Jeanne,
Did you notice the sunshine today? That could be power for schools, y’know, not just for the witch hazel blossoms, though we love them…
GET YOUR BALLOT IN!
The 2022 Seattle school levies fund essential needs like Covid-safety upgrades, building repair, student support services, after-school programs and includes $18M for climate solutions. Check out our new video for the Green New Deal team, Seattle Public Schools Levies – Vote Yes on Prop 1 and 2.
Ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, February 8th–or find a dropbox near you.
FEDERAL POLICY TEAM
After submitting these comments to the EPA on its proposed methane rule, the Federal Policy Team is preparing for a round of meetings with Congressional offices. Bills we’re pushing for include: the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (still not co-sponsored or endorsed by Senator Cantwell, 202-224-3441), the National Climate Emergency Act, and the Climate Resilience Workforce Act, recently introduced by Representative Jayapal. We’ll also address the Green Climate Fund which needs significant improvement to address the failure of needed funds to reach countries in the global south.
Agriculture
Our agriculture sub-team is studying up on the 2023 Farm Bill—with strong lobbying from organizations around the country, it has the potential to become a strong climate bill, with significant funding for regenerative agriculture. And as we lobby Congress on climate/agricultural issues we’ll be opposing the Growing Climate Solutions Act. Our concerns are captured by this letter to Congress from last April. By the way, check out this fabulous video on climate and agriculture. Its message: the devastating effects of agriculture on climate are under-reported and neglected by climate organizations.
Electric mail trucks!
The US Postal Service plans to spend billions of dollars on a new fleet of internal combustion engine delivery trucks. Seriously! While the Biden administration is pushing to derail this plan, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump holdover, is expected to resist. Tell Congress: Stop Trump holdovers at the Postal Service from buying fossil fuel mail trucks! Call your Congressional representatives with this message:
“Please join the President in pressuring the Postal Service to cancel its plan to purchase climate polluting gas-powered vehicles, and to purchase electric vehicles instead.”
Find your Congressional representative here, and while you’re at it, please call Senator Cantwell (202-224-3441) and Senator Murray (202-224-2621) as well! Then follow up with this email.
Want to get in on the federal fun? Join the Federal Policy Team listserv here!
LAST CHANCE TO REDUCE STATE EMISSIONS FROM CARS?
Lawmakers have honed the transportation budget we fought last spring, and this week are expected to drop a 15-year, $15 billion transportation package. While there are rumors of historic and welcome investments in transit and Complete Streets, 350 WA volunteers researched the 14 biggest highway expansion projects also likely to be in the package and discovered they amount to 1 billion additional vehicle miles traveled per year. That means 10 million metric tons of CO2 by 2050. How is that consistent with Washington’s statutory commitment to reduce greenhouse gases?? And air pollution from these megaprojects will disproportionately impact BIPOC and low-income folks.
Given the health and climate costs, we must demand lawmakers halt highway expansion. A good first step in this package would be to eliminate expansion for single-occupancy vehicle lanes. If we need to address idling trucks heading to and from the Port of Tacoma on Highway 167, then the added lanes should be freight-only. If commuters are stuck in traffic, then let’s build them exclusive Bus Rapid Transit lanes, as lawmakers have requested for the I-405. But if we just add more unrestricted lanes to address these problems, the history of induced demand tells us they will just fill up with cars, leaving trucks and commuters stuck in traffic all over again. We will have wasted billions, not solved our congestion problems, and simply paid a lot to create more air pollution and climate change.
Here are three ways to act now for a Just Transition in Transportation:
- Endorse the campaign, either as an individual or on behalf of an organization.
- Sign up for 350 WA Civic Action Team alerts–and look for a transpo advocacy action this Wednesday!
- Watch for the U-Turn on Emissions graphic on 350 Seattle and 350 WA social media channels this week, repost and tag your lawmakers and #WAleg. Help us amplify our messaging about the air pollution and climate impacts of proposed highway expansion projects.
Want to get more involved in the campaign? We also need volunteers to post on social media, engage in policy research, research political donors, and write an app! More info here.
KING COUNTY ENERGY CODES
Later this month King County Council’s Local Services and Land Use Committee will vote on an ordinance eliminating most uses of fossil fuels in new commercial and large multifamily (over 4 stories) buildings in unincorporated King County, requiring that they instead use electric heat pumps for space and water heating.
King County Council Local Services and Land Use Committee
Tuesday, February 22, 9:30am
To watch or participate, see details here.
