June 2025 Updates and Events

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the donations and testimonials we’ve received after launching our Save 350PDX campaign just 2 weeks ago. We’re moving closer to our goal every single day. If you’ve already donated, thank you so, so much. Here are just a few of your wonderful testimonials:

“As someone who was there when 350PDX was just 6 or 7 people around a kitchen table, I am wowed by all it has accomplished and how big and respected it has grown to be. When we started, the climate crisis wasn’t on the City’s consciousness or agenda. But now we can thank 350PDX for this and so much more, including the Portland Clean Energy Fund and the fabulous art at rallies and parades. I am proud to call myself a founder and donor to 350PDX.”

– Sandy

“350PDX has been the heart of the climate movement for over ten years. These folks are the connective tissue that binds so many pieces of our movement together into a working whole. They recruit, educate, and mobilize like no other organization in this town. We can’t lose them right when we need them the most to turn our long-standing community priorities into law. Please give generously and ask others to do so as well so we can be there for 350PDX when they need us most.” 

– Nick

“When I moved to Portland I wanted to get involved in the climate movement. One call to 350PDX was all it took and I was immediately welcomed into an incredible community and connected to truly meaningful volunteer opportunities. 350PDX is an essential hub for climate action. Without it, we lose the collective power and the communal joy of our movement. Please donate to save 350PDX.” 

– Rory

 

We are working hard to Save 350PDX from an unfortunate financial crossroads, with a goal to raise $150,000 before August 1 to keep our organization alive. If we are unable to meet this goal, we will be forced to make dramatic decisions, such as leaving our beloved workshop space, laying off staff members, or closing the organization entirely. We’re doing everything we can do to avoid this, and are so grateful for this community’s immediate support in the first 2 weeks.

Donations can be made here. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, you can share them with our team at info@350pdx.org. Thank you, thank you!

Team News

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

Great work to all who came to and testified at the DEQ hearings on Zenith’s air permit application last month. Over 60 people testified between the two hearings, and all were unanimously against Zenith. That’s incredible! Not even a single industry representative bothered to show themselves and testify in front of all of us. Too scared, maybe? We’ll take it. (You can listen to the recording of the big May 12 hearing on KBOO’s Locus Focus here.)

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We’re keeping up the fight on this comment period until the official deadline on Sunday, June 15 at 5:00pm. All comments must be submitted by that time. You can submit comments online here, or you can send a longer-form comment directly to NWRAQPermits@deq.oregon.gov. We also have gathered many handwritten comments throughout this comment period, and we plan to deliver them together to the DEQ on Friday, June 13 at 1:00pm at the DEQ office (700 NE Multnomah).  Please RSVP to dineen@350pdx.org to join this in-person comment delivery, it’s going to be fun!

How to get involved: The Fossil Fuel Resistance Team meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 5:30 pm, rotating between meeting in-person and virtually on Zoom. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, June 10 at 5:30pm and is virtual. Join us at this meeting to learn more about an emerging Public Power campaign that we’re excited to get more involved in together. Please RSVP to dineen@350pdx.org for the Zoom link.

Community Development

Interested in getting involved with 350PDX? We are a volunteer-led organization and the movement needs you! There will be an orientation on Thursday, June 12th at the 350PDX office. Click here for more info and to RSVP.

The 350PDX Book Club meets on the first Wednesday of each month, alternating between virtual and in-person at our office. The next Book Club meeting is happening virtually on Wednesday July 2nd, from 6:00-8:00pm (Book TBD). Click here to sign up for the group mailing list.

The Arts Team

In May, our arts team, puppeteers and puppets marched through the streets of North Portland in the St Johns Parade. We walked near the railroad that carries Zenith oil cars, and were greeted by cheering crowds of people, many saying how much they appreciated us being there. They loved our Zenith capitalist puppet riding on our snake and oil car puppets!

Our next artbuild is June 8, 1:00-4:00pm, at 350PDX, 3639 N Mississippi. That Sunday we’ll finish puppets, make more, and clean up our work space. Can you join us for the fun? Email Donna! Murph1949@aol.com

We also need people/puppeteers for the Everything Under the Sun puppet parade in Sellwood on June 14 (yes, that June 14!) at 2:00pm in Sellwood. If you can join us, let Donna know! We hope to see you this summer!

350PDX Arts Team leads: Donna, Lauren, Allison, Dannika

Climate Policy Team

County Climate Justice Plan

Multnomah County has been working with community and environmental justice groups for the last three years to develop a Climate Justice Plan that centers community and equity. The draft plan is now open for public comments. Review the plan and submit your comments by June 29. The county’s Office of Sustainability is facing possible budget cuts and can really use strong community support right now, so even a few sentences showing support for their efforts is meaningful.

Help move state climate and environmental policies over the finish line!

