350PDX November Team & Campaign Update

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Happy November! Welcome to our monthly newsletter, where we highlight some of the amazing work our volunteer teams have been up to. We also want to take this moment to offer some resources for National Day of Mourning tomorrow. Together, let’s continue our commitments to decolonizing ourselves, our communities, and our movements.

The Indigenous Solidarity Network created this extensive Rethinking Thanksgiving Toolkit, which includes accurate histories of this “holiday” and answers to common myths, questions you can use as prompts around the dinner table, places to donate and support Indigenous-led movements and organizations, and lots of resources on decolonizing and reparations.

“There are many different experiences we will have over Thanksgiving – some of us will have lots of food, some of us will struggle to have enough. Some will be surrounded by people and some will be alone or with just one other person. For many, it’s an important time of coming together with family. This day also gives us a chance to look at and change stories we have about our families and ourselves. Thanksgiving is based on myths that hide and erase the genocide that the United States is founded upon. What would it mean to tell a different story; an honest story?

This past year has been filled with an emboldening of white supremacy. At the same time, more and more people are working to create something different. We cannot expect that justice will ever come if we are not willing to face the injustices of our past and present. Holidays can be a time to connect and talk about these realities and touch people’s hearts in profound ways. This can be fertile ground for lasting change.” — Indigenous Solidarity Network, from their Rethinking Thanksgiving Toolkit.

We also recommend listening to this podcast episode from All My Relations: ThanksTaking or ThanksGiving? and donating money to the Chúush Fund from the Warm Springs Reservation. The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs is the largest reservation in Oregon, and since May of 2019 they have not had access to clean drinking water after a water main line broke. You can learn more about this issue from a webinar here.

Read on to learn about our team’s accomplishments, how you can join their work, and opportunities to take action!

350PDX December General Meeting

Join our next General Meeting Wednesday Dec 8, 6:00PM – 7:15PM on Zoom. These monthly General Meeting are open to all. Whether you’re a new or existing volunteer with us, these meetings are a great place to meet staff and other volunteers, hear what the other teams are up to, and deep dive into a specific topic. In December, we’ll hear from our new Forest Climate Manager, Brenna Bell, who will be diving into the climate science and ecology of our forests, and what the 350PDX Forest Defense team is doing about it. Hope to see you there!

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

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

We continue to be hard at work in our campaigns to fight the dangerous myth of “natural” gas. Did you know that cutting methane is the strongest lever we have to address climate change in the next 25 years? And at COP26, countries around the world signed a global pledge to reduce methane emissions. But locally, we still have incessant greenwashing to fight coming from local utilities. That’s why we’re developing educational materials to share with our legislators and neighbors about the dangers of methane gas, and calling on Multnomah County to enact a ban on new buildings hooked up to fossil fuels.

TAKE ACTION:

Send a message to Oregon Public Broadcasting telling them to stop airing greenwashed advertisements from the fossil fuel industry. You may have heard on the radio — OPB has been airing ads for NW Natural, allowing the gas utility to manipulate public opinion and share misinformation about gas. Our public radio should not be taking money from the fossil fuel industry — send this tool to your friends to help us get lots of messages to OPB!

Submit a public comment against the Carty Generating Station, a fracked gas power plant in Boardman, OR. PGE is seeking a new permit to allow more air pollution at the facility. Let’s make sure the Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality hears from us loud and clear: don’t give PGE a green light to pollute!

GET CONNECTED: It’s a great time to join the team! We meet virtually every other Tuesday at 5:30pm, and our next meeting is on Tues, Nov 30. To get the zoom link and/or to schedule a new member orientation meeting, reach out to Melanie (melanie.plaut@gmail.com).

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. This year, the 350PDX Defund/Divest Team started a the statewide coalition: Divest Oregon: Reinvest in a Fossil Free Future.

What’s happening now:

  • Divest Oregon: Reinvest in a Fossil-Free Oregon – a statewide coalition that our team helped to found – is now 70+ organizations strong! We’re pressuring the Treasurer and Oregon Investment Council to end new investment in fossil fuels, disclose the holdings they manage, transparently phase out current fossil fuel investments, and move to climate-safe investments using a social justice framework. How much are we talking about? $120 Billion, $90 Billion of which is state employees’ retirement.
  • Divest Oregon workgroups reflect our multifaceted campaign: Outreach (to organizations, individuals, and legislators asking them to join us), Legislation (to support a bill for Treasury disclosure of the holdings they manage and mandating climate risk analysis), Research (to back public records requests and inclusion on gubernatorial candidate questionnaires), Communications (media outreach and social media campaigns), and Strategy (to keep it an effective effort!) See slides from our November general meeting for an overview.
  • The Defund/Divest Team is taking a break from monthly meetings until the end of January. We keep communication going with a weekly email about actions of our team and our allies, such as pressure campaigns on corporations and the government and support for frontline resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure. Local divestment campaigns in educational institutions are ongoing, with our team providing resources and support.

TAKE ACTION: Tell the State of Oregon to divest from fossil fuels

GET CONNECTED: Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350pdx.org) for a conversation about our team and to receive our weekly team email. Meetings are the third Wednesday of the month at 2 pm; workgroups meet during both day and evening. Click here to join the Divest Oregon team! Meetings are the third Wednesday of the month at 2 pm; workgroups meet during both day and evening.

