Category Archives: Events

Events related to the climate crisis, whether sponsored by OCA or others

Ask your candidates about climate

With primary election season coming around, it’s time to exercise your democratic muscles and get involved! One way is to inform yourself (and others) about the candidates’ views on climate change and what to do about it. As has been noted elsewhere on this site, individual acts of conscience will simply not be sufficient to avert a catastrophic climate crisis in the coming decades; therefore we must muster the political will to take collective action, and that is what politics is supposed to be about.

Questions to ask local candidates about climate

League of Women Voters candidate forums: July 16 in Port Angeles; July 18 in Forks

League of Women Voters candidate forum in Port Ludlow: Wednesday, July 18, 6-8 p.m. will bring together candidates for Jefferson County Commissioner, District 3: Greg Brotherton, Jon Cooke, Ryan McAllister and Craig Durgan at the Beach Club at Port Ludlow, 121 Marina View Drive .

Many civic groups, such as Norwester Rotary, the Port Angeles Business Association, and the American Association of University Women, also sponsor candidate forums–check their social media for schedules.

Clallam County Commissioners to consider climate resolution

At their regular meeting of June 19, 2018, starting at 10 a.m., the Clallam County Board of Commissioners will consider a resolution long in the making, shepherded by Commissioner Mark Ozias, to reinvigorate a Climate Action Plan passed in 2009. The draft of the resolution is here.

Passage of this important resolution is not guaranteed; your input may help sway the Board of Commissioners to support it. You can provide input:

  • In person, at the beginning or end of the meeting (agenda here–please note the instructions for speaking given at the end), limiting your comments to three minutes.
  • In writing, either by presenting it to the Clerk of the Board prior to or at the meeting (where you can also read it aloud), or by sending an email to the Commissioners by the prior business day.

BACKGROUND: Clallam County passed a Climate Action Plan in 2009, and a climate-preparedness resolution was passed in 2016 with OCA support, but neither has led to significant action in recent years.  Commissioner Ozias hopes to put life back into the CAP to quantify the actions the county needs to take and to engage citizens in dialogue about their concerns related to climate impacts and mitigation.

GUIDELINES FOR COMMENTS:

  • Speak from your own experience:  Why are you concerned about climate change? What would you like to see County government do about it?
  • The resolution itself has great talking points and is a good place to start.
  • It’s helpful if you can think of ideas that will motivate individual council members to pass the resolution and implement the CAP. In what various ways will the resolution help their constituents?
  • Commissioner Ozias reported that many County department heads are anxious to investigate ways they can help the county save money and reduce our carbon footprint. Getting climate back on the agenda should help to serve both goals.

Climate change is going to occur no matter what we do, but planning ahead can minimize its severity and maximize our resiliency.  Let’s do our part here to come to grips with this reality.

Warrior Up! Rally on land & sea vs. Kinder Morgan May 20 in Seattle

The Kinder Morgan pipeline project can and must be stopped! Tar sands are one of the biggest climate threats we face, and Houston-based Kinder Morgan is trying to build a massive new pipeline through British Columbia to export this oil. They’ve encountered much more resistance than they expected so they’ve temporarily stopped investment and will decide whether to proceed on May 31. To send a big message to the company before that decision, there will be a huge indigenous-led rally on May 20th in Vancouver. They’ve asked environmental groups in Washington to help support them, so an event is planned that same day in Seattle with kayaktivists in the water and a big rally in Occidental Park. It’s family-friendly and everyone is welcome. This is a pivotal time to take a stand against this project!

Event registration: https://actionnetwork.org/events/seattle-vs-kinder-morgan?source=fbevent

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1604045999711999/?notif_t=plan_user_associated¬if_id=1525283237248850

Poster: JPG – PDF

Celebrate science at PA Pier April 28

On April 28, 2018, Feiro Marine Life Center, Olympic Climate Action, and Sierra Club North Olympic Group are again hosting a free, community-oriented celebration of science at Port Angeles City Pier from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. People of all ages and interests are invited to engage with scientists at booths and presentations, and examine infographic posters that provide examples of how science works locally to contribute to our communities and our quality of life. To put a face on science in the community, Science on Display provides profiles of local active and retired scientists and science educators.