The Oregon legislative session is in its final month! We are waiting to see which of our environmental and climate justice policy priorities will get funding allocated by the Ways & Means Committee. Remind legislative leaders and Ways & Means co-chairs that climate and environmental priorities have broad community support by sending this email today! See our 2025 legislative priorities page if you want to take more actions.

Welcome summer interns!

We’re excited to host five summer interns this year, supported by generous stipends from Lewis & Clark College, Reed College, and the University of Portland. Join us in welcoming the following climate policy assistants, two of whom also worked with us during the school year: Abyan Osman, Charlie Welling, Emma Johnson, Lyra Meyers, and Max Hanley. They’ll be updating our 2024 Climate Justice Platform with action steps, deepening our district organizing, and helping with the final push for the legislative session.

 Join the Climate Justice Policy Team

Contact Cherice (cherice@350pdx.org) if you’re interested in helping track the city council and its new committees, helping us implement our Climate Justice Platform, or simply want to stay more informed and up-t0-date about climate, sustainability, and environmental justice issues at the city, county, and state levels.

Washington County Team

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We’re working on a big new project to put on an Electrification and Sustainability Fair in Hillsboro on August 9; lots of planning is happening in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and with local allies. We have tabling opportunities for green energy and environmental advocate groups. And we need volunteers for the event!

Please email 350WashCo@gmail.com if you are interested!

We’ve fought a losing battle to keep the County Sustainability Office funded; the last staff member is gone. It’s great to know that Multnomah County may see better results. Washington County Commissioners oversight has resulted in a budget shortfall of $20.5 million in the general fund, and their priorities apparently don’t include all of the essential work that has been carried out by the Office of Sustainability since 2012.  Our team is tracking and regularly submitting comments on bills moving through the busy state legislative session.

Our next online meeting will take place at 6:30pm on Tuesday, June 10. For the link, reach out to debbygactivism@gmail.com. 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).

Volunteer Spotlight

Heather Ikeler

Heather started volunteering with the 350PDX Arts Team in the spring of 2019. At that time, the team was working on 13 giant puppets of presidents (Kennedy through Trump) for an event taking place in tandem with the 9th Circuit Court hearing on Juliana v. United States, also known as Youth v. Gov.

Heather could see how the art that she and the team created helped communicate the worthiness and urgency of the litigants’ case.

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Heather's requested portrait!

Heather has been involved in activist and/or mutual aid communities for most of their life (with a few longish breaks along the way) and they continue to be impressed with how 350PDX provides structure and opportunities to engage in meaningful action that can be sustained over time. Heather is currently on the Forest Defense Team, and also helps out at monthly Action Nights. If they find that they have more time or energy on any given week they can easily plug in to other teams or local allies. Heather hopes to see you at the next Action Night!!

Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter, and for being part of the 350PDX community. Hope is a practice, and it will take each of us to get us through the current state of things. Donate to 350PDX today.

With gratitude,

Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

May 2025 Updates and Events

Earth Month brought so many joyful moments—from an  Earth Day parade to a huge win for Forest Park to a powerful exhibit by PNCA students showcasing outstanding Stop Zenith art. We are deeply grateful for these experiences.

We are also aware that we’re living in a time that is incomprehensibly difficult for so many, and we find ourselves discussing how to balance that awareness with daily life. On May 15, we’ll gather for Action Night. As part of our story-sharing activities, we’ll reflect on how we’re processing the current moment, hear how stories can supercharge our action, and share ways to help others and our planet. Join us!

Upcoming Events

Public hearing for Zenith’s application for a new air quality permit, Monday, May 12 at 6:00 pm at University of Portland. More info below in our Fossil Fuel Team update!

350PDX Action Night: Stories, Actions and Belonging, May 15, 6:00pm, at 350PDX. Let’s share about how we first gave thought to climate change and decided to do something. Let’s discuss the urgency of now–what’s going on federally is huge and overwhelming. How can we can make a tangible impact in our local city government and within our neighborhoods? These are just some of the questions we’ll reflect upon. Join us!

“Keep Oregon Nuclear-Free” Day of Action, May 19. Join 350PDX and partner organizations who will be advocating to keep Oregon free of new nuclear power plants. Check out our Climate Policy Team update below for RSVP & info!

City Council Climate Chats: Our next chat will be in District 3 with Councilor Angelita Morillo! RSVP here for this event on May 22 at 5:30pm.

Team News

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

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Next week is a huge moment for our team and our entire local movement to Stop Zenith. Monday, May 12 at 6:00pm is the only in-person public hearing that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will be holding during this current comment period on Zenith’s application for a new air quality permit. We need to do everything we can to make sure this permit is DENIED, and one clear way we can do this is by filling the Buckley Center Auditorium at the University of Portland to show DEQ the force of our amazing movement. RSVP here! Wear red. We’ll have pizza , a brief rally, and a chance to sign up to testify. The hearing begins at 6:30pm and goes until 9:00pm. DEQ will have a station for people to sign-up to provide a 2-minute testimony. For help with writing your testimony, refer to these great talking points from our friends at Columbia Riverkeeper. (You’re also more than welcome to join us, wear red, and be in the audience cheering others on as they testify!)

