February 2025 Updates and Events

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Thank you for coming to our January Action Night! The event was a success–with 80+ attendees! Together we learned how we can make change at the city level with our new form of city government. Thank you to our amazing guest speakers–Councilor Candace Avalos and Portland’s Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield–for joining us and sharing your perspectives from inside City Hall.

350PDX January Action Night

Upcoming Events

  • Join us for February Action Night on Thursday, February 20, from 6:00–8:00pm. This Action Night will focus on state level priorities and insights into the legislative process. Guest speaker Jacqui Treiger, Senior Campaign Manager for Oregon Environmental Council, will share about the Building Resilience coalition. And guest speaker Jason Santos-Lyons, Senator Pham’s Chief of Staff, will share about the legislative process and how we as advocates can effectively make change during the legislative session.
  • The Forest Defense team is going tree planting with Friends of Trees on March 8, meeting at 9:45am at Nadaka Nature Park.

Team meetings are listed below with team info!

Team News

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

Thank you to everyone who joined us outside of City Hall this morning to protest the outrageous decision from the City to approve Zenith Energy’s Land Use Compatibility Statement. Together, we made it clear to the City that this decision is unacceptable. Check out initial coverage in The Oregonian, Street Roots, Portland Mercury, and OPB.

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We know folks are feeling extremely frustrated right now, and it’s completely warranted. With everything happening at the federal level, we need our local government to step up and be brave, yet they let us down. We know that this decision came from the City Administrative level, specifically from Deputy City Administrator Donnie Oliveira and City Administrator Michael Jordan, with Mayor Keith Wilson signing off and consenting to the decision as well. We know that the 12-member City Council was not included in this decision. District 2 Councilor Sameer Kanal mentioned on Bluesky that he found out about this news from the press release, after the decision had been made. There’s more backstory to this, too–earlier this week Willamette Week reported on how District 2 Councilors have been expressing frustration about “excessive staffing on the administrative side” at the City.

We’re not giving up. We’re committed to fighting this fight and we see this as a bump in the road. Now it is more important than ever to get involved and join this fight to hold Zenith and our local government accountable.

Join us: The Fossil Fuel Resistance Team meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday at 5:30 pm, rotating between virtual and in-person at the 350PDX office. Our next meeting is Tuesday, February 11 at 5:30pm and is virtual over Zoom. Contact dineen@350pdx.org to get connected.

Climate Policy

Photo of Divest Oregon Lobby Day

The 2025 Oregon legislative session is in full swing! We will be announcing our complete list of bill priorities next week. Ways you can get involved:

  • State Advocacy Team: this short-term team will meet virtually on the last Wednesday of each month through the legislative session (June) to learn about the progress of our bills and how to get involved in 350PDX’s state level advocacy. Register here.

  • Respond to action alerts! Regular updates will appear in your inbox with ways you can take action to support strong climate and environmental justice policies by sending an email, calling your legislator, showing up to lobby days, or submitting public comments.

We want to again send a huge thank you to City Councilor Candace Avalos and Portland’s Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield, who shared at our January Action Night! The new City Council established a Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee, a great pathway for addressing our shared concerns. Additionally, Vivian and her staff are sifting through an abundance of applications for volunteer seats on the new Sustainability & Climate Commission.

If you are interested in advocating for better climate policy at the city level, join our Climate Justice Policy Team! We meet on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:30–8:00pm. Email Cherice for details: cherice@350pdx.org.

 

Forest Defense Team

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Equity work! Our new project has two main aspects: 1) partner with our allies ThriveEastPDX and the Columbia Slough Watershed Council to bring the next few Shade Equity Socials to the outer east side; and 2) create educational videos and outreach materials about the importance of the urban forest.

State Forests: Last month saw State Forester Cal Mukumoto resign so there will soon be a new leader for Oregon’s state forests and we’re pushing for a good one. In the meantime, we’re opposing a new timber industry bill, HB 3103, that would legislate the amount of logging on state lands.

Protecting Forest Park: We’ve joined the campaign to prevent PGE from clearcutting almost five acres of Forest Park for new energy transmission lines. On January 29, many team members joined a “watch party” for the online public hearing about the project and submitted this letter to the hearings officer encouraging her to deny the PGE proposal. The hearings officer is expected to make her decision by mid-February, and we’ll keep you posted on next steps.

Join us: Our meetings are on the first and third Monday of the month from 6-7:30 pm.  Contact Brenna@350pdx.org, tyler@350pdx.org or felice.kelly@gmail.com to get connected.

Community Development

We are building a brand new volunteer-driven team: the Action Night team! This core group of volunteers will be responsible for obtaining food and drinks, setting up and taking down, and greeting attendees for our monthly Action Nights in the 350PDX workshop. Please reach out to Community Development Manager Katie Hutchinson (katie@350pdx.org) if you’re interested or have any questions.

Our 350PDX Book Club meets the first Wednesday every other month at the 350PDX office to discuss books about climate justice, science, and resilience, with potluck-style snacks and drinks. We will discuss The Deluge on April 2, 6:30-8:00pm. More info about the book and meeting here. Click here to get on the mailing list, or reach out to books@350pdx.org with any questions!

 

Arts Team 

We continue our role of preparing powerful visuals to support 350PDX’s climate justice actions. In January, that meant sharing newly-learned large puppet techniques to even more interested people. We constructed new large trees to add to our forest for future rallies.

Can you join us? We need paper mache-ers, puppeteers, and carpenters. All skills are taught! We gather every 2nd Sunday at the wonderful 350PDX workroom on N Mississippi, 1:00pm-4:00pm. We offer snacks, conversations, and meaningful important work. The next session is this Sunday, February 9. Let Donna murph1949@aol.com know if you can join.

350 Washington County Team

Our next online meeting will take place Tuesday, February 11. We’ll share information on Washington County campaigns, including our just-launched campaign to save the Washington County Office of Sustainability from being shut down by budget cuts.

We’ve joined the campaign to prevent PGE from clearcutting five acres of Forest Park for new energy transmission lines. On January 29, team members joined a “watch party” for the online public hearing about the project and submitted testimony opposing the proposal. We’ve been attending local legislator coffees and Town Halls, and are diving into climate policy work for the next legislative session. Our general activities include: connecting with the Beaverton and the Tigard Climate Action teams, stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our events and to monthly online meetings (6:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month). To receive updates, please sign up HERE.

With gratitude,

Brenna, Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

JANUARY 2025 UPDATES & EVENTS

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Hello Everyone,

Welcome to our first newsletter of 2025! This edition is brimming with exciting updates, actions to take, and heartfelt gratitude. Before we dive in, we’d like to share that 350PDX is recruiting new board members. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply, as well as individuals with finance experience to help guide our organization’s fiscal health and sustainability. Interested? Please reach out to: Devyn@350pdx.org. More info here.

