Welcome to our monthly newsletter, where we highlight the amazing work our volunteer teams have been up to and how you can get involved! We are excited to welcome our new interns – Carys, Chris, Izzy, Matt, and Santiago. Learn more about them here! We also have a bittersweet announcement: after six years at 350PDX, our incredible Volunteer Manager, Chris, is moving on to new adventures. Join us in celebrating Chris, and launching our new workspace, on June 20 (look out for an email with more info!)

 

TEAM UPDATES

Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Fill out the Volunteer Form, or come to our 350PDX Volunteer Orientation!

 

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

This month, our team elevated the fight against Zenith Energy to the state level, by testifying with our partners and allies to the Oregon EQC, or the Environmental Quality Commission. 20 people passionately testified about the need for the state to investigate the City’s backroom deal that lead to Zenith’s 2022 land use permit before granting a key air quality permit to the company. To our disappointment, the state agency declined to hold an additional hearing on this matter, failing to listen to our movement, many state and county elected officials, and the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. We are not backing down. We know that the City of Portland failed our community by colluding with a Houston-based oil company. We know that our community deserves better than to continue to be put at risk from dangerous and explosive trains. We are continuing to fight and hold every level of government accountable for this negligence. Join us now to strategize and turn up the heat.

Our next meeting is one you won’t want to miss: On Tuesday, June 11 at 6:30 pm, join us for a tour of the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub, where Zenith Energy is located, to learn more about why our campaigns fighting back against the fossil fuel industry is so important. Meet us at 4931 NW Front Ave to start the tour, where you’ll get to see first-hand why we need to decommission tanks storing dangerous fuels. After the tour, we’ll head to Breakside Brewery in NW (1570 NW 22nd Ave) for dinner and drinks. Please RSVP to Dineen at dineen@350pdx.org so we know to expect you.

Are you in the Blast Zone of Zenith Energy’s dangerous trains?

Use our map on 350pdx.org/stopzenith to find out. If you are we can deliver to you a yard sign! Just reach out to stopzenith@350px.org and let us know your address.

 

Forest Defense Team

Shade Equity:

May was an exciting month for the Forest Defense team! The City of Portland is poised to pass a budget that includes $65 million in funding to launch a program for the city to maintain our vital street trees. The source of the funds is the awesome Portland Clean Energy Fund. Huzzah!

For several years, our team has been advocating for the change from adjacent landowners being responsible for street tree maintenance to the city managing this important component of our green infrastructure. Forest Defense team members recently testified in support of this item in the Mayor’s budget, and we thank all of you who have participated in this campaign over the years by writing postcards, talking to friends and neighbors, joining our shade equity Pedalpalooza rides, coming to Shade Equity Socials, etc. You helped make this change happen. Now, there’s a lot more work to be done to ensure that program implementation supports community involvement and fights the urban heat islands here in Portland.

Come celebrate this important victory with our team on our annual shade equity Pedalpalooza ride on July 17th.  We’ll be riding from Lents, the hottest neighborhood in Portland, to Ladd’s Addition, one of the coolest, feeling how the street tree canopy affects heat. We’ll end the ride by joining the 350PDX Action night in Laurelhurst Park! Find the details for the ride here.

Enjoying the forest together: 

An important part of working on forest issues is remembering to enjoy the forest. Last month, our team went for a beautiful hike on Mother’s Day in the Tillamook State Forest along Gales Creek. We have done a lot of advocacy to make state forest management a stronger tool to fight climate change and ensure that human and non-human residents of Oregon have refuge in a warming world. It was really rewarding to see a small part of a place we talk so much about, especially while so many understory plants were blooming. What a perfect place to celebrate the moms on the team, some team members’ moms who came out to hike, and the Earth, the mother of us all.

Join us at the “Forests Are Our Future” Rally at the Forest Service HQ, June 13th:

Mature and old-growth forests are some of our best climate solutions, but they are threatened by outdated policies that prioritize profits at the expense of our forests, communities, and climate. This year we have a chance to change that. The Biden Administration and Forest Service are creating forest management guidelines that offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to push for bold policy changes.

Join the PNW Forest Climate Alliance (of which 350PDX is a proud member!) and communities from across the PNW on June 13 for the Forests Are Our Future rally. We will call attention to the pivotal role our forests play in tackling climate change, and we’ll demand that our leaders protect them.

WHAT: Rally with speakers, music, art, community organization tabling, and lots of other ways to get involved. Family friendly!

WHEN: Thursday, June 13 at 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Terry Schrunk Plaza 431 SW Madison St (outside the Region 6 Forest Service office).

WHY: Demand the Biden Admin and Forest Service stop logging mature and old-growth forests and protect what’s left!

Hope to see you there!

Climate Justice Policy Team

The Climate Justice Policy Team has been tracking PCEF and the budgeting process at Portland City Council, speaking to Commissioners, and developing parts of a climate justice platform to share with City Council candidates. Here are some ways you can help!