If you can’t make it next Monday but still want to make your voice heard, there will be another option! DEQ is holding a virtual-only public hearing on Thursday, May 15 at 6:00pm. RSVP for the virtual May 15 session here. You can also use this easy online form to send in an official public comment about this permit HERE.

Our team in the news: Catch us on the air on KBOO’s Locus Focus! Last week, our Campaign Director Dineen Crowe was in conversation with Samantha Hernandez from Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility for “Zenith Energy’s Tortured Tale in Portland.

Join the team: Our next meeting is on Tuesday, May 13, 5:30pm on Zoom. We will debrief and recap the public hearing happening the evening before and plan what’s next. After that, we meet again on Tuesday, May 27, 5:30pm in person at 350PDX, 3639 Mississippi Ave. We’d love for you to join us! Reach out to dineen@350pdx.org to get plugged in.

Forest Defense Team

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The Forest Defense Team has been active this month on the city, state, and national levels! Team members rallied to stop PGE from clear-cutting 5 acres of Forest Park. (Thanks to the Arts Team for the awesome tree puppets that made the front page of the Oregonian!) Portland City Council voted 12-0 to take the first steps to block this project! The final vote is scheduled for May, so write your city councilors and urge them to protect Forest Park.

We have also been active in the state legislative session, opposing a bill that threatens to increase logging in state forestland at the expense of clean water and carbon sequestration. We urge you to reach out to your state legislators and ask them to oppose HB3103, which would increase logging in state forests in the coast range.

Finally we’re joining in the national campaign to oppose Trump administration efforts to weaken the Endangered Species Act by reducing protections on valuable habitat. Comment on that proposal here.

Get Connected: Join the Forest Defense Team meetings on the first and third Monday of each month from 6:00-7:30 pm.  Contact volunteer team leads Felice Kelly (felice.kelly@gmail.com) or Tyler Gilmore (tyler@350pdx.org) to get involved.

Climate Policy Team

Thank you to our 2024–2025 climate policy and media assistants!

This year, Reed College and University of Portland have had a partnership with us where we get to host work study students, and students get job experience and opportunities to use what they’re learning in school. This year, we’ve been joined by the following climate policy assistants: Andy Laurila (finance), Charlie Welling (divestment), Emma Niemela (buildings), Max Hanley (transportation), Natalie Severson (city), Santiago Nolasco Galicia (energy), and Sima Fasihi (CEI hub). Alex Silva joined us as a climate communications and media assistant. We want to take this opportunity to recognize what these folks are adding to the climate justice movement. They’ve helped us track bills, serve on coalitions, plan lobby days, draft public testimony, pull off events, document events, and much more. Thank you all for the amazing work you’ve done this year!

City Council Climate Chats: 

Thank you to Councilors Avalos, Green, Dunphy, Kanal, Novick, and Pirtle-Guiney for meeting with us so far! We’ve partnered with Oregon League of Conservation Voters to host City Council Climate Chats with constituents and city council members. By having a dozen or so constituents gathered with councilors, we’ve been able to cover a lot of questions as well as dive more deeply into issues we care about, hear councilors’ perspectives, and share our community’s concerns and hopes.

RSVP here for our next chat: District 3 with Councilor Angelita Morillo! If you are a D3 constituent and can’t make it, fill out the form and we’ll let you know about future events in your district.

If you’re not a D3 constituent, you can fill out the following forms and we’ll let you know about future events happening in District 1District 2, or District 4. (Not sure what Portland District you live in? Here’s a map!)

“Keep Oregon Nuclear-Free” Day of Action May 19

Join 350PDX and partner organizations who will be advocating to keep Oregon free of new nuclear power plants, particularly until there is a plan to deal safely with the waste. The “Keep Oregon Nuclear-Free” Day of Action will have both in-person and virtual options, so you can go to Salem for the full day, or sign up to attend a virtual meeting with your legislators.

Thirteen pro-nuclear bills were introduced this session, but only two are still active: HB 2038 and HB 2410. These bills divert funding from energy efficiency, renewable energy, and storage technologies that are safer, less expensive, and faster to deploy.

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RSVP now for the Day of Action on Monday, May 19. For those who can make it to Salem, you will connect with fellow advocates over coffee, followed by a brief lobby training session to help you feel confident and prepared. Then, we’ll head to the Capitol together for scheduled meetings with your legislators. For those joining virtually, a training will be provided, along with talking points for your meetings with legislators. After you register, you will receive more information about food, carpools, legislator meetings, and everything else you need to know to advocate about this important issue.