Forest Defense Team

We fight climate change by protecting Oregon’s forests from harmful logging practices and building forest climate resilience. One of the biggest community impacts of industrial logging is the degradation of community water supplies. Our team is working on a multi-level approach to reduce industrial clear-cut logging, which will lead to greater carbon storage and cleaner water for people and fish!

Over the past month, the Forest Defense Team:

  • Encouraged the Board of Forestry to adopt the Oregon Department of Forestry’s first Climate Change & Carbon Plan – which passed unanimously! Thanks to all who sent messages to the Board of Forestry urging them to take bold action on climate. Now, the Forest Defense Team is going to make sure the CCCP is implemented!
  • Urged the Oregon Environmental Quality Commission to take more responsibility for forest waters, including regulating logging practices to bring streams and lakes into compliance with the Clean Water Act. We submitted comments connecting clean water and climate change and urging real change in forestry regulation.
  • Took a great hike together in Tryon Creek State Park! We’re planning another team hike on Saturday December 18th, and all are welcome.

TAKE ACTION: Join members of the Forest Defense Team on December 9th at Bark’s People’s Forest Forum: Unsettling Mt. Hood Ecologies for critical discussions about race, colonization, conservation and place.

GET CONNECTED: Join us at our next team meeting on December 6th at 6:00pm to learn about issues of equity (or lack thereof) in the Urban Tree canopy with Ted Labbe of the Urban Greenspaces Institute, or contact Brenna Bell (brenna@350pdx.org) to learn more.

City/County Watchdog Team

We’re ramping up efforts to get environmental justice and climate action addressed in the City Charter Review process. The City’s charter is like its constitution, and the review process is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to transform structural barriers into supportive and responsive systems and institutions that will support Portland in surviving and thriving for the decades to come.

TAKE ACTION: Submit a public comment on the Charter Review process by Dec 9th.

GET CONNECTED: Join us at our next Watchdog meeting on Thursday, December 2, 5:30-7pm. Contact Brooke (brooke@350pdx.org) or Indi (indi@350pdx.org) for meeting details or for more info about the team.

Creative Team

Right now, we’re collaborating with the Fossil Fuel Resistance team on their gas campaign. Over the summer we started exploring how a story-based strategy might shape how the campaign is shared with various audiences. After a pause, we’re picking that back up and considering which words, images and methods might help us reach a specific target audience with limited resources. We’re also planning to work on our training offerings so new folks can get up to speed on what a “story-based strategy” is.

Some things we’re attending / exploring right now:

GET CONNECTED: Fill out this form to get on our roster. 

Arts Team

These past few months, the 350PDX Arts Team hosted fun Art Builds, assembled posters, repaired puppets, wrote poetry, painted Earths, and screenprinted muslin. You can do all this, too! Join us as we add visuals, color, and texture to Portland’s climate movement.

In November, we also launched our Arts Team Fundraiser! The fundraiser was so successful last year we are doing it again, and you can help. Reach out to Donna Murphy (murph1949@aol.com) if you’re interested in helping out with the art sale! You can also purchase pieces from the art sale here – all proceeds go to 350PDX to support our climate justice work!

GET CONNECTED: Join us for our monthly meetings – next meeting is Dec 27, 7:00-8:30pm. Reach out to Donna Murphy (murph1949@aol.com) for more information.

JEDI Team

This month the JEDI Committee is focusing on making 350PDX more accessible, specifically our virtual team meetings. Some of the ways we’re continuing that journey is by ensuring that we use Zoom’s live captioning in all our Zoom meetings; making sure to give folks the opportunity to let team leads know if they have accessibility needs before meetings, and providing resources and advice for teams to meet those needs; and doing a better job of providing materials ahead of time, so folks know what to expect in the meeting, and can get caught up beforehand.

SW Team

The 350 SW Team has been an active neighborhood team of 350PDX since 2015. We have about a dozen active people, with others who follow what we’re doing and join us for our monthly Monday meeting when they can. You’re welcome to check us out!

What’s happening now:

  • Climate Action Now – sidewalk sign-holding/waving to drivers every Wednesday, 3:30-4:30 p.m. through December 1, 2021. Since daylight is waning, we’ll resume again on January 5, 2022 at the corner of SW 35th and Multnomah Blvd, if it’s not raining. We have signs to share! Please check the 350PDX calendar for details and join us if you can.
  • We’re sending individual comments on behalf of forward-looking climate policies (Carty Generating Stn, DEQ to protect water quality, Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability re: clean air and City of Portland’s Charter Review).
  • We’re starting a process to decide which campaigns we might engage in ongoing as a team. Please join us the third Monday of January (January 17, 2022) on Zoom, 6:30-8:00 p.m. to participate. Newcomers welcome!

GET CONNECTED: Contact emilypolanshek@msn.com or patk5@msn.com to get on our email list or find out more about us!

Washington County Team

GET CONNECTED: The 350 Washington County team meets virtually at 6:30pm on second Tuesdays. For more info or to join the group, please contact Debby Garman at debbygactivism@gmail.com

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Brenna, Chris, Dineen, Gaby, Indi, Jana, and Julia
350PDX Board & Team Leads

350PDX October Team & Campaign Update

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Happy October! 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 their accomplishments, how you can join a team, and opportunities to take action!​

350PDX November General Meeting

Join our next General Meeting Monday Nov 8, 6:00PM – 7:15PM on Zoom. These monthly General Meeting are open to all. Whether you’re a new or existing volunteer with us, these meetings are a great place to meet staff and other volunteers, hear what the other teams are up to, and deep dive into a specific topic. This month will be a good first chance to meet our new staff members, Brenna, Julia, and Jana. Hope to see you there!

