LOCAL:

May 11 – Wenatchee Interfaith Climate Group meeting @ 1:00 We look at the Climate Crisis through a Spiritual point of view and take actions in faith.  If you are interested in joining us, email interfaithclimatewen@gmail.com

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1llzhT2Pz5qd5hxcyUmIIMkiHTjL-LUDS/view

PACIFIC NORTHWEST:

350Seattle is RAMPING UP  THE GREEN NEW DEAL

What we’ve accomplished
The JumpStart tax was one of our first big Green New Deal priorities—with Washington tax policy being judged the most regressive in the nation, it’s especially important that we tax big businesses to pay for the needs created in large part by their actions. Read our interview with Teresa Mosqueda, who was central to the passage of JumpStart, and learn about what it will do to fund Green New Deal efforts.

The big picture
“A Planet to Win: Why We Need A Green New Deal” is an excellent road map for what a Green New Deal could look like and how we can get there. Join 350 Seattle’s Green New Deal team for an evening of food, community, and discussion.

Planet to Win Podcast & Book Group Meeting
Thursday, May 12, 6:00 – 8:30pm
At 350 Seattle’s new office! 5033 University Ave NE, Seattle, 98105
In person event, RSVP here.

This great 2 hour interview with the authors will set you up well to join the event. Most of our time together will be spent in subject-based small group discussions. This is our second time doing this event and the last one was a blast! We hope you can make it!

Sneak peek
Excited to learn more about our new Green New Deal campaign before the kickoff? Join our team to find out how you can plug in early to this fight to make our community centers fossil fuel-free resiliency centers!

Green New Deal Campaign Preview Event
Thursday, May 19, 6:00–7:00pm
Online, register here.

Kickoff picnic!
Then join us to kick off our newest Green New Deal campaign—fighting to win investments that can move our community centers off fossil fuels and set them up to be resiliency centers for heat and smoke events! We’re excited to use this campaign to accelerate work to move buildings off fossil fuels, build meaningful resilience for extreme weather events, skill up volunteers like yourself, and strengthen ties with the labor movement and environmental justice groups that can set us all up for bigger wins going forward!

Green New Deal Campaign Kickoff Picnic
Sunday, June 5, 3:00–6:00pm
Jefferson Park, 3801 Beacon Ave S, Seattle 98108   In person event, RSVP here.

This family-friendly community picnic includes a program with community partners, unveiling the campaign and how folks can get involved!

OUR STATE KILLS TREES FOR SCHOOLS? The Pacific Northwest’s forests have the potential to store enormous amounts of carbon…if we don’t cut them down.

One legacy of Washington’s extractive past is that state-managed forest lands are harvested to fund state schools. But those harvests provide only 2% of K-12 school funding, while leaving the trees standing could sequester carbon and provide ecological habitat for another century. Meanwhile, rural school districts need more predictable and robust funding. The WA State Lands group of the PNW Forest Climate Alliance is mobilizing to work on this issue. Want to get involved? Contact David.

And here’s a trailer for the upcoming feature documentary, We Speak for The Trees. This local struggle against the effects of clear-cut logging is a story that resonates across borders and continents.

Got questions about how we use our forests? Start with our Forestry FAQ.

NATIONAL:

 

Asset managers including BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street talk a big game on climate. But when it’s time to follow it up with real action, they’re nowhere to be seen.

A few weeks ago, shareholders at Citi, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs voted on resolutions demanding the banks stop financing fossil fuel expansion. It’s clear that BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street voted the wrong way.

Can you take a moment to email their executives today and demand they vote YES for climate?

They still have time to make a change. Next week is the shareholder meetings for JPMorgan Chase and Chubb – the world’s largest financier of fossil fuels, and one of the world’s largest investors of coal, oil, and gas. Both companies face similar resolutions, demanding they stop supporting fossil fuel expansion.

BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street can make sure their actions align with their words by voting YES on the climate resolution at the Chase and Chubb shareholder meetings next week.

These large asset managers can’t have it both ways. They can’t talk about their commitments to sustainability and climate, while voting down policies that would actually keep greenhouse gas emissions in check.

They need to hear from us: we won’t let this greenwashing stand. Click the link below to send your message.

https://stopthemoneypipeline.com/email-asset-managers/?link_id=0&can_id=24508593d00967c46054eb05dc0065fc&source=email-its-time-for-blackrock-vanguard-and-state-street-to-walk-the-talk-2&email_referrer=email_1538137&email_subject=its-time-for-blackrock-vanguard-and-state-street-to-walk-the-talk

FEDERAL POLICY TEAM

The Federal Policy Team continues to plow forward even though the momentum for strong climate policy in Congress appears to have waned. One area of hope involves the 2023 Farm Bill, which appears to have a chance at including strong policies in favor of agro-ecological and regenerative agricultural principles. Our ag team has been studying up on this important area of climate action and educating Congressional offices about key climate principles for agriculture.

Two ways you can help push for stronger federal climate policy:

Ask Maria Cantwell to sponsor the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. This month we will be meeting with Senator Cantwell’s office to find out why she has not co-sponsored the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. Please help in this effort by calling Senator Cantwell’s office at 206-220-6400 and asking her to co-sponsor the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act (Senate Bill 984). For background read this Seattle Times Op-ed co-authored by our Federal team.

Send your comments to the Feds regarding employee retirement plans and fossil fuel investments. For background information and the comment link, visit this document.

YALE CLIMATE CONNECTIONS READING:

Save money and energy: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/05/apartment-building-retrofits-can-help-the-climate-and-save-tenants-money/

Getting more out of Mine Waste: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/05/technology-to-recover-minerals-from-mine-waste-and-recycled-batteries/

Resisting Climate “Doomism”: https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/05/on-climate-doomism-heart-mind-reasons-to-resist-it/

Sue Kane – newsletter editor

 

 

 

 

 

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