If you’re not able to attend the Day of Action, you can let your legislators know you care about this by sending this email, urging them to oppose HB 2038 and 2410.

Climate Justice Lobby Day a Success!

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We held our first joint Climate Justice Lobby Day with 350 Eugene on April 29! It was fun to get to advocate with another 350 group, share some statewide priorities, and connect with our friends in Eugene. 350PDX met with nineteen legislators from the Portland area, sharing our priorities for this legislative session. Though there are many important matters before the legislature, our encouragement helps remind them to remain vigilant on the climate crisis. Together, we can build a more climate friendly transportation system, reduce building emissions, address climate risk in our public employee retirement portfolio, and increase energy affordability across the state.

Community Development

Our 350PDX Book Club’s book for June is Climate Optimism: Celebrating Systemic Change Around the World by Zahra Biaban. We will meet on June 4, from 6:30-8:00pm at the 350PDX office, with potluck-style snacks and drinks.

Did you know the 350PDX Book Club is now meeting every month? We alternate between virtual and in-person meetings the first Wednesday of each month! Sign up here to get on the mailing list, check our website for updates on meeting times and book selections, and reach out to books@350pdx.org with any questions!

The Arts Team

350PDX’s Arts Team is finishing a busy month of parades, artbuilds, and fun. A couple of weeks ago, we marched through SE Portland in the Earth Parade.

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This Saturday, May 10, we will bring our climate justice puppets to the St John’s Parade. There’s still time to volunteer to be a puppeteer for Saturday! We also need people with vehicles to load up a few puppets that morning from 350PDX (3639 Mississippi Ave) and take them to N Lombard, then bring them back again. Can you help? Please let Donna (murph1949@aol.com) know.

Important: there is no artbuild this month (May). We’re all worn out, plus it’s Mother’s Day–a holiday also know as Mother’s Peace Day established by Julia Ward Howe, and we can celebrate that!

Our next Artbuild is June 8, 1:00-4:00pm, 3639 N Mississippi. We’ll finish puppets, begin puppets, and do a deep clean and reorganization of our art space. If you can join in the fun, please let Donna know. We’d love to see you there.

350 Washington County Team

Our next online meeting will take place at 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 13. For the link, reach out to debbygactivism@gmail.com.

We’ll share information on Washington County campaigns, as well as policy work we’ve been accomplishing in this busy legislative session. We’re taking on a big new project to put on an Electrification and Sustainability Fair in Hillsboro in August; lots of planning is happening in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and with local allies.

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).

SW Neighborhood Team

Our team 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 Friday from 4:00-5:00pm at SW Capitol  Highway & SW Sunset. 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 outreach efforts extend beyond the street corner. We will be tabling at SW Sunday Parkways on May 18 and distributing Climate Action Now yard signs. To volunteer with us at SW Sunday Parkways, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com

GET CONNECTED: Join our monthly Zoom meeting on Monday, May 19th, from 6:30-8:00pm. To get involved, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com.

Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter, and for being part of the 350PDX community.

With gratitude,

Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

Check us out on XRAY FM’s The Commons.

Did you know we are now on Bluesky? Please follow for news, events, action alerts, and more!

April 2025 Updates and Events

Our April issue is chock full of Earth Month news, events, and actions. You can also check this page throughout the month for events celebrating our beautiful planet!

Upcoming Events

 

 

Hands Off Our Democracy – Nationwide MobilizationSaturday, April 5 – 12-5 pm at the Japanese American Historical Plaza (Organized by Rose City Indivisible and 50501 Portland). Imagine, if you will, millions taking to the streets. If not now–when? More here!

 

Celebrate World Public Health DayApril 7, by joining the 350PDX Forest Defense team & our friends from the Sierra Club for a watch party of the Break Big Biomass WebinarAction Night – Earth Day Was (and is) a Protest: Direct Action in the Trump 2.0 Era April 17th, 6:00-8:00pm.

 

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As the push to log our forests to burn for cheap energy increases, people from across the country are gathering for a webinar to learn moreabout the false solution of biomass energy and its impact on public health. If you can’t make it in person, register here to attend this important webinar (note – the registration pageshows the event only in Eastern Time!). For those that can watch in person, doors open at 4:30pm, webinar begins at 5:00pm. Event at the Climate Justice Workshop (3639 N. Mississippi) and, if you can–bring snacks to share!

 

Action Night – Earth Day Was (and is) a Protest: Direct Action in the Trump 2.0 Era April 17th, 6:00-8:00pm.

 

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This month’s Action Night will explore what taking action for the Earth has looked like over the past 50+ years since the first Earth Day and what we can do now in this time of growing government repression.  We’ll explore these questions with each other and attorneys Kenneth Kreusher, of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, and Brenna Bell of 350PDX. We’ll also share resources for taking more bold action!

