350 Eastside February 2020 Newsletter
TWO EKC PUD Kick-off Events –
Saturday, February 1st, 10:00am - Noon
Bellevue - East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue, WA 98005
RSVP here Google map and directions
CONTACT: Marilyn Mayers · [email protected]
Woodinville - Northshore UCC, 18900 168th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072
RSVP here Google map and directions
CONTACT: Lin Hagedorn · [email protected]
PSE is the dirtiest electrical utility in the state. It emits more greenhouse gases than every other utility in the state--combined. It's among the most expensive and least reliable. PSE bet big on natural gas in the 1990s, and are doubling down today. They are actively fighting to ensure that dirty fossil fuels are used for the foreseeable future. PSE lacks an interest in our welfare and local values.
The Eastside is one of the world's premier tech industry centers. 60% of our electricity coming from fossil fuels is embarrassing. We're buying more electric cars than just about anywhere else, but we're charging them up with coal and natural gas.
We can do better. We have to do better for future generations. We don't have a lot of time to cut back emissions, but PSE burns more fossil fuel than it did 10 years ago.
PSE can't kick its fossil fuel habit, even if it wanted to. We should form a public utility district to replace PSE. Help us get one on the ballot for 2020.
Keep in mind, switching to a public utility makes financial sense as well.
The alternative is to keep burning fossil fuels, letting our grid deteriorate, and sending a tenth of our power bill off to private equities and investment banks.
The choice is ours. Come and join us and get EKC PUD initiative on the ballot in 2020!!
Final days to send your comments to the UTC – DUE 2/6/20-
Find talking points and submit online comments through February 6th here!
So what does this rate increase have to do with climate???
*PSE is the company building the controversial Tacoma LNG fracked gas refinery and storage project. Although less than 2% of this infrastructure is designed for their residential customers as backup power on the coldest days of the year, PSE expects to pass on over 40% of the construction costs in the form of higher utility rates.
*PSE chooses to get over 60% of their energy from fossil fuels and according to their most recent 20-year plan, want to expand "natural gas" infrastructure while ignoring the potential of solar, wind and grid optimization. "Natural gas" is really just methane gas, a potent heat-trapping greenhouse gas, mostly sourced from fracking--which causes severe health complications, groundwater contamination, earthquakes near extraction sites and is often located near or on indigenous land. In contrast, Snohomish County PUD only gets about 2% from fossil fuel sources.
*PSE is holding back local clean energy initiatives. As part of the newly formed group “Partners for Energy Progress” PSE plans to launch a $1M campaign in the PNW to push back against any local initiatives designed at transitioning away from fossil fuels, such as banning gas hookups in new infrastructure. According to Sightline Institute, between 2008 & 2018, PSE spent about $7 million in WA, funding political candidates, PAC’s and lobbying
Habitat restoration events hosted by Snoqualmie Tribe-
Each Saturday runs from 10am-2pm.
February 8 - Fall City Farms
February 22 - Barfuse Site
March 7 - Sammamish River
For more information and to RSVP, please contact:
Alex Harwell, Outreach Program Coordinator, at [email protected].
Saturday, February 15th
Soil, Food and Climate Change workshop
8:00am – 1:15pm
Chief Kanim Middle School, at the Commons Room – 32627 SE Redmond-Fall City Rd., Fall City, WA 98024
Speakers:
Anne Biklé author, biologist & gardener, co-author The Hidden Half of Nature will speak on “Soil, Close Up.”
Professor David Montgomery, Professor of Geomorphology, University of Washington.
“How to Build Healthy Farm Soil.”
Chad Kruger, Director of WSU's Washington Center Research and Extension at Mount Vernon and the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Agriculture and Climate Change.”
Breakout Sessions: “Where can we, individually and together, make a difference?”
For more information Visit www.fallcity.org/climate
for day's schedule and a link to registration page at mgfkc.org
Cost: $25 per person includes coffee, tea, water
Bring your own snacks and/or lunch, (pre-ordered sack lunch available from Farmhouse Market)
Sponsors include Sno-Valley Tilth, Fall City Community Association, Master Gardener Foundation of King County, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, King County Local Services, King Conservation District, www.fallcity.org/climate
February 19th –
350 Eastside GM
6:30 – 7:00pm – Potluck and socializing (please bring a dish to share if you are able).
7:00 – 8:30 pm – Saving the world
East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue, WA 98005
Google map and directions
See you at an Action soon,
Phil, Lynn, Bonnie, Marilyn, Emily, Sara and Lin
350 Eastside
