TEAM UPDATES

Read more about the teams and volunteer opportunities on the Volunteer Opportunities page
Want to get involved but not sure where to start? Take the Pledge of Action!

Sign our brand new Pledge of Action

Whether you’re new to the movement or a seasoned activist, we want you to join us by taking the Pledge of Action! This will be a key tool in building our momentum this summer and ongoing.

In the pledge, we ask folks what types of action they want to take and how they want to be contacted about it. It’s useful for us (a list of 100 people excited about phonebanking can be more useful than a list of 6,000 people who mostly are not excited about phonebanking), and it’s useful to you (if you only want to be texted about kayaktivism actions and nothing else, you can choose that!) Thanks in advance for signing the Pledge!

Come to Our June Training Series

These trainings are open to anyone, and are aimed at giving people to skills to thrive as climate justice activists, whether that’s within 350PDX or in the broader movement. All trainings on Zoom.

350PDX Volunteer Orientation – Wed June 1, 6-7.45PM – register here

People Power 101 – Tues June 7, 6-7PM – register here

Climate Justice 101 – Mon June 13, 6-7PM – register here

Having Climate Conversations – Tues June 21, 6-7PM – register here

Finding your Place in the Movement – Thu June 30, 6-7PM – register here

Fossil Fuel Resistance Team

Thank you to everyone who helped our team lead a successful action against one of the main “Climate Villains” of the Climate Strike last week: NW Natural. Together, we educated hundreds of people about the dangers of methane and continued to build the case for a fossil free Multnomah County. This past month we launched the video and postcards we’ve been creating with the 350PDX Creative Team to change the public narrative on methane: Methane is the New Lead Paint. Check it out! The video has been getting a lot of traction around the county, and we’d love your help to continue sharing it on social media.

GET CONNECTED:  We meet every other Tuesday at 5:30pm, and our meetings alternate between on Zoom and in-person and outside in backyards. Our next meeting is on Tues, May 31 on Zoom. To get the zoom link, information on joining the in-person meetings, and/or to sign up for an orientation to the team, reach out to our team leads, Melanie and Dineen: melanie.plaut@gmail.comdineen@350pdx.org.

The Fossil Fuel Resistance Team educated hundreds of people about the dangers of methane gas at the Climate Strike!

Forest Defense Team

The Forest Defense Team works to fight climate change by advocating for forest management practices that increase carbon sequestration and storage, decrease forestry sector carbon emissions, and improve community and ecosystem resilience in the face of the changing climate. We have two sub-teams, State Forest Policy and Urban Shade Equity, as well as engaging in many other actions to help promote healthy climate, communities and forests.

The State Forest Policy sub-team has been hard at work reviewing and writing comments on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). The proposed HCP will shape state forest management for the next 50-70 years and is a real mixed bag. While supporting the increased habitat conservation and riparian conservation areas, we still feel the plan is not adequate to protect threatened species from the impacts of industrial logging plus climate change. Please join us in commenting by June 1!

The Shade Equity sub-team continued our campaign encouraging the City of Portland to create a plan to assume full legal and financial responsibility for street trees, and tree-related sidewalk repairs, and is currently helping plan Heat Week, from June 26-30, commemorating last year’s deadly heat dome.  As part of Heat Week, 350PDX is leading a Pedalpalooza ride on June 28th navigating between heat islands and well-treed neighborhoods. The ride will end in Colonel Sumner Park, where we’ll have snacks and a night of climate justice actions.

GET CONNECTED:  The Forest Defense team is alternating in-person meetings (1st Monday of the month) and virtual meetings (3rd Monday). Our next meeting is in person, outside, on June 6th at 6:00pm – snacks provided!  Contact Forest Climate Manager Brenna Bell (brenna@350pdx.org) for meeting details.

TAKE ACTION FOR OREGON STATE FORESTS

From now until June 1st, the public can comment on the environmental analysis of the Western Oregon State Forest Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Please take five minutes to read the Forest Defense team’s comment guide and write your comment today!

City/County Watchdog Team

This month the City-County Watchdog Team has been turning up the volume on our campaign to get environmental justice and climate action into Portland’s Charter.  You may have heard the City is undergoing this once-in-a-decade review process to update the Charter, a “rulebook” that defines the structure, powers, and functions of our city government. The Watchdog Team has been working with members of the Charter Review Commission and community partners – including the Portland Metro People’s Coalition and Sunrise PDX – to advocate for changes that will advance justice and equitable climate response in our city.

GET CONNECTED: Want to learn more about charter review or the 350PDX Watchdog team? Email indi@350pdx.org or brooke@350pdx.org to come to our next meeting on Thursday, June 2 from 5:30-7:00 PM on Zoom. Contact Indi Namkoong (indi@350pdx.org) to get involved with the work of the 350 PDX WatchDog group on Charter work.

ACTION OPPORTUNITY

This month, we’ve been bringing folks together to testify at the Charter Review Commissions public hearings. SUBMIT A WRITTEN COMMENT BY MAY 30, 12PM to get climate justice on Portland’s City Charter! There’s still time to urge the Charter Review Commission to form an Environmental Justice/Climate sub-committee to address climate issues in phase 2 of their work this summer. Click here to find talking points and submit your comment.

