September 10th at noon about the ongoing revision of the Northwest Forest Plan which directs management on 19 National Forests in Washington, Oregon and Northern California.  This webinar will take a deep dive into key issues during this revision, including tribal inclusion, fire stewardship, and mature & old growth forest protections. RSVP here!

Save the date for the next Shade Equity Social – Tuesday, October 15th, 6-8 pm.

The 350PDX Forest Defense Team hosts quarterly events to connect the many people working at the intersection of urban forests, climate resilience and community justice.  Our next event will focus on the upcoming city election, exploring both how the various candidates are interacting with our Shade Equity Platform and discussing ways to ensure that whoever gets elected, protecting and expanding our urban canopy will remain a key issue in the new government.

Get Involved: Join the 350PDX Forest Defense Team!  We meet in person every first Monday and online every third Monday from 6-7:30.  For more information contact Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell at brenna@350pdx.org or team co-leads, Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org).

Outreach and Organizing

Get ready to meet your District 3 candidates, and learn about their climate priorities! Save the date for October 2nd at 6:00pm, at The Porch Coffee & Auditorium. A registration link will be available soon, reach out to Denise Lopez (denise@350pdx.org) if you’re interested in volunteering or helping out!

Climate Policy

Climate Protection Program

Good news—the deadline was extended to submit public testimony in support of the Climate Protection Program! Bad news—fossil fuel companies are sending out disinformation to try to drum up opposition to this important emissions reduction and community investment program. See more here or use this tool to submit a comment by September 27 at 4:00pm.

Testimony training! Transportation legislation needs your input

Join the Move Oregon Forward coalition, of which we’re a member, for a virtual testimony training on September 9 to prepare for 2025 statewide transportation legislation. Prepare to provide verbal or written testimony at upcoming stops on the Oregon Joint Committee on Transportation’s roadshow. Stops include: Hillsboro, Happy Valley, and a virtual hearing. Make sure climate and environmental justice realities are taken into account as Oregon prepares to pass this massive transportation package in 2025! Register here.

Portland Harbor Tour & Info Session

Join 350PDX, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, Mosquito Fleet, and other groups on September 21 for an info session and tabling about important issues relating to the Portland Harbor, such as the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, the Superfund, river health, and Indigenous rights. City council and mayoral candidates will be in attendance. Learn more and RSVP here.

Community Engagement

Be sure to sign up for the October 29 Volunteer Orientation at the 350PDX Office! Katie Hutchinson, our Community Engagement Manager, will give an overview of the organization and our campaign work at 350PDX. Pizza and drinks provided! Meet other new folks to the organization! RSVP here.

Book Club

Join the 350PDX Book Club for our October 2 read, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a book of essays weaving Indigenous wisdom, ecology, and science. We meet at the 350PDX office, 3625 N Mississippi Ave, from 6:00-8:00pm. Light refreshments (nonalcoholic drinks, beer, and wine) will be provided. Food is potluck style, please bring stuff to share if you can. RSVP here!

Brooklyn Team Update

The Brooklyn Climate Action team (BCAT) is continuing to keep eyes on NW Natural performing hydrogen blending at its facility in SE Portland. Some residents of the neighborhood spoke to the Oregon Capital Chronicle about their concerns and also published a personal commentary piece, providing great coverage and increased awareness around the issue.

With city council elections coming up, the BCATs plans to participate in District 3 organizing events, reach out to candidates, and share information about climate policy in the upcoming election.

Exciting news on the Brooklyn co-op front: Our local, omnivorous food co-op, Know Thy Food, is relocating to the 1400 block on SE Powell! Additionally, we now have our very own Cargo Bike Co-Op, loaning electric cargo bikes on an hourly or daily basis to Brooklyn residents. Check out their pages to see how you can get involved!

Do you live in the Brooklyn neighborhood and are concerned about climate justice? Join our email list here to get one or two action alerts a month. We also meet every second and third Thursday evenings- reach out to katie@350pdx.org for more information!

Arts Team

Sunday, September 8, is our Second Sunday Arts Build, 1:00-4:00pm, at 350PDX.

The Arts Team will be finishing up the supports for the forestry posters we painted last month. A few people will get even closer to completing our beautiful wall mural, and there might be other activities as well. Certainly there will be snacks, conversations, and connections to make. Please let Donna know if you’ll be there (Murph1949@aol.com).

350PDX’s Arts Team is hosting Donovan Zimmerman from Paperhand Puppet Intervention for a November residency in large political puppet-making. If you have a nearby space for him to stay for a week or a car he can use, please let Donna know!

Washington County Team

The Washington County Team will gather on Saturday, September 7 for our summer community potluck. We’ll resume monthly second Tuesday zoom meetings on October 8.

This summer, we sponsored and tabled at Bag&Baggage’s production of “Birds of North America”. Our next event will be sign-waving in Hillsboro on Saturday,September 21. Check our Facebook page for details. Our general activities include: connecting with activities of the Beaverton Climate Action and the Tigard Climate Action teams; continuing our campaign to encourage the Washington County Board of Commissioners to complete drafting and take action on an overdue County Climate Resolution; getting out the vote in this very important election year; stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our regular monthly 6:30pm second Tuesday (online) meetings and at all our events. Our next team meeting is Tuesday, October 8 (learn more on the 350PDX calendar). If you are in Washington County and would like to receive updates from us, please sign up HERE. You can also “like” our Facebook page for updates.

SW Neighborhood Team

The 350PDX Southwest Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland, from PSU to Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Bethany, Beaverton and Lake Oswego. We meet monthly on Zoom to plan for in-person actions, presentations, and discussions in our communities. Sign up on the 350PDX Volunteer Interest Form and indicate that you are interested in joining the group, or reach out to Pat at patk5@msn.com to learn more.

Here are some ways to get involved: (I) Participate in our monthly online planning meetings. Next meeting is Monday, September 8th at 6:30pm. (2) Sign up to distribute yard signs promoting Climate Action Now! at community events. (3) Join our weekly street corner demonstrations

Team members will be tabling at SW Sunday Parkways on September 22nd, and at Hillsdale Farmers Market on Sunday, October 13th to distribute signs to residents who support Climate Action Now! Do you have a highly visible location for a yard sign? Interested in scheduling a “How to Save Our Planet” presentation which is available to groups and community organizations? Please contact Pat (see email above).

“Unshakeable”

Free Event. September 29, 4:00pm-7:30pm @ Lovett Deconstruction 4315 NW Saint Helens Rd, Portland OR 97210

Meet with local organizations and government experts working on the issue of Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub safety in the face of an earthquake. Speakers will give presentations from 4:00pm-6:30pm, followed by an optional tabling hour to explore community resources. Register now to reserve your spot.

In love and gratitude,

The 350PDX staff –
Anissa, Brenna, Cherice, Denise, Dineen, Irene, Katie