Seattle and Shoreline have already voted YES on similar policies, with Seattle leading the way!
We’re looking for people who live in unincorporated King County to give public testimony in support of this policy. The other side–primarily the gas industry and their allies–are likely to show up, so it’s crucial that King County residents turn out as well to let committee members know that we support clean, safe, all-electric buildings.
For more information and talking points, please email Katherine.
THE PEOPLE’S POWER
The EKC-PUD campaign to collect 40K signatures to create a Public Utility District in east King County is in full swing, with so many fun things going on!
New volunteer opportunities
The campaign is organizing sending postcards, signature-gathering at trailheads, and good old door-to-door canvassing. Email info@ekc-pud.org if you want to strike out on your own or check the campaign events page for upcoming group activities.
The campaign is also looking for east King County residents to give public comment at their City Council meetings this month, submit Letters to the Editor, or publicize the campaign through workplace channels. Help is available!
The best way to stay up-to-date with the campaign is to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Details are still in the works, but we may be hosting a big sign-making party at Gasworks Park at some point this month or next.
And donations through 350 Eastside (no amount too small) will help fund the 2nd and 3rd phases of an engineering study on viable decarbonization pathways for the east King County region.
GREEN AMENDMENT
Washington’s Green Amendment was heard in the state House!
Supporting the leadership of Indigenous Rep. Debra Lekanoff, the 350 WA Green Amendment team helped ensure that an amendment to the Washington state constitution was discussed in the state House of Representatives last week.
Public testimony emphasized how this amendment would lift the voices of people most affected by environmental damage and how enacting it would avoid the immense costs of not protecting what might be our most important right in this time of climate crisis: the right to clean air, pure water and a healthy environment.
Amendments to the state constitution are no easy task! To lend your support, contact David.
ANOTHER STEP TOWARD FREE TRANSIT FOR ALL
It’s simple: more people on transit means fewer cars on the road which means lower climate emissions. In 2018, University of Washington unions, with support from community groups like 350 Seattle, won free transit passes for UW union employees, grad students, and some other UW employees. Now there’s finally a proposal for UW to extend transit passes to cover the remaining 10,000 or so employees. Click here to send a letter in support!
COMMUNITY RESOURCE LIST
Do you have a skill or service you’d like to offer to the 350 Seattle activist community? Would you like to volunteer to help us grow our list of resources available to 350 Seattle activists?
We’re looking for volunteers who can research and contact local businesses, practitioners, and creatives to ask if they can provide support through discounts, trades, free services, and more. It’s not hard! All you need are basic outreach and/or research skills, and it’s an easy time commitment, one hour a week. Interested in helping? Contact Hillary.
CLIMATE GRIEF AND EMPOWERMENT
We are a part of nature, and we feel her imbalance. Paying attention to our physical-emotional reactions is an important part of climate work. We invite you to join us to listen and to process in the monthly Climate Grief and Empowerment group. We move through The Work That Reconnects; four interactive stages guide our time together: Gratitude, Honoring Our Pain for the World, Seeing with New and Ancient Eyes, and Going Forth.
Climate Grief and Empowerment
Saturday, February 12, 10:00–11:45am
Online, register here.
Volunteer opportunity
Please consider supporting this offering by covering the behind-the-scenes logistics with 2 hours a month on your own time. You will be trained and supported in the role, which involves setting up Zoom events, emailing and posting the event each month. No experience necessary, but comfort on the computer is a plus. Please contact Lisa.
STORY CIRCLE
We invite you to submit a poem, short story, song, or art piece to our community zine project! Submissions are due by the end of February. Join us to discuss!
Story Circle – Zines!
Friday, February 25, 6:00pm
Online, register here.
We’re still working through what we’ve received so far, so if you haven’t heard back yet, you will soon. Thanks for your patience, there has been much excitement around the zine!
THE PEOPLE’S ECHO
Every month The People’s Echo hosts both an online and in-person song circle. You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter here.
Join us to share songs with each other that feel relevant to the times we are living in. Please bring a song that is easy and teachable, that we can all sing together. Preferably 4-6 lines. This is for community singing. We don’t believe in good/bad binaries—there are no good or bad singers. We lift up all voices and find our power in singing together.
In Person Song Circle
Sunday, February 13, 1:00–3:00pm
Seward Park, Shelter #3, 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle 98118
Please wear masks, we will have some on site as well.
Shareable event page.
The People’s Echo is delighted to partner with sacred songstress and holistic singing teacher Britania Pousson-Nicastro for a special workshop on singing as a mind/body/spirit practice.