Creative Team

The Creative Team has been supporting Divest Oregon in its campaign to achieve divestment of Oregon’s public funds from fossil fuels. We helped build a social media following by organizing and creating posts on Twitter and Instagram, and also designed and helped edit their ground-breaking report, “Risky Business: Oregon Treasury’s Fossil Fuel Problem.” The Gasbuster’s video is live! We shared it at the March in-person action night and it was fun to see people’s reactions. Our target audience is climate folks who are less aware about the dangers of natural gas, and we used a comedic tone so people wouldn’t feel personally shamed or guilty, but instead fired up about taking collective action. Coming soon: A version other cities/regions can use by adding their own local call to action.

The Creative Team is continuing to onboard new core members and creating training materials around 350PDX’s approach to Story-based Strategy. We’re also starting up a Creative Team newsletter!

GET CONNECTED: Fill out this form to get on our roster. We’ll reach out to you about creative projects you can be part of, as well as send you the new Creative Team newsletter.

The Creative and Arts Teams supported a potluck and open mic 350PDX hosted with Boom Arts last week. We shared songs, poetry, comedy performances, and more. Hoping this will be the first open mic event of many!

Arts Team

The 350PDX Arts Team worked hard to make visuals for May 20 Portland Climate Strike march. We made a large blue banner that called out Portland’s climate villains, we also made a Mother Earth costume, and spiffed up our Sun Puppet and Wind Puppet. We created a songbook to use in climate marches with a QR code. Lots of 350 people showed up at the march to carry the banner, be puppeteers, shout chants, and carry signs. Some of the Arts Team also attended the May 17 evening event with a potluck and performances, in collaboration with Boom Arts. Plus we had many well-attended Art Builds at our wonderful workspace at 350.

Upcoming: Lots to do! We must clean out our mess at 350 offices. We plan on reviving an original play about the day Portland’s temperature hit 116 degrees. We will offer a class on protest music and percussion and songs. We have at least one art build scheduled for 4th Sunday, June 26th.

GET CONNECTED: If you are a performer or like art or are outraged by the lack of action to stop climate change, please join us! For more information or to get on our mailing list and get our great newsletter, please contact Donna Murphy, murph1949@aol.com. We need you on our team!

Arts Team folks worked hard to make visuals for the Climate Strike, including these costumes and puppets!

SW Team

The SW Team is now back to meeting on the second Monday of each month. June 13 is the date of our next meeting, to be held on Zoom. We’ll learn more about the need to remove dams from the Lower Snake River, an important extinction-prevention effort led in part by NW tribes. We have our yard signs printed and have begun distribution! They are made to be viewed by pedestrians. Let us know if you have an excellent place to put one or would like to join us in knocking on doors along busy walk ways to get them in the ground.

Finally, we have resumed our weekly Climate Action sign-waving for afternoon commute traffic, 4:45-5:45. Please check the 350PDX calendar for locations – or – ask others to join you on a busy corner near you. It’s fun and heartening to get so many positive responses to our sign that says, “Honk for a Livable Climate.”

GET CONNECTED: Contact emilypolanshek@msn.com to get on our email list, talk by phone or get together to learn more about our small but vibrant team!

Solidarity Team

URGENT FUNDRAISING REQUEST TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

In response to the call for global solidarity from organizers in the Philippines during their election season, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) – of which 350PDX is a member organization – has launched an International Observer Mission to the Philippines. Portland-based solidarity allies from multiple organizations are taking part in this observer mission, traveling to the Philippines to witness and document the conditions on the ground and bring international attention to the dire human rights situation. The crisis is worsening in the aftermath of a severely compromised election in which the children of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and current president Rodrigo Duterte – two of the most egregious human rights abusers in Philippine history – have gained the presidency and vice presidency.

The Philippines is a biodiversity hotspot, a nation on the devastating frontlines of climate chaos, and one of the most dangerous countries in the world for land defenders; it is crucial that environmental advocates in the U.S. stand alongside the Filipino people in their quest for genuine democracy, self-determination, and true freedom from foreign intervention. Learn more and donate to support this important work here.

Washington County Team

On Saturday, April 23: We celebrated Earth Day at the Hillsboro Farmer’s Market by collecting messages on postcards asking local governments to save mature trees. And we passed out seedling plants of lupine and sunflowers to market goers.  We chatted up climate action, pollinators, and more. On Saturday, April 30: We partnered with Solve to lead a local Trash Cleanup event. We’re taking the month of June off, and are looking forward to some social events over the summer

GET CONNECTED:  We always welcome newcomers to our 6:30pm second Tuesday (online for now) meetings and at all our events. Find our meeting and events listings on the 350PDX calendar. Email 350WashCo@gmail.com to attend. Everyone is invited to join in all of our events. Please “like” our Facebook page for updates.

In solidarity,

350PDX Staff – Anissa, Brenna, Chris, Dineen, Emily, Indi, and Julia
350PDX Board & Team Leads