Welcome to our monthly newsletter, where we highlight some of the amazing work our volunteer teams have been up to. Read on to learn about our teams’ accomplishments, how you can join a team, and opportunities to take action!
TEAM UPDATES
Read more about the teams and volunteer opportunities Volunteer Opportunities page
Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Fill out the Volunteer Form
Defund/Divest Team
Our team follows the money, working as part of the national coalition StopTheMoneyPipeline (STMP). We call on financial institutions, insurance companies, and the government to divest from the fossil fuel industry. Most of the 350PDX Defund/Divest Team is working to Divest Oregon: Reinvest in a Fossil-Free Future, a statewide coalition we founded – now nearly 100 organizations and hundreds of individual members strong! Divest Oregon’s latest news is that we are working with legislators, unions (OEA, SEIU, AFT and others) and a broad group of stakeholders to craft divestment legislation for the 2023 session.
Since we released Risky Business: Oregon Treasury’s Fossil Fuel Problem, which is a good source of info about Divest Oregon’s work, we have realized that the Oregon State Treasury has invested over half of the PERS fund in private, and secret, funds. We have managed to obtain the Climate Risk Assessment commissioned by the Treasury in 2021 and, even in the heavily redacted version we received, it is clear that action needs to be taken to address climate degradation and the shift in the energy sector. We are continuing public pressure on the Treasury and developing litigation as well as legislation. If you want to be engaged in Divest Oregon, or receive Divest Oregon action and meeting announcements, join the coalition’s mailing list.
GET CONNECTED: There are no monthly meetings of the 350PDX Defund/Divest Team at this time. But the team is still active! The Defund/Divest Team is engaged in multiple efforts to divest local educational institutions. Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350pdx.org) for a conversation about our team and to receive our weekly Defund/Divest team email. Click here to join the Divest Oregon team!
Forest Defense Team
TAKE ACTION: The Forest Defense team invites you to join with us and other members of the Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance at the Deep Roots Action Camp in the Flat Country Timber Sale, Willamette National Forest, on Sept. 16-18. Trainings include: organizing & participating in direct action, creating vibrant protest art, decolonization & forest defense, Know Your Rights, organizing with affinity groups, and more! For more information or if you need to borrow camping gear, reach out to: forestclimatecoordinator@
SAVE THE DATE: Divest from Wall Street Forestry: October 6th. There will be a rally in Portland to encourage TIAA to divest from Wall Street forestry (their subsidiary Nuveen Natural Capital owns a lot of Clatsop County and forest land worldwide, and is a big clearcutter!). This is being led by our comrades at Sunrise PDX, and we want to show up and support!
City/County Watchdog Team
Over the last year, the Watchdog team successfully advocated for the City’s Charter Commission to create a subcommittee dedicated to reforms for climate and environmental justice — and NOW we’re working to shape the proposals they’ll send to voters! On August 9, Watchdog team members Jena and Indi presented to the Charter Commission’s Climate and EJ subcommittee, where they urged the commission to consider amendments to the charter that would establish:
- environmental rights of Portlanders and assign the City as a public trustee responsibility to protect rights of residents
- a citywide participatory budgeting process to share in developing and allocating a portion of the City budget on climate related projects
- an ongoing Climate Assembly for Portlanders to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies for a rapidly changing climate
- a binding commitment for Portland to phase out fossil fuels
- consultation with tribes and Indigenous people on City legislation or policies that affect them securing prior consent prior to making changes that impact tribal land use
- forest defense and equitable tree canopy and regreening policies to benefit Portland residents, especially those adversely impacted by present city policies
350PDX Coalition Manager Indi Namkoong testified on August 30th Charter Commission Meeting w/ Public Comment | Portland.gov (see 57:12 to begin EJ testimony). As the Climate and EJ subcommittee considers proposals over the next two months, the Watchdog team will keep working with coalition partners and testifying at Charter meetings.
GET CONNECTED: Want to learn more about charter review or get involved with the 350PDX Watchdog team? Email indi@350pdx.org or brooke@350pdx.org .
TAKE ACTION: If you would you like to join us in advocating for changes that will transform Portland into the just and resilient city we need, please submit a comment form to the City Charter Commission using this form; and learn more about the charter review and the important phase 1 changes to Portland’s government and elections we’ll all be voting on in November here. Looking forward to working with you to push for Climate and environmental justice for all Portlanders, especially those residents most impacted by present harms to benefit towards a just transition.
Creative Team
The Creative Team has been supporting Divest Oregon in its campaign to achieve divestment of Oregon’s public funds from fossil fuels. We are also continuing to support the Gas-busters campaign’s messaging. Help us out by sharing the new 350pdx.org/methane webpage with info on the campaign and how we phase out “natural” gas in Multnomah County. Please also share around our Gas-busters video — “Natural gas in is the new lead paint“!
Next steps for the Creative Team include onboarding new core members, learning new Story Strategy tools and techniques, and creating training materials around 350PDX’s approach to Story-based Strategy for various constituents. We also started up a new Creative Team newsletter!
GET CONNECTED: Fill out this form to get on our roster and receive our newsletter!
Arts Team
In August the 350PDX Arts Team has worked on a remodel of the 350PDX Tabling efforts, learned to make drums and tambourines and practice rhythms and chants for use in rallies and marches, designed and prepared for paper mache-ing a new Mother Earth puppet, and used a group meeting for planning out our ideals and goals and how they translate into concrete actions.
Upcoming month of September: our monthly Art Build is scheduled for September 11, 1PM, at the 350PDX office space. We will work on Tabling materials, the face and body of the new Mother Earth puppet, and will rehearse our technique with our rhythm materials.
GET CONNECTED: If you’re interested in what we do on the 350PDX Arts Team, please contact 350PDX, or Donna Murphy, murph1949@aol.com. Our next Arts Team meeting is the 4th Monday of the month, September 26.
SW Team
Want to become better informed and active with local community? Do you live somewhere in Portland’s greater southwest, from PSU to Beaverton, the West Hills to Lake Oswego or beyond? 350 PDX’s SW Team welcomes newcomers of all identities, ages, experience and any level of energy or curiosity you can bring!
Currently, we are still working at getting our yard signs up in yards with permission of home owners. On Sunday, 9/11, we’ll be at Hillsdale Farmer’s Market with our signs and materials. Our goal is to encourage people to take one or more steps to begin – or increase – their support of solutions to the climate emergency. We aim to combat despair and inspire hope that leads to broader participation among more of our neighbors.
GET CONNECTED: Contact emilypolans
Washington County Team
The Washington County Team enjoyed a fantastic Vegan summer potluck meal instead of the usual Zoom meet-up August 20th – It was great to see each other in person and lots of great updates and ideas were shared. We’ll have a climate sign waving action at 11am in Hillsboro on Saturday September 10 – for details, please check our Facebook page. Our postcards campaign in support of retaining mature trees in the landscape to Washington County Commissioners and Hillsboro City councilors continues. We’re planning a new postcard writing events together in support of Postcards for Climate.
GET CONNECTED: We always welcome newcomers to our 6:30pm second Tuesday (online) meetings and at all our events. Find our meeting and events listings on the 350PDX calendar. Email 350WashCo@gmail.com to attend. Everyone is invited to join in all of our events. Please “like” our Facebook page for updates.
In solidarity,
350PDX Staff – Anissa, Brenna, Chris, Dineen, Emily, Indi, and Julia
350PDX Board & Team Leads