Team Updates and Upcoming Events

 

 

Development & Community Engagement

Happy New Year to our 350PDX community! After a winter’s rest, we as a staff look back on all we accomplished in 2024 and are so thrilled to dive into our work this upcoming year. And this work would not be possible without you. A heartfelt thanks to all who supported our work by donating to our end-of-year campaign, attending the art sale, and sharing a social media post or a good word with friends and family. Together, our community raised over $90,000 to support our climate justice initiatives in community building, arts, climate policy, forest defense, and fossil fuel resistance. We are deeply grateful for all the abundance in our community that will allow us to thrive in 2025!

Next month, the 350PDX Book Club will gather Wednesday, February 5, to discuss Dr Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s What if we Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures. Learn more and sign up here!

Climate Policy

State Advocacy Team during the Legislative Session

We’re beginning a new, short-term team just for the Oregon legislative session: January to June, 2025. Join us for virtual updates on our state policy priorities each month during the legislative session! REGISTER HERE to receive a Zoom link. Meetings will be from 6:30–8:00pm on the last Wednesday of each month. We will also have opportunities to help track bills, make your voice heard, and meet with legislators virtually or in Portland or Salem. The first meeting will be on January 29.

Join Divest Oregon’s Lobby Day

350PDX is a founding member of Divest Oregon. This year, the coalition is supporting SB 681: the Pause Act, with leadership from Senator Golden and Senator Pham. Do you want to attend an in-person lobby day or a virtual meeting with your legislator in the coming months? Sign up now and you’ll receive information about upcoming events and meetings.

Move Oregon Forward: Transportation Coalition, training 1/30

We’re also part of Move Oregon Forward (MOF), a coalition including environmental justice and climate organizations, active and public transportation advocates, and other groups interested in putting together a safe, efficient, and affordable transportation package that will meet our climate goals.

Check out this Report from the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation’s Listening Tour which highlights the priorities identified in over 1,000 public comments to legislators during last summer’s “transportation roadshow”. Nearly 75% of the comments highlighted the need for better public transportation, with other comments emphasizing active transportation, no freeway expansions, and the need to maintain the roads we have before building new ones. Prioritizing safety and taking climate action were the top two values discussed in the comments. If you’re interested in learning more about this coalition and advocating about these topics, mark your calendar for a Letter to the Editor Training organized by the MOF coalition on January 30 at 6:00pm. Register here to receive a Zoom link.

Fossil Fuel Resistance

Photo: Dana Schott

New year, no fear! Thank you to all who joined us for the rally on January 2nd at City Hall – we packed City Hall chambers with so many stop Zenith folks in red that they needed to open an overflow room. Now that’s a powerful way to start off the new year!

We are in a very urgent and fast-paced period in the campaign to Stop Zenith. As a quick refresher, this is due to Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s decision one month ago to issue a $372,600 fine to Zenith Energy for violating the terms of their permit, and requiring Zenith to obtain a new Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) from the City of Portland. Soon after, Zenith submitted a new LUCS application to the City that contains new uses like blending “sustainable aviation fuel” on site. Now the new Mayor and City Council are in a clear position to protect Portland’s residents, our river, and our climate by denying Zenith’s LUCS application – but we have to make sure this happens!

Join us in contacting Mayor Wilson and your 3 City Council members urging them to hold an open public process to evaluate Zenith’s LUCS decision and to deny the LUCS. This messaging guide has all you need to send an email. It’s very crucial that they hear from us right now, so thank you!

Get involved:
Start the year off right by joining the Fossil Fuel Resistance Team and diving deep into this exciting campaign with us! Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 14 at 5:30pm and it’s virtual. (Our meetings take place every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, and rotate between virtual and in-person at the 350PDX office on Mississippi Ave.) To join this meeting and receive the Zoom link, email Dineen: dineen@350pdx.org.

 

 

Arts Team

Happy New Year to all. The 350PDX Arts Team is looking forward to a creative year of powerful climate messages to bring to the streets. Can you help? If you’re interested in making and/or handling large climate puppets, let us know! If you can make it to our next Artbuild we’d love to have you there: January 12, 1:00-4:00pm at 350PDX (3639 N Mississippi Ave). RSVP to Donna: murph1949@aol.com

Washington County Team

In December, the Washington County Team gathered in-person to share concerns for the future and envision ways to make a difference during the next few years. We’re thrilled to share that our New Year’s Day hike at Chehalem Ridge Nature Park had the best turnout ever! We were especially delighted to have Senator Sollman join us for the walk. Our next online meeting will take place Tuesday, January 14. We’ll share information on Washington County campaigns, as well as climate policy work for the next legislative session. Our general activities include: connecting with the Beaverton and the Tigard Climate Action teams, stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our events and to our monthly online meetings (6:30pm on the second Tuesday of the month). To receive updates from us, please sign up HERE.

 

In love and gratitude,

The 350PDX staff –
Brenna, Cherice, Denise, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

DECEMBER 2024 UPDATES & EVENTS

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Hi Everyone,

December is here, and we’re excited to bring you all the latest updates and news from 350PDX. There’s so much to share this month, but before we jump in check out our 2024 Highlight Reel & read about all our wins here!

Rage, Rejoice, Resist: A Holiday Fundraiser for 350PDX and Breach Collective: Join us this Saturday at 7:00pm at Worker’s Tap for a fun end-of-the-year celebration with dessert, drinks, karaoke, a raffle with great prizes, and exciting speakers. Have fun while supporting the local climate justice movement! You won’t want to miss this…

Join the 350PDX Board!

Are you passionate about making a difference in our community? 350PDX is recruiting new members to join our board. We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply, as we strive to reflect the richness and diversity of the communities we serve. We’re also interested in individuals with experience in finance to help guide our organization’s fiscal health and sustainability. Interested? Please reach out to: Devyn@350pdx.org More info here.

Volunteers!

Are you interested in getting involved at 350PDX? Please join us for our December volunteer orientation! The orientation will be led by our Community Engagement Manager, Katie Hutchinson. You’ll get the chance to meet other new volunteers, see our office and workshop space, and explore more how to get involved! Join us, Tuesday, December 17, 6:00-8:00pm, at the 350PDX Office, 3639 N Mississippi Ave. RSVP here. We’ll start with some pizza and wine/beer/soft drinks, and then have an intro training that covers what we’re all about. Please reach out with any accessibility needs, including dietary restrictions. Email katie@350pdx.org with any questions.

Team Updates and Upcoming Events

 

Arts Team

The Arts Team build is Sunday, December 8, 1:00-4:00pm, at the 350PDX workshop, 3639 N Mississippi. We’ll make more brooms for the 350PDX art fundraiser, finish our butterflies, and discuss further work on large-scale climate puppets using strategies we learned at the Donovan Zimmerman/Paperhand Puppet Project workshops. If you weren’t there, check out this video and article from KOIN 6 News! Please reach out to Donna Murphy and let her know if you can join us for the build.

And don’t forget that our Annual Art Sale is on Wednesday 12/18, 6:00-9:00pm, at the 350PDX workshop, and wiill feature gorgeous original work by Carson Ellis, Phoebe Wahl, Barbara Ford, and many more!

