Dear John,

We're trying something new this month and sharing articles about the important work our members are doing and issues that impact them. If you have any feedback about how we can make the Temp Check better feel free to reach out to [email protected].

National / International

• The EPA Is Enacting a Historic Pesticide Ban
• How the most powerful environmental groups help greenwash Big Meat’s climate impact
• ‘Essential to our society:’ Leaders push for OSHA heat protection standards for workers -
• 290+ organizations and public figures join Greenpeace in new campaign to defend free speech and fight corporate intimidation
• Groups Warn Treasury To Not Promote False Climate Solutions With New Clean Energy Credits Starting in 2025

Northeast

• ‘Transformative’ Zoning for Ironbound High Rises Gets City Council’s Thumbs Up
• Methane Gas Plant Plan Piles on Years of Neglect in Newark, Organizers Say
• 'We're way beyond time': Climate activists in Buffalo rally in support of NY Heat Act
• When Will Newark City Council Consider Zoning for Ironbound High Rises?
• Fairmount Commuter Rail Line to go electric by 2028, state and local leaders trumpet
• We’re Suing New York State for Blocking its Traffic Relief Law

West

• Chevron, City Of Richmond Agree On $550 Million Settlement Over Refinery
• Threads of Connection: Environmental Injustice in Palestine and How APEN is Organizing in the Bay Area
• Oakland Cuts Funding to Community Programs Organized by Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project

Pacific Northwest

• Climate and Justice Groups Reach a Partial Settlement with NW Natural to Keep Oregonian’s Energy Costs Low

Midwest

• Learning about social justice and environmental issues on the Lawndale Soulidarity Bike Ride
• Botched Little Village smokestack implosion wasn't my fault, Chicago city official says of dust storm fiasco
• TFA Most Widely Detected PFAS in Michigan Rainwater Study

Southeast

• Best Community Organization Fighting Wage Theft When the State Isn't: Farmworker Association of Florida
• The truth about Miami-Dade’s proposed incinerator and how it could impact Miramar | Opinion
• Podcast: Peasant Agroecology Cools Down the Planet

South by Southwest

• FAA postpones public meetings without providing reason
• Park stewards invite tots to dig into development at program centered on sand

Join us for a galvanizing conversation on how grassroots-led climate solutions are not just innovative and scalable, but essential for the systemic change we need.

Environmental justice (EJ) and climate justice (CJ) grassroots communities are building holistic climate solutions that also address complex social issues in a way that puts communities and peoples in charge of their own futures. This work is often mistranslated or inaccurately translated in the “impact” frameworks of funders and policymakers, who may incorrectly perceive this work as too small to tackle the climate crisis effectively, even though these efforts are key to creating healthy and thriving climate-resilient communities. 

Learn more and register to attend here!

On July 15-18, in preparation for the 8th annual Just Transition Finance Training (JTFT) in September, we held a training for trainers to increase our capacity to hold our flagship Reinvest in Our Power (RiOP) training. The RiOP and Political Education teams collaborated to add 6 new trainers to the pool of trainers.

We were welcomed and shared a grounding with our member C2C in Bellingham, WA, learning about the visionary and oppositional work that their farmworker organizing has built. We then took some time to begin develop a set of Pedagogical Principles for creating shared learning spaces, which were pulled from and inspired by other movements' wisdoms with our own spices and seasonings added in.

We reflected on lessons from past JTFTs and worked to strengthen the curriculum by taking time to practice and revise different training sessions. We are excited to bring a new crop of trainers with new energy and creative magic to this year's training!

A two-day energy democracy bootcamp hosted by Soulardarity and DBCFSN honed in on the collective power of Detroit residents engaged in fighting back against notorious polluters, DTE Energy.

The bootcamp provided a primer for the Jemez Principles, the history of utilities, energy democracy, community organizing, narrative strategies, case studies and power mapping.

Hundreds of Indigenous people and allies from Turtle Island and beyond gathered in Cherokee, NC for Indigenous Environmental Network's 18th Protecting Mother Earth Conference at the beginning of August. The event started with a fire ceremony where folks who hosted the last PME in Nisqually, WA passed coals from the sacred fire to members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

Over the course of four days CJA members and staff joined conversations ranging from demilitarization and intergenerational organizing to reclaiming feminisms and carbon pricing 101. Folks from CJA's delegation led workshops on fundraising and geoengineering.