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Dear John |
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350 WA~ As we gear up for the 2026 legislative session here in Washington, I'd like to let you know about a sneak peek webinar we're hosting about a very special campaign we're brewing up to make polluters pay for the harms they've caused in our state. Big Oil is fueling climate disasters: these companies make record profits while not paying for the destruction their industry causes. Meanwhile, the MAGA regime, bought and sold by Big Oil CEO's, is expanding fossil fuel production as extreme weather disasters devastate our communities. We're fighting back. We're building a movement to hold Big Oil accountable for the destruction their pollution has caused in our state, while raising funds for climate justice and resilience. Join our webinar on Oct 29th from 5-6 pm to learn more! Companies like Chevron and Exxon have known about the dangers of climate change for decades. They waged disinformation campaigns, costing us precious time, which damaged our health, communities, and the climate. While fossil fuel giants continue to rake in record profits, we're left to foot the bill and bear the brunt of climate-fueled disasters. Last year alone, the top five oil and gas companies raked in over $102 billion in profits. What if we could make Big Oil companies reinvest some of their massive profits in Washington to help build resilient, safe, and healthy futures? Join our webinar on Oct 29th to learn how! Now more than ever, we need dedicated, long-term funding to rebuild, adapt, and protect our communities. That's why we're joining a nationwide effort to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for the mess they have made by making polluters pay. Grace Hope and Aki Chatterji P.S. we had an AWESOME night welcoming new CAT Volunteers last week, and there's still time to sign up for a role and get trained up with us this fall to help make the CAT campaign possible for the 2026 legislative session.
Tax Incentives and Rebates~ Since Republicans in D.C. killed the Inflation Reduction Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Biden, many of the incentives to decarbonize our economy are set to expire on December 31, 2025. You can still get a tax break if you install an electric stove, upgrade to a heat pump, install a heat pump water heater, an electric clothes dryer, a biomass stove, or a biomass boiler. Of course, solar panels also qualify. You will get up to 30% tax credit off the cost of equipment installation. If you need new insulation, doors, or windows, a $1,200 tax credit is available through the end of the year. Please note that they must be purchased and installed before the deadline to qualify. For more information: https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/energy-efficient-home-improvement-credit, https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/. For local incentives, go to https://incentives.switchison.org/residents/incentives and type in your zip code. On the Eastside specifically, Energy Smart Eastside has special rebates for residents of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond, and Sammamish. These rebates can be combined with other utility and federal incentives to save thousands of dollars on heat pumps: https://www.energysmarteastside.org/. Bottom line is you have to move fast to get the tax credits. As for instant rebates, Guidehouse, WA State Department of Commerce's rebate administrator, is currently developing protocols and procedures for accepting household applications. Officials at the Commerce Department are warning WA State residents that there is no guarantee that the rebates will be available by the end of the year. For more information, go to: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/energy-incentives/ira-home-energy-rebates/ - Elena
WA Green Amendment ~ The Constitutional Change for a Livable Future Tour was a success. We met long-time supporters in person and established new supporters and contacts. The tour kicked off in Seattle with a fundraiser/education event that was both informative and fun. Maya delivered a rousing talk followed by a Q&A session.
The tour proceeded to Olympia, Vancouver, Yakima, Richland, and Spokane. Attendees were engaged and interested as they raised challenging questions about how a constitutional Green Amendment would affect their work and livelihoods. The Green Amendment message was broadcast through four local radio interviews and through Public Service Announcements that we purchased in three of the six areas we toured. This was made possible by the generous donations many of you made. Thank you!
Our next step is to establish additional legislative champions. To achieve this, we are following up with a National Coalition of Environmental Legislators Green Amendment information session on November 13, 2025.
This is where you come in. Please send the message below to your legislators. To do so, follow these steps:
Hello Senator/Representatives, I am reaching out today to support a state constitutional amendment that includes the right to clean air, water, and a healthy environment. I am in favor of elevating this right to the constitutional level for many reasons and urge you to support this effort. On November 13th, the National Coalition of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) will hold a virtual information session for legislators to learn why a constitutional amendment is more important now than ever in Washington State. I hope you will attend and, if you haven't received an invite yet, contact Logan at NCEL ([email protected]) to sign up. Thank you for your participation in this critical matter.
Sincerely, -your name here-.