We’re still seeking donations of artwork of all kinds! The pieces can be climate-themed or explore any other subject. If interested in donating art, please use this form!

Climate Policy

We’re excited to move into 2025 with two strong opportunities for climate policy advocacy: the new Portland city council and mayor provide an exciting space for collaborative action, and the Oregon legislature will hold its long session with several meaningful opportunities to bring climate justice to the forefront.

Are you interested in meeting with your city council members, the mayor, and your legislators with us? Do you want to learn more about the important issues we’re working on at the state level? Sign up to be part of a group we’ll call on first. Together, our voices can show incredible support for climate justice in Portland and Oregon in the coming year!

 
Cimate Protection Program restored
The Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) of the Department of Environmental Quality reinstated the Climate Protection Program (CPP) in November! This landmark policy will reduce large polluter emissions by 90% by 2050, and 50% by 2035 (learn more). Fossil fuel companies filed a lawsuit to remove this program, but statewide organizing through the Climate and Economic Justice Coalition mobilized a massive outpouring of grassroots support for protecting it. You all spoke up, wrote in, and showed up to make sure the CPP was reinstated—and we won! Take a moment today to send a letter of thanks to the EQC commissioners and Governor Kotek for their part in restoring the CPP.
 
Apply to join the City of Portland’s new Sustainability & Climate Commission (SCC)!
Earlier this year, we advocated for a strong SCC at the City of Portland, and now applications are open to serve on this volunteer commission! The commission will focus on environmental justice and keeping the city accountable to our climate goals. 20 Commission seats are available, including 4 dedicated youth seats (ages 16–24). Application deadline: January 17. More info here. Learn more about the SCC here.
 

Forest Defense Team

Shade Equity Campaign: We’re happy to announce that the City Council voted unanimously to make the Large Tree Amendment permanent!  Several years ago, this amendment changed the Tree Code to add more protection for trees over 20 inches that are at risk of being cut for new development. However, this was not a permanent amendment and had to be renewed every 5 years. It was due to sunset at the end of December and many members of the Forest Defense Team testified about the importance of not only renewing the amendment, but also making it a permanent part of the Tree Code. We’re so glad that the Council heard us and agreed.Community Confluence Conference: 350PDX is co-sponsoring this day-long gathering on Saturday, December 14th hosted by our allies at Bark.  The event will include panels, keynotes, a silent auction and a dance party!  The theme for the conference is “Tools for Change” and focuses on issues that a budding environmental justice advocate should know about engaging with nature and policy alike. 350PDX’s Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell will be giving a keynote address on the past, present and future of forest defense on the Mt. Hood National Forest. Hope to see you there!Get Involved:  The Forest Defense team meets on the first and third Monday of the month. We’re excited for our fourth annual Forest Defense Team holiday party on Monday December 16th from 6-8 pm at the 350PDX office. This is open to all team members, or folks interested in joining. We’ll have a potluck, white elephant gift exchange, games and plenty of fun! If you want to get connected with the team, please contact team co-leads Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org), or Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell (brenna@350pdx.org).

 

 

Fossil Fuel Resistance

Historic Pause in DEQ’s Comment Period on Zenith Energy: Last month, Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) conducted a surprise inspection at Zenith’s McCall dock—the same dock Zenith unlawfully connected to in 2021. During their visit, inspectors discovered Zenith had done “more expansive” construction work than expected. The following day, citing the need for additional information before proceeding with Zenith’s air quality permit application, DEQ announced they are pausing the comment period and canceling the two public hearings. We are awaiting to hear the results of the inspection at Zenith and what comes next. 

This is a very big deal and an encouraging sign that regulators are taking our concerns seriously. DEQ even attributed this pause directly to our engagement in this process: “I really thank the community for their continued engagement and support in this permitting process. You know, it was their questions and comments that led us to further investigate,” said Lisa Ball, air quality manager in DEQ’s Northwest Region. “I just really hope that they can see that the information that they provided to us was helpful and it really led us to take action.” (OPB). This is a major testament to all of our dedication and determination over the years to stop Zenith. To learn more, you can read about this news in The Mercury, OPB, The Oregonian, KOIN 6, and The Portland Tribune. And check out photos from our Zenith Rally here!

Businesses Against Zenith Energy: Are you (or someone you know) affiliated with a local business who would be interested in joining the movement to Stop Zenith? We have an exciting opportunity for local businesses to get involved in this campaign! Businesses can sign this letter to DEQ and the Portland City Council to urge the State and the City to hold Zenith accountable. Feel free to forward and share with businesses you’re connected with, and if you’d like to get involved in helping us outreach to local businesses, join the FFR team!

Get Involved: The FFR team’s last meeting of the year is on Tuesday, December 10 at 5:30 pm at the 350PDX office (3639 N Mississippi Ave). We will have holiday treats and snacks, and will be celebrating our great work in 2024 and brainstorming our goals for 2025. This is a great meeting for new folks to join! Hope to see you there. To get connected with the team, reach out to Dineen: dineen@350pdx.org.

 

Washington County Team

Our team hosts frequent sign waving and film events, tabling for climate justice in the neighborhood, and lots more! We are invested in shaping local and State policy and frequently connect with our elected officials to discuss climate priorities. At our our last online meeting, we supported sharing and emotional processing of federal election results, and celebrated happier election results at the state level. We will meet in person on December 14 in Beaverton. Please join us. For location, please send a note to debbygactivism@gmail.com. Regular second Tuesday online meetings will resume in January. We always welcome newcomers to our monthly 6:30pm second Tuesday (online) meetings and at all our events. If you are in Washington County and would like to receive updates from us, please sign up HERE. You can also like our Facebook page for updates.

SW Neighborhood Team

Happy Holidays! Now is the time to start planning for climate action in 2025. You can begin by joining the 350PDX Southwest Team; especially if you live in neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland, from PSU to Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Bethany, Beaverton and Lake Oswego. We meet monthly on Zoom to plan for in-person actions, presentations, and discussions in our communities. Learn more at 350PDX Southwest Team. Sign up on the 350PDX Volunteer Interest Form and indicate that you are interested in joining the group, or reach out to Pat at patk5@msn.com to learn more. Get involved! (1) Participate in our monthly online planning meetings. Next meeting is Monday, December 9th at 6:30 p.m. (2) Join our weekly street corner demonstrations. (3) Sign up to distribute yard signs promoting Climate Action Now! at community events.

 

OCTOBER 2024 UPDATES & EVENTS

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Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our now-monthly 350PDX newsletter, featuring team updates, action opportunities, upcoming events, and more!

As election season heats up, 350PDX is working hard to connect you with city council and mayoral candidates, as well as with critical climate issues in our region. Recent events have included city council candidate forums, a teach-in on false climate solutions, and a unique kayak tour of the Portland Harbor.

This month’s newsletter is bursting with more exciting events, and we look forward to seeing you at one—or all! Join us in making a difference!

