Welcome to the January 2024 Climate Action Newsletter 🌎📢
There’s never been a more important time to get involved in climate action. When we work together, we can make wonderful things happen. Let’s co-create the world future generations can thrive in!✊
Quote of the Month
“[the climate crisis] is not a problem that we will be able to ignore. It’s not a problem that someone else is going to fix.”
– Shelby Behr, our January Climate Hero of the Month
Action of The Month:
Sign onto a letter calling for the closure of the Suncor Refinery and a justice-based transition!
How to take action this month:
📱 Share: (Takes a minute or two) – Share this post on Instagram to help us spread the word about the State of the Climate rally this Thursday. (This helps more that we can say – the more people who see this, the better!)
✍ Write: (Takes 1-4 hours) – We are calling for LTEs (letters to the editor) and opinion pieces on all things keeping fossil fuels in the ground! Some specific topics to cover:
- Why We Need a Phase Out of Fracking in Colorado
- Call on Governor Polis for Stronger Climate Action in Colorado
- Why Emerging Technologies are Mostly False Climate Solutions (Emerging technologies = carbon capture, direct air capture, etc. – see this statement on emerging technologies for more information)
New to writing letters to the editor or opinion pieces? See this LTE-writing guide and this list of Colorado news outlets to submit your work to.
What’s going on at 350CO?
Photo: Christian O’Rourke
To get involved with one of our committees or local teams, check out this committee list or sign up for a local team near you! Here’s a rundown of some current issues and ideas committees are working on together.
Youth Action Committee
Our youth committee is off to a running start this year, implementing lots of changes. Youth leadership and membership is a critical part of this movement, being that youth are among the groups most disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. If you’re under 24 and haven’t joined yet, head over to our site to learn more! The next meeting is on Wednesday, January 24th, at 6pm.
Fracking Action Committee
Along with organizing a “State of the Climate” event in response to the governor’s State of the State speech, the fracking action committee is highlighting ways to get involved in advocacy work right now. including public comment opportunities and a collaboration with Halt the Harm network coming up soon. Get more information on fracking in Colorado or sign up to join the Fracking Action Committee to make sure you’re staying up to date on ways to get involved in the fight against Fracking.
Policy & Regulatory Action
This committee has been busy over the last few weeks with lots of opportunities to plug in! They’re finalizing a petition on the GEMM2 rulemaking to deliver to the governor later this month and highlighting online and in person opportunities to advocate for our climate and public health in the state. Sign up for the Policy & Regulatory Action Committee to get action alerts to your email or follow us on social media if you prefer to get alerts that way.
Recent news
Colorado legislature needs to get serious this session about taking on oil and gas polluters
Read this powerful piece by Patricia Garcia-Nelson. “Communities like mine have been treated like sacrifice zones for too long, our leaders must stop acting like we are disposable. The plans and solutions put forth thus far have maintained the oil and gas industry’s ability to pollute and profit, leaving low income communities and communities of color to deal with blatant institutional and environmental racism.”
Art & Activism Roundup: Following Up With CO Artists + Activists
Volunteer Susan Heske follows up with the artists/activists who were featured throughout last year asking them a question: What does art and activism mean to you? We follow up with Brittany & Maggie of Farsighted Creative, Brian Hedden of Fracking the System, Chip Thomas of buffalo soldiers: reVision, as well as Colorado-based musician James Daly.
Colorado rivers may shrink by 30% as climate change continues, report says
“The wild beauty that is at the heart of our state identity is at risk,” said Heidi Leathwood, climate policy analyst with the nonprofit advocacy group 350 Colorado. “The expected temperature rise and increasingly more frequent and severe heat waves will hit all of us hard, but will continue to hit low income communities and people of color even harder unless the state takes immediate and effective steps toward environmental justice.”
A huge thanks to our January Climate Hero of the Month – Shelby Behr!
Meet Shelby!
And just like that, a new year is upon us! 12 months and innumerable opportunities to keep building our organizing power and securing solutions that help create the future we want. It’s only right that we start this year off with recognizing and celebrating the nearly two years of on-going organizing of activist Shelby Behr, our Climate Hero of the Month of January!
