Take Action Now
Here are the most effective quick actions you can take right now to fight for climate justice. Want to get more involved?
Climate change is scary, but there are meaningful actions that anyone can take to fight back. Help us build the just, resilient world we all deserve by signing the Pledge of Action! Whether you are brand-new to the movement or a seasoned activist, we want you to join us by taking the pledge.
Tell FERC to withdraw its approval of GTN XPress
BREAKING NEWS: Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave a big gift to the fossil fuel industry by approving the GTN Xpress fracked gas expansion. Immediately following this decision, our coalition announced our intention to challenge FERC’s approval in court by filing a Petition for Rehearing. Read our coalition statement here.
Timeframe: by Dec 13
Submit a public comment to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline
The Standing Rock Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and grassroots water protectors have led the resistance against the dirty Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) since the beginning. Now, thanks to their continued resistance and leadership, thousands of us have a chance to go on the record with our support and submit official public comments with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers against this dirty oil pipeline.
Following mass Indigenous-led protests and international outcries against the pipeline in 2016 and 2017, the Obama Administration correctly recognized the Corps’ obligation to evaluate the project in an environmental impact statement (EIS) process before approval. Soon after taking office, the Trump Administration reversed course, ignored the law, and pushed the project forward.
Now, following a 2021 court order, the Army Corps is taking public comments on its recently released Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the pipeline — providing us with an important opportunity to continue to Stand with Standing Rock and demand the shutdown of a pipeline that never should have been built to begin with.
Submit your written comment to the Army Corps of Engineers – by Dec 13 – and make sure you personalize it — tell them why it’s time to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline once and for all!
Take action to Stop Zenith!
Nov 16: Rumble on the River #10: Community Forum & Action Night
Join us Thursday, November 16 at 6 p.m. at Havurah Shalom (825 NW 18th) for our 10th community forum in the Rumble on the River series! In this series, we discuss the dangers of Zenith Energy’s oil-by-rail, how we can grow the movement to Stop Zenith from expanding their operations in our communities, and the future of the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) hub.
Oregon DEQ will soon open the comment period for Zenith Energy’s air quality permit, which is required for Zenith to continue its operations. During the past decade, public comments have been instrumental in dismissing numerous regional fossil fuel proposals in the Pacific Northwest. At this Rumble on the River forum, we’ll have a shorter-than-usual panel session as well as a comment writing workshop, where we’ll distribute talking points, provide tips for writing effective comments and move into small table groups—and get to writing!
Nov 17: Rally & Testify at the Environmental Quality Commission to STOP ZENITH
Join us on Friday, November 17, 10:30 am – 12 pm in-person at the DEQ office (700 NE Multnomah Street, Portland, Oregon 97232), or online (Zoom meeting info can be found here) to rally & testify at the Environmental Quality Commission to Stop Zenith!
WEAR RED! There will also be a street theater performance, with the main event being getting as many people as we can to testify directly to the state agency about Zenith. We need your voice to make this happen!
How do I testify? Write a short comment (one minute or less), or you can simply say your name and state that you agree with a previous comment. Here’s an example:
“My name is _____ and I live in _____. Please deny the Air Contaminant Discharge Permit for Zenith Energy because _______. Stop Zenith!”
Take action for clean air!
Here in Multnomah County, we have a huge opportunity to fight back against the gas industry and enact policies that ensure cleaner and safer air for us all to breathe. But the County needs to hear from YOU to take this action.
Join us in telling Multnomah County Commissioners: We need Clean Air Quality Standards NOW!
Chair Jessica Vega Peterson: 503-988-3308 mult.chair@multco.us
Sharon Meieran: 503-988-5220, district1@multco.us
Susheela Jayapal: 503-988-5219, district2@multco.us
Lori Stegmann: 503-988-5213, district4@multco.us
Julia Brim-Edwards: 503-988-5217, district3@multco.us
CALL SCRIPT
“Hi _____. My name is _____ , I live in ______. I’m calling because I am urging you to use your power as our local health authority to fight for air quality standards for our community. I’m concerned about appliances that leak dangerous methane gas and toxic pollutants in the buildings in our community, and I think it’s time for the County to take bold action. Pollution from our stoves, heaters, and fireplaces can cause conditions like asthma and heart failure. Please take action on this important issue.”
Take action now to Stop GTN Xpress!