 

Earth Day Celebration & Parade, April 26th, with Making Earth Cool, Bark, XRPDX, and Scrap!

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Earth Day is for everybody! Come one and all, and let’s celebrate the beauty of our only home–Earth! Our wonderful planet provides all that we need. Through celebration and gratitude we remember our deep connection and relationship with the Earth. We will parade and we will sing and we want the city of Portland to join us! This is a free, family-friendly event with activities accessible to all ages and abilities to celebrate nature, and work toward a greener future for all.

Gathering at Sunnyside elementary begins at 11:00am, and the parade starts at 12:30pm.

A secular Earth Ceremony of rituals and songs to honor our beloved planet will take place same day at The Groves church at 7:00pm, followed by a cake potluck. More info for the Sunnyside event and Earth Ceremony found here.

350 Climate Justice Lobby Day – Tues, April 29,  8:45am – 1:30pm

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Join 350PDX and 350 Eugene for an exciting day of talking to our legislators about climate justice issues in the 2025 Oregon Legislative Session! Lobby days are a great way to talk to your legislators face to face about issues you care about—in this case, climate justice—while seeing behind the scenes how change is made at the Capitol. Never lobbied before? Not to fear! We will start the day with a training, and you’ll be in meetings with folks from your district, equipped with talking points. Details and registration here!

Team News

 

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

Last month was an exciting one for our team! On March 19, City Council voted 11-1 to pass the Zenith Accountability Resolution we’ve been fighting for! Many of our team stayed up until 11:00pm cheering on the results of the final vote. This was a big moment for our new form of government: it was the first resolution to come out of a Committee to then be voted on and passed by the full Council. This resolution passing means that there will be an investigation into Zenith Energy’s franchise agreement with the City of Portland, as well as an investigation into the City’s prior handlings of Zenith’s permits over the years. It’s time for the public to get some answers and for accountability to be taken. Thank you to all who’ve lobbied your Councilors for this resolution, who submitted written testimony, who showed up in person or watched virtually, and to the original co-sponsors of this resolution!

Thank you to all who showed up to our team’s film screening of ‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline,’ we nearly packed the Clinton Street Theater, and had a lively discussion afterwards!

Get involved: Our next team meeting is an exciting collaboration between us, SunrisePDX, and Breach Collective – a City Lobbying Training on Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 pm at our 350PDX office. Let’s learn together how to work with City officials towards a Portland that works for all people. RSVP to Dineen if you’re able to make it: dineen@350pdx.org

Forest Defense Team

350PDX’s Ms. Bell goes to Washington

Our Forest Climate Manager, Brenna Bell, spent last week in Washington DC as a part of the Rachel Carson Council’s Week of Action against Biomass Energy. She joined almost 100 people from around the country – students, community leaders and advocates – to talk to Congress about the dangers of industrial biomass production.  Read more about her adventures to keep biomass energy exports out of the west coast, and the awesome people she met along the way!

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Shade Equity Campaign: Urban Forestry is in the midst of rewriting the Urban Forest Plan, which provides the basis for an update of Title 11 (the tree code).  The code has received a lot of negative attention recently, and the Forest Defense team has been meeting with city councilors and spreading the word about the importance of a robust tree canopy. Public Comments about the Urban Forest Plan revision are due April 13th – more information here!

Connect with the Team: We meet every first and third Monday from 6-7:30pm, alternating in-person and virtual.  Contact brenna@350pdx.orgtyler@350pdx.org, or felice.kelly@gmail.com for more information.

 

Climate Policy Team

State Advocacy: Help us continue to move our 350PDX Climate Justice Priorities through the Oregon Legislative Session!

In addition to attending our lobby day, here are other ways to show up for climate justice during the legislative session:

  • Make Polluters Pay (SB 1187) has a public hearing next week. Similar to bills that passed recently in Vermont and New York, it requires polluting industries to pay for the impacts of climate change—such as increased heat, drought, or intensified wildfires—on Oregon’s communities and infrastructure. Submit online testimony for Make Polluters Pay (SB 1187) here by April 7 at 8 am. Here’s a toolkit with sample testimony language to get you started! See the one-page info sheet.

  • Attend Move Oregon Forward advocacy day on April 17 in Salem to speak up for a climate friendly transportation package. Register here!

  • Mark your calendar for the Building Resilience coalition’s lobby day on May 7 in Salem, we’ll share more details soon.

  • Many of our priority bills are in the hands of the Ways & Means Committee, which decides which things make it into the budget. The committee is doing a “roadshow” where they’re hearing from people around the state about their budget priorities…but none of them are in Portland. Never fear, you can attend the Salem event virtually and offer verbal testimony on April 16, or submit a written comment. See our list of bills in Ways & Means on our priorities page, and choose the ones that are most important to you to speak up about.

