350PDX Weekly Update – Crucial Zenith Victory – Oct 23 2019

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Hi everyone,

Thanks for everyone who joined us for our General Meeting this Monday!

We dived deep into debriefing the climate strike and 9 different tables came up with 9 rough proposals for what we should do next! A team of volunteers is now collating these proposals and ideas together to explore what Earth Day 2020 could look like in Portland, and we’ll hear from them again at the November General Meeting.

Here’s your 350PDX weekly update!

Updates

  • Victory! City Of Portland Denies Request To Add Pipes To Zenith Oil Terminal

    Thanks to intense community pressure from 350PDX and a range of other organizations the City rejected new pipes at the NW Portland site. Zenith has been exporting Canadian tar sands – the dirtiest fossil fuel in the world – through Portland for over a year. We organized a 60 hour vigil outside the facility last month, and made shutting it down a central demand of the 15,000+ person climate strike to Mayor Ted Wheeler. This decision to deny a permit shows that people power is working! Thank you to all the folks organizing around this, and all the folks showing up at these critical protests and meetings! Want to get involved in the campaign? Give dineen@350pdx.org an email! Read more and share this important victory here and here.

  • Oregon Secretary Of State Rejects Ballot Proposal On Immigrant Driver’s Licenses

    An attempt to repeal a new law that grants undocumented immigrants driver’s licenses has been deemed unconstitutional and can’t proceed. We at 350PDX recognize that climate breakdown is disproportionately impacting the global south and climate justice is so closely tied with immigrant justice, and so welcome this decision! HB 2015 was passed earlier this year. It eliminates the requirement that a person provide proof of legal presence in order to get a state driver’s license.

  • “Kamayan Ng Bayan” or “The People’s Dinner”

    Join Anakbayan & Gabriela Portland for a feast of Filipino food & cultural performances! The Philippines is now the deadliest place in the world for environmental activists, yet despite this a vibrant community of environmental justice groups fights for the climate and for justice. Anakbayan and Gabriela are two of those organizations, and this is a great opportunity to support the crucial work they do. A “kamayan” is Filipino feast where participants eat with their hands. Sat Nov 2, 6:00PM – 8:00PM. $25/ticket, details here.

Requests

Opportunities

  • Trade War or Cold War?

    Mon Oct 28, 6:30PM – 8:30PM @ SEIU Local 49, 3536 SE 26th Ave, Portland

    International trade, particularly between these the US and China, has enormous repercussions for fossil fuel infrastructure here in the Pacific Northwest. The proposed Kalama methanol refinery (slated to be the biggest in the world) just 38 miles from Portland is from a Chinese government run company. This event will be a panel conversation on the US-China “Trade War”, going beyond the headlines and hearing from frontline voices – workers, colonized peoples and others whose voices have been drowned out by the pro-corporate and pro-militarist media as two superpowers escalate tensions. Including speakers from local Philippine organization BAYAN who have a strong climate justice focus and joined the climate strike last month. Facebook event.

  • Metro 2020 Taskforce Meeting – Write & Submit Testimony!

    Wed Oct 30, 5:30PM – 8:00PM @ Metro Regional Center, council chamber, 600 NE Grand Ave, Portland

    Metro is now preparing a transportation improvement measure for the November 2020 ballot. Referred to as Metro 2020, this measure will propose approximately $20 billion in funding for transportation improvements in the Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas county region. A transportation task force has been meeting to determine the corridors, programs, and projects that will receive improvements. At this meeting, the task force will be discussing the projects that Metro staff recommends be selected for inclusion in the bond.

    The more people showing up to these meetings, the more scrutiny and pressure we can exert to make this a green new deal for transportation, instead of billions of dollars for fossil fuel car infrastructure! Write a letter to submit as written testimony, sign up to testify, or just show up in support. Wear red! Contact Jessie – jessielucidamaran@gmail.com – with any questions. Read a guide on how to testify at the Metro 2020 Taskforce meeting here!

  • PDX Forward – Climate Justice

    Wed Oct 30, 6:00PM – 7:30PM @ Shine Distillery & Grill, 4232 N. Williams Ave, Portland

    Join our very own Anissa Pemberton, along with spokespeople from the Sunrise Movement and PCEF (Portland Clean Energy Fund) for a panel and evening of mingling. “With the recent massive climate strike, the ongoing implementation of the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), and the Green New Deal gaining momentum there is no better topic for our October event than Climate Justice!”. Portland Forward – “an intergenerational learning hub for the political process”

  • NE Team Special Meeting: What’s happening with the Climate Action Plan and the 100% Renewable Commitment?

    Wed Oct 30, 7:00PM – 8:30PM @ Leaven Community Center (corner of NE Killingsworth and NE 20th Ave)

    Come along and hear an update from our Watchdog Team, who will give a presentation to the NE 350PDX team about the relationship between the City/County Climate Action Plan and the 100% Renewable Commitment. We’ll discuss what we know of plans to lower emissions via the Climate Action Plan and to achieve 100% Renewable Energy. Additionally, we’ll outline what some other cities are doing to reach 100% Renewable Energy across sectors.

  • County Resolution Opposing Fossil Fuel Infrastructure

    Thurs Oct 31, 9:30AM – 11:30AM @ 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland

    Join us on October 31, at the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners meeting, to support their new resolution opposing fossil fuel infrastructure! Wear red! This resolution is important. Not only does it set out the County’s opposition to new and expanded fossil fuel infrastructure, but it outlines their goal to hold industries financially accountable for the risks they impose on communities – from spills, explosions, and derailments – and climate change. We’ll hear testimony from experts, activists and residents. Facebook event here, read the resolution here, and more info here.

  • Give!Guide Kickoff Party

    Fri Nov 1, 5:00PM – 7:00PM @ Jupiter NEXT, 900 East Burnside Street, Portland

    We’re in the Give!Guide again this year, woohoo! Join us for this free + all ages party with “Do-gooder tarot readings; Future Feels 2030: an interactive exhibit about climate change; Photo madness with Happymatic Photo Booth; A chance to cut all the rugs with DJ Le’Mix (Greg LeMieux); Tasty food and drinks from Diageo (vegan and non-alcoholic options); A fiery raffle featuring items from Patagonia Portland, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Tillamook Creamery and more!”

  • Huge Salem Rally – Gov. Brown: The Time is Now #StopJordanCove

    Thurs Nov 21, 11:00AM – 12:30PM @ Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St NE, Salem Wear red!

    Save the date! Governor Brown, communities across the Pacific Northwest are calling on you to join them by stopping the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and fracked gas pipeline. For over a decade, this project has threatened private and public lands, tribal sites and cultural resources, public safety, and existing jobs in fishing, tourism, and more. Governor Brown cannot claim to be a climate champion while remaining silent on a proposed fracked gas export project that would become Oregon’s single largest climate polluter.

    That’s why our communities will join together at a rally at the state capitol to tell Kate Brown that the time is now: deny all state permits, challenge the Federal Government’s power grabs, and join us in protecting health, safety, and our climate from Jordan Cove LNG.

    We will rally on the front steps of the State Capitol Building (900 Court St NE) in Salem, OR at 11:00am on Thursday, November 21st.

Thank you all for the work that you do, and for being part of this wicked and warm movement,
Chris – 350PDX Volunteer & Communications Coordinator

350PDX Weekly Update – Wanna be a kayaktivist? – Oct 16 2019 Let Metro know – we need a bold transportation plan!