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

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

We’re hard at work in campaigns to fight the dangerous myth of “natural” gas. Did you know that cutting methane is the strongest lever we have to address climate change in the next 25 years? That’s why we’re developing educational materials to share with our legislators and neighbors about the dangers of methane gas. We’re also calling on Multnomah County to enact a ban on new buildings hooked up to fossil fuels and fighting the incessant greenwashing and misinformation campaigns coming from our local utilities, like NW Natural.

TAKE ACTION: Submit a public comment against the Carty Generating Station, a fracked gas power plant in Boardman, OR. PGE is seeking a new permit to allow more air pollution at the facility. Let’s make sure the Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality hears from us loud and clear: don’t give PGE a green light to pollute!

GET CONNECTED: We meet virtually every other Tuesday at 5:30pm, and our next meeting is on Tues, Nov 9. To get the zoom link, reach out to Melanie (melanie.plaut@gmail.com) and Dineen (dineen@350pdx.org).

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.

What’s happening now:

  • Divest Oregon: Reinvest in a Fossil-Free Oregon – a statewide coalition that our team helped to found – is pressuring the Oregon Investment Council to end new investment in fossil fuels, transparently phase out current investments by 2026, and reinvest in climate-safe investments using a social justice framework.
  • Deadline Glasgow: Defund Climate Chaos – STMP is demanding that all financial institutions stop financing the corporations engaged in climate destruction and human rights abuses, with actions pressuring leaders at the Glasgow Climate Talks (COP 26).
  • Support of frontline resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure such as Line 3, a tar sands pipeline in Minnesota
  • Local divestment campaigns in educational institutions, with our team providing resources and support

TAKE ACTION: Tell the State of Oregon to divest from fossil fuels

GET CONNECTED: Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350pdx.org) for a conversation about our team and to receive our weekly team email. We meet on the 4th Thursday of every month, 7-8:30 pm.

Forest Defense Team

We fight climate change by protecting Oregon’s forests from harmful logging practices and building forest climate resilience. One of the biggest community impacts of industrial logging is the degradation of community water supplies. Our team is working on a multi-level approach to reduce industrial clear-cut logging, which will lead to greater carbon storage and cleaner water for people and fish!

Over the past month, we’ve been:

  • Working with North Coast communities to learn more about their struggles with pesticide pollution and reduced streamflow in their water sources – with an aim to help improve watershed management there.
  • Urging the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to take more responsibility for forest waters, including regulating logging practices to bring streams and lakes into compliance with the Clean Water Act. We submitted comments connecting clean water and climate change and urging real change in forestry regulation.
  • Working to change state level leadership that will prioritizing fighting climate change and protecting the water.

TAKE ACTION: Urge the Board of Forestry to adopt the Climate Change & Carbon Plan – submit a comment by Oct 31

GET CONNECTED: Join us at our next team meeting on Nov 15th at 6:00pm or contact Brenna Bell (brenna@350pdx.org) to learn more. Take a hike with the Forest Defense Team in Tryon Creek State Park from 1:00-3:00pm on Saturday, Oct 30. We’ll meet in front of the Nature Center (11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd).

City/County Watchdog Team

We’re ramping up efforts to get environmental justice and climate action addressed in the City Charter Review process. The City’s charter is like its constitution, and the review process is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to transform structural barriers into supportive and responsive systems and institutions that will support Portland in surviving and thriving for the decades to come.

TAKE ACTION: Submit a public comment on the Charter Review process by Dec 9th.

GET CONNECTED: Join us at our next Watchdog meeting on Thursday, November 4, 5:30-7pm. Contact Brooke (brooke@350pdx.org) or Indi (indi@350pdx.org) for meeting details or for more info about the team.

Solidarity Team

Our Solidarity Team organizes in the intersections of climate justice and social justice movements through genuine partnership and coalition building. Email dineen@350pdx.org and indi@350pdx.org to join the team or for more info.

Creative Team

Right now, we’re collaborating with the Fossil Fuel team on their gas campaign. Over the summer we started exploring how a story-based strategy might shape how the campaign is shared with various audiences. After a pause, we’re picking that back up and considering which words, images and methods might help us reach a specific target audience with limited resources.

We also wrapped up a set of social media graphics with the Divest/Reinvest team last month, thanks to a fabulous volunteer with beautiful graphic design skills. Finally, we’re planning to work on our training offerings so new folks can get up to speed on what a “story-based strategy” is.

Some things we’re attending / exploring right now:

GET CONNECTED: Fill out this form to get on our roster. 

Arts Team

In September and October, 350PDX Arts Team hosted fun Art Builds, assembled posters, repaired puppets, wrote poetry, painted Earths, and screenprinted muslin. You can do all this, too! Join us as we add visuals, color, and texture to Portland’s climate movement. In November, we’ll continue on promoting COP26 and organizing our Arts Team Fundraiser. The fundraiser was so successful last year we are doing it again, and you can help. We need artists to donate their work!! We need team members to help the sale sail smoothly through November and December by delivering and picking up items and marking it all down on a spreadsheet. Reach out to Donna Murphy (murph1949@aol.com) if you’re interested.