“Climate Coffee Chats” with city councilors

We’re setting up relatively informal meetings with city councilors and small groups of constituents from their district who care about climate and environmental justice. Our first one with Councilor Kanal on March 17 was a great success! If you’d like to join future events, please only sign up for ones in your own District. So far, we have the following events scheduled:

  • District 1Councilor Avalos, April 18, 6:00pm, register here if you are a D1 constituent and would like to attend; Councilor Dunphy, April 30, 5:00pm, register here if you are a D1 constituent and would like more info when it’s available

  • District 2: Council President Pirtle-Guiney, still working on details, register here if you are a D2 constituent and want more info when it’s available

  • District 3: Councilor NovickApril 11, 6:30pm, register here if you are a D3 constituent

  • District 4: Councilor Green, April 23, 4:00pm, register here if you are a D4 constituent and would like to attend

 

Community Development

Some of the best things about building a movement are the rad collaborations we get to do with incredible groups and organizations throughout the city. This spring, 350PDX is collaborating on a project with art students at PNCA in Sarah Farahat’s course Theory & Practice: Art Matters! Collaboration in Community, bringing light to our Stop Zenith campaign. Our work will culminate in an immersive experience at PNCA’s first Thursday event on May 1st. Come and celebrate the powerful confluence of art praxis and climate justice!

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Did you know the 350PDX Book Club is now meeting every month? We alternate between virtual and in-person meetings the first Wednesday of each month! Our May book is still TBD, but sign up here to get on the mailing list or check our website for updates on meeting times and book selections.

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Attention: Foster-Powell neighborhood! A 350PDX volunteer has organized a Little Climate Actions event at the Holgate library, every

 Monday in April. The group will have a bill each week that folks can contact their legislators about in different mediums: write a postcard, send an email, or make a phone call. There will also be kid-friendly crafts and activities, so bring the whole family!

The Arts Team

At our artbuilds, the Arts Team continues to produce powerful images of climate justice and our Earth. The next Artbuild is Sunday, April 13, 12:00-4:00pm at 3639 N Mississippi. We’ll finish our puppets for the Earth Day parade on Saturday, April 26. On that day we’ll join with Make Earth Cool, BARK, and Sunnyside Environmental School at the Sunnyside Schoolyard near 3421 SE Salmon at 11:30am for the Earth Day parade. We’ll need 30 puppeteers then, can you be one of them? It’s fun and it delivers a strong message of climate justice that the audience enthusiastically responds to.

Reach out to Donna if you’re interested! Murph1949@aol.com

Volunteer Spotlight

Joaquin Moore

Joaquin Moore is an artist, designer, and environmental advocate who seamlessly blends creativity with activism. With a background in graphic design dating back to 2016 and a B.S. in Environmental Science from Portland State University, Joaquin has always been passionate about using visual storytelling to drive change. They have been an active volunteer with organizations like Bark and the Mt. Tabor Weed Warriors for years, working to protect forests and restore urban green spaces. When they found the 350PDX Arts Team, they were drawn to the passionate community of artists using their skills to fight for climate justice.

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Since joining 350PDX, Joaquin has contributed to several impactful projects, including the Ax Drax posters, the Climate Justice Voter Guide, and a variety of puppets, signs, and screen-printed designs for actions and campaigns. With experience as an Art Director, Graphic Designer, and GIS Specialist, his work brings together bold visuals and environmental advocacy, making complex issues more accessible and engaging. Whether through digital design or hands-on community art, Joaquin continues to use creativity as a tool for change.
Check out Joaquin’s beautiful work here!

350 Washington County Team

Our next online meeting will take place online at 6:30pm on Tuesday, April 8. For the link, reach out to debbygactivism@gmail.com. We’ll share information on Washington County campaigns, as well as policy work we’ve been accomplishing in this busy legislative session.

We’re taking on a big new project to put on an Electrification and Sustainability Fair in Hillsboro in August; lots of planning is happening in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and with local allies. 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). Please sign up HERE.

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SW Neighborhood Team

The 350PDX Southwest Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland. 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, April 21st 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 waving signs at SW Multnomah and SW 35th on Fridays at 4:00pm in April. Come join us, we have extra Climate Action signs to share!

Support 350PDX and local businesses during Earth Month!

We are lucky to partner with some of our favorite places in Portland during the month of April. Head to the following spots to eat, drink, or shop and your purchase will support small businesses in Portland as well as 350PDX!

🍸 Radio Room – buy the “Earth to Emily” drink and 50% of proceeds will go to 350PDX – only during April! 

🍕 Dove Vivi – 10% of pizza sales on Tuesdays go to 350PDX

📚 Annie Bloom’s Books – Mention 350PDX when you make a purchase on Earth Day (April 22) and we’ll get 15% of proceeds!

Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter, and for being part of the 350PDX community. Hope is a practice, and it will take each of us to get us through the current state of things. The climate justice movement needs support now more than ever. Donate to 350PDX today.

With gratitude,

Brenna, Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

March 2025 Updates and Events

On March 4th, 350PDX’s beautiful puppets made their first public appearance at the Mississippi Avenue Mardi Gras! 350PDX’s arts team, an all-volunteer powerhouse that creates puppets, banners, and other works of art, did a spectacular job! Many of these “animal icons of the Pacific NW” puppets were created last fall in a workshop with master puppeteer Donovan Zimmerman of Paperhand Puppet Project. We are so grateful to art team leads Donna Murphy, Dannika Sullivan, and Lauren Sullivan, as well as to all the volunteers who built the puppets and helped them fly, walk, and jump along Mississippi Ave! Photos & video here!

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Upcoming Events

  • Rumble on the River: The False Promise of “Renewable” Fuels/March Action Night, Thursday, March 20. Doors open 5:30pm for tabling, panel starts at 6:30 pm, Havurah Shalom, 825 NW 18th Ave.

Just as it seemed that we were making real climate progress, the fossil fuel industry is sidetracking elected officials, regulators, and business leaders with a rash of climate solution diversions. In the face of Zenith Energy’s plans to make Portland the West Coast center for so-called “renewable” diesel and “sustainable” aviation fuel, the panel will examine: how renewable diesel is fraught with all kinds of problems and dangers, and may have a higher carbon footprint than petroleum-based fuels. Additionally, they will discuss how renewable natural gas actually comes from methane produced by tortured animals in factory farms.

Note: This Community Forum is happening in place of our usual 350PDX Action Night. We’re shakin’ things up! Join us at a different location on the other side of the river for an evening of education and community to learn more about false solutions. More info here. No need to RSVP, just show up!

 

  • Film Screening: How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Monday, March 24, 6:30 pm, Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St.

With the climate crisis at a dangerous point of no return, a group of environmental activists come up with a daring plan to make their voices heard and disrupt an oil pipeline.

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Join us at the Clinton Street Theater for a must-see screening of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, the 2022 thriller-drama based on the book by Andreas Malm. Film run time is 104 minutes, and will be followed by a brief discussion. Concessions (popcorn, candy, drinks) will be available for purchase from the theater.

Reserve your tickets today! The event is FREE, but we are taking sliding scale donation tickets online and at the door. Funds raised cover the cost of renting the theater, and any extra funds will support the climate justice work of 350PDX. (No one turned away for lack of funds.)

As the push to log our forests to burn for cheap energy increases, people from across the country are gathering for a webinar to learn more about the false solution of biomass energy and its impact on public health. Register now to attend this important webinar (note – the registration page shows the event only in Eastern Time).  And, if you want to join the 350PDX Forest Defense team person for a watch party, we’ll be gathering at the Climate Justice Workshop (3639 N. Mississippi) to watch together.

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Team News

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

We’re Suing the City of Portland!

Last week, we announced that we’re taking the City of Portland to court. 350PDX, together with the Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC), Willamette Riverkeeper, and 18 Portland residents submitted a Notice of Intent to Appeal the City of Portland’s recent approval of a Land Use Compatibility Statement (LUCS) for Zenith Energy, which gave the Texas-based fossil fuel company a green light to expand operations in Portland. We are seeking a ruling from the Land Use Board of Appeals that the LUCS process was flawed because it failed to provide for any public involvement, and an order to remand the decision back to the City for a lawful public process. The City granted a new LUCS on February 3 in spite of the objections of thousands of Portlanders–including many who live near the facility–and only days after Portland City Councilors introduced a resolution calling for an investigation of Zenith and to “pause any administrative actions … related to Zenith pending the results of investigations.”

Check out coverage of this exciting news in The OregonianPortland Mercury, (both with quotes from our Campaign Manager, Dineen!) and Street RootsIn case you missed it, check out our Instagram video announcing this news!

Join the Fossil Fuel Resistance Team!

Our team is busy at the City and State levels and we’re welcoming new members. Our next meeting is virtual, next Tuesday March 11 at 5:30 pm. Email dineen@350pdx.org for the Zoom link. There’s lots to do and we’d love to have you join us!

Climate Policy

Oregon Legislative Session

The Oregon legislative session is in full swing! Our 2025 Legislative Priorities page is updated regularly so you can keep track of what’s going on and how to take action on each of our priority bills. Here are a couple of easy actions you can take today:

Mark your calendars for lobby days

We’ll be having a 350PDX lobby day on April 29, so if you’d like to join us in Salem, meet with your legislator, and advocate together for stronger climate policies in Oregon, mark your calendar now, and watch for more information and registration.

