Cascadia Rising Tide is active in Eugene, Portland and Olympia, with contacts in British Columbia, California and elsewhere in the west. Our focuses include grassroots education and organizing resistance to Liquefied Natural Gas, regional highway expansions and forest destruction. We also work with local movements against giant hydro-electric dams and the sustainability movement.

Please contact us at anytime at cascadia-AT-risingtidenorthamerica-DOT-org and join our email list for updates!

“Building a bridge of such obese proportions in a city that prides itself for its environmental leadership is deeply hypocritical,” said Sarah Goforth. “If our city truly aims to create sustainable transportation options to reduce car traffic, then building a super-sized mega-bridge will only impede these efforts.”

Riders check out the current I-5 bridge during a break...

Oregonians are concerned about the climate and air-quality impacts of the CRC, the potential for forced displacement of residents in the project path, the promotion of single-passenger transportation infrastructure at a time when oil supplies are creating global conflict and prices are rising, and about funding highways while monies for public transit and many other public services is being reduced.

The CRC is designed to enable a 34% increase in individual car traffic(1). The state of Oregon has stated a goal of reducing global warming pollution to at least 75% below 1990 levels. Transportation-caused global warming pollution is responsible for 40% of all regional global warming pollution(2). Given these facts, activists believe the money should instead be invested in reducing driving through public transit, carpooling, greater support for biking and other programs.

“If we want to reduce traffic, we need more transit options that are sustainable and convenient,” said Cheryl Green, a member of the Sprockette bicycle troupe joining the protest. “TriMet, bike commuting, and carpooling can all reduce the number of individual vehicles on the road. These traffic reducing solutions should get $4 billion instead