Category Archives: Actions

Actions you can take to address the climate crisis

Petition demanding a real climate plan

Sunrise

Pelosi and Democratic Party Leadership: Democrats have the House. Now we demand a real climate plan.

 

Their future is in our hands

Please pay attention…please get involved in this most important decision-time for this nation…please get everyone you know to do the same.
A plea from our kids:
And a plea from our brothers and sisters under the sea:

Gather for orcas in Olympia Nov. 16

An important rally for the orcas is scheduled at the Capitol complex in Olympia on Nov. 16, 2-5 pm.  There will be representations of all 74 living wild Southern Resident Killer Whales, plus Tokitae, aka “Lolita,” held in captivity at Miami Seaquarium.

Nov 16 is when the Orca Task Force final recommendations go to Governor Inslee.  The rally is to support breaching the Lower Snake River Dams a.s.a.p. for the sake of our salmon and orcas!

There is a big need for people to hold one of the 75 orca replicas. Interested people should let the organizers know they want to hold an orca by posting on the event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/254931905370101/

Event poster:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JIu1idaBW6zNejmqu3igFrYRqz4uNc9I/view?usp=sharing

Here is a site for both drivers and passengers to carpool to the event: https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/9yo54z

First American PAC promotes I-1631

First ad features Quinault Tribe executive director

The first commercial produced by the First American Project PAC, a coalition of Washington’s Tribes and allies, stands in support of I-1631. This unedited, long-form commercial features President Fawn Sharp of the Quinault Tribe. Multiple other leaders will be featured in the next two weeks in ads.

Preview YouTube video Yes on I-1631 – The First American Project – 2 min.

 

How you can help 1631 NOW

From 350.org:
  1. Sign up for a shift to knock doors or make phone calls near you with other Yes on 1631 volunteers — find the next event here. (If you can sign up for a volunteer shift, this is where the campaign needs you most!)
  2. Sign up here to call voters from the comfort of your home.
  3. Join us in texting voters. Sign up for a texting shift here.
  4. Spread the word by emailing your friends using Voter Circle, a simple tool that lets you send personalized messages to friends who are registered to vote in Washington.

Poll: 1631 has Big Oil on the ropes!

This Elway poll has some good news for making carbon polluters accountable:

https://crosscut.com/2018/10/poll-nations-first-carbon-fee-leading-among-voters

This poll shows that:
 
1) I-1631 is leading among voters, and it’s clear that Washingtonians don’t trust big oil despite their $21 million in fancy advertising.
 
2) This election is going to be close, but we CAN win and defeat big oil and their money.
 
3) Undecided voters will come down to who they trust, and every conversation we have with our neighbors, our friends, and at the doors we knock on is essential to help us win.
 
This is a moment for us all to step up.  We have a lot of work to do in the next 25 days to connect with voters and remind them of the vision we all share for this state. With your help and all of our hard work, we can do this!

We can’t do this without YOU. Here are some of the ways you can help: 

Volunteer door knock – It is powerful democracy in action!  Big Oil is already spending more than $20 million to defeat us, but we have the Power of the People.  Please sign up for a shift here.

Calling voters who might need a nudge to vote – this is a huge priority for the campaign, and we need lots of help. We need to ensure these registered voters turn in their ballots. Here is the link for you to schedule yourself for a phonebanking shift (Human-to-human calls are a very powerful tool!) Here is the link to our dialer toolkit.  If you want to call from downtown Seattle this link has all of Washington Environmental Council’s phone banks for 1631, Sunday-Thursday.

Texting – We are doing texts to help Get Out The Vote. You can sign up for a texting shift here.

Small Business Endorsements -Do you know a small business owner you can ask? Maybe your favorite coffee shop? If you get a yes, be sure to fill out this form and we can get them a sign for their window.

If you want to help in a more substantial way by volunteering full or part time for the campaign, let me know! Or if you can host an organizer from out of town, please sign up here.

Go here to learn more about the YES on 1631 campaign, and its endorsers.

We Can. We Must. We Will!

Save our orcas, climate, and dollars: free the Snake!

At our August 5 general meeting, OCA members by consensus adopted a resolution calling for the immediate removal of the four lower Snake River Dams and their replacement by clean power. Removing the lower 4 Snake River Dams will benefit the Pacific Northwest in several ways:

  • Freeing the Snake River ensures restoration of fish populations and marine ecosystems. Lack of chinook salmon from the Columbia River system is a principal reason for the decline of the Southern Resident Orcas.
  • A flowing river will invite local community and tourist recreation.
  • Land reclamation provides ground for new agricultural development with its jobs.
  • Tax and ratepayers will no longer pay for unnecessary, underperforming dams and the future burden of maintenance costs. These dams have outlived their initial intended purpose and are becoming a cost-prohibitive maintenance issue.
  • Energy output from these dams is not required to support the grid, and subsidies to this inefficient technology suppresses available clean energy capacity.

DamSense.org/ – comprehensive, in-depth website devoted to the issue

Orca facts from the Center for Whale Research

Southern Resident Killer Whale Synopsis – Debra Ellers, North Olympic Orca Pod

The Case for Breaching the 4 Lower Snake River Dams – Orca Network

Comments to Orca Task Force from the President of Advocates for the West in Idaho

Greenhouse Gas Impacts of the L4SRDs – John Twa, Mechanical Engineer

Ratepayers subsidize dirty power from the L4SRDs while better green power is available

Seattle Times: Controversy over orcas vs. dams

Actions to save the Orcas, from 350 Seattle: Call Governor Inslee at 360-902-4111 and ask him to take action immediately. Thank him for working to protect orcas, and tell him you support stronger action, now, without delay:

  • Issue an emergency moratorium on new fossil fuel traffic in the Salish Sea.
  • Define a rigorous and mandatory ‘Oil Spill Clean Up Rate’ to stop Trans Mountain tar sands crude oil from coming through Washington State.
  • Stop fuel exports at March Point and Cherry Point, and the construction of the LNG facility in Tacoma.
  • Stand in support of Whatcom County’s existing moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure.
  • Call on BC Premier John Horgan take swift action against fish farms.
  • Restore Chinook spawning grounds by breaching of the lower four Snake River dams.

Online petitions:

Whom to call or contact and ways to provide your opinion: Sample comments and link here: “Public Feedback: Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery and Task Force” https://bit.ly/2McBcFT

Governor J. Inslee
phone: (360) 902-4111
e-message: https://bit.ly/2F7AWDN

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GovInslee

 

Senator Patty Murray (425) 259-6515
fax: (509) 624-9561
e-message: https://bit.ly/2jsVl8T

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattyMurray

 

Senator Maria Cantwell (202) 224-3441
fax: (202) 228-0514
e-message: https://bit.ly/2lzQshJ

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SenatorCantwell

 

NOAA, Barry Thom (503) 231-6266

 

Please tell the Army Corps of Engineers to supplement the 2002 EIS promptly and use Alternative 4 to breach the 4 Lower Snake River Dams in 2018.

 

US Army Corps of Engineers (202) 761-0000

Lt. General Todd T. Semonite
Commander and Chief of Engineers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000

Northwest Division, USACE

Brigadier General Helmlinger
PO Box 2870
Portland OR 97208-2870
503-808-3800