In the April 2021 Newsletter, read about our Earth Day activism ideas, recent climate action news, reflections on a year of COVID-19, and an interview with our volunteer member of the month.

1. 10 Ideas to Help You Celebrate Earth Day this Year
   
2. Recent SanDiego350 Activist Highlights
   
3. SB-467 Didn't Pass: Our Next Moves
   
4. What can the COVID-19 Response Teach Us about Climate Action?
   
5. Member of the Month: an Interview with Jaime Hernández
   
6. Upcoming Events
   
7. Exciting Job & Volunteer Opportunities!
   
8. In the News
   

By Allison Tester, Marketing & Communications Team Lead

Happy Earth Day! Today and everyday, SanDiego350 strives to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and climate injustice. Wondering how you can help? Check out a few ideas below.

Get involved 
With more than 14 teams and coalitions, SanDiego350 has an opportunity for everyone. Fill out the volunteer interest form and commit to getting involved.

Meatless Mondays 
Livestock production contributes an estimated 14.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions from human activities — more than the entire transportation sector. Learn about how going meatless even once a week can make a difference here.

Swap single use plastics 
Replacing plastic bags and water bottles is a great place to start, but what about toothbrushes, soap containers, and food storage? Find inspiration here.

Go thrifting
Did you know the fashion industry is the second largest consumer industry of water according to a UN report? Next time you need a new look, visit a local thrift store!

Start a garden 
There are many environmental benefits to planting your own garden. Find out which plants will thrive in your backyard or window box then get to growing!

Attend an event
SanDiego350 hosts a variety of events, including webinars, rallies, book clubs and more. Check out our upcoming events to RSVP today!

Watch a documentary 
We’ve been in quarantine long enough that you’re looking for something new to watch right? We recommend Purple Mountains or The True Cost!

Plan to actually bike and/or use public transportation more often
Did you know that the Metropolitan Transit System approved a plan to convert San Diego’s bus fleet to all zero-emissions vehicles by 2040? There are already several green buses in action; find the right route for you!

Read more
Climate change is a complex, intersectional issue and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the information. Check out Earthday’s list of book recommendations to dig deeper on a range of topics.

Donate to support the Youth4Climate program 
Support SanDiego350’s youth fellowship program! We work to empower and engage youth throughout the region and they’re accomplishing incredible things. Learn more and donate to the program here.

These suggestions probably sound familiar; we all know plastics are bad for the environment, right? But my challenge for you is to make these long term practices instead of just one time Earth Day actions. If this last year has shown us anything, we know that when we work together and advocate for change, we can make a difference. Commit to taking action today!

By Masada Disenhouse, SanDiego350 Executive Director

Congratulations to SanDiego350 member Rita Clement for winning a Chula Vista Sustainability Commission’s annual Sustainability Champion Award! Rita won the Resident Sustainability Champion Award for championing environmental efforts and inspiring others to keep Chula Vista clean for future generations. Congratulations Rita!

Three Councilmembers (CM Monica Montgomery Steppe – D4, CM Joe LaCava – D1 and CM Sean Elo-Rivera – D 9) headlined a press conference hosted by SanDiego350 and partners on April 19 demanding a better energy franchise deal. SD350 volunteer Heather Hofshi spoke at the press conference (photo above). The terms of the deal currently on the table are unacceptable and will not allow the City of San Diego to achieve its climate and equity goals. See the UT article and TV coverage.

Take action: Call your council member and demand a better franchise deal.

On April 3rd SD350 members joined activists across the country in urging President Biden to Build Back Fossil Free by ending fossil fuel extraction and transitioning rapidly to an equitable renewable energy economy. Through a COVID-safe art installation at Mission Beach and virtual rally, we organized San Diegans to take action. Watch the video here.

Across California, people from all different ages and backgrounds came together this month to urge our legislators to support SB 467: a bill that would ban fracking and other extreme methods of fossil fuel extraction in California by 2027, halt the approval of new fracking permits by next year, and create 2500 ft buffer zones between public buildings and extraction sites.

Unfortunately, on April 13th, Senate Bill 467 did not pass. After hundreds of calls to target Senators who were able to swing the vote, they ultimately failed to protect Califronians from the dangerous impacts of oil extraction. Although the bill did not make it through on Tuesday, SB 467 is not dead yet. It is time to regather and hold these politicians accountable and secure setbacks for frontline communities.

Please stand in solidarity with frontline communities directly impacted by oil extraction and call Senators Eggman, Hertzberg and Hueso to let them know that we will not accept their lack of support. Our goal is to sway Eggman, and attempt to hold Hueso and Hertzberg accountable for their silence and revise the bill to focus only on the setbacks. Use this script made by VISION to call your senators!

As a highschool student, I am frightened for the health of the planet and my fellow youth peers who are disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. Although there is no oil drilling in San Diego, I know that oil extraction is unequally harming people from low-income, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities who make up a great proportion of the 7.5 million Californians who live within one mile of an active oil or gas site. In addition, 352,782 students attend school within one mile of an oil and gas well in California. If our state does not address the issue of oil extraction, we will be unable to mitigate the climate crisis and fight the injustices of the fossil fuel industry.

By Lorenzo Nericcio, Newsletter Editor

As we look back on the past year of the pandemic, it’s good to consider what lessons we’ve learned. In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic can be seen as a test of our ability to confront a large collective action problem—societally and governmentally. For example, similar to the popular adoption of mask mandates and social distancing policies, action to mitigate the effects will require large-scale adoption of certain behaviors, like a vegan diet, or use of public transportation and electric vehicles.

And, arguably more importantly, just like COVID-19 required large-scale government action, climate change will similarly require governments around the world to step in and act to protect people and ecosystems from the worst effects of the climate’s warming.