Online Holistic Singing
Thursday, February 24, 6:30–8:00pm
Online, event info here.
INTUITIVE MOVEMENT WORKSHOPS
These will be a fun and rejuvenating way to nourish our bodies for self-care and community connection, with our earth, and each other. These workshops are places for us to restore our bodies and spirits with movement that is both relaxing and fun. The workshops begin with a gentle warm-up, then a short, guided meditation, a movement session, and sharing time. Facilitated by Rhia Gowen, a Person-Centered Expressive Arts counselor and teacher with over 25 years’ experience.
When and where: Outside, masked in-person in a park, and/or online—dates to be worked out with those who sign up here!
ARTFUL ACTIVISM
Art makes our movement inviting, makes messaging clear and accessible, and gives people of all ages and backgrounds a way to participate in important issues. We brainstorm creative ways to use art to its fullest potential, make inspiring visuals, projects, performances, and song. No skills required. Please join us! Sign up here!
Building art together
Join us for a masked, outdoor, covered art build and social creative time—drop ins welcome, bring family and friends! We’ll be painting gorgeous screen prints and more. No skills needed, just your mask, smiling eyes, clothes for painting, snacks, and water!
In Person Art Build
Saturday, Feb 19, Noon–4:00pm (part time or drop-ins welcome).
Gasworks Park Play Barn, 2101 N Northlake Way, Seattle 98103
To find us, pass the bathrooms and the building with the red machinery in front of it, then walk through the Play Barn building to the southeast end—we’ll be there! RSVP to Lisa pleaseso we can let you know about any date change, etc.
Covid safety: Wearing masks is the default. Please, if you have even mild symptoms or possible exposures, just sit this one out! If you have needs or concerns, please email Lisa. We will prioritize the concerns of the most vulnerable.
Skilled art from home
If you already have some art or sewing skills and you want to get on our short list of people who get contacted for smaller art builds, please contact Lisa.
Not skilled? No worries, join us! We’ll teach you how! We all love to see the work we’ve helped create make a difference in the world! No skills tasks like tracing, cutting, twisting ties, painting in between the lines, etc. are always needing people in a supportive, learning, fun and connecting atmosphere with other people who care enough to show up like you are. Sign up here.
With skills? We’re looking for people with skills in performance arts, visual arts like graphic design, painting, drawing, screen printing, building props. Or are you organized, like data and want to help with the imagery or photo library behind the scenes? Or people with creative strategic humor and energy who like to brainstorm! Contact Lisa.
Deployment Team! Learn how to set up, position, and animate art at events, and how to recruit and guide other volunteers! Please sign up here!
PHOTOS WANTED!
Did you take photos at a recent 350 Seattle event, art build, or action? Are you willing to share what you captured with our community? We invite you to submit your best images to our Photo Library, where they’ll be saved for future use in our organization’s storytelling, including our outreach, communications, and fundraising efforts. Here are our guidelines for submitting photos to our library editors.
Thank you for helping us tell (and show) our story!
VIDEOS
Our February general meeting featured special guest speaker Aaron Johnson from Holistic Resistance—learn about intersections of healing from intergenerational and present-day trauma.
And visit the 350 Seattle YouTube page for awesome and growing content including DIY Art how-to videos, recordings of past general meetings, webinars, and trainings.
GET INVOLVED!
Do you care about climate justice? Are you looking for a way to volunteer, and hang out with some awesome folks in the process? Come join our 350 Seattle New Volunteer Orientation Training!
New Volunteer Orientation Training
Monday, February 21, 6:00–7:00pm
Online, register here.
Want more general information about 350 Seattle? Then check out this handy new volunteer welcome guide.
Here are some really great ways to start on that path of engagement! Check out our updated Volunteer Opportunities List. Opportunities range from low commitment to high, introductory to skilled. All you have to do is find something you’re excited about and reach out! Unless otherwise noted, all opportunities can be done from home.
Unsure what you want to do? Still have questions about who we are and what we do? Schedule a time to chat with Shemona either by phone or video chat.
No time? Well, never fear—you can support the work we do at 350 Seattle by becoming a monthly donor! Sign up here!
Happy February, friends—be sure to get some of that restorative midwinter sunshine when you have the chance!
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350 Seattle is an independent local affiliate of the global 350.org. We are not legally or financially connected to 350.org. We’re funded by supporters like you! Click here to make a donation today.
350 Seattle
5031 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
United States