MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SONOMA COUNTY!
350 Sonoma, an all-volunteer non-profit, is working to slow climate change and promote climate justice in the county. We're part of 350 Bay Area and inspired by 350.org, the international climate action organization founded by Bill McKibbon. We meet the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Join us!Support 350 Sonoma Actions:
Tell President Joe Biden to stop DAPL once and for all
From the Lakota People’s Law Project and the Standing Rock Sioux, sign (if you have not already done so) and share widely the petition.
No New Gas Station Construction in Novato!
This is a petition to stop the construction of a huge new Costco gas station in Novato. All you need to do is click the link and add your name
Support Deb Haaland
Support Deb Haaland’s nomination for Interior Secretary (she is being aggressively opposed by oil and gas interests).
California Energy Commission is working on 2022 building standards for 2023
Sign Petition ASK the CEC to require all electric new buildings as part of their next building code release. Sign here to get gas out of new building construction!
Protect Sonoma Oak and Forest Lands
A group of conservationists from Sonoma County Conservation Action is urging the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to consider implementing a moratorium on county permitted tree cutting in an effort to save and preserve Sonoma County’s iconic oak woodlands.
“For decades, Sonoma County’s iconic oak forests have been excessively cleared in the name of development and vineyards. Much of this county-permitted cutting is being done without rigorous regard for the ecological importance of native oak and forest lands,” said Aja Henry, an assistant field manager with Sonoma County Conservation Action. “A moratorium on tree cutting is imperative for our native habitats as well as our ecological footprint as a county. If we are to really become carbon neutral by 2050, we need a moratorium on cutting until we have a clearer picture of the situation and have developed a realistic climate-oriented tree ordinance to regulate cutting in the future.”
Here is the complete article. https://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/sonoma-county-conservation-action-group-aims-to-create-oak-tree-clearing-moratorium/article_bedd6502-717f-11eb-a311-335356df8cca.html
Take action by writing to the Board of Supervisors (or your Supervisor) asking for a moratorium on cutting oaks until a realistic climate-oriented tree ordinance is developed.
District 1 Susan Gorin – Susan.Gorin@sonoma-county.org
District 2 David Rabbitt – David.Rabbitt@sonoma-county.org
District 3 – Chris Coursey – Chris.Coursey@sonoma-county.org
District 4 – James Gore – district4@sonoma-county.org
District 5 – Lynda Hopkins – district5@sonoma-county.org
Support Vital Lands Initiative
The Vital Lands Initiative is a comprehensive plan that will guide the work of the Ag + Open Space District for the next 10 years. Building on nearly 30 years of successful land conservation work, the initiative will outline strategies for protecting our vital open space lands to preserve agriculture, natural resources, recreation, scenic vistas, greenbelt areas, and urban open space.
Priority greenbelts and community separators as well as scenic landscape units and corridors will remain front and center in county land conservation under Vital Lands and per the voter approved legislation and acquisition plan. Greenbelt Alliance specifically supports the priority greenbelts that are mapped in Vital Lands as a one-mile buffer around the existing cities and towns, voter approved Urban Growth Boundaries and Urban Service Areas. This provides a strong visual and conservation goal for lands most at risk of sprawl and urban encroachment for the long term.
Vital Lands was on track to be adopted after a final public hearing in December 2019. However, at the last minute, the Farm Bureau blocked Vital Lands by objecting to the proposed allocations of funds for agricultural lands. To address their concerns, specific funding allocations were removed. All lands are preserved for multi-benefits including agricultural land. Vital Lands is widely supported by residents and organizations across the county.
Send email to/ Make phone call to:
Dear Supervisors,
Please adopt the Vital Lands Initiative as proposed by staff at the Jan. 26 board meeting. It is the result of two years of public workshops around the county and is strongly supported. (add any details of background info you’d like)
Thank you,
Name & City
Sonoma Co. Board of Supervisors + staff; bos@sonoma-county.org, district5@sonoma-county.org, caryl.hart@sonoma-county.org,District4@sonoma-county.org,David.Rabbitt@sonoma-county.org,Chris.Coursey@sonoma-county.org,Susan.Gorin@sonoma-county.org,
Call your supervisor via main number (707) 565-2241
Save Energy. Get Paid. With OhmConnect
Consumer Choice that can help with Climate Change
When the electrical grid is overloaded, you can either increase supply (usually through dirty peaker plants) or reduce demand. OhmConnect gets thousands of people to reduce their energy usage during a designated hour and gets paid by the utilities for that, just like they pay energy suppliers. OhmConnect’s members get paid for and become eligible for prizes by reducing their consumption during these designated “OhmHours.” These hours happen about once a week in the winter and 2-3 times a week in the summer. Tip: turn off anything that produces heat or cold – freezer, fridge, range, toaster oven, dishwasher.
When OhmConnect members get new people to sign up and become active, the new member gets $10 and the person who referred them gets $20. OhmConnect has raised the referral bonus to $40 through the end of January. Use our link to sign up and 350Sonoma will get the referral money via the account that one of our steering committee committee members has set up 350SonomaFundraiser
Write Urgent letter to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
the agency responsible for leasing on public lands, has entered the
final phase of the process to hold a lease sale on the coastal plain of
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — with a lease sale expected as
soon as January!
To
make matters worse, BLM is refusing to accept any email comments on
this destructive proposal threatening Indigenous sovereignty, struggling
wildlife and our climate future — so let’s fill their mailbox! Letters need to be mailed by Thursday Dec. 10
350Sonoma Priorities for climate action in Sonoma County
1. Keep climate action and climate justice as a first-tier priority at county and city councils
2. Waste Management/ Carbon sequestration
- Zero Waste: diverting food waste from landfill, reducing plastic consumption,etc
- Wildland management
- Carbon gardening/ farming
- Local Compost facility
3. Rapid transition to clean energy and no new fossil fuel infrastructure
- All-electric requirements for new construction and major renovations
- No new Gas lines to new construction
- No new Gas stations
- Microgrids on government land
Support Local Composting
Provide support for Renewable Sonoma (RS) at the Zero Waste Sonoma
(ZWS)
Meeting on November 18 at 8:30 am where RS will provide an update on
the compost project to the ZWS Board. This will be an online meeting:
Renewable Sonoma requests that you write a short letter before Nov.
18 emphasizing that we need our local compost facility back: our soil
needs a local source of quality soil amendments. Renewable Sonoma with
the experience of Sonoma Compost has the qualifications and trust of the
community to deliver a product that will meet our local needs.
If
you would like to attend the online meeting please contact Will Bakx at
will@renewablesonoma.com to let him know you will be attending and
making a short statement.
Please send letters before Nov 18 to:
Zero Waste Sonoma
Leslie Lukacs, Executive Director
2300 County Center Drive, Suite B-100
Join in a Carbon Conversation!
March 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm PST