• Keep up the pressure in support of PCEF: The Portland City Council and the PCEF committee and staff have been working hard collaborating on ways to use the overabundance of PCEF funds to make the most positive impact for mitigating climate change and ameliorating climate and environmental injustices. There are a couple more decisions coming up regarding the use of PCEF funds to help community based organizations build capacity and to support the proliferation and affordability of e-bikes. Please send this email to the Commissioners and Mayor to thank them for their hard work and for keeping PCEF focused on its original intentions of climate, environmental justice, and community benefit.
• Fill out the Climate Conversations survey if you live in Portland; and ask friends, neighbors, acquaintances, or others in your new City Council District to fill out the survey. This will help us gather information about what’s important to people in Portland regarding climate and environmental justice during this election cycle, and how they are thinking about climate resilience in their neighborhoods. It will also contribute to how we formulate a climate justice platform that reflects Portlanders’ concerns. Some options to consider:
  • Ask people to fill out a brief version of the Climate Conversations survey online.
  • Print out the Climate Conversations survey; ask people to fill it out on paper. You can drop off the paper copies to our office, take a photo and email it to us (cherice@350pdx.org), or mail the paper survey to us at 3625 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97227.
  • Meet with a friend or a group of people and discuss the questions on the longer Climate Conversations survey, then you can either summarize and send in their answers or ask them to fill out the survey (see links above). Here are some suggestions about Initiating a Climate Conversation:
    • You could meet a friend and discuss, or host a small gathering at your home or a local park.
    • Do you have a small group you meet with regularly, such as a book group, parents group, or faith community group? These groups would be ideal to ask to fill out the Climate Conversations survey, including folks who aren’t actively involved in 350PDX (so we get a better cross-section of Portland perspectives).
  • Attend a community event in your area and ask passersby to fill out the brief survey. We have clipboards with paper surveys if you want to pick them up at the office. Email Denise to arrange pickup (denise@350pdx.org).

Arts Team

Last month, in our wonderful workspace, we hosted 90 high-schoolers from Milwaukie’s Rex Putnam High School for the most enormous Artbuild we’ve ever had! Students created buttons, stencils, screen prints, banners, and puppets, understanding that art is a powerful route into the human brain. The morning went by quickly, and it was filled with hope at seeing these young climate activists.

You can help too! This Sunday, 1:00-4:00pm, is our Second Sunday June Art Build and we have lots to work on. We’ll complete several banners for the June 13th “Forests Are Our Future” rally. If we have enough workers, we’ll finish up the new improved tree puppet, and do some collaborative work with the Extinction Rebellion Art Team. We’ll also try to finish our newest mural.

GET CONNECTED: Let Donna know if you can join us. Murph1949@aol.com We hope to see you there!

 

SW Team

The Southwest Neighborhood Team, which includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland, works to raise awareness of the climate emergency.

Our street corner demonstrations continue weekly in June, and are scheduled for every Monday from 4:00 – 5:00pm at SW Oleson Road and SW Garden Home. In just one hour a week, we reach hundreds of commuters with our climate action signs, and raise awareness of the climate emergency. Street parking is available or take the bus or ride your bike. We have extra signs to share!

Our education efforts include one-hour presentations to work, civic, and social groups. To schedule a presentation, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com

GET CONNECTED:  Join our monthly meeting on Monday, June 10th, from 6:30-8:00pm on Zoom. A link will be sent out to SW Team members prior to our meeting. To get involved in our outreach actions, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com, or visit https://350pdx.org/campaigns/sw-neighborhood-team/

 

Storytelling Team

Our team uses storytelling to make the climate justice movement irresistible. In May, the team decided to create a mini-zine about biomass fuel, using Drax’s efforts to expand facilities in Longview, WA, as a case study. The zine will be distributed at the “Forests Are Our Future” rally. See Forest Defense Team section for info about the event!

Storytelling team member, Kami, will lead the project with Annie assisting.

GET CONNECTED:  Fill out this form to get on our creative roster, or reach out to Irene@350PDX.org.

 

Washington County Team

Our team tables for climate justice in our neighborhood, and hosts films and events around public education and mobilization for climate action. We host monthly sign-waving events on the third Saturday of the month. We normally meet online on the second Tuesday of the month. Due to travel, our June meeting will move to June 18 at 6:30pm

Our sign-waving team plans to be in action in Hillsboro on Saturday, June 22, from 11:00am-12:00pm. Check our Facebook page for more details.

GET CONNECTED:  We always welcome newcomers to our monthly meetings. If you’d like to attend, please contact Debby (debbygactivism@gmail.com) for the zoom link.

 

Brooklyn Neighborhood Team

We’re getting involved in District 3 organizing as part of 350PDX’s larger efforts to make climate justice a priority in November’s election.

In May, we held a “Climate Conversations” speed-dating night, where a gathering of 20 neighbors asked each other rapid fire questions about the climate crisis, neighborhood climate resilience, and what City Council can do about it. The issues we raised will feed into 350PDX’s climate justice platform.

Some other Brooklyn Neighborhood Team projects include mobilizing people in the neighborhood to Stop Zenith Energy, and supporting our local food co-op.

GET CONNECTED: Join our Brooklyn Climate Action Team mailing list here to get 1-2 emails a month with local action alerts. Know someone in our neighborhood? Forward this email onto them! Any questions, contact chris@350pdx.org.

 

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff
350PDX Board & Team Leads