Team Updates and Upcoming Events

 

FOREST DEFENSE TEAM

Forests over Profits mobilization

The Forest Defense team helped organize a great False Climate Solutions teach-in on Tuesday, September 24 at the Climate Justice workshop. In collaboration with the Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance, we hosted Thomas Joseph, Carbon Pricing Educator from the Indigenous Environmental Network, Julia Bernal, Director of the Pueblo Alliance and New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition, and Brenna Bell, 350PDX Forest Climate Manager. Each speaker highlighted a different false climate solution – carbon offsets, “renewable” hydrogen, and industrial biomass energy – and came back to the same theme: capitalism and colonialism are at the root of the climate crisis and the only real climate solutions are ones that move away from these systems. We look forward to more collaboration with Thomas and Julia.

On Wednesday, September 25th about 60 people braved the rain and protested the timberland investment conference, Canopy (formerly “Who Will Own the Forest”), at the World Forestry Center. With songs, chants and speeches, we let them know that just greenwashing the name and rhetoric of the conference does not mask its true intent to transform more land and natural processes into money. A wet and lively time was had by all!

Shade Equity Social

It’s time for our quarterly Shade Equity Social and you’re invited! On Tuesday, October 15th we’ll be hosting an Election Edition of the Social in which we’ll discuss the Shade Equity Platform (and which candidates have signed on), how to talk about this issue – and ranked choice voting – with our friends and neighbors, and plans for continuing to make shade equity an important issue after the election.

The social is from 6:00-8:00pm pm at the Climate Justice Workshop (3639 N. Mississippi); food & drink and childcare will be provided.  Please register here!

International Day of Action to Break Big Biomass

Join folks from around the country on October 21 for the Break Big Biomass: National Call to Action from 5:00-6:30pm. 350PDX has joined organizations from around the country to envision and plan this exciting online event that will feature elected officials, community leaders from the Gulf South to the West Coast, and issue experts who will detail industry impacts and raise the alarm about the biomass industries’ current US expansion plans.

We will also be calling people to action! Each participant will receive an “action packet” designed to get folks involved in the work to fight the expansion of industrial biomass energy facilities, like the Drax export facility proposed for Longview. Register for the day of action webinar today!

Get Connected

The Forest Defense team meets on the first Monday of the month in person and the third Monday online, from 6:00-7:30pm. If you want to get connected with the team, please contact team co-leads Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org), or Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell (brenna@350pdx.org).

Climate Policy

Climate Justice Voter & Candidate Update

With changes to Portland’s government structure and voting system, 350PDX has been hosting events to educate city council and mayoral candidates on climate issues, organize climate justice voters, and create spaces for voters and candidates to discuss these topics. Recent highlights include:

Climate and Environmental Justice Tours and Info Sessions for Candidates, most recently: a September 21 Portland Harbor Kayak Tour & Info Session. Thanks to Mosquito Fleet, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, Willamette Riverkeeper, and Braided River for joining us on stage and sharing their work!

Climate-focused City Council Candidate Forums with candidates who have met the small donor match threshold:
  • District 4: September 26. Candidates: Sarah Silkie, Eric Zimmerman, Mitch Green, Lisa Freeman, Ben Hufford, Moses Ross, Chris Henry
  • District 2: October 1. Candidates: Marnie Glickman, Sameer Kanal, Debbie Kitchin, Mike Marshall, Chris Olson, Jennifer Park, Tiffani Penson, Laura Streib, Jonathan Tasini, Nat West
  • District 3: October 2. Candidates: Rex Burkholder, Daniel DeMelo, Chris Flanary, Tiffany Koyama Lane, Angelita Morillo, Ahlam Osman

To see video of your district’s forum, check out our blog. To see a comprehensive list of recent and upcoming events, our Climate Justice Platform, and soon-to-released Voter Guide, check out our 2024 climate justice voter page. We will be unveiling our Climate Justice Voter Guide on October 15, right before ballots are mailed out!

Great Support for CPP!

It was inspiring to witness everyone who spoke up and wrote in about restoring the Climate Protection Program! Members of our Climate Justice Policy Team showed up for the virtual hearing on August 21 and the virtual and in-person hearing at the Department of Environmental Quality on September 26. Our team members attended Electrify Portland to help generate written comments. Together with other organizations that make up the Coalition for Climate and Economic Justice, we generated hundreds of written comments to show that Oregonians care about doing our part to protect our region and our planet, reducing emissions from major polluters, and centering environmental justice through the Community Climate Investment portion of the policy. Major polluters—oil and gas companies—put up strong opposition, so every voice speaking up for a healthy and equitable community is crucially important.

I-5 Bridge Replacement public comment period

The long and winding saga of the I-5 Bridge Replacement project continues: a public comment period is open from now until November 18, 2024, with the opportunity to comment on the new Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. This bridge needs upgrades to make it earthquake safe, but we also want to make sure it minimizes greenhouse gas emissions, does minimal damage to river ecosystems, and does not harm the health and homes of people living near the bridge. Mark your calendar to attend our testimony training with the Just Crossing Alliance on November 11. Click here to learn more, including how to submit your comments!

Save the dates!

Mark your calendars for a mayoral forum on October 20, 6:30-8:30pm featuring several candidates who have met the small donor match threshold. We’ll send out more information soon with a location and other details.

Our October Action Night will be on the 23rd at our 350PDX workshop, 3639 N Mississippi Ave. We’ll have printed copies of our Climate Justice Voter Guide for you to peruse and to take some home to share. We’ll offer training on ranked choice voting, so bring your ballot if you’d like, and we’ll help demystify the new format! Engage with your community to discuss district candidates, environmental justice, and how we can transition our city towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. RSVP so we know how many people to expect, and sign up if you’d like to help!

Introducing Our New Student Team

We have an excellent group of students joining our staff this school year to help us track bills, coordinate campaigns, and assist with communications! Please join us in welcoming the following students: Sima Fasihi, Max Hanley, Andy Laurila, Emma Niemela, Santiago Nolasco Galicia, Alex Silva, Liz Zlobinsky.

If you would like information about opportunities for students such as internships, practicum, field experience, or work study, please contact Cherice Bock (cherice@350pdx.org).

Arts Team

We have company coming! The Arts Team has an Artbuild coming up, October 13, 1:00-4:00pm, at the 350PDX Workshop (3639 N. Mississippi Ave). That Sunday we’ll be cleaning up the place, pushing our mural along, and preparing materials for our visit from Donovan Zimmerman and Paperhand Puppet Intervention in November! Come to talk, snack, and help us! Please let Donna know if you’ll be there: murph1949@aol.com

Save the date! 350PDX is hosting an evening with Paperhand Puppet Intervention with Donovan Zimmerman, and will include an Artbuild afterwards. November 15th, 7:00pm. Sliding scale admission, $10-15, all proceeds go to 350PDX. Thank you, Donna, Lauren, Dannika, Allison.

