Welcome to our July 2022 Newsletter!
In this issue you’ll learn about what ‘just transition’ refers to and what it means for our climate work here in Colorado. You’ll also read about how beavers fight drought and are a valuable species in protecting our water supply. 350 CO intern Mason Smith shares her research results focusing on youth mental health and climate change – and finally, read about environmental groups recent demands for stronger climate action aimed at the Air Quality Control Commission.
From all of us on the 350CO Team, we wish you a wonderful summer!
Quote of the Month – A Poem from Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free…
Action of The Month: Sign on in opposition to the construction of the Line 1 ‘Rocky Mountain Pipeline Project’ crude oil pipeline to the Suncor Refinery in Commerce City, Colorado. –> Click here to sign.
What is Just Transition & What Does it Mean for Colorado?
Whether you are a longtime climate activist, or just getting started, you may have heard the term just transition. But what does this term mean, and how does it connect to the climate movement in Colorado? Read on to find out more about just transition, what it looks like in Colorado, and what you can do to get involved.
How Beavers Fight Drought & Wildfire
Beaver used to live in every year-round stream in the U.S, playing an important role in preserving our ecosystems. Read on to learn how beaver recharge groundwater, raise the water table, and help humans access more water than we are used to in this dry climate.
Environmental Groups Demand Urgency from Air Quality Control Commission
Protestors at the June 2022 AQCC Retreat
Environmental groups including 350CO protested at the recent AQCC retreat in Estes Park, with demands including addressing the urgency of GHG emissions, acknowledging oil and gas as top contributor to ozone pollution, and stronger rules putting climate and environmental justice as top priorities in our state.
Climate Change & Youth Mental Health: A Study by 350CO Intern Mason Smith
As our climate changes and anxieties about what the future may look like become more prevalent, the conversations connecting mental health and climate change are incredibly limited. As part of her time as an intern with 350 Colorado, author Mason Smith decided to conduct research to answer the following question: Do young people in Colorado perceive a relationship between their mental health and worsening climate change?
Video of the Month
Restore Colorado: A Table to Farm Movement to Scale Regenerative Agriculture
A presentation from Zero Food Print & Kiss the Ground about Restore CO & the Regenerate America Campaign.
A huge thanks to our July Climate Hero of the Month – James Walker!
This month we are excited to honor James Walker as our Climate Hero of the Month! James is working to “affect change through compassion,” and is proof that you can make change wherever you are – especially since he has been volunteering for 350CO from his current home in Vietnam!
Upcoming Events & Actions
- July 6, 5 pm – How Anyone Can Support Solar, Even If You Don’t Own a Home – Online Webinar hosted by 350CO Renewables Committee
- July 9, 12 pm – 350 CO Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Workshop (Denver) – Register here.
- July 16, 3 pm – EcoFiesta! (Commerce City)
- July 20, 5 pm – Fossil Free PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) Online Planning Meeting – Join by zoom here
- July 26, 6 pm – 350 Denver Picnic (Denver) *Email victoria@350colorado.org for details
- July 27 – Save the Date! Truth about Ozone Online Webinar *Email kate@350colorado.org for details
Please view our full calendar to join local team meetings, committee conference calls & more
Did you know? You can support 350CO when buying a home!
If you or someone you know is looking to buy a new home, please support 350CO through Climate Change Realty – a real estate brokerage that donates 50% of its net commissions to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations dedicated to fighting climate change. Contact ethan@ccrboulder.com if you are interested in moving or visit www.ccrboulder.com today and look for 350CO on the list of partnering non-profits!