We’ll also be joining the Move Oregon Forward lobby day on April 17. Individuals and organizations from across the state will be advocating for a transportation package that is safe, climate friendly, affordable, and includes active and public transportation.

Climate coffee chats with city councilors

We’re in the process of setting up “coffee chats” about climate issues with all members of the Portland city council. Would you like to be invited to the conversations in your district? These will be relatively small groups of folks from each district who want to share their climate justice concerns, and hear from city councilors about their climate priorities and plans. Email Cherice Bock (cherice@350pdx.org), and we’ll let you know details soon.

Join the Climate Justice Policy Team!

Our regular meeting is the second Wednesday of each month (next meeting is hybrid on 3/12 at 6:30pm, email Cherice). Our state advocacy team meets virtually on the last Wednesday of each month through June, register here.

Forest Defense Team

Comment on the NW Forest Plan! Join Oregon Wild and Great Old Broads for Wilderness on March 11 at 5:30pm at the 350PDX Climate Justice Workshop, 3639 N. Mississippi Ave, to learn more about the proposed amendments to the NW Forest Plan and write comments to the U.S. Forest Service. If you can’t make the workshop – check out this great toolkit from our friends at the Pacific NW Forest Climate Alliance. Comments are due March 17th.

Connect with the Team: We meet every first and third Monday from 6-7:30 pm.  Contact brenna@350pdx.orgtyler@350pdx.org, or felice.kelly@gmail.com for more information.

The Arts Team

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350PDX’s Arts Team worked hard last month to create a forest of threatened trees, sculpt an unholy alliance of greedy aging Mr. Monopolies, and finish up the last flourishes on our beautiful soaring blue heron. Many thanks to these wonderful volunteer artists or wannabe artists who prepared puppets for their public debut March 4 at Portland’s Mardi Gras on our home street of N Mississippi. And what a grand evening that turned into: those artists marching with their creations, crowds cheering for climate justice, and arts pushing forward our climate work.

If this sounds exciting, then please come to our next Artbuild, which will NOT be the usual date next Sunday, but instead it will be Sunday, March 16, at 350PDX, 3639 N Mississippi, 1:00-4:00pm. We’ll be preparing for the April Earth Day parade!

Reach out to Donna if you’re interested! Murph1949@aol.com

Community Development

Our 350PDX Book Club’s book for April is The Deluge by Stephen Markley. We will meet on April 2, from 6:30-8:00pm at the 350PDX office, with potluck-style snacks and drinks.

The book club meets the first Wednesday of every month (alternating virtual and in-person) to discuss books about climate justice, science, and resilience. More information about upcoming books + meeting details hereClick here to get on the mailing list, or reach out to books@350pdx.org with any questions!

350 Washington County Team

Our next online meeting will take place online at 6:30pm on Tuesday, March 11. For the link, reach out to debbygactivism@gmail.com. We’ll share information on Washington County campaigns, as well as policy work we’ve been accomplishing in this busy legislative session. We’re taking on a big new project to put on an Electrification and Sustainability Fair in Hillsboro in August; lots of planning is happening in partnership with the City of Hillsboro and with local allies. 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). Please sign up HERE.

SW Neighborhood Team

The 350PDX Southwest Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland. 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 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, March 17th at 6:30pm.

(2) Sign up to distribute yard signs promoting Climate Action Now! at community events.

(3) Join our weekly street corner demonstrations. We’ll be waving signs at SW Multnomah and SW 35th on Mondays in March at 4:00pm. Join us! We have extra signs to share!

Volunteer Spotlight

Donna Murphy, Arts Team Lead

Donna spent 20 years teaching in under-resourced grade schools. She helped struggling readers, writers, and math learners to learn those skills, exhorting them by saying, “You’re going to be voting in eight short years, you have to know this!”

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After retiring and after reading Naomi Klein’s book This Changes Everything, Donna joined the 350PDX arts team. Throughout the past 11 years, Donna has grown with the arts team, and realizes the importance of 3-dimensional art in supporting 350PDX’s mission and in helping to tell a strong climate story. The team also makes 2D art, like posters and banners, and will continue with the large puppets that have brought in new team volunteers, new skills, and deeper understandings of humans and climate justice.

Donna lives in NE Portland with Gardner. Their child, Mannie, an artist and author, lives close by, and their son Joe lives in Brooklyn where he’s a journalist/union organizer. Now that Donna’s retired, she takes wonderful daily naps. She grows veggies in the vegetable garden that once was her useless lawn. Donna values time volunteering for 350PDX as a continuing privilege.

With gratitude,

Brenna, Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, Katie

Did you know we are now on Bluesky? Please follow for news, events, action alerts, and more!

February 2025 Updates and Events

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 OregonianStreet RootsPortland 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.orgtyler@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 hereClick 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

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

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 TribuneAnd 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

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

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 Portlandand 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

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!