GET CONNECTED: Join us for our monthly meetings – next meeting is Nov 22, 7:00-8:30pm. Reach out to Donna Murphy (murph1949@aol.com) for more information.

JEDI Team

This month, we launched our first ever Conflict Cohort for 350PDX active volunteers, with 18 folks joining the 6-month training series. Conflict avoidance is a white supremacy cultural trait that holds us back as individuals, as teams, and as a movement. This cohort aims to build healthy conflict skills among folks on the staff, board, and 350PDX volunteers.

We will begin with exploring our individual styles of dealing with conflict – whether that’s to jump in and fight, or to avoid the difficult topic altogether. From there, we will build skills and awareness for making conflict useful, finding the positive change that is trying to happen, and assisting it to unfold. We will also deepen our understanding of power and privilege in all its forms, and respectful ways to intervene early in oppressive situations. The sessions are being led by Elva Redwood, a 350PDX volunteer on the JEDI committee, experienced Processwork counselor and facilitator, and trauma specialist.

SW Team

The 350 SW Team has been an active neighborhood team of 350PDX since 2015. We have about a dozen active people, with others who follow what we’re doing and join us for our monthly Monday meeting when they can. You’re welcome to check us out!

Recently, members of our team have submitted comments to advocate for strong rules in DEQ’s Climate Protection Plan and to OR State Treasurer Tobias Read to oppose PERS investments in fossil fuel energy companies. Some of us have been holding signs for Climate Action Now (met by many friendly honks and waves) at busy SW intersections most Friday mornings (8:00-9:00am), weather permitting.

GET CONNECTED: Contact emilypolanshek@msn.com or patk5@msn.com to get on our email list or find out more about us!

Washington County Team

Over the past weeks our team made a major push to deliver comments on the DEQ/EQC hearings on The Climate Protection Program (CPP) in advance of the October 25 Deadline. At our last meeting, we agreed to adopt Bagley Park in downtown Hillsboro for pollinator stewardship and a dose of public education on climate and environmental issues. We are developing a campaign to inform the Washington County Board of Commissioners about the importance of retaining mature trees in the landscape.

We’re partnering with the Hillsboro’s Bag & Baggage Theater for a Climate Change Theater Action. At this live community event, B&B actors will present short plays and the Washington County Team will lead a discussion of ways to take climate action locally. Join us on Saturday, Nov 13, at the Vault Theater (350 E Main St in Hillsboro).

GET CONNECTED: The 350 Washington County team meets virtually at 6:30pm on second Tuesdays. For more info or to join the group, please contact Debby Garman at debbygactivism@gmail.com

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Brenna, Chris, Dineen, Gaby, Indi, Jana, and Julia
350PDX Board & Team Leads

350PDX August Team & Campaign Update

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Happy August! Here’s this month’s team & campaign update newsletter.

We hope you’re on a high from yesterday’s Zenith Energy permit denial. It’s massive news and is testament to the years of incredible work of our Fossil Fuel Resistance team, our volunteers, our staff (especially Dineen!) and our coalition partners.

350PDX August General Meeting

Join for our next General Meeting, on Monday Aug 30 6:00PM – 7:15PM, on Zoom. Register here.

We’ll kick off with a Climate Emotions Check-in, and then dive into a reportback from some folks who went out to Minnesota to the Line 3 protest camps.

Climate Emotions Check-in – Facilitated by longtime 350PDX volunteer and workshop facilitator Barbara Ford, we will take some time to reflect together and share in small groups how we are doing. You are free to share, or just to listen. We will also share some plans for other events like this, and solicit ideas for what might be fun and supportive ways to grow our sense of community.

We’ll then hear what some of our teams are up to, and any other announcements. Hope to see you there!

TEAM UPDATES

Read more about the teams and what volunteer opportunities they have on our Volunteer Opportunities page
Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Fill in the Volunteer Form

Fossil Fuel Resistance

Our Fossil Fuel Resistance Team just made a huge dent in its main campaign – stopping Zenith Energy! We sent a dedicated email about that victory yesterday which you can read here. This is AMAZING news, and the result of years of hard work by volunteers, staff, and our coalition of partners!

Our team has also been hard at work releasing the Methane Gas: Health, Safety, and Decarbonization: Setting the Record Straight report. This report, supported by 64 organizations throughout Oregon and Washington, brings together over 90 sources of research to outline the myriad of dangers of methane, fracked gas, and gas in the buildings we live, work, and gather in. From the significant health impacts that burning gas in homes has on children, to the ever-growing climate pollution generated by gas appliances, we aim to reveal the true cost of methane and fracked gas on our communities. Can you help us spread the word about this report on social media and to our City officials.

To join our team, reach out to Melanie (melanie.plaut@gmail.com) and Ana (apyz875@gmail.com).

