"Brooklyn's Battery Breakthrough”
Fall Climate Wednesdays Series Wraps Up December 1st, 7-8:00 pm
Take a virtual tour of the new solar energy hub at Brooklyn Public Library’s Coney Island branch—one of four branches where Brooklynites will be able to plug in devices when extreme weather knocks out the electric grid. This event is a collaboration with Solar One, which is installing the solar hubs to plug in devices when extreme weather knocks out the electric grid. Four hubs are the first solar + battery systems in the entire city. All of these
branches were hit hard by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Register at least an hour before the event.
350Brooklyn December Meeting: 2021 Highlights and Pub Quiz
Bring your favorite festive beverage and join us for a fun end-of-year meeting! We will watch a highlight reel of 2021's events, seen through the lenses of 350Brooklyn volunteers, then split into teams to play a climate-themed pub quiz. Let's celebrate, get to know each other, and charge up for another year of climate action. If you have any photos or videos of any 350Brooklyn events you went to this year, please email them with a caption to [email protected] for inclusion in our year in review video! Register to attend the December meeting on Zoom.
"Climate Chat"
December 14th at FiveMyles Gallery, 6:30-8:00 pm
How can we turn our grief, anger and fear over the climate crisis into sources of action and joy in our communities? Come connect with climate-concerned neighbors and develop your own plan for making a difference. Bring your friends who want to act on climate but aren’t sure how. We’ll meet in the FiveMyles art gallery at 558 St. John’s Place in Crown Heights.
Big Community Wins in Gowanus Rezoning
Over the past four years, we have been organizing with the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice for real investment and policy commitments toward a just and green Gowanus. The top three deal breakers and many more demands have been met by the City in relation to the rezoning. These include: funding for comprehensive renovations at Gowanus Houses and Wyckoff Gardens estimated at $200M; stormwater management requirements for all new properties within the rezoning area to ensure that new development does not increase pollution into the canal; an investment of $174 million to upgrade sewer infrastructure; funding, timelines and public engagement for new public spaces at Gowanus Green, Transit Plaza at Smith/9th Street, canal head end combined sewage overflow tank, and the salt lot along with renovations/upgrades at Thomas Green Park, Old Stone House and the Pacific Library; and, the creation of the Gowanus Implementation and Commitments Task Force to ensure accountability for all commitments made under the rezoning. Read the full list of Points of Agreement and check out this article in the Brooklyn Paper for a great overview. Learn more about the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice here.
Another Victory! NRG's Astoria Power Plant DEFEATED!
City Action is happy to announce that the Astoria and Danskammer Power Plants have been defeated! After several decades of strategic, persistent work by the PEAK Coalition and several years of focused organizing by a handful of groups (including 350Brooklyn, the Sierra Club, Food and Water Action, Queens Climate Project, NYDSA and NYPIRG), the permits have been rejected. We rallied, we researched, we reasoned, we Power Houred, we petitioned, we post-carded, we ambushed (albeit with a delightful Eco-Tones soundtrack!) and - finally - we prevailed! We still need to make sure that the Gowanus Plant is rejected and we would also like to see the Clean Futures Act passed, but this ruling by the NY State DEC sets a strong precedent. Sign up here to join City Action for our next Power Hour, where we kick-off many of our campaigns and lend support to other groups.
“What’s the Media Missing?” New Climate Check episode
In 350Brooklyn’s latest podcast episode, Dr. Genevieve Guenther dissects the mainstream media’s failure to cover the climate crisis with the urgency it requires. Dr. Guenther founded and directs End Climate Silence, a group that pressures media to recognize the pervasive impact of the changing climate and to cover the climate dimension of every story where it’s relevant (learn more here). Listen on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Breaker and Apple Music, or by using this link.
Climate Can't Wait: A New Campaign for 350Brooklyn
In 2021 the NYS Legislature passed virtually no significant climate legislation. Yet many good bills were proposed, including the Climate and Community Investment Act that we worked hard on. So, 350Brooklyn has joined with over thirty other organizations around the state to form a new coordinating body, Climate Can't Wait 2022. We have got a dozen bills that we are all going to support and we will be showing up in Albany in force during the next legislative session that begins in January. So stay tuned! Want to be involved? Join the Legislation Committee! Email [email protected]!
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 via Zoom to 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.