After months of continued grassroots pressure, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will decide soon whether to approve TC Energy’s proposed GTN XPress pipeline expansion. The GTN XPress proposal would push even more fracked gas through a decades-old pipeline that crosses Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California. This decision is coming right after a TC Energy gas pipeline in Virginia ruptured, causing a catastrophic fire and explosion. This company has a horrible track record — TC Energy is the same company whose Keystone XL Pipeline spilled 600,000 gallons of crude oil into a Kansas stream earlier this year.
Is FERC really going to approve the risky project less than 48 hours after another major TC Energy pipeline failure? Help us increase the pressure on FERC in these final hours before their meeting in DC. Use this toolkit to call on FERC Commissioners to deny TC Energy’s application.
Sign the Stop Zenith Pledge of Resistance!
For years, community members across the city have been opposing Zenith Energy’s dangerous oil-by-rail operations. Together we’ve rallied, called, wrote, built a garden on the tracks, held a 60-hour vigil at the facility, educated our neighbors about the problem, sued the company, wrote songs, lobbied our elected officials, and so much more. Despite this ongoing organizing, Portland City Council turned its back on the people of Portland when it approved Zenith’s request to continue transporting crude oil through our community. Enough is enough. Join us in taking action to Stop Zenith!
While City Council has let us down, we are still doing everything in our power to show them that the people of Portland are saying NO to Zenith Energy’s oil-by-rail. Please also join us in signing this petition demanding City Council rescinds the permit they granted Zenith through these dirty backroom deals. Together, we can make our voices loud enough that they can’t ignore us.
Submit your writing and art to the Flash Futures PNW: A Climate Fiction & Art Contest!
We are accepting submissions of climate fiction in two categories — writing and visual art — for the 2023 Climate Fiction Competition, now through Sept 30, 2023. A committee of judges will select submissions from each category to be printed in a zine. They will also select a first, second, and third place winner in each category to receive a cash prize, in addition to being printed.
2nd Place (in each of 2 categories – writing and visual art): will receive $100
3rd Place (in each of 2 categories – writing and visual art): will receive $50
We will announce contest winners in winter 2023/2024, then we will launch the zine at an event in spring 2024. Contest winners will be invited to present their work at the event, and everyone who submitted will be invited to attend! The total number of submissions accepted for the zine will depend on how many we receive, but we hope to feature as many submissions as possible (in addition to the top three winners in each category). Our goal with this contest is to uplift your art and stories!
Join the 350PDX Book Club
A place for anyone interested in the climate justice movement to come together and talk about the most important books of our time
- We meet every other month, usually the second Wednesday 6:30pm-8pm, in the 350PDX Office (although this sometimes changes, so doublecheck)
- We sometimes have an additional virtual meet-up is there is demand, for folks who can’t make it in-person
- We alternate between fiction and non-fiction
- Need to borrow the book? Reach out and we’ll see what we can do!
Timeframe: ASAP
What can you do to take action?
Timeframe: ASAP
Sign the Petition & Write to Congress: Restore Federal Recognition for the Chinook Indian Nation
In 2001, the Chinook Nation obtained federal recognition from the U.S. government. However, celebration turned into heartbreak when the U.S. government rescinded this recognition eighteen months later.
The Chinook Indian Nation was essentially declared nonexistent in the eyes of the government. The nation has been unable to access programs and resources to which federally recognized tribes are entitled. Over the last 20 years, the lack of federal recognition has cost $200 million dollars, opportunities for youth, and countless lives.
Congress has both the power and authority to recognize tribes. We are calling on our elected officials to do what’s right and end this humanitarian crisis. Stop the genocide. Federally recognize the Chinook Indian Nation.
ASAP
Tell your local city and county leaders we need action to protect our communities from harmful methane gas!
Recently, a new report was released that details the public health impacts of methane gas in our community’s homes, apartments, and buildings. The report, Methane Gas: Health, Safety, Economic, and Climate Impacts, is authored by local leaders and experts in our community and 76 different organizations across the region signed on in support of its findings.
Join us in sharing this crucial information with your local City and County elected officials and policy makers. We need our political leaders to stand up for the climate and our health by making a just transition away from gas. As this report shows, research supports the rapid electrification of Pacific Northwest buildings as an affordable way to help meet Oregon’s carbon reduction goals and keep our communities healthy and safe. Thank you.
Timeframe: ASAP
East Portland Residents Oppose Prologis Distribution Center
“We, the members of the East Portland community, strongly oppose the proposed redevelopment of the old K-Mart location at 122nd and NE Sandy Blvd. into a 38-bay distribution center, proposed by ProLogis, Inc. This proposed development poses significant risks and concerns to our community’s health, safety, and well-being.