The event kicks off at 10 a.m. at the Port Angeles City Pier stage with a welcome and opening remarks. Jim Waddell, Civil Engineer, PE USACE Retired, will speak about how a non-scientist evaluates the massive amount of scientific claims. Most science is done out of the public eye in labs or remote field sites and presented in specialized journals. As a result, there’s limited awareness of the rigorous, self-correcting scientific process: a method based on evidence and experiments that can be replicated, tested, and scrutinized by other professionals. This scientific process, scientific consensus, and evidence-based models are the tools that help make sense of science.

Science on Display is designed to honor the broad spectrum of retired and active scientists and science educators living on the Olympic Peninsula. From each profile, learn what inspired him or her to pursue a chosen field. Many residents are not aware of the science education, applied science, and interesting research conducted by their neighbors. Science on Display puts a face from the community on science in the community.

Why celebrate science? We use science to heat our homes, grow our food, take pictures of Mars, and send people far beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Science helps us understand why we have wind, tides, fish, and plants. Science has shown us that it’s important to wash our hands and to cover our mouths when we sneeze. Come learn about birds, bugs, tea, trees, water, and how to capture power from the sun. Visit with some of our favorite local scientists as they show you how they use science in their work and lives.

Feiro Marine Life Center, Olympic Climate Action, and Sierra Club – North Olympic Group created this local celebration in 2017 with a shared mission to celebrate the essential role science and technology plays in all our daily lives.

KWEKWECNEWTXW – Protect the Inlet

March 10, 2018:  Representatives from OCA, Sierra Club and thousands more joined with First Nations in Vancouver BC to resist the Kinder Morgan tar-sands pipeline. They sent a clear message to Prime Minister Trudeau that he does not have consent to allow the Kinder Morgan Trans-Mountain pipeline expansion.Surrey2b

For more information or to donate: https://protecttheinlet.ca/

Articles: https://other98.com/coast-protectors-occupation-kinder-morgan/

 

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/its-standing-rock-north-trans-mountain-pipeline-in-canada-stirs-strong-opposition/

Surrey5b

Stop Kinder Morgan: Kickoff March 10

Indigenous-led resistance to the Kinder Morgan tar-sands pipeline will begin March 10 in Vancouver.

From: Victoria Leistman-Sierra Club [mailto:victoria.leistman@sierraclub.org]

(NOTE: Victoria helped organize our local Pull Together events last August in Chimacum and Port Angeles, to raise funds for the fight vs Kinder Morgan.)

ON MARCH 10th, KWEKWECNEWTXW BEGINS
An Indigenous-led Mass Mobilization to Stop Kinder Morgan

As you know, oil giant Kinder Morgan has been pushing a tar sands pipeline that would threaten the land and waterways of dozens of communities and First Nations. The proposed project would make the Kinder Morgan pipeline bigger than Keystone XL, and increase tanker traffic through the Salish Sea by 700 percent.

As Kinder Morgan’s expected construction date inches closer and closer, it’s time to continue to stand with the Indigenous communities that have been protecting this land since time immemorial – and put a stop to this project for once and for all. We have been invited by Coast Salish members, spiritual leaders, and youth to join with them on the land and to use our presence to stop Kinder Morgan for good!

Join them on March 10

Spiritual leaders and members are launching a point of frontline resistance in the escalating struggle to stop Kinder Morgan. Called Kwekwecnewtxw, which means “a place to watch from”, it will be grounded in Coast Salish spirituality and culture.

On Saturday March 10th, they’ll kick things off with a mass mobilization supporting Kwekwecnewtxw in the Metro Vancouver area. They are calling on us to join this action and send a clear message to Prime Minister Trudeau that he does not have consent to build Kinder Morgan.