“I went to a few different community meetings and the Denver team meetings,” said Shelby. “Eventually I ended up helping with a few public comment trainings and other events.”
The first public comment workshop that was put on was in September 2022 in Commerce City. It was a great experience and a bilingual event with Spanish interpretation available for participants. For months leading up to it Shelby and others worked diligently to create a comprehensive training and event with time for folks to practice, ask questions, and get more comfortable with the idea of giving public comment. Shelby developed and presented a few sections of the workshop, and while it felt a little challenging to talk in front of people she did an incredible job!
“I found that there are plenty of like-minded people doing good work to solve the climate crisis and that there has been more progress than it seems,” said Shelby. “I had no idea how I wanted to help but I wanted to help.” – Shelby
Resources of the Month
▶ 3rd Climate Change in Colorado Assessment Report. Read through this recently released report on how climate change is affecting our state. Don’t have lots of time, but want to get up to speed? Check out this coverage of the report by Aspen Journalism.
▶ Later is Too Late: A comprehensive analysis of the messaging that accelerates climate action in the G20 and beyond. This new report features an analysis on climate communication and is a great tool for anyone trying to connect with their fellow humans on what we can do when it comes to the climate crisis. We’ll be taking notes! 📝
▶ IRA Webinar series: Save Green By Going Green! Learn how Federal $ can benefit your budget, community, and the planet! – Want clarity on what the Inflation Reduction Act is and how to utilize it? Join 350 Colorado and policy expert Jan Rose for the first in a series of educational webinars about the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as we unpack this major piece of legislation in a way that is easy to understand. Learn more about the IRA as a whole and how you and your community can take advantage of this federal funding. 💰
Upcoming Events & Actions
- Wednesday, Jan. 10th, 10am – Divest from Militarism, Invest in Life! A conversation about war and climate change by 350.org (Zoom) – RSVP here
- Thursday, Jan. 11th, 12pm-1pm – State of the Climate Rally at the Denver Capitol East Lawn (Denver) –RSVP or get more details
- Wednesday, Jan, 17th, 12pm – Ozone Educational Webinar – How the Public Can Get Involved During the Legislative Session (Zoom) – RSVP here
- Saturday, Jan. 20th, 6:30pm- Sierra Club Colorado’s Legislative Advocates for Colorado’s Environment Training (Virtual) – RSVP here
- Thursday, Jan. 25th, 6pm-7:30pm – Climate Action Kick-Off Call for Volunteers & Activists! With 350CO (Zoom) – RSVP link to come, save the date for now!
- Tuesday, Jan. 30th, 6pm-7:30pm – Climate Policy and Regulatory Action Committee Social Meetup (Newcomers Welcome) @ Junction Food & Frink (Denver) – RSVP to Heidi@350Colorado.org
Please view our full calendar to join local team meetings, committee conference calls & more!
Remembering Kay Parker
With the recent passing of Kay Parker, one of our beloved community members, we’d like to hold some space for a tribute for her in this newsletter. Here is a message from Gina Hardin, a longtime friend & activist:
“Kay Parker was a friend of mine – and a friend to 350 Colorado. She passed away on November 8. She was only a board member for a couple of years, but her impact extended far beyond that. Married to Robert Parker (deceased 2021), who was an early, very active board member, she was from almost the beginning, a loving supportive member of the team – and of each of us, individually.
She hosted us in the whimsical creativity of her and Robert’s home, the Itty Bitty Lakes in Coaldale, Colorado, on the banks of the Arkansas River in Bighorn Canyon, where we held our annual Convergences. Her patient-within-chaos hospitality held us, as a group and individually, in a warm embrace under which we formed deep relationships, celebrated our accomplishments and planned for our future. Robert’s and her hospitality was instrumental in launching 350 Colorado and creating and maintaining the cohesiveness of our headstrong, independent, non-conformist, kind-of out-there, activist group.
I can’t tell you how many times, I would be passing through the area, sometimes with other activists, call at the last minute, and be welcomed into their home for food and drink and inspiring conversations that went late into the night and into the next day. She was a huge support to me, personally, when life events got me down.”
P.S. Please support crucial climate action work in Colorado – become a monthly sustaining donor at $10 or more per month!