Fossil fuel Resistance Team

Our team’s main focus right now is gearing up for the upcoming DEQ Comment Period on Zenith Energy’s Air Quality permit. Soon there will be an info session we can attend to ask questions ahead of the comment period, and in November there will be 2 in-person public hearings where we will be calling on you to join us in submitting testimony and showing up to the rallies right before the hearings. Stay tuned for comment and testimony writing workshops, and more! 

Last Friday, we co-hosted an amazing event featuring TN Rep. Justin Pearson. Thank you to all who attended this hopeful and inspiring evening. You can watch the recording of this here.

Get connected:

The Fossil Fuel Resistance Team’s next meeting is on Tuesday, October 8 at 5:30 pm on ZOOM. Please email dineen@350pdx.org for the link. Our next in-person meeting is on Tuesday, October 29 at the 350PDX office and there will be Halloween treats! New to the team and want to have a new member orientation? Reach out to Dineen at dineen@350pdx.org.

SW Neighborhood Team

The 350PDX Southwest Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland, from PSU to Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Bethany, Beaverton and Lake Oswego. We meet monthly on Zoom to plan for in-person actions, presentations, and discussions in our communities. Sign up on the 350PDX Volunteer Interest Form and indicate that you are interested in joining the group, or reach out to Pat at patk5@msn.com to learn more.

Here are some ways to get involved:

1. Participate in our monthly online planning meetings. Next meeting is Monday, October 14th at 6:30pm. 2. Sign up to distribute yard signs promoting Climate Action Now! at community events. 3. Join our weekly street corner demonstrations.

Team members will be tabling at the Hillsdale Farmers Market on Sunday, October 13th to distribute signs to residents who support Climate Action Now! Do you have a highly visible location for a yard sign? Interested in scheduling a “How to Save Our Planet” presentation which is available to groups and community organizations? Please contact Pat (see email above).

Washington County Team

The Washington County Team gathered on Saturday, September 7 for our summer community potluck. While enjoying camaraderie, we decided that our primary goal would be to get out the vote for progressive candidates at every level. Our next monthly zoom online meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 8. We’ll share about the recent Legislative Days sessions and efforts on the CPP rulemaking. Our next sign-wave will take place on Saturday, October 19 from 11am-12:00pm. Check our Facebook page for details.

Our general activities include: connecting with the Beaverton Climate Action and the Tigard Climate Action teams; getting out the vote in this very important election year; stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our regular monthly 6:30pm second Tuesday (online) meetings and at all our events. If you are in Washington County and would like to receive updates from us, please sign up HERE. You can also “like” our Facebook page for updates.

In love and gratitude,

The 350PDX staff –
Anissa, Brenna, Cherice, Denise, Dineen, Irene, Katie

September 2024 Updates & Events

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Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our now-monthly 350PDX newsletter, featuring team updates, action opportunities, upcoming events, and more!

One of our Fossil Fuel Resistance team’s main campaigns is bringing awareness around Zenith Oil Company and the dangers its transport through Portland poses to our city and beyond. We’re excited to share a short video that 350PDX’s Communications Manager Irene Tejaratchi Hess and Campaign Manager Dineen O’Rourke created about Zenith’s history and impact in Portland—and ways you can help.

Zenith has applied for an air quality permit with the State of Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and we will soon have a long-awaited and crucial opportunity to tell the DEQ that Zenith Energy must be stopped. Check out our instagram and twitter for updates. We’ll also update our newsletter subscribers as soon as we know the start date for the DEQ public comment period! In the meantime, please share this video with your loved ones and community.

Zenith Energy in Portland: a 350PDX Video

TEAM UPDATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Forest Defense Team

Protecting Forests for the Climate Book Talk & Panel Discussion, Sept 18th, 6:00pm, Stevens Pavilion at Hoyt Arboretum

Join Canopy of the Titans co-author Paul Koberstein, 350PDX Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell, and NW Forest Climate Organizer Alex Budd for an event highlighting past and present struggles to protect Pacific NW forests. Paul will read from Canopy of the Titans, followed by a panel discussion about the timber industry, climate justice, and how the struggle to protect PNW forests is changing in the 21st century.

Forests over Profits teach-in and rally, Sept. 24th & 25th

In the Pacific NW, mature & old growth forests are vital to preserve a livable climate and livable communities by mitigating the impacts of climate change. In Oregon, logging is the single largest source of climate pollution, and 70% of logging happens on privately owned forestlands and yet, the timber industry is increasingly working to position itself as a “solution” to the climate crisis even as it racks up profits from clearcutting the forest.

On September 24-26, Wall Street investors will join timber corporations, carbon offset & biomass companies in Portland for the annual “Who Will Own the Forest?” conference, rebranded this year as “Canopy: Forests + Markets + Society” after a significant public outcry and presence at last year’s conference.  Join us at noon on Wednesday, September 25th for a rally at the World Forestry Center to confront some of the biggest climate polluters, corporate forest clear-cutters, and false climate solutions peddlers!

To start things off, come to the False Climate Solutions Teach-In to learn more about how big polluters are using false solutions to dodge accountability for their role in the climate crisis. Tuesday, September 24th, 5:30pm at the 350PDX Climate Justice Workshop, 3639 N. Mississippi. We’ll hear from Thomas Joseph, Carbon Pricing Educator with the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Julia Bernal, Executive Director of Pueblo Action Alliance and the New Mexico No False Solutions Coalition. Food & drink provided – more info and RSVP at https://forestsoverprofits.org/

Northwest Forest Plan Webinar, September 10th

The Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance, of which 350PDX is a proud member, is hosting an online webinar on Tuesday, September 10th at noon about the ongoing revision of the Northwest Forest Plan which directs management on 19 National Forests in Washington, Oregon and Northern California.  This webinar will take a deep dive into key issues during this revision, including tribal inclusion, fire stewardship, and mature & old growth forest protections. RSVP here!

Save the date for the next Shade Equity Social – Tuesday, October 15th, 6-8 pm.

The 350PDX Forest Defense Team hosts quarterly events to connect the many people working at the intersection of urban forests, climate resilience and community justice.  Our next event will focus on the upcoming city election, exploring both how the various candidates are interacting with our Shade Equity Platform and discussing ways to ensure that whoever gets elected, protecting and expanding our urban canopy will remain a key issue in the new government.

Get Involved: Join the 350PDX Forest Defense Team!  We meet in person every first Monday and online every third Monday from 6-7:30.  For more information contact Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell at brenna@350pdx.org or team co-leads, Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org).

Outreach and Organizing

Get ready to meet your District 3 candidates, and learn about their climate priorities! Save the date for October 2nd at 6:00pm, at The Porch Coffee & Auditorium. A registration link will be available soon, reach out to Denise Lopez (denise@350pdx.org) if you’re interested in volunteering or helping out!

Climate Policy

Climate Protection Program

Good news—the deadline was extended to submit public testimony in support of the Climate Protection Program! Bad news—fossil fuel companies are sending out disinformation to try to drum up opposition to this important emissions reduction and community investment program. See more here or use this tool to submit a comment by September 27 at 4:00pm.

