We have had to move our Candidates Forum for City Council District 9 to our May Membership Meeting, on Saturday, May 13.
Our April Membership Meeting will feature an update on our fight to get toxics out of personal care products and where we are at with our Beauty Inside Out campaign as well as a look at our rebranded workforce development program, WE ACT's Green Institute, creating pathways to green jobs for our community. It will be held in person on April 7 at the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge (454 West 155th Street, between St Nicholas & Amsterdam Avenues) from 10 am to 1 pm.
Capitol Hill Briefing: Strengthening the Regulation of Harmful Chemicals
WE ACT is co-hosting Strengthening the Regulation of Harmful Chemicals, a federal legislative briefing, with Earthjustice and the University of California, San Francisco’s (UCSF) Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment to urge the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its risk evaluation methods to better protect people from harmful chemicals. Micaela E. Martinez, our Director of Environmental Health, will be among the speakers, along with Earthjustice Toxic Exposure and Health Program Managing Attorney Eve Gartner, UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment Director Tracey J. Woodruff, Boston University School of Public Health Clinical Professor and Toxicologist Wendy Heiger-Bernays, and Lake Research Partners President Celinda Lake.
The briefing is at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 29 at the Capitol Building Visitor Center SVC-203. It is open to the public and you can register to attend, but it is in-person only and seats are limited, so act now!
EPA Rules: Anastasia Gordon spoke to the Public News Service about the EPA's proposed new soot rules, explaining why the standards need to be more stringent and the harmful health impacts caused by this pollution.
Climate Change and Disease: Micaela Martinez explains the seasonality of diseases, and how climate change is impacting that, in FiveThirtyEight.
Advocating To Kick Out Fossil Fuels
WE ACT members and staff joined partner organizations from across New York and state lawmakers on Wednesday in Albany to advocate for two critical bills for energy justice! We rallied at the entrance of the New York State Assembly and met with assembly member offices to push for the All Electric Buildings Act and the NY HEAT Act. In New York, many laws are passed through inclusion in the state budget, and with only a few weeks left for the legislature to finalize the budget, now is a critical moment to push for their inclusion.
The All Electric Buildings Act will require new buildings in New York to be entirely electric, a critical step to transition our state off fossil fuels. We are pushing for the transition timeline to happen as soon as possible.
The NY HEAT Act will reduce energy bills and help the state reach its emissions reduction targets by eliminating two rules from the Public Service Law that utilities have been using to build unnecessary gas infrastructure at cost of nearly $200 million per year to ratepayers.
Many thanks to our members who came out and to Senator Gallagher for organizing the event!
News Out of DC!
Environmental Justice for All Act Reintroduced: The Environmental Justice for All Act was reintroduced in honor of Congressman A. Donald McEachin, a staunch environmental justice champion supporter who died last year. If passed, the bill would codify and advance environmental justice on a national level.
New EPA Regulations to Protect Communities: WE ACT, as part of the Clean Air for the Long Haul Coalition, commended the EPA this week for finalizing new regulations that will protect communities who live downwind from polluting smog facilities, noting that it’s a good start and offering recommendations to strengthen it.
Electric Vehicle Grants: The Department of Transportation announced $2.5 billion of new grants for electric vehicle infrastructure aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Indoor Air Quality Webinar with Just Solutions Collective
We're joining Just Solutions Collective on March 29 at 2 pm for a webinar on indoor air quality and our Out of Gas, In with Justice study. The webinar will examine the process of implementing the study, the results of the pilot, and the lessons learned. Annie Carforo will discuss opportunities for policy change and review potential avenues to explore how indoor air pollution impacts your community. Lastly, we will explore how communities can understand this topic in the context of federal funding opportunities.
Sonal Jessel will be speaking at the EcoCareers Summit on April 11. The Summit Series prepares students and young professionals for wildlife and sustainability careers by providing information on the latest EcoCareer trends from leading analysts and employers, clarifying career-enhancing credentials and academic offerings, and formulating a better understanding of the competencies employers seek in the green sector.
Get Certified in Building Electrification
WE ACT's Green Institute is offering a free 60 hour energy efficiency technical training to earn GPRO Fundamentals of Building Green Certification along with professional development workshops for career advancement. This program is open to everyone aged 18+ with a high school diploma or equivalency, regardless of background. All applicants will undergo interviews, evaluations, and a screening/selection process. Applicants are encouraged to apply early!
Electrification Training & GPRO Fundamentals of Building Green Certification:
April 17-28, (2 Weeks: Monday - Friday) 10 am - 5 pm
Professional Development Workshops:
May 2-18, 2023, (3 Weeks: Tuesdays and Thursdays) 2 - 5 pm
Support WE ACT by Running or Walking the Earth Day 5K
WE ACT’s in-person Earth Day 5K will be held Saturday, April 15th on Randall’s Island - you can register and begin fundraising now! Our $30 registration fee includes a WE ACT membership at no extra cost. Participants are invited to run or walk either in person on Randall’s Island, or virtually during the week of April 15th - April 22nd.
At the event, we’ll recognize the fastest runners and our fundraising leaders. Prizes will include gear from Patagonia, gift cards, and more!
If you have questions about participating virtually, please see our FAQ here. If you can’t join us, please consider making a donation to support our work. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Fundraising Events Coordinator, Gianna Folz, at [email protected].
VIDEO REPLAY: Two Years of Justice40: How the Initiative is Delivering Solutions to the Climate Crisis
In case you missed Naadiya Hutchinson on the World Resource Institute's Justice40 panel, you can watch the video here.
Reflections on Healing and Justice: A Gathering to Honor Sally Fisher
The Washington Heights/Inwood Food Council is hosting a gathering to celebrate and honor Sally Fisher, a long-time advocate for justice and WE ACT member, on Sunday, March 26 at 1 pm at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church located art 20 Cumming Street in Inwood.
Astrid DuBois (2nd from left) from our DC team participated in the CAC (Climate Action Campaign) Public Health Lobby Days to encourage the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt stronger PM 2.5 standards for soot pollution, an important regulation needed to protect environmental justice communities from dangerous air quality.
One Week Left to Apply to Become a Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellow
Applications to become a 2023 Cecil Corbin-Mark Fellow at WE ACT are open, but you only have a week left to apply. Applications close March 31! The annual Fellowship is designed to shape the next generation of environmental and climate justice leaders.