First, the increased truck traffic and air pollution will have severe impacts on the air quality in our neighborhoods, particularly for the most vulnerable members of our community, such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems. The constant noise and air pollution from the diesel trucks will not only be detrimental to the health of our community members but also create a disruption to the quality of life we cherish.” READ MORE HERE AND SIGN THE PETITION.
Timeframe: anytime – it’s not actually specific to summer, and we’re going to change the name soon to reflect that!
350PDX Climate Movement Fundamentals
A free, self-paced, online course that explores the fundamentals of the climate justice movement. 25 video lessons (90 minutes total) take you through three sections:
- People Power 101
- Climate Justice 101
- Finding Your Place In The Movement
This course was originally called 350PDX Summer School, as we made it over the summer of 2022, but the content is relevant all year round. In some of the videos you might hear it referred to as Summer School, so just a heads up!
Click here to enroll in the course.
Anytime
Join the 350PDX Creative Roster
Our Creative Team uses art and storytelling to make the climate justice movement irresistible.
This team does the whole creative process, from developing the story (or the narrative strategy) of our campaigns, to figuring out the most strategic way to get the story out to the right audiences, to producing all the banners, videos, songs, performances, creative direct actions, social media campaigns, press releases, webpages, animations, poems, and whatever else that will get our message out there.
The creative roster is our list of folks with creative skills that we can call on when we have a one-off need. Next time we need a songwriter or a photographer we’ll look through the roster and reach out to a few people who have those skills to see if they are free to help! Sign up here.
Deadline: ASAP
Wall Street CEOs: Stop Funding Climate Chaos
Wall Street banks and insurance companies are the largest financial backers of corporations expanding their fossil fuel operations. Since 2015, six US Banks have loaned nearly $500 billion to the 100 corporations most aggressively expanding fossil fuel operations. Insurance giants AIG, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, and Chubb are among the top ten insurance providers to the oil and gas industry.
Send the CEOs, executives, and top decision-makers of each of these corporations a message: they must pass policies prohibiting support for any company that is continuing to ignore climate science and expand its fossil fuel operations.
Deadline: ASAP
Take Action with Divest Oregon!
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly clear that fossil fuel investments are risky and dangerous. There has been a wave of organizations and states divesting from fossil fuels, most recently the State of New York. Still, the Oregon State Treasury remains invested in fossil fuels. Not only is the Treasury jeopardizing our state’s financial future by holding onto risky investments, but they are actively fueling the Climate Crisis. We’ve already seen the impacts of the crisis – from wildfires to droughts to heat waves. We’ve seen how Black and Indigenous People and People of Color, working people, and other marginalized groups are bearing the worst of these impacts.
Divest Oregon is a grassroots coalition of over 85 organizations, including 350PDX, fighting for our state to divest from fossil fuels and invest in our future.
Learn ways to take action with Divest Oregon!
Become a donor!
350PDX is a grassroots, volunteer led organization. Our supporters not only lead our campaigns and programs, but are foundational pillars in our funding. By making a gift to 350PDX, you are investing in the longevity of our organization and the role we play in building our local climate movement! Anything, from $10, to $20, to $100 helps us fund the movement, and lets us keep our focus on our campaigns instead of fundraising.
Thank you for your support and commitment to climate justice! Donate here.
Do a Facebook Fundraiser for 350PDX
Facebook can be a great tool for the climate movement. A movement grows through personal connections – when people see their friends involved it paves the way for themselves stepping in. By setting up a Facebook Fundraiser you can let your social network know why you care about the climate crisis, and encourage them to take a small first step into climate action – by donating. A birthday fundraiser raising $350 can be super effective at growing the movement! See our guide to Facebook Fundraisers here.
Get trained up on movement skills
There is a world of learning out there. We are standing on the shoulders of the movements and activists who came before us.
We encourage 350PDX volunteers to be on an ongoing journey of learning through their time as activists. Our trainings page has dozens of prerecorded trainings and resources for you to get skilled up, and also shows any upcoming live trainings we’re putting on.
Join the 350PDX Mailing List
We are building a people’s movement to fight for climate justice. Will you join us?
We send a weekly update with all the latest news and opportunities in the Portland climate justice movement, and occasional other action alerts and general emails throughout the month. Join the mailing list here.
Check out our monthly update
Each month we send out a update about what all our teams and campaigns are up to. This is the best place to learn what we are working on, and how best to get involved in our teams and campaigns. Read most recent update here.
Any questions? Email action@350pdx.org.
