Recommended Actions for the Week of 20180119

Source:  NWDC Resistance

Description: Sign this petition in support of Maru Mora, local activist for immigrant justice.

Background: Crosscut article

Source:  Whatcom County

Description:  Apply to serve on a Whatcom County board or commission.  Deadline for council-appointed positions was extended to January 23rd.

Contact Information:  Vacancy and application information on the county website.

Source: Riveters Collective, Co3 Consulting, Bellingham Community Food Co-op and Cascadia Deaf Nation.

Description: February 11th, 2 – 4:30, Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Social Hall.  Reserve tickets through Eventbrite.  If you’re on Facebook, join the event for updates.

Background: Engaging in frank discussions of race and race-based issues is often a delicate task, requiring participants to recognize their status and privileges (or lack thereof) concerning another in a differently situated group. Many people remain ill-equipped with the skills necessary to navigate these encounters constructively. Discussions about race and racism need to be carefully crafted to resonate with people’s own experiences. Race, white supremacy, sexuality, and other aspects of an intersectional analysis may be perceived as too abstract if they are not presented in a manner to which participants can relate and connect.
Let’s Talk is about obtaining the foundational skills to explore better ways to connect with each other by engaging in deep listening and transformative dialogue about issues that divide us. Participants will learn to “see,” talk about, and be self-reflexive about race and racism, power and privilege, which can be both jarring and liberating. Often, however, this transformation takes time.
Nothing bridges the divide between race and culture like informed dialogue that’s grounded in shared understanding. In the first hour, Gerry Ebalaroza Tunnell and Ashanti Monts-Tréviska will share their stories about race and racism, and power and privilege. Participants will then reflect on their own comfort level when talking about race and distinguish between intent and impact and reflect on what it means to enjoy or have a lack of privilege.
In the second hour, participants we will gather in a talking circle to debrief about what was learned and the takeaways to engage in transformative dialogue. In the last half hour, participants will be introduced to “Is Everyone Really Equal?” book club designed to continue the dialogue on race and privilege, and perpetuate cohesive communities. Participants will be asked to form book club groups to continue the conversation.
SIGN UP TODAY!
ASL interpretation will be provided. Please email us at riveterscollective@gmail.com if you need other accommodations.

Contact Information: riveterscollective@gmail.com

Source: Riveters Collective

Description: Fill out this web form to receive a ballot for the Whatcom Conservation District Board election.  Deadline 7 Feb 2018 at 4pm.

Source: Fuse Washington

Description:  Call/write your state legislators and ask them to vote YES on HB 2595/SB 6353, automatic voter registration.

Background:Washingtonians are proud to have a voice in our democracy and committed to protecting every eligible voter’s freedom to vote. Yet, in our state nearly one million eligible people aren’t registered to vote, which is having a direct impact on our state elections.

Right now in Olympia, our legislators are debating a groundbreaking solution: Automatic Voter Registration – a simple, effective, and proven reform that will help more voters participate in our democracy.

We all know our democratic institutions are stronger when every voice is heard and every vote is counted. That’s why we are urging our legislators to pass AVR to ensure that our democracy is of, by, and for the people. Email your legislators today. Tell them to improve voting access and strengthen our democracy!

Contact Information: 

Use the Fuse Washington form, OR:

42nd District
Senator Doug Ericksen
(360) 786 – 7682
Doug.Ericksen@leg.wa.gov

Representative Luanne Van Werven
(360) 786 – 7980
Luanne.VanWerven@leg.wa.gov

Representative Vincent Buys
(360) 786 – 7854
Vincent.Buys@leg.wa.gov

40th District
Senator Kevin Ranker
(360) 786 – 7678
Kevin.Ranker@leg.wa.gov

Representative Kristine Lytton
(360) 786 – 7800
Kristine.Lytton@leg.wa.gov

Representative Jeff R. Morris
(360) 786 – 7970
Jeff.Morris@leg.wa.gov

Suggested Script:

I’m emailing to urge you to support inclusive voting justice reforms like Automatic Voter Registration HB 2595/SB 6353.

Our democracy is at its best when every eligible Washingtonian is able to participate in our elections. That starts with a real democracy where every voice is heard and every vote is counted.

We need to work together to protect every eligible Washingtonian’s fundamental freedom to vote. If we make voting less complicated and make the ballot box more accessible to every eligible voter, every voice is heard and our government remains of, by, and for the people.

This reform modernizes our voting system, saves the state money, and ensures all Washingtonians have a voice in our democracy.

Thank you for considering my comments, and I look forward to your response.

Source:  Climate Solutions

Description: Call or write state legislators and ask that they commit to supporting a transition to 100% clean energy in the 2018 legislative session.  If you can, attend the 100% for climate lobby day in Olympia on January 22.

Background: 

Two years ago today in Paris, we made a historic commitment as a country and as nations around the world, uniting to address the climate crisis. Since the Paris Agreement was signed over two years that day, the need to limit global temperature rise by transitioning away from fossil fuels has only grown more urgent as climate change bears down on us in Washington state and around the world.