Defund/Divest

Our team follows the money and works as part of a national coalition StopTheMoneyPipeline (STMP) to end massive support for the fossil fuel industry by financial institutions, insurance companies, and the government. Happening now? Deadline Glasgow: Defund Climate Chaos, demanding that all financial institutions stop financing and funding the corporations engaged in climate destruction and human rights abuses by the start of the Glasgow Climate Talks (COP 26) on November 1. Related work is our support of frontline resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure such as Line 3, a tar sands pipeline in Minnesota owned by Enbridge Energy. We are an ongoing resource for divestment campaigns in local educational institutions AND we are working toward a public launch in September of a Divest Oregon campaign, by a statewide coalition which includes our team.

Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350pdx.org) for conversation about our team, and ask to be sent our weekly team email. We meet on the 4th Thursday, 7-8:30 pm. For more go to our team web pages.

Forest Defense

The Forest Defense team has been exploring Oregon forest water issues and connecting with other organizations for a potential collaborative effort. We also look forward to working with the new 350PDX Forest Campaign Manager Brenna Bell starting in early October!

We virtually meet first and third Mondays 6pm – contact Leslie for info (lesliegrush@gmail.com)

Solidarity

Our Solidarity Team organizes in the intersections of climate justice and social justice movements through genuine partnership and coalition building. Email dineen@350pdx.org and indi@350pdx.org to join the team or for more info.

City/County Watchdog

The past month has been busy! On July 29, Watchdog teamed up with Fossil Fuel Resistance to testify at the City’s first progress report on the Climate Emergency Declaration that was passed over a year ago. We talked about the urgent need for community engagement, funding, stopping the greenwashing about renewable natural gas, and stopping Zenith. While there has been great news about Zenith, we will continue to push on the other matters. The team is also following up on new information about the City’s Clean Air & Healthy Climate Fees Proposal and we continue to collaborate with the Portland Metro People’s Coalition on the City’s Charter Review.

We meet monthly on the first Thursday of the month from 5:30-7 PM. Contact Brooke (brooke@350pdx.org) or Indi (indi@350pdx.org) for more info about the team or to join a meeting!

Creative Team

The Creative Team has some projects up our sleeves and we need more folks to help us pull them off!

Join us for a one-off thing or more regularly. Fill out this quick form to get on our roster. 

The 350PDX Community-Based Creative Team makes the climate justice movement so beautiful and compelling, it’s irresistible to join! We are writers, videographers, graphic designers, photographers, project managers, story strategists, puppeteers, actors, screen-printers… you get the idea. We help figure out a campaign’s narrative strategy, and produce gorgeous creative products that surprise and delight, while bringing the campaign’s story to life.

OTHER UPDATES

Staff

A big welcome to our newest staff member Jana Hughes (she/her) who is our new Finance & Operations Manager. Here’s a little about Jana. Feel free to reach out to say welcome at jana@350pdx.org.

“Growing up shuttled between San Francisco and Dallas, TX; Jana hitchhiked to Portland in 1992 and, like 5 generations of resilient women before her, has called Oregon home ever since.

Her early experiences with houselessness and intermittent poverty led to her focus on income inequality and the systemic damage that corporate capitalism inflicts on those outside the quest for shareholder profit. Her administrative management experience stems from one simple fact; 9-5 office jobs were the only option that overlapped with her need for childcare for her daughter.

Over the last 20+ years she has launched a local newspaper, earned degrees in Economics and History, helped found a non profit, and, during the housing crisis, saved hundreds of homeowners from foreclosure with ACORN Housing.

Jana sees the climate emergency as the last best chance for humanity to demand an end to extractive corporate capitalism and embrace holistic systems that honor the legitimacy of all people, regardless of their generational privilege.

As Finance & Operations Manager, Jana is responsible for ensuring that 350PDX’s resources are deployed in effective, accountable, and sustainable ways.When not balancing accounts, Jana can be found scouring the Oregon wilderness for pretty rocks, seeking conversations that highlight the commonalities between seemingly opposing social ideologies, or dancing off steam to 90’s hip-hop.”

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Chris, Chuck, Dineen, Gaby, Indi, and Jana
350PDX Board & Team Leads

350PDX June Team & Campaign Update

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Happy June! Here’s this month’s team & campaign update newsletter! 

Last month we hosted our Spring Fundraiser on a Just Recovery, a bold vision that creates a fossil-free Oregon that serves us all. We did not quite reach our goal – will you help us raise an additional $1,000? You can still make a $10, $25, or $50 donation to help fuel our work for the year ahead. Thank you to everyone who already made a donation! We’re so grateful for your support, and look forward to keeping up the fight as we gradually emerge from this pandemic.

Want to get more involved at 350PDX? Come along to tonight’s Volunteer Orientation at 6PM.

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Volunteer Support Fund

350PDX is committed to removing barriers to volunteering and organizing within our movement. Thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous donor, we are now able to provide limited stipends to go towards removing barriers to volunteering with 350PDX through a Volunteer Support Fund.

We aim to foster a more inclusive and accessible 350PDX community, while also providing opportunities for distributed leadership and more sustainable volunteer teams.

Will a stipend support you in volunteering with 350PDX? This fund may be for you! Apply here

Applications will be considered and stipends will be distributed on a quarterly basis, so about every 3 months, with the next rolling deadline coming up on June 30. Questions? Please reach out to chris@350pdx.org and dineen@350pdx.org. 