Testimony training! Transportation legislation needs your input

Join the Move Oregon Forward coalition, of which we’re a member, for a virtual testimony training on September 9 to prepare for 2025 statewide transportation legislation. Prepare to provide verbal or written testimony at upcoming stops on the Oregon Joint Committee on Transportation’s roadshow. Stops include: Hillsboro, Happy Valley, and a virtual hearing. Make sure climate and environmental justice realities are taken into account as Oregon prepares to pass this massive transportation package in 2025! Register here.

Portland Harbor Tour & Info Session

Join 350PDX, Portland Harbor Community Coalition, Mosquito Fleet, and other groups on September 21 for an info session and tabling about important issues relating to the Portland Harbor, such as the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, the Superfund, river health, and Indigenous rights. City council and mayoral candidates will be in attendance. Learn more and RSVP here.

Community Engagement

Be sure to sign up for the October 29 Volunteer Orientation at the 350PDX Office! Katie Hutchinson, our Community Engagement Manager, will give an overview of the organization and our campaign work at 350PDX. Pizza and drinks provided! Meet other new folks to the organization! RSVP here.

Book Club

Join the 350PDX Book Club for our October 2 read, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a book of essays weaving Indigenous wisdom, ecology, and science. We meet at the 350PDX office, 3625 N Mississippi Ave, from 6:00-8:00pm. Light refreshments (nonalcoholic drinks, beer, and wine) will be provided. Food is potluck style, please bring stuff to share if you can. RSVP here!

Brooklyn Team Update

The Brooklyn Climate Action team (BCAT) is continuing to keep eyes on NW Natural performing hydrogen blending at its facility in SE Portland. Some residents of the neighborhood spoke to the Oregon Capital Chronicle about their concerns and also published a personal commentary piece, providing great coverage and increased awareness around the issue.

With city council elections coming up, the BCATs plans to participate in District 3 organizing events, reach out to candidates, and share information about climate policy in the upcoming election.

Exciting news on the Brooklyn co-op front: Our local, omnivorous food co-op, Know Thy Food, is relocating to the 1400 block on SE Powell! Additionally, we now have our very own Cargo Bike Co-Op, loaning electric cargo bikes on an hourly or daily basis to Brooklyn residents. Check out their pages to see how you can get involved!

Do you live in the Brooklyn neighborhood and are concerned about climate justice? Join our email list here to get one or two action alerts a month. We also meet every second and third Thursday evenings- reach out to katie@350pdx.org for more information!

Arts Team

Sunday, September 8, is our Second Sunday Arts Build, 1:00-4:00pm, at 350PDX.

The Arts Team will be finishing up the supports for the forestry posters we painted last month. A few people will get even closer to completing our beautiful wall mural, and there might be other activities as well. Certainly there will be snacks, conversations, and connections to make. Please let Donna know if you’ll be there (Murph1949@aol.com).

350PDX’s Arts Team is hosting Donovan Zimmerman from Paperhand Puppet Intervention for a November residency in large political puppet-making. If you have a nearby space for him to stay for a week or a car he can use, please let Donna know!

Washington County Team

The Washington County Team will gather on Saturday, September 7 for our summer community potluck. We’ll resume monthly second Tuesday zoom meetings on October 8.

This summer, we sponsored and tabled at Bag&Baggage’s production of “Birds of North America”. Our next event will be sign-waving in Hillsboro on Saturday,September 21. Check our Facebook page for details. Our general activities include: connecting with activities of the Beaverton Climate Action and the Tigard Climate Action teams; continuing our campaign to encourage the Washington County Board of Commissioners to complete drafting and take action on an overdue County Climate Resolution; getting out the vote in this very important election year; stewarding our Pollinator Garden at Bagley Park in Hillsboro, and more! We always welcome newcomers to our regular monthly 6:30pm second Tuesday (online) meetings and at all our events. Our next team meeting is Tuesday, October 8 (learn more on the 350PDX calendar). If you are in Washington County and would like to receive updates from us, please sign up HERE. You can also “like” our Facebook page for updates.

SW Neighborhood Team

The 350PDX Southwest Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland, from PSU to Hillsdale, Multnomah Village, Bethany, Beaverton and Lake Oswego. We meet monthly on Zoom to plan for in-person actions, presentations, and discussions in our communities. Sign up on the 350PDX Volunteer Interest Form and indicate that you are interested in joining the group, or reach out to Pat at patk5@msn.com to learn more.

Here are some ways to get involved: (I) Participate in our monthly online planning meetings. Next meeting is Monday, September 8th at 6:30pm. (2) Sign up to distribute yard signs promoting Climate Action Now! at community events. (3) Join our weekly street corner demonstrations

Team members will be tabling at SW Sunday Parkways on September 22nd, and at Hillsdale Farmers Market on Sunday, October 13th to distribute signs to residents who support Climate Action Now! Do you have a highly visible location for a yard sign? Interested in scheduling a “How to Save Our Planet” presentation which is available to groups and community organizations? Please contact Pat (see email above).

“Unshakeable”

Free Event. September 29, 4:00pm-7:30pm @ Lovett Deconstruction 4315 NW Saint Helens Rd, Portland OR 97210

Meet with local organizations and government experts working on the issue of Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub safety in the face of an earthquake. Speakers will give presentations from 4:00pm-6:30pm, followed by an optional tabling hour to explore community resources. Register now to reserve your spot.

In love and gratitude,

The 350PDX staff –
Anissa, Brenna, Cherice, Denise, Dineen, Irene, Katie

 

July Team & Campaign Updates

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter, where we highlight the amazing work our volunteer teams have been up to and how you can get involved!

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

On Thursday, July 25 at 6:30pm, 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 are 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 you a yard sign! Just reach out to stopzenith@350px.org and let us know your address.

Climate Justice Policy Team

Fill out the Climate Conversations Survey if you live in Portland; and ask friends, neighbors, 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. A few options to consider:

Ask people to fill out a brief version of the Climate Conversations survey online.
Meet with a friend or a group of people and discuss the questions on the open-ended Climate Conversations survey, then you can either summarize and send in their answers or ask them to fill out the survey online. Here are suggestions for initiating a Climate Conversation.
Attend a community event in your area and ask people 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).

Forest Defense Team

On June 13, the Forest Defense team joined folks from across the region for a great Forests are our Future rally. We gathered at the regional headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service to draw attention to the new guidelines the Forest Service and Biden Administration are developing for the future of our region’s forests, including amending the NW Forest Plan and the Blue Mountains Forest Plan, and developing a National Old Growth Amendment (EO 14702). Speakers included folks from Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands, Wanapum Sustenance Foods & Spiritual Practices Conservation, and our own Forest Climate Manager, Brenna Bell. The speakers talked about the importance of these new plans and demanded that the Forest Service prioritize water, wildlife, first foods, and carbon storage over commercial extraction. Thanks to our friends at the Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance for helping organize, and to everyone who participated!