With the fossil fuel industry and their allies wielding powerful influence over our Congress, we need to accelerate the change and solutions here in the Northwest. We need to significantly reduce global warming pollution here at home – to take care of this collective place we hold dear, and also to show the world that a just transition from fossil fuels is possible. The Pacific Northwest and Washington can lead and have a major impact here and beyond our borders.   But that fossil fuel industry influence also runs deep in our state capitol. Our elected leaders head back to Olympia soon after the holiday, and they need to hear from us that people in our state want real climate action.

The Pacific Northwest is well positioned and prepared to quickly make a just transition to 100% clean energy. We can succeed by doing three things: (1) swiftly transition to clean, efficient energy powering our lives – we’re already more than two-thirds of the way there; (2) electrify as many energy uses for the built environment, industrial processes, and transportation as possible; and (3) decrease demand for energy and decarbonize our existing energy sources.

A 100% Clean Energy Standard policy would require all new resources acquired by a utility, including power purchase agreements, to be clean—setting us on a path to zero-carbon electricity over the course of the next generation.  The electricity sector is the second largest source of carbon pollution in the state.  Initial research conducted by Climate Solutions, Audubon Society, and other partners shows this policy would cut approximately 70 percent of carbon emissions from the electricity by 2035, and full put Washington’s on a 100% clean electricity path by the 2040s.  Not only would the policy cut carbon pollution, but it would also help create thousands of new jobs in the state.  Washington utilities expect to comply with significant investments in storage technologies, a major international growth area that would contribute to significant investments that create thousands of jobs right here in Washington.

Contact Information:

Governor Jay Inslee
360-902-4111
TTY/TDD call 711 or 1-800-833-6388
http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/send-gov-inslee-e-message

42nd District
Senator Doug Ericksen
(360) 786 – 7682
Doug.Ericksen@leg.wa.gov

Representative Luanne Van Werven
(360) 786 – 7980
Luanne.VanWerven@leg.wa.gov

Representative Vincent Buys
(360) 786 – 7854
Vincent.Buys@leg.wa.gov

40th District
Senator Kevin Ranker
(360) 786 – 7678
Kevin.Ranker@leg.wa.gov

Representative Kristine Lytton
(360) 786 – 7800
Kristine.Lytton@leg.wa.gov

Representative Jeff R. Morris
(360) 786 – 7970
Jeff.Morris@leg.wa.gov

Suggested Script: Washington can and should act on climate by committing to a quick transition to 100% clean energy. With a 100% Clean Energy Standard, all the new sources of power provided by our power utilities would be clean energy. Washington could achieve zero-carbon electricity over the course of the next generation–cutting the emissions that cause global warming, and creating thousands of new jobs in our state. In the 2018 legislative session, please support a transition to 100% clean energy.

Source: Sierra Club

Description: Contact Governor Inslee and Ecology Director Bellon to oppose all new fracked gas infrastructure and expansions in the state.

Background: Utilities and fossil fuel companies are trying to build massive amounts of fracked gas infrastructure, right here in Washington. PSE just revealed new 20-year plan that steam rolls a massive LNG terminal Tacoma, continues using coal power plants, and looks to heavily increase fracked gas usage. Further, fracked gas export proposals are flooding our state. A proposed fracked gas to ammonia refinery in Southwest Washington would consume as much gas as the Tacoma LNG facility.  The world’s largest fracked gas to methanol refinery, also proposed in Southwest Washington would consume more gas than any sector of Washington’s economy, necessitating a new fracked gas pipeline down the entire length of our state.

Contact Information:

Governor Jay Inslee
360-902-4111; TTY/TDD call 711 or 1-800-833-6388
Email

Dept. of Ecology Director Maia Bellon

(360) 407-7001; email

Suggested Script: Dear [Governor Inslee or Ecology Director Bellon], Fracked gas is dirty, dangerous, and destructive. Methane, the main component of fracked gas traps 87 times more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. New and expanded gas infrastructure proposals are flooding our state. We need climate champions to take a stand against them. Gas extraction, transportation, storage, and refining have severe environmental, health, safety, and climate impacts. It’s time for Washington to lead on safe, renewable energy solutions and say NO to more gas. Please do everything in your power to stop these dangerous proposals.

Additional Information:

Sightline Institute: NORTHWEST GAS PROJECTS FUEL THE FRACKING BEAST

Source: Indivisible Guide

Description: Republicans may shut down the government to avoid passing a clean DREAM Act, which the democrats are demanding.  Read more here.

Source: Washington Environmental Council

Description: Use social media to tell your Members of Congress to fully fund the EPA!

Background: Our communities benefit from the investments made through EPA funding – from clean air, drinking water, and healthy salmon populations to pollution reduction, clean water, and flood prevention.  Thank them for their support for federal environmental programs, and ask them to work toward adoption of a fully-funded EPA budget to protect our drinking water, rivers, lakes, and Puget Sound and our fight against pollution.

Contact Information: 

Twitter

Please keep fighting for a strong budget to #saveEPA! The health of Puget Sound and WA coast depends on the EPA.

Send this tweet to Senator Patty Murray, Senator Maria Cantwell, Representative Rick Larsen

Facebook

Or click here and select the Facebook icon to post to their Facebook pages.