Cracks in the Fossil-Fueled Facade

Hi John,

Last week, Congress passed a bill that will destroy over 400,000 clean energy jobs while achieving the largest transfer of wealth from the poor to rich in U.S. history. The U.S. government is also diverting crucial FEMA disaster relief funds for Florida concentration camps to hold migrants in caged tents unable to protect them from the climate disasters that FEMA money was meant for — even as communities in Texas are ravaged by climate change-fueled flash floods.

At the same time, recent weeks remind us that cities and states continue to step up, and that community organizing works. Public pressure led the White House to suffer a last-minute defeat on its attempted sale of public lands. No Kings protests drew historic turnout while Trump’s military parade was sparsely attended. People also celebrated Juneteenth, marking the real date of emancipation from American slavery, despite Black people across the U.S. facing continued racism and oppression. And Pride month was a poignant backdrop: it is about radical joy, and it began as a protest; and this year members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies celebrated their identity in the face of anti-Trans and anti-LGBTQ+ policy and harassment.

Read on for some more of the seeds being sown that give us hope. We hope you enjoy this fourth edition of our new monthly newsletter, "Cracks in the Fossil-Fueled Facade."

In solidarity,

- Team 350

Cities and States Taking the Lead

SPOTLIGHT: Progress toward utility accountability in Maryland and New York. As part of our national utilities campaign, 350.org supports legislation that bans for-profit utility companies from charging ratepayers for lobbying and other political activity. Over the last two years, we've been leading coalitions to pass bills to do this in Maryland and New York and made key progress during the most recent legislative sessions in those states.

In Maryland, activists succeeded in getting important ratepayer provisions added to an energy bill recently signed by Governor Moore. These changes make it so that Maryland utility companies will not be able to make consumers pay for the costs of private jets or fossil fuel trade association dues. Shout out to 350 local groups HoCo Climate Action and 350 MoCo for their work on this bill!
New York's state Senate passed legislation barring utility companies from charging ratepayers for lobbying and political activity. The bill didn't cross the finish line in the Assembly before session ended on June 17th, but the bill's passage in the Senate puts the coalition, which includes 350 NYC, in a strong position to pass the bill next year.

This progress is a reminder that we need climate champions at all levels of government, including state and municipal. You can find more about 350 Action’s work in this regard on the 350 Action website.

In case you missed it, the 350 Network Council hosted a special Utility Justice 101 training featuring 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben that drew over 100 people from across the country who are either currently engaged in local utility work or are looking to start new campaigns.

Interested in joining the fight for utility justice across the country? Sign onto the 350 Network Council’s demands.

Resistance Across Movements

SPOTLIGHT: Los Angeles. Last month, the U.S. government deployed the National Guard and the Marines to brutalize communities trying to stand up for their immigrant neighbors. But in L.A. and across the nation, people bravely stood strong and showed the power in community organizing.

Pictured: Unarmed civilians (left and in background) standing up to the National Guard.(CC0)

What does this have to do with climate change, and why should we care?

Climate justice is migrant justice, and we must stand up in the face of this onslaught and protect our neighbors and our communities from this authoritarian regime. Attacks on civil liberties pose danger to both people and the planet, and it is through the power of deep community organizing that L.A. was so ready to rise up.
The White House fabricated an excuse to abuse power and force a confrontation. This is a deliberate tactic: causing fear, panic, and chaos to justify acts of violence against unarmed people while distracting from the harms the government is causing elsewhere. Fossil fuel proponents use similar gaslighting tactics to block climate progress too.
Read more about these attacks on migrants and what we can learn about organizing.

Standing Up to the Wealthy Elite

SPOTLIGHT: No Kings. Over 5 million people came out, many in pouring rain, for mass mobilizations in all 50 states declaring “No Kings!” Meanwhile, in stark contrast, the bleachers sat largely empty for the military parade that Trump spent over $45 million on for his own birthday.

No Kings shows that people power is growing rapidly: No Kings’ turnout shows significant growth in the public outcry against the authoritarian regime, more than doubling the turnout from the first “Hands Off” mobilization only 2 months prior. The signs and chants also showed that more and more Americans are connecting the dots between the communities under attack in the U.S., from immigrants to workers and the LGBTQ+ community, building on the progress seen at the second “Hands Off” protests and at May Day Strong, which we profiled here.

One Thing You Can Do RIGHT NOW

Did you know that in 27 states, utility companies are allowed to shut off your power during extreme weather conditions, including deadly heat waves? These utility companies are putting profits before people, and the consequences are life or death.

Send a letter to Congress and demand they ban utility companies from cutting off access to electricity and air conditioning during heat waves nationwide!

Help stop the shutoffs »

One last thing...

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