Thank you in advance for your work! Washington Green Amendment Team
350 ACTION ~ A new documentary film about the climate crisis is coming to Netflix at the end of this month, and I wanted to invite you to watch a special early screening and to join 350 Action for a discussion with the filmmakers. The White House Effect tells the origin story of the climate crisis and how, three decades ago, a political battle in the George H.W. Bush administration changed the course of history. The film documents how a chance to take real climate action in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s was not just squandered but deliberately undermined, setting the stage for the ever-hotter, more dangerous future we all now face on the planet. WHAT: A discussion and Q&A session with the makers of The White House Effect 350 Action is hosting former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly, co-director of The White House Effect Bonni Cohen, and other special guests for an urgent discussion ahead of the film’s official release on Netflix on Oct. 31. As we grapple with disastrous climate rollbacks at the federal level, and gear up for the midterm elections in 2026, it’s critical to have conversations about the levers of power we still have at our disposal. The stakes are high, as we were repeatedly reminded this year – from the deadly and catastrophic flooding in Texas this summer to the recent typhoon that displaced hundreds in Alaska. Join us as we reflect on what the film means in today’s political landscape and discuss solutions and pathways to continue the fight for climate justice against these barriers. I hope to see you there! Candice for 350 Action
Saul Griffith’s plan to electrify everything ~ A few weeks back, I sat down with Kellie Riordan for her Curveball podcast. We talked about my journey from a young engineer tinkering at MIT, to building startups that powered devices like the Kindle, even working with NASA and the US Department of Defense. But more importantly, we dug into the moment I realized that chasing Silicon Valley dreams wasn’t enough. Energy & Stuff is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. The climate crisis was—and still is—the biggest challenge of our lifetime. I shared the story of packing up my young family, moving back to regional New South Wales, and tossing out a wild idea over a few beers: what if our postcode, 2515, became Australia’s first fully electrified community? This episode is about that leap. If you’re curious about how we turn a pub pitch into a national model, or why I remain stubbornly optimistic about Australia’s energy future, have a listen. Big thanks to Kellie for having me on. Let me know what you think after listening—and whether your own postcode is ready to go electric. YES, Solutions Journalism ~ At What Risk Will We Resist?
Relentless kidnapping of immigrants by ICE. Universities are handing over names to the state for investigation. Steps toward regime change in Venezuela. Prosecution of Trump’s political opponents. Looming military deployment to cities across the country. Threats of mass state repression against the left in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Thousands of workers have been fired from federal agencies (so far) amid a government shutdown with no clear end in sight.
Amid these authoritarian times, a question arises: At what risk will we resist?
Fran Korten, the former publisher of YES! Magazine, raised this sobering question after Donald Trump first won the presidency in 2016. Her piece from 2017 perhaps carries more urgency now as the U.S. moves further down an authoritarian spiral:
We are entering a time of testing.
Much that we hold dear appears under threat. We will be asked in new and sometimes frightening ways, “What do we stand for?” “What do we care about enough to risk ridicule, funding, a job, our lives?”
Many of us have not had to face such choices before. Sure, we act for what we believe in. We march. We write letters to the editor. We call our elected officials. We speak up at council meetings. We join committees. We donate. But at what risk? Often very little. That may change.
—Fran Korten Read the full article: The Trump Era Will Test Us. What Are You Willing to Risk?
Washington Clean Energy Coalition ~ The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission has launched a public survey on Distributional Equity. Your responses will feed directly into the Commission's "Equity Docket" and will be synthesized into an interim policy statement on distributional equity to be issued by the Commission in December 2025. A docket is like an official case file where the Commission gathers information, holds discussions, and ultimately makes policy decisions that guide how utilities (like PSE) serve customers. The Equity Docket helps to develop a framework for utility companies to integrate equity into their work. This effort spans across multiple years, with each phase focused on one of the four energy justice tenets. In 2024, the focus was on Procedural Equity. This year, the focus is on Distributional Equity. This feedback will shape both the Commission's ongoing equity work and future policy guidance for energy companies like PSE – especially around supporting historically underserved communities. How to participate:
Questions or want to chat? You can connect with the following folks:
—— Phase Two: Distributional Equity Why is distributional equity important? Broadly speaking, distributional equity in the energy context refers to what the benefits and burdens of an energy system are, and how they are distributed.
How does this impact the companies we regulate? In this phase of the docket, we intend to reach a consensus on what it means to “equitably distribute” the benefits and burdens referenced in the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), and better understand how distributional equity should be evaluated and assessed within utility-specific programs and processes. While CETA is exclusive to electric utilities, we intend to explore the implications of distributional equity for natural gas utilities as well.
How does this impact consumers/ratepayers?
We hope this will contribute to more equitable rates and energy systems as required by RCW 80.28.425. In the long term, the Commission intends to investigate how other regulated industries can improve distributional equity for their customers.
Warmly,
Rachel Gates She/her
Stay connected to dear ones, and stay engaged, Elena, Emily, Lin, Lynn, Marilyn, and Phil |
