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Friends,
This is the story of how we got arrested.
Two weeks ago, members of the 350 Mass Boston Node took part in an
action in solidarity with the FRRACS struggle against the
compressor station in Weymouth. This compressor station will
be a lynchpin in the export of fracked gas to Europe, and it's a
direct threat to the health of local residents in an already polluted
area. The current site work involves removing over a thousand dump
trucks full of soil contaminated with arsenic, other heavy metals, and
probably asbestos. Enbridge plans to dump the contaminated soil in
Maine and New Hampshire.
So, we joined dozens of activists from FRRACS and Extinction Rebellion
to delay construction by Enbridge at the worksite in Weymouth. We
blocked a cement truck and delayed work on the site for several hours.
Nine people were arrested, including four of us from the
Boston Node.
After spending about four hours in jail, we were released with charges
reduced to civil infractions with no fines. The experience left us
encouraged. We felt a deep solidarity with all those
involved, and we'll continue to stand up for the health of
our communities and our world.
In solidarity,
350 Mass Boston Node
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Support a Strong Senate Climate Bill
The
Massachusetts State Senate has developed a climate bill that doesn't
include all of our legislative priorities. Contact your State Senator
and urge them to support our amendments. Learn about the amendments and read a helpful phone
script.
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Report Back from the Chase Bank Action
Last Saturday,
350 Mass' Climate Courage members took action at the Chase Bank branch
in Jamaica Plain to highlight Chase's role in profiting off of the
climate crisis. To learn more about the Stop the Money Pipeline
campaign and take direct action with 350 Mass, join Climate Courage here.
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Other 350 Mass News
Talk
and discussion—Reducing Emissions by Changing the
Electric Grid: How can we rapidly transition away from
fossil fuel energy while increasing democratic control of the energy
grid? Larry Rosenberg, an activist with Elders Climate Action and 350
Massachusetts, will talk about what we need to do to make 100%
renewable energy possible. See the Facebook event. TOMORROW, Wed, Jan
29, 7-8:30 pm, Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway,
Cambridge.
Mass Power Forward 2020 Feb Leadership Teach In—Setting the Stage
for a Green New Deal: Join us to get to know your fellow
community leaders, deepen your knowledge of equity and anti-racism
frameworks in MPFs policies, and gain tools to bring back to your
group. Sign up here. Sat, Feb 1, 10 am-3 pm, Drumlin Farm
Life Center, 208 S Great Rd, Lincoln.
Local Environmental Action 2020 Conference: 350 Mass
is a lead sponsor of this annual gathering of community leaders and
activists. Sharpen the skills you need to make change, learn more
about the problems facing our world today, and be inspired to keep up
the fight. Learn more and register here. See the Facebook event. Sat, Mar 7, Northeastern
University, Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston.
Screen FRRACS' Documentary in Your 350 Mass Node:
Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station (FRRACS)
has made a documentary about their movement to stop Enbridge (here is the trailer). We want
to screen the documentary far and wide across the state (our goal is a
screening in EVERY community we're active in!). Sign up here if you’re interested
in hosting a screening. Also, enjoy a new video about the Weymouth
Compressor Station, Governor Baker's Toxic Legacy.
Write a Letter to the Editor: 350 Mass members write
lots of letters to the editor, many of which get published! Here are
some recent letters:
Want to join
the team? Email Vignesh Ramachandran to find out more!
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Other Better Future Project News
Calling All Librarians: Last September,
Communities Responding to Extreme Weather (CREW) helped Massachusetts
librarians offer over 90 programs as part of the annual Climate
Preparedness Week. If your library participated in Climate
Preparedness Week—or even if it didn’t—read here to find out more about how you can incorporate
climate resilience programming!
Host a Boston-area Divest Ed Fellow
Next Summer: Divest Ed, Better Future Project's national
campus divestment program, will be hosting an in-person Boston summer
fellowship for up to 15 student divestment leaders. If you live in the
Greater Boston Area and have a spare room in your home, please
consider hosting a fellow and fill out this form!
Divest Ed is Hiring a Director: Better Future
Project is looking for a Divest Ed director to start in 2020! We need
someone with a vision for the student fossil fuel divestment movement,
a passion for student and youth organizing, a commitment to climate
justice, and experience working with young people and partnering with
other movements. See here for the job listing.
