350 CHICAGO Newsletter

Zero Emissions Day Fundraiser - Coming Soon

September 21st is Zero Emissions Day!  To commemorate the day, 350 Chicago has organized a peer-to-peer fundraiser through Give Lively.  Fundraising will begin the morning of September 12th and culminate on September 21st - the day dedicated to "giving our planet one day off" from the use of fossil fuels.

So what is a peer-to-peer fundraiser?  It's a fundraising effort that relies on peers reaching out to each other on behalf of a cause.  The Give Lively donation platform leverages social media to raise money by asking your friends and followers to donate.

Keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages (as well as email) for more information in the days ahead on how you can participate.  And during our monthly meeting on September 12th, we will demonstrate just how easy it is to set up your own campaign page.

We know budgets are tight due to the pandemic, and we embrace small dollar donations. Every dollar raised matters.  

More details coming soon...

Elections Matter: The Final Two Months

At the Republican National Convention last week, some wondered if the phrase “climate change” would ever appear, but VP Mike Pence did squeeze it into his speech when he claimed that Joe Biden would "abolish fossil fuels, end fracking, and impose a regime of climate change regulations." The Republicans have no real climate policy, other than to attack the Democrats on the issue and claim that "the market” and “innovation” will solve any problem.

Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats released a 200-page report from the Special Committee on the Climate Crisis that outlines their priorities, which line up very well with those in the new Biden proposal and the House Democratic proposal. Even if the Democrats sweep the House, Senate, and presidential elections, the Senate is where climate action may be subject to the most constraint. In a recent Vox article, David Roberts discusses the report and the issues with Senator Brian Schatz, chairperson of the Special Committee.

Finally, Bill McKibben says “…as Biden and Harris campaign for the future of our democracy this fall, they also have to lay the groundwork to fight for the future of our planet. That message can be communicated to voters… it’s crucial, right now, on the campaign trail, for politicians to help Americans understand the rapid and unsettling transition that physics implacably demands. We’re out of Presidential terms to waste. If there’s going to be effective American action on climate, it’s going to have to come from Joe Biden.”

Source: Crusenho Agus Hennihuno / Pexels

Big Oil: Green Shoots?

The oil industry is suffering through a very tough period right now. And news that ExxonMobil – once the world’s largest publicly-traded company – is being dropped from the Dow Jones stock index is striking. While Exxon executives still insist the future of their business looks good, European oil companies are acknowledging the need for change. The headline last week was an announcement from BP of new ten-year plan that shifts their business away from oil and gas and into renewable energy.  350 Chicago members Rowland Davis and James Buchen discuss this and other business shifts by European oil companies in a new blog post.

The DNC Waffles on Fossil Fuel Subsidies - But What About Biden and Harris?

Climate activists were surprised and outraged by the discovery that the Democratic National Committee had dropped a call to end fossil fuel subsidies from the official party platform. In late July, the item was added and approved as an amendment to the Manager's Mark (a list of party demands to be voted on), but it was not included in the final draft of the platform.

Given the urgency of the climate crisis, activists have been swift in calling out the DNC on this change (and here is a petition for those who would like to join them.)  However, the Democratic presidential and vice presidential candidates themselves have given cause for hope: both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have gone on record opposing fossil fuel subsidies, and after the DNC platform change, Joe Biden's campaign emphasized he is determined to end the subsidies during his first year as president.

Additional Reads

Air pollution is much worse than we thought.
Climate change is far from the only problem with fossil fuels. — Vox

Why most oil companies won’t drill in Alaska’s Arctic refuge — Quartz

A new energy bill could bring cleaner,
sustainable production to closed coal plants — CIProud.com

Norway’s Storebrand divests ExxonMobil,
Chevron stock due to climate inaction — Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis

Actions:  Your Support Needed

Support the Illinois CEJA (Clean Energy Jobs Act)
Help pass the Clean Energy Jobs Act and spark our clean energy recovery by contacting your lawmakers. Simply enter your information into this form, and your message will automatically be sent to your state legislators and Governor Pritzker. 350 Chicago along with coalition partners at the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition are working to get all 177 legislators in the Illinois General Assembly to support this important bill.  

Thank you for pitching in!

Help us to help LVEJO - Take action against Target and Exchange 55
Join us in supporting the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) in the fight against Hilco’s Exchange 55 project.  Post social media messages and send email to Target executives in opposition to Target's lease.  LVEJO has provided a toolkit for doing both. (Note this kit references an action that took place on August 11th, but postings and emails are still urgently needed.)

Your participation in this action is a simple yet powerful one in the movement for environmental justice.

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Upcoming 350 Chicago Meetings & Events

***Important:  Please note that most meetings are currently being conducted online, and any  physical in-person meetings are subject to change due to COVID-19.  Please contact committee leads for information regarding remote meeting arrangements.***

9/12 Saturday, 10:00 - 11:30am CT

350 Chicago – General Monthly Meeting, hosting Filmmaker Ines Sommer

For our September VIRTUAL monthly meeting, we'll be hosting a movie discussion with the director of the new film "Seasons of Change on Henry's Farm" which will hit close to home for many Illinoisans.

Directed by Chicago filmmaker Ines Sommer, the new documentary "Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm" follows organic farmer Henry Brockman as he grapples with the impacts of a changing climate on his family farm in Central Illinois. Described as “a stirring portrait of a down-to-earth idealist,” the film will be available for a limited engagement via the Gene Siskel Film Center’s online platform starting Fri, August 14.  (To make for a full, in-depth discussion during the meeting, please feel free to view the film in advance of the 9/12 meeting.)

We'll also offer an update on our efforts at 350 Chicago, including our fossil fuel divestment campaign and our most recent fundraiser. We hope to see you there!

9/15 Tuesday, 6:00 - 7:00pm CT

350 Chicago Research Committee Monthly Meeting

Interested in getting involved in the Research committee? Contact committee lead Alex McLeese for digital meeting details.

350 Education Committee

Interested in getting involved in the Education committee? Contact committee lead Melissa Brice for more details.