Will you join on March 10th in a historic stand to protect the inlet and say no Kinder Morgan?

The details are still being finalized so make sure you sign up so we can get you all the information you will need for the day!

Last year, we partnered with First Nations who need help with the legal actions they’ve filed in federal court to stop Kinder Morgan on the Pull Together effort. Together with organizations in British Columbia and Washington state, YOU helped us to organize events, and bring communities together to raise these funds. We were successful in raising that money, and now Washingtonians have another opportunity to show up on the 10th!

Kinder Morgan’s pipeline and tanker project poses unacceptable risks to our oceans and waterways, our climate, economies, and communities. If the project is allowed to move forward, it would threaten tribal rights, resident orcas, and salmon population.  It must never be built.

Join together with Coast Salish Water Protectors, allies and people from all walks of life as we challenge Kinder Morgan on the land together, in a powerful and creative non-violent action on March 10th.

See you in BC!

Victoria Leistman, Sierra Club
Organizing Representative – Dirty Fuels campaign

Bring: Make sure to bring your passport for when crossing the border. Dress for the weather and possible changes. Bring plenty of water, some snacks for the day, a hot drink in a thermos and anything else you think you might need to be prepared to be outside for a full day.

Carpool: Coordinate getting up there with other folks in your area via this carpool link:https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/h4j0ai

Note: Carpool transportation is at the sole risk of the participants.

More info

Tell BOEM we reject offshore drilling

From Sierra Club:

Our coasts are too precious to drill!

RSVP now to join Sierra Club on March 5 to tell BOEM we reject offshore drilling!

We’ve never seen anything like this. Last month, Trump unveiled a plan to hand 90% of America’s coasts over to Big Oil – that means offshore drilling from Maine to Louisiana, and from Alaska down through California.

Drilling off the coast of Washington is a ludicrous idea, putting our coastal communities’ way of life at risk. Community health and safety and precious wildlife like orca and salmon have no price tag. We cannot afford to roll the dice for the interests of Big Oil.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding public meetings in coastal states this month. This is our chance to show them how deeply unpopular and destructive this plan is.

RSVP to join us in Olympia on March 5!

What: BOEM Offshore drilling public meeting

When: Monday, March 5 from 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
1:30-2:00 Keynote Speakers
2:00-7:30 People’s Hearing
3:00-7:00 BOEM Open House 5:00-6:00 Dinner provided

Where:  Red Lion Olympia, 2300 Evergreen Park Dr SW, Olympia, WA 98502 (map)

Since the BOEM hearing won’t include oral public comments, we’re also having a People’s Hearing where testimony can be given, taken down by a stenographer, and submitted as official comments.

If you’re traveling to the meeting, we’ve reserved a discounted block of rooms at the Red Lion. Follow this link to reserve yours by March 1st.

Questions? Contact Victoria Leistman at victoria.leistman@sierraclub.org

RSVP and we’ll follow up with talking points and information about what to expect during the public meeting.

Even without a major disaster, offshore drilling is dirty and destructive. The combination of seismic blasts, increased traffic, and smaller spills would do irreparable damage to marine life and coastal communities.

This plan would also force offshore drilling on states that don’t want it. In fact, a bipartisan group of governors and coastal communities have explicitly asked Trump to leave their states out of his drilling plan – and he’s ignoring their wishes. Even the Department of Defense has warned that seismic testing and drilling could pose a threat to naval operations in the Atlantic.

The only people who want this plan are the oil executives who bankrolled Trump’s campaign and staffed his administration. We’ve beaten them before, and in 2018, we need to do it again.

Thanks for all you do to protect our coasts,

Victoria Leistman, Sierra Club
Organizing Representative
Dirty Fuels campaign

P.S. If you haven’t already submitted your comment to BOEM, please take a moment to share your thoughts and concerns about offshore drilling.

P.P.S Please share this with friends and family. The Trump administration needs to hear from as many people as possible.

Share this alert on Facebook

Share this alert on Twitter