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TEAM UPDATES

Read more about the teams and what volunteer opportunities they have on our Volunteer Opportunities page
Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Fill in the Volunteer Form

Fossil Fuel Resistance

It’s all hands on deck to #StopZenithOil! The City will be making a critical decision on a land use permit that would determine whether or not Zenith Energy can continue their dirty tar sands operation in our community. Here are 4 things you can do right now:

In other tar sands related news, Annie from our team went out to Minnesota on the train to join the Line 3 protests last week. Check out her fantastic blog post here!

To join our team, reach out to Melanie (melanie.plaut@gmail.com) and Ana (apyz875@gmail.com)

Defund/Divest

Our team follows the money and works as part of a national coalition StopTheMoneyPipeline (STMP). We have been working with STMP and frontline Indigenous resistance to defund Line 3, a tar sands pipeline in Minnesota owned by Enbridge Energy. Our work lobbying the State Treasurer to vote in corporate shareholder meetings to undermine fossil fuel industry funding is over for this year. We have now launched a Divest Oregon campaign, which will be carried out by a statewide coalition separate from our team. Our team will continue to support frontline resistance to fossil fuel infrastructure and continue to wage campaigns to highlight the massive support for the fossil fuel industry by financial institutions, insurance companies, and the government. We also work on divestment campaigns in local educational institutions. Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350PDX.org) for conversation about our team, and ask to be sent our weekly team email. We meet on the 4th Thursday, 7-8:30 pm with June the exception. Next meeting is July 23. For more go to our team web pages.

Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity

We’re now just 10 days away from the end of the Legislative Session. It’s go- time. Our biggest need is for phone calls to constituents of key legislators before the final bills go to the floor for final votes. Click here to send a message to your legislator to make sure they vote yes for HB2021 and HB 2842. Come to a phonebank tomorrow evening from 5:30 – 8pm, even if you’ve never phonebanked before since it will start with a training. Experienced phonebankers can hop in and make calls with us during the day tomorrow (from 1-2:30pm) by signing up here.

Join members of the campaign in person on Friday evening (5-7:30pm) at Unthank Park for a Clean Energy Opportunity Action Party! There will be food, drinks, and opportunities to take action for the campaign with others!

Forest Defense

The Forest Defense team recently took a little time for a camping trip and hike at Tamawanas Falls near Mt Hood! It was a great opportunity for relaxation and teambuilding. The team is focusing on defining our principles and vision for the team and for the future of forests in the Pacific Northwest, and planning our next campaign after our big win with the Board of Forestry in March. Read more here.

We virtually meet first and third Mondays 6pm – contact Leslie for info (lesliegrush@gmail.com)

Solidarity

Our Solidarity Team organizes in the intersections of climate justice and social justice movements through genuine partnership and coalition building. We’re currently focused on campaigns for racial justice and defunding the police, as well as global solidarity and anti-militarism. This month, we’re celebrating the passage of SB 621, a bill we’ve supported that allows Portland to move forward with the independent police oversight board we voted in last fall. We’re also keeping an eye on a bill that would curtail police use of chemical weapons and dangerous crowd control tactics. As we move into the summer, we’re especially excited to begin safely gathering in person to skill up and learn together through outdoor activities like movie nights!

We are looking for volunteers who are committed to anti-racist values and centering the leadership of frontline communities, and excited to be a part of local coalitions to further racial justice and global solidarity. Been interested in joining this team? Next week is a great place to jump in! We’ll be having an outdoor movie screening and hang out night. We haven’t picked the film yet, so reach out to join us and make a suggestion! Email dineen@350pdx.org and indi@350pdx.org to join the team or for more info.

City/County Watchdog

This spring and summer, the Watchdog team is continuing to self-study and incorporate a focused anti-racist lens as we advocate for frontline community priorities and demand action and resources on scale with the Climate Emergency that Portland declared in June 2020. Here’s what we’re up to in June:

  • Speaking out at the City’s budget hearing on June 9. Read our testimony here.
  • Keeping tabs on the first progress report of the City’s Climate Emergency Declaration. The report is scheduled to go to City Council on July 29 at 2pm. Stay tuned for community engagement opportunities.

We meet monthly on the first Thursday of the month from 5:30-7 PM. Contact Brooke (brooke@350pdx.org) or Indi (indi@350pdx.org) for more info about the team or to join a meeting!

Green New Deal

The Green New Deal team is going on hiatus from their work providing education and advocacy for a Green New Deal. Please reach out to indi@350pdx.org with any questions and visit our partners at the Oregon Just Transition Alliance to see how you can plug into ongoing work towards an Oregon Green New Deal!

Creative Team

Seeking climate creatives! Do you have graphic design, illustration or animation skills? Or are you good at managing several creatives all contributing to one beautiful project? Join us – you are needed!

Right now the 350PDX community-based creative team is seeking folks willing to share their skills for an exciting upcoming fossil fuel resistance campaign — it’ll involve developing a variety of creative assets built around a specific narrative. These will be one-off engagements and we’ll be looking to collaborate in June/July/August. For this campaign we’re specifically looking for:

  • Graphic designers
  • Illustrators
  • Animators
  • Video editors
  • Creative project managers

We’ll give you a creative brief, a run-down of what we’re looking for and a general deadline. We can partner closely or let you work your magic! Your work will be shared by 350PDX as well as a variety of other regional coalition groups, most likely via social media. Great for building out your portfolio or practicing a skill!

Want to be on our roster for the next opportunity? Fill out this quick form to get on the list.