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Other Climate Movement News
Make a
Social Media Post to Support Renewable Energy: Massachusetts
can be a national leader in the fight against climate change by
passing the Decker/Garballey 100% Renewable Energy Act (H.2836). Show
your support by posting to Facebook and Twitter! See the guide here.
Webinar—Affordable Housing as a Climate
Solution: Are you interested in learning from experts about
why sustainable housing is a key part of the climate solution? Join
this webinar, the third of a four-part series hosted by MCAN, LISC,
and the Smart Growth Alliance. Learn more and RSVP here. TODAY, Tue, Jan 28, 7-8
pm.
RSVP for the Massachusetts Youth Lobby Day: Join Our
Climate, Sunrise Boston, Boston Climate Strikes, The Roosevelt
Institute, MASSPIRG students, Citizens Climate Lobby, Clean Water
Action, Mothers Out Front and more as we hold our representatives
accountable for the legislation that will protect our future, such as
Equitable Carbon Fee and Rebate Bill H.2810 and the 100% Renewables
Bill (H.2836). Learn about our policy priorities, see the agenda, and RSVP here. TOMORROW, Wed, Jan 29, Massachusetts
State House, Boston.
Tell Stop and Shop to Cut Ties with Cargill: Cargill
has driven the destruction of millions of acres of grasslands and
rainforests to grow soy in South America. Join us for a campaign
kickoff meeting to discuss the future of sustainable agriculture and
how to harness collective power that can shift the power dynamics
between corporations and people. TOMORROW, Wed, Jan 29, 6:30 pm,
Egleston Public Library, 2044 Columbus Ave, Roxbury.
Electric Futures—Practical
Approaches to Regulation and Implementation: Brookline was the first
municipality on the East Coast to ban fossil fuel combustion in new
construction and gut renovations. Similar initiatives are gaining
momentum in other communities. Join the Boston Society for
Architecture, Green Ribbon Commission, and Massachusetts Climate
Action Network for a forum to learn from Brookline's experiences. Register here. Tue, Feb 4, 8:15 am-noon, BSA
Space, Fort Point Room, 290 Congress St, Boston.
Book Launch—A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green
New Deal: Hear co-authors Drs. Alyssa Battistoni, Daniel
Aldana Cohen, and Thea Riofrancos read from their book and lead a
discussion. Books will also be signed, and refreshments will be
served. The venue is ADA-accessible. See the Facebook event. Fri, Feb 7, 7 pm, Porter
Square Books, 25 White St, Cambridge.
Visions of Justice Forum: Come to this second annual
forum of speakers, visual arts, music, and conversation on social
justice issues. This year’s program focuses on the disproportionate
impact of environmental changes on marginalized communities. Speakers
include Sonja Spears of Boston Health Care for the Homeless, Susan
Church of Demissie & Church, and Craig Altemose of Better Future
Project. Sat, Feb 8 (snow date Mar 7), 9:30 am-2:30 pm, Unitarian
Universalist Area Church (UUAC), 11 Washington St,
Sherborn.
Climate Change—A Course for Everyone: This
free and open course is intended to promote climate change education,
resilience, and action. We'll examine the basic science of climate
change, its local and global impacts, and strategies for preventing
its worst outcomes while preparing for those we can no longer avoid.
Learn more here and see a live stream here. Ongoing through Wed, April 8,
6-8 pm, Northeastern, 40 Leon St, Boston.
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Solidarity Opportunities
Make
Schools Safe from ICE: Reports from Boston Public
Schools are ending up in the hands of ICE, jeopardizing young people’s
futures. The Boston Teachers Union and the Student Immigration
Movement are taking action. Sign a petition to curb this information pipeline.
Support Corporate Fair Share: After years of
underinvestment, Massachusetts’ transportation systems are at a crisis
point. We need significant new revenue for investment in
transportation. At the same time, far too many large corporations pay
only minimal taxes here by exploiting loopholes, tax breaks, and
offshore tax havens. Here's how to help:
Support the MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda:
There are five bills in the 2019-2021 legislative session
that would benefit Indigenous Peoples. Learn more about the Massachusetts Indigenous Peoples
Legislative Agenda here and support it here.
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About Better
Future Project and 350 Mass
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