.jpg)
May Meeting: Climate Crisis: Getting The Message Out
Thursday, May 13th, 7:30 pm EDT
How can climate activists inspire more people to get involved in confronting the climate emergency? Just sharing information won’t do it. What are the most effective ways to communicate the urgency of this crisis so people will be stirred to act? Our guest speaker, Jeff Berardelli, has been a television meteorologist and climate reporter for CBS News for the past 25 years. He is a founder of Meteorologists United on Climate Change, known as Mets Unite-- #metsunite--an organization of meteorologists dedicated to making climate reporting an integral part of weather broadcasts. He holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University in atmospheric sciences and recently completed a master’s degree in Climate and Society at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Register for the May Meeting on Zoom..
Calling, Lobbying, Rallying and Cookies
| Zoom Session, Intro to Climate Kids
|
Tuesday, May 18th, 4:00 pm EDT
|
| Andrew Cuomo’s Office - 633 Third Ave, NY, NY 1001
|
Tuesday May 18th, 5:30 pm EDT
|
| Rally at Grand Army Plaza - Brooklyn, NY 11238
|
Saturday, May 22nd, 9:30 am EDT
|
With one month left to pass the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA), 350BK has been calling our Brooklyn representatives in Albany and signing up for more lobby visits. We've even been dropping off cookies at their offices! Can you call and/or write your State Senator and Assembly Member and urge them to co-sponsor the CCIA? Find your state legislators' contact info online and come to our great CCIA rallies! On May 18th at 5:30 pm EDT, New York City will rally in front of Governor Cuomo's office at 633 Third Avenue in Manhattan. On May 22nd at 9:30 am EDT, kids and families will rally in support of the CCIA at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. There will be chalk, art making, singing, and more. RSVP for the rally, as well as a Zoom sign-making session on May 18th with Climate Kids Club. If you don't have kids, please pass this on to your friends that do! Let's pass the CCIA!
SPECIAL EDITION: Hour of Phone-banking Power
Wednesdays, Beginning May 12th at 12:00 pm EDT and Concluding June 30th at 12:00 pm EDT
On Wednesdays through the end of June, 350Brooklyn will host a special edition of the Hour of Phone-banking Power, a lunch-time phone-banking party to call state legislators about New York’s Clean Futures Act. The Act - which is supported by 73+ organizations - would create a much-needed ban on the permitting, licensing, siting, and construction of new fossil fuel power plants in New York State. Join us for phone-banking on Zoom!
SAVE THE DATE: Join Our March To Support The NY State Clean Futures Act
Friday, May 21st, 11:30 am, Location TBA
Sign up to join us on the march and support the NY State Clean Futures Act, a critical piece of climate legislation.
Climate Wednesdays: Financing the Fossil Fuel-Free Future
May 19th, 7:00 pm EDT
Fires, floods, droughts and storms--all fueled by a warming climate--are devastating communities around the globe. How can we get the corporate world to face up to this emergency and adopt climate-friendly strategies? How can we get business to finally leave fossil fuels behind and redirect its immense financial power toward solving the climate crisis? Our Climate Wednesdays panelists are Dr. Yue (Nina) Chen, Director of Sustainability and Climate Initiatives for New York State’s Department of Financial Services. Alexis Goldstein, Senior Policy Analyst for Americans for Financial Reform, and Tom Sanzillo, Director of Financial Analysis for the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Led by author and n + 1 climate columnist Katy Lederer. This workshop will take place online via Zoom. Please RSVP for this Climate Wednesdays meeting prior to the event to receive the necessary Zoom access to join. You can also stream the program live on You Tube. Climate Wednesdays is a collaboration of 350Brooklyn and Brooklyn Public Library. BPL features the series in its new annual report (see page 8).
Do You Have Sound Mastering Skills?