Any questions? Email 

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OTHER UPDATES

Staff

One of our organizational values is *Rest*. This work can be deeply emotionally taxing and nonstop, and after a grueling year of adapting and surviving we’re going to do a revolutionary thing and take a break. We’ll be giving our staff a paid vacation and closing the (virtual) office for 2 weeks from July 12 – 23. We’ll be encouraging our board, volunteers, and movement partner organizations to join us in resting and enjoying the summer. We’ll be skipping the July General Meeting, and will be back in business for August.

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Chris, Chuck, Dineen, Gaby and Indi
350PDX Board & Team Leads

350PDX May Team & Campaign Update

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Last month we did our annual volunteer survey, and one of the things that came up was a sense that folks wanted to know more about what’s happening across the organization. Since lots of our volunteers and activists are really focused on one area of our work it can be hard to keep up with all of the moving parts of the organization and the many campaigns we’re working on!

So, we’re starting this new monthly team & campaign update newsletter!

Below you’ll find a brief blurb about what each of our teams and campaigns are up to, and info on any other projects going on. You’ll also find info about what volunteer opportunities and needs each team might have, and how to get involved.

Like what you see? Too much info? Not enough? Other ideas of what to include? Let us know by replying to this email, we’re always looking for feedback, especially when we launch something new.

TEAM UPDATES

Read more about the teams and what volunteer opportunities they have on our Volunteer Opportunities page
Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Fill in the Volunteer Form

Fossil Fuel Resistance

We’re hard at work in our Gasbusters sub-team right now! We’re fighting the greenwashing of utilities like Northwest Natural who’ve been pushing false and dangerous “solutions” like “renewable natural gas” while getting in the way of passing and implementing meaningful policy that will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We’ve recently won a resolution at Multnomah County that bans gas from being hooked up to new construction in County-owned public buildings, which is an awesome step in the right direction, but just a first step towards what we really need to implement: a ban on fossil fuels in any and all new buildings in the County. New buildings that are hooked up to gas must be seen for what they are: new fossil fuel infrastructure that locks us into dirty and polluting energy for decades to come. Electrification is a solution that can create a just transition to homes and buildings that are safer, healthier, and more resilient, and powered by clean energy.

To join our team, reach out to Melanie (melanie.plaut@gmail.com) and Ana (apyz875@gmail.com). Our full Fossil Fuel Resistance team meets virtually every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm, and our Gasbusters team meets every other Thursday at 4pm. Read more about this team.

Defund/Divest

Our team follows the money and works as part of a national coalition StopTheMoneyPipeline (STMP). We have been working with STMP and frontline Indigenous resistance to defund Line 3, a tar sands pipeline in Minnesota owned by Enbridge Energy. We are lobbying the State Treasurer to support corporate responsibility for climate consequences at corporate shareholder annual meetings. Our team had a informative and successful Q&A with State Treasurer Tobias Read May 5 with a financial planner who explained the fiscal responsibility of ending fossil fuel industry investments, statewide stakeholders such as public employee unions and youth climate activists who called on the state to divest, and – with 281 participants – lots of questions for the Treasurer! Now we are assessing a divestment campaign, working on research, communications, building coalition, talking with other states similarly engaged, and strategy. Choose what interests you! Reach out to Jenifer (jenifer@350PDX.org) for conversation about our team, and ask to be sent our weekly team email. We meet on the 4th Thursday, 7-8:30 pm. For more go to our team web pages.

Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity

The Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign, led by frontline climate and environmental justice groups from across the state and supported by allies like 350PDX, is working to pass three bills in 2021 that will create good local jobs, reduce pollution, and improve our state’s resiliency by transitioning to 100% clean energy. On Thursday, our campaign saw a historic win when the Energy Affordability Act, which will help low-income families afford their energy bills, passed the Oregon Senate with bipartisan support! The bill will now move to Governor Brown’s office for her signature.

Our campaign is still working hard to pass Healthy Homes and 100% Clean Energy For All through the legislature this year. Our staff and volunteers will be phonebanking, writing to legislators, and submitting testimony on these bills through the end of the session in July! If you’d like to know more about how you can get involved with this campaign, please contact Dineen O’Rourke at dineen@350pdx.org.

Forest Defense

With our big win with the Board of Forestry in March we’re currently taking some time to figure out our overarching principles and vision for the team and for the future of forests in the Pacific Northwest, and planning our next campaign. Read more here.

We virtually meet first and third Mondays 6pm – contact Leslie for info (lesliegrush@gmail.com)

Solidarity

Our Solidarity Team organizes in the intersections of climate justice and social justice movements through genuine partnership and coalition building. We’re currently focused on campaigns for racial justice and defunding the police, as well as global solidarity and anti-militarism. We are looking for volunteers who are committed to anti-racist values and centering the leadership of frontline communities, and excited to be a part of local coalitions to further racial justice and global solidarity. In addition to supporting local campaigns and partners, we also seek to educate the rest of our 350PDX community on the issues we work on through webinars and a potential movie-in-the-park series. Want to join the team? Email indi@350pdx.org and dineen@350pdx.org to get involved.