So far, it’s not looking great. As we know, many people opposed mask mandates and business shutdowns, and many are likely to oppose measures put in place to mitigate climate change. Over half a million people have died. On top of that, state and federal governments were hesitant and slow to put in place more significant shutdowns, or to fund government services that might help struggling businesses and workers affected by shutdowns.

(For example, some senators proposed an emergency tax on billionaires that would be used to fund healthcare, but this plan has gained little traction among other members of the House and Senate.)

Unfortunately, climate change adds another difficulty: it’s happening much slower than the pandemic did. This means that, even as shorelines slowly creep inland, summers slowly get hotter, and wilderness areas slowly burn away year after year, it’s possible that the gradual nature of these changes could keep people from really realizing what’s happening.

However, there were some promising signs. Government spending on public wellbeing has increased, as stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment, and an enhanced child welfare program have all helped Americans struggling due to unemployment, underemployment, and the general economic downturn. This has ultimately led to a general feeling that the government should take a more active role in upholding the common good.

This is the main lesson that I think we can learn from the COVID pandemic. Without a more active public hand in the management of economic distress and public health, a large collective action problem like a pandemic or climate change can be disastrous.

What options does that present to us? Organizing in favor of specific policies is one place to start. For example, the public increasingly favors climate action like the Green New Deal. Other progressive policies, like a wealth tax and Medicare for All, are increasingly popular, too. The central issue is turning popularity into legislative pressure—which is where organizing makes a difference.

As is often the case, our recommendation is to start at the local level. Grassroots movements can start small and snowball into larger ones by pressuring local legislatures to adopt progressive climate policies—such as the zero-carbon plan San Diego County recently approved. Additionally, other forms of political pressure, like climate strikes, animal welfare advocacy, and strategic boycots can contribute to a general policy environment that favors bold action.

If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Consider volunteering or supporting SanDiego350’s efforts by donating as we continue our fight to push San Diego toward a greener and more just future. 

Jaime Hernández is an activist fighting for climate justice in San Diego with SD350. We spoke to him to ask him about his involvement with the organization.

How did you first get involved with SD350, and when was that?

The summer of 2020  I got involved through my pastor Rev. Caleb Lines at University Christian Church in Hillcrest. We have a collaborative called the Green Chalice where we champion sustainability on campus and we saw SD350 as a good fit to expand this effort on a larger scale.

What drives your activism? 

I can't just sit around and do nothing! Every day counts. We need to act now. Activism is in my blood whether it's environmental or social justice - or both!

What do you recommend to people who want to have a larger impact through the environmental movement? What do you prioritize in your own activism?

I recommend people take individual sustainability steps at home or join a group, preferably with us at SD350, where you can leverage your efforts with cool, like-minded individuals. My priorities are action and financial support.

Either time or treasure are needed and I'm grateful that I can provide both. 

Is there anything else you would like people to know about you?

By day I am a Facilities Manager at a global engineering firm, by night I occasionally volunteer as a bartender for fundraisers.

I speak Spanish, some French and I'm currently learning Portuguese.  My husband and I live in the Mt. Helix area and have two adopted sons. I'm a big punster also, but I don't see climate change as a laughing matter.

04/22/2021 @ 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm

Join the Interfaith Coalition for Earth Justice as we celebrate Earth Day by honoring our connection to our beautiful earth home with story, song and ritual. Have a stone or rock with you. Please register here below.  For more information contact: Rev. Dr. Beth Johnson–ecodepth@gmail.com

05/04/2021 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm

San Diego, like most cities in the US, is dependent on cars for almost all our transit. The result is that the single largest contributor of climate-warming GHG emissions in our region, over half, comes from tailpipes. We simply cannot meet our climate goals without a significant reduction in these emissions. “Reimagining Urban Spaces for How We Want to Live Now” will explore current barriers to mobility options and how we can foster active transportation as a viable alternative to cars.

05/07/2021 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm

SanDiego350 will host an Orientation Chat on Thursday, May 7 from 6:00 – 7:15pm. Are you interested in supporting climate action in San Diego? Are you new or newer to the SD350 community? Register for an Orientation Chat today to learn more about who we are, what we do, and why it's important. This is a great space to meet other volunteers and get involved in the movement. We look forward to seeing you there!

05/08/2021 @ 11:00 am – 12:15 pm

05/13/2021 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Join us for an evening with youth who are leading a movement to empower their peers to take Climate Action through education, skill-building, leadership, and activism! This hour-long event will feature a panel of SanDiego350’s Youth Climate Fellows where you’ll learn about their ongoing work, ask questions of young climate leaders, and how you can support this work in the coming year.

05/18/2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Join SanDiego350 for a celebration of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month at our May 2021 monthly meeting which will be held virtually on May 18th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. More details to come!

05/18/2021 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

For this event we recommend you read “Between the World and Me”, Between the World and Me is also in Movie form on HBO Max and other platforms. The hope of this book club is to discuss all of Ta-Nehisi's Coates work or ideas, his articles from the Atlantic are here, and you can also listen to him in Podcast form lookup: Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates – Vox Conversations

If you enjoy creating a welcoming environment for others and connecting about Climate Action—contact us to volunteer with our Member Engagement Team. You will help:

• Reach out to new members of SanDiego350 and help them feel welcomed into our community
  
• Assist with planning the content and activities of Monthly Membership Meetings
  
• Develop content that helps new members learn more about SanDiego350
  

For all volunteer opportunities, please email Nicole at Nicole@SanDiego350.org

SanDiego350 is hiring a full time Campaign Coordinator to support our movement-building efforts. As a Campaign Coordinator, you will help develop campaign strategies, build a coalition, develop and implement communication, and support our organization.

To find out more, find the full job listing here.

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