350Brooklyn is almost ready to launch its own podcast series: Climate Check: Stories and Solutions. Climate Check draws on some of the wonderful speakers from the Climate Wednesdays events we present with our partner, Brooklyn Public Library. We’ve recorded several episodes, but now need some help finishing them up. Can you pitch in? Or do you know someone with sound mastering skills who might be willing to lend a hand? This is a great crew with a great project, so it’s very rewarding (and useful) work. Email [email protected].
A Pivotal Moment For Federal Climate Action: Definitions Matter
Right now in Washington, a half-dozen bills are competing to define our national climate actions. All of them claim to support "clean energy,” but what they mean by "clean” can make a vast difference in whether we actually cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, or merely fudge the numbers. Some, like the Earth Bill developed by Climate Crisis Policy, of which 350BK is a member, are explicit about what sources of energy would count. The THRIVE Act, which is supported by NY Renews--of which 350BK is also a member--has a similar definition. Others, like the Federal CLEAN Futures Act, offer complicated formulas for estimating what comes out of smokestacks and other sources. The Legislation Committee is currently evaluating these competing proposals for climate action. There's a big push to get one of these through Congress and on the President's desk before the July 4th recess, which could lock us into one of these paths. Stay tuned.
IG Live Every Wednesday In May, 7:30 pm EDT
Hi friends, it's that time again! Please join us for Zero Waste Wednesdays. It's a weekly Instagram Live event where we interview interesting thought leaders, community organizers, and entrepreneurs living or creating a Zero Waste lifestyle. We've got a great lineup for this month. In case it's not clear, it's every Wednesday night at 7:30EST on Instagram Live. Follow @reusable_solutionsnyc on Instagram, RSVP using the link below, and for info about the guests. There's even live music at the start and the end of the show by Ben Kogan, a 350BK member and founder of Reusable Solutions. Use this link to register and learn more about Zero Waste Wednesdays.
Get involved in one of our workgroups!
350Brooklyn is volunteer-powered. At the heart of these efforts are our campaigns and committees. Follow the links below for more information on how to join.
City Action Committee’s mission is to make Brooklyn and New York City leaders not only in climate policy but also in the long-term actions and engagement needed to make those policies effective. Current campaigns include The Renewable Rikers Act, Fighting Peaker Plants, Electric School Buses, and the Department of Sustainability and Climate Change. Use this google form to connect with City Action.
The Climate Idea Exchange works to deepen public understanding of the climate crisis, breaking it down into manageable topics and showing how to take action locally. We work both independently and in collaboration with Brooklyn Public Library, and we're developing a podcast series. email [email protected].
350BK Families organizes activities that bring children, youth, and their adults together for the climate. Current projects include pushing for the creation of 529 college savings plans that are free of fossil fuel investments. email [email protected].
Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice is a diverse coalition focused on equity, inclusion, justice, and economic and environmental sustainability. 350Brooklyn is part of this coalition, which is working to ensure that the rezoning of the Gowanus area honors the needs of all community members. email [email protected].
Legislation focuses on federal and New York State climate legislation. Current campaigns are NY Renews (to pass the Climate Community Investment Act), the Green New Deal, and stopping the repowering of the Gowanus power plant (with 350BK's City Action). email [email protected].
The Media Committee is 350Brooklyn's all-around in-house media team. This group writes press releases and promotional copy, creates graphics, keeps tabs on 350BK's social media presence, and runs the new 350BK blog. email [email protected].
Stop the Money Pipeline plans and participates in direct actions that pressure financial institutions to stop funding deforestation and fossil fuel industries. We are part of a national movement targeting New York-based corporations, including Chase Bank and BlackRock Investment Management. email [email protected].
Plastic Free works to eliminate plastic pollution and reduce reliance on single-use plastic products. We meet biweekly via Zoom, and work on a variety of projects including legislative lobbying efforts, campaigns promoting going plastic free, and neighborhood efforts to reduce waste. email [email protected].
No time but able to donate? While we are an affiliate of 350.org, we are programmatically independent and our financial support comes solely from our members. Can you offer financial support, at any level? Donate here.