You’re invited: July 17th Shade Equity Pedalpalooza Ride and 350PDX Action Night: Ride at 6:00pm from Lents Park, Action Night at 7:30pm at Laurelhurst Park

It’s time for our annual Shade Equity Bike Ride and we hope you can join us! Remember 2021, when we had the record breaking heat dome here in Portland? Remember how June 2023, globally, had the hottest June on record? Join us on this ride – starting at Lents Park, near the hottest place in Portland, and riding down to the cool shade of inner SE Portland to end at Laurelhurst Park for a 350PDX Action Night.

Our route will not only help us notice the differences in tree canopy by neighborhood, but we will also ride by one of the new “Trees In the Curb Zone Pilot Project” construction sites. We’ll also hear from Dr. Vivek Shandas, whose groundbreaking research made clear how the heat disparities in Portland flow directly from racial discrimination. We’ll end the ride at Laurelhurst Park where there will be refreshments, speakers, tables from partner organizations and actions we can take to support a more equitable urban forest.

This is a family friendly ride BUT kiddos joining should be able to keep up on their own or join via attached child seat or trailer. RSVP for the ride and/or the Action Night.

GET CONNECTED: The Forest Defense team meets on the first and third Mondays of the month from 6-7:30 pm. First Mondays are in person and third Mondays are online. Our next in person meeting will be in the SW hills followed by an evening hike in Tryon Creek State Park. Contact Forest Climate Manager brenna@350PDX.org, or volunteer team leads, Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org) to get involved.

Storytelling Team

Special thanks to Volunteers Kami and Annie for crafting a mini-zine spotlighting biomass fuel, with a focus on Drax’s expansion efforts in Longview, WA. We distributed the zine at the “Forests Are Our Future” rally.

Next, we’re launching a video interview series featuring volunteers and other Portland climate activists. The short videos will center on the upcoming city council elections. If you’d like to share your insights, we’d love to hear from you!

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

350PDX Book Club

The 350PDX Book Club meets every other month at the 350PDX office, alternating fiction and nonfiction titles around the topics of climate change, social justice, and activism. Our next book is Ursula K LeGuin’s classic The Dispossessed.

Our next meeting is Wednesday August 7th from 6:30-8:00pm. Sign up for our mailing list here! Reach out to katie@350pdx.org with any questions, comments, and ideas.

Brooklyn Neighborhood Team

In May, we hosted the first ever District 3 climate discussion café, where we talked about ideas for our lovely corner of Portland and connecting neighbors. It was a huge success! We’ve got a line-up of activities coming this summer, including a plan to continue the climate conversations at events like the annual Brooklyn Ice Cream social or at farmers markets, so keep an eye out. We’ve specifically been discussing neighborhood resilience in case of a disaster, and some local fossil fuel infrastructure concerns.

Feel free to reach out or attend our monthly summer meetings if you want to help!

GET CONNECTED: This summer, our meetings are monthly. The next one is July 25th, location TBD, but we normally meet at the Chomp or Rose City Coffee. Know someone in our neighborhood? Forward this email to them! Any questions, contact katie@350pdx.org.

Arts Team

We had a busy June making visuals for the Forest Service Action, and also getting a workspace mural ready for “Chris’s Farewell Party”.

In July, we will do more work for Forest Defense and for 350Deschutes. Audrey will teach us how to burn our own screens using the wonderful imaging machine gifted to us by Edin and Chris.

GET CONNECTED: Please beat the heat and come to our second Sunday Artbuild, July 14, 1:00-4:00pm. Let Donna know if you can join us. Murph1949@aol.com We hope to see you there!

SW Team

Our SW Team draws people from a wide area of the SW Portland Metro Area. If you have been looking for a way to contribute to efforts to stop global warming, we hope you consider joining the team!

Our street corner demonstrations continue weekly in July, and are scheduled for every Monday from 4:00 – 5:00pm at SW Capitol Highway and SW Sunset (across from Ida B. Wells highschool). In just one hour a week, we reach hundreds of commuters with our climate action signs, and raise awareness of the climate emergency.

GET CONNECTED: Join our monthly meeting on Monday, July 8th, from 6:30-8:00 pm on Zoom. A link will be sent out to SW Team members prior to our meeting. Sign up on the 350PDX Volunteer Interest Form at https://350pdx.org/campaigns/sw-neighborhood-team/ and indicate that you are interested in joining our outreach actions, or reach out to Pat at patk5@msn.com to learn more.

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, although we sometimes enjoy hikes and picnics depending on season and group interest. Our next meeting takes place online at 6:30pm on July 9.

Our sign-waving team plans to be in action in Hillsboro on Saturday, July 20, from 11:00am-12:00pm. Check our Facebook page for more details. (https://www.facebook.com/350PDXWashingtonCountyTeam)

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.

SUPPORT 350PDX

Do you love the incredible work of 350PDX? We couldn’t do it without our amazing teams, made up of volunteers who are engaged in the fight for a livable, thriving planet. Monthly donors help make our work possible. We are currently in our Sustaining Donor Drive, and hope to reach our goal of 50 new monthly donors this month. Become a recurring donor here!

June Team & Campaign Updates

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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

May Team & Campaign Updates

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter, where we highlight some of the amazing work our volunteer teams have been up to and how you can take action!  But first, join us for 350PDX Action Night, a monthly in-person gathering at our event space where new and seasoned people interested in climate justice gather to network, take action, and organize for the future! We’ll also have food and drinks.

May Action Night

Wed, May 15, 6-8:00PM — 350PDX Office (3639 N Mississippi Ave) – learn more and sign up here

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

Steel Bridge Train Derailment:

Early Monday, a freight train derailed on the Steel Bridge, disrupting all bridge transportation for the most of the day. This was a near-miss of a potentially historical fatal and devastating event, considering the potential danger if the derailed train had been carrying hazardous materials like crude oil. Soon after the accident, Breach Collective interviewed our Campaign Manager, Dineen O’Rourke, who provided insights and discussed the derailment’s relevance to our campaign against Zenith Energy’s oil transloading and storage facility. Listen here! 

DEQ and Zenith Energy:

On April 17, 350PDX’s Fossil Fuel Resistance team, alongside numerous community members, posed nearly 80 questions to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality regarding Zenith’s upcoming air quality permit. Thanks to all who participated, whether in-person or online! The DEQ is anticipated to initiate a formal public comment period later this spring, providing us with an opportunity to submit comments and testify at a public hearing on this critical issue. Now is a great time to engage and assist us in halting Zenith’s operations.

We still have blast zone yard signs available to raise awareness among our neighbors. Unsure if you reside in the blast zone of Zenith’s oil trains? Check by entering your address into the map on our website. If your address falls within the red or yellow areas, you’re in the blast zone.

Join us this Thursday evening (May 2nd) from 6-8:00pm for the next Rumble on the River Community Forum. The topic is Transportation Justice. Hear from an incredible panel of speakers: Rep. Khanh Pham, Indi Namkoong (Verde), Abby Griffith (OPAL, Bus Riders Unite!), and Chris Smith (No More Freeways). Topics will include: Transit Equity Accessibility Reliability, Climate Impacts, Freeway Expansion, Biking, Walking, Carpools, Safety Funding, Effective Models Elsewhere. St. Andrew Catholic Church (806 NE Alberta St.)