City/County Watchdog

This spring and summer, the Watchdog team is continuing to self-study and incorporate a focused anti-racist lens as we advocate for frontline community priorities and demand action and resources on scale with the Climate Emergency that Portland declared in June 2020. Here’s what we’re up to right now:

  • Watching the current City budget cycle, the upcoming Climate Emergency Progress Report, the City and County charter reviews, and the implementation of a new climate justice governance structure that will guide justice-based climate actions for Portland and Multnomah County.
  • Integrating justice, equity, diversity and inclusion principles across 350PDX campaign teams, including the Watchdog team.

We meet monthly on the first Thursday of the month from 5:30-7 PM. Contact Brooke (brooke@350pdx.org) or Indi (indi@350pdx.org) for call-in info!

Green New Deal

The Green New Deal team is organizing outreach and political education to neighborhood associations, faith communities, and other communities to raise awareness and foster involvement in promoting and advocating for Green New Deal policies. Right now, we’re supporting Green New Deal legislation in Oregon’s legislative session advanced by the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity campaign and the Oregon Public Bank Alliance. We’ve also recently hosted Ira Cuello-Martinez of Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and Megan Snoeyink of Portland State University (and 350PDX’s JEDI Committee) for a discussion of heat and smoke impacts on farmworkers and their health, and are now engaging with an OSHA rulemaking process to put stronger protections in place. If you’d like to join our team as a Green New Deal educator and advocate, or if you’d like to request a presentation for your community, please contact Mark at markdari@pacifier.com!

Creative Team

Our newest team, formed by a merger of the Arts and Comms team, we are busy setting ourselves up to be the creative powerhouse of 350PDX. We make the climate justice movement so beautiful and compelling, it’s irresistible to join! We are writers, videographers, graphic designers, photographers, project managers, story strategists, puppeteers, actors, screen-printers… you get the idea.

We have two sub-teams: The Art team and the Story team.

  • The Story folks help figure out a campaign’s narrative strategy. We use a “story-based strategy” method to help campaign teams take apart dominant narratives and craft new stories. We investigate the myths we believe, build and participate in, and pause to bring deeper intentionality to campaign words, imagery and assumptions.
  • The Art folks work hand-in-hand with the Story folks and campaign teams to produce gorgeous creative products that surprise and delight, while bringing the campaign’s story to life.

We also have a roster of folks who want to share their skills in one-off kinds of ways. Join us! creative@350pdx.org

JEDI

The Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee serves as the major driver of 350PDX’s JEDI work, implementing our 3 year 2020-2022 JEDI plan. Over the past few months we’ve been focused on completing the JEDI cohort and rolling out more training resources around anti-racism, justice, and equity (read more on both of those in the Other Updates section below).

We’re always looking for new members with JEDI experience or knowledge – learn more about the committee and apply here.

Staff

We’re excited to welcome our new Development Manager Gaby Diaz, onboard! Read more about her here, and feel free to reach out and welcome her at gaby@350pdx.org.

We also said goodbye to two staff members in the past few months, our Development Manager Ashley Weatherspoon, and our Grants & Planning Manager Lucy Kennedy-Wong. 350PDX is a stronger, safer, and better place because of you. Thank you both for your years at 350PDX, you will be missed!

The hiring deadline has closed for our new part-time Communications Manager position, so expect to see that position filled in the next month! We’re still looking for more applicants for the Finance & Operations Manager fulltime position, so please share that with anyone you think would be a good fit!

Board

Last month the board welcomed a new member, Evie Vermeer! Read about him here, or get to know him on the Forest Defense Team, where you’ll also find him. The board is still looking to elect a couple more members, especially folks who can bring lived experience as community members on the frontlines of the climate justice struggle. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, learn more here and get in touch.

OTHER UPDATES

JEDI Cohort

350PDX’s first JEDI cohort wrapped up at the end of April! For the past four months, 15 volunteers (at least one person from every team) have been taking part in an intensive biweekly training on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). Topics included climate justice, anti-racism, white supremacy cultural traits, microaggressions, centering frontline leadership, and conflict (more info here). While our long term aim is to train all our volunteers on these topics, this first cohort is an important step to make sure our teams are practicing anti-oppression, centering on climate justice, and are providing a safer and more welcoming space for everyone, especially marginalized communities.

Thank you so much to volunteers Alex, Ana, Annie, Ari, Audrey, Carole, Emily, Mark, Mo, Nancy, Shauna, Shawn, Taryn, and Torie for taking part, a special thank you to Anais, Chris, and Elva for helping run the cohort, and a super special thank you to our anonymous donor who supported us to hire an external expert trainer, David, to help us with the trainings!

Training & Learning – New webpage!

There is a world of learning out there. We are standing on the shoulders of the movements and activists who came before us. With that in mind, we’ve just revamped our Learning & Training page on the 350PDX website. It shows our upcoming live trainings, and also dozens of prerecorded trainings and resources for you to get skilled up.

And because the sight of dozens of links and videos can be pretty overwhelming, we’ve split them into three more manageable levels: Foundational, Core, and Advanced. We want to encourage all 350PDX volunteers to spend time moving through these levels as they grow their skills as activists.

Support our organization in our Spring Appeal!

The month of May is our spring fundraising drive, and we really rely on donations from our community to keep us going and growing. We are small staff of only 5 people involved in a huge amount of campaigns and programs, so your donations go a long way in their impact. Like what we do? Want us to keep going? Then please consider donating today!
In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Chris, Chuck, Dineen, Gaby and Indi
350PDX Team Leads