GET CONNECTED: The next FFR Team meeting will be on Tuesday, May 14 at 5:30 pm. We would love for you to join us! If you would like to attend, please email dineen@350pdx.org.

 

Forest Defense Team

After an incredibly busy March, the Forest Defense Team took some time in April to regroup and reflect on our various campaigns. Our overall assessment is that the team is great – if a little spread thin – but that’s because there are so many important projects to work on!

Shade Equity:
Portland is rewriting its Urban Forest Plan and we’ve been actively sharing our feedback by filling out Urban Forestry’s online survey, attending the open house, and co-authoring and submitting a letter to Urban Forestry detailing issues we’d like to see addressed in the new plan.

Industrial Biomass:
After the great news that the SW Clean Air Agency withdrew the draft air pollution permit for Drax’s proposed biomass pellet plant in Longview, we asked Cowlitz County to take a similar action and withdraw its determination that the plant would not have a significant environmental impact, and to re-write its environmental analysis. We learned a lot about the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), which is very cool and something we wish Oregon had! If you want to get in the weeds about environmental policy and the Drax plant – read the letter we sent the Cowlitz County Planning Department!
We’ve also been connecting with allies across the west coast, country, and internationally to call attention to biomass energy as a false climate solution. Along with elevating actions against Drax at its Annual General Meeting on April 25, we are supporting a new federal bill that would require a carbon lifecycle analysis of industrial biomass production. Be on the lookout for an action asking Senators Merkely and Wyden to support this bill!

Finally – a big thanks to our friends at the 350PDX Arts Team who made this beautiful poster calling attention to the impacts of the proposed Drax plant. Over 100 posters were given away at the Longview Earth Day event!
Upcoming Meetings and a Hike!
After an enlivening in-person meeting, we’re going to try meeting half of the time in person, outside. Our meeting on the first Monday of the month will be in person. Our third Monday meeting will be online. We’re also going to hike in the Tillamook State Forest on Sunday, May 12th (celebrating our collective mother – the earth!). If you want more information about the hike or upcoming meetings, please contact Brenna (brenna@350pdx.org), Tyler (tyler@350pdx.org) or Felice (felice.kelly@gmail.com).

 

Climate Justice Policy Team

Sustainability & Climate Commission:
Last week, Climate Policy Manager, Cherice Bock, and team members testified at City Council to support the ordinance to create a Sustainability & Climate Commission. This will be up for a vote on May 2. There’s still time to send our one-click email to let the city council know you care, or you can write your own comment and submit it here before May 1 (some talking points here).

Defend PCEF…Again!
Some city commissioners are suggesting a cap on how much PCEF income will go to climate and environmental justice priorities, or reducing the big business tax rate so PCEF does not bring in as much funding. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 14, and join us at the PCEF press conference (8:15am) and city council work session (9:00–11:30am), 1900 SW Fourth Avenue Room 2500.

Climate Friendly Public Schools:
Last Thursday, we stood alongside numerous groups from the original Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) coalition, as well as community organizations, school leaders, teachers, and students, advocating for allocating up to $50 million in PCEF funding to support climate resiliency projects in Portland schools. This exciting intergovernmental agreement stems from the Climate Investment Plan for PCEF that we advocated for last fall. Known as Climate Friendly Public Schools, you can read more about it here. Please show your support by sending a one-click email, and emphasize the importance of directing all PCEF funding towards climate justice projects like this one. The proposal will be up for a vote on May 8.

GET CONNECTED: If you’d like to help us track, research, and advocate for strong climate justice policy in Portland and beyond, please email Cherice to join the team! We meet on the second Wednesday of each month, usually on Zoom. Our next meeting is on May 8, 6:30–8:00pm.

 

Arts Team

April’s Earth Day March in SE Portland was a big hit with hundreds of marchers and our own Sun Power, Wind Power, and Mother Earth puppets gliding through streets to the music of the Unprecedented Marching Band. Thanks to the Arts Team puppeteers for bringing their energy to the march!

Our work continues on the mural we’re painting in the workroom, and on building the new tree and anti-Mr. Monopoly puppets, and also on DRAX posters. If you’d like to help us, we’d love to have you!

GET CONNECTED: Since our Second Sunday Artbuild falls on Mother’s Day this year, team leads will consider another possible date this month. Keep an eye out for what that date might be, or email Donna (murph1949@aol.com) to be sure you know! 350PDX Arts Team Leads – Donna, Dannika, Lauren, Allison

 

Creative Team

The Creative Team uses storytelling to make the climate justice movement irresistible. Currently, we’re in a transitional phase, deliberating on new meeting schedules and different ways to share our visions and innovative storytelling techniques. We’re excited to amplify the Forest Defense Team’s Ax Drax campaign and the Fossil Fuel Resistance Team’s Stop Zenith campaign.
GET CONNECTED:  Fill out this form to get on our creative roster, or reach out to Irene@350PDX.org.

SW Team

Welcome to the Southwest Neighborhood Team, which includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland. We work together to raise awareness of the climate emergency.
Our street corner demonstrations continue weekly in May, every Monday from 4:00-5:00pm at SW Oleson Road and SW Garden Home. We reach hundreds of commuters with our climate action signs in a highly visible location. Street parking is available, or reach us via bus or bike, we have extra signs to share!
Our educational efforts extend beyond the street corner. We offer 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 Zoom meeting on Monday, May 13th, from 6:30-8:00pm. To get involved, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com.

Washington County Team

Our team tables for climate justice in our neighborhood, and hosts monthly sign-waving and film events! At our upcoming monthly meeting on May 14, we’ll debrief our April Earth Month activities and get an update on the Recycling Modernization Act.
Our sign-waving team plans to be in action in Hillsboro on Saturday, May 18, from 11:00am-12:00pm. Check our Facebook page for more details. We are planning a free screening (with community conversation) of Burned: Are Trees the new Coal on Saturday, May 25, at the Vault Theater in downtown Hillsboro. Link to tickets
GET CONNECTED: We always welcome newcomers to our monthly, 6:30pm, second Tuesday meetings – and at all our events. Our next meeting is May 14. Contact Debby (debbygactivism@gmail.com) for the zoom link if you’d like to attend.

Brooklyn Neighborhood Team

In April, we held a film screening of “Tomorrow” at the Aladdin Theater, as well as joined forces with our local Earth Day partner “The Chomp Thai Comfort Plate”, which donated 15% of their April 25 proceeds to 350PDX!
On May 16, we’ll be hosting a climate conversation speed-dating evening as part of 350PDX’s efforts to hear Portlanders’ climate priorities ahead of the November election.
Some of the Brooklyn Neighborhood Team’s projects include mobilizing people in the neighborhood to Stop Zenith Energy, supporting our local food co-op, and district organizing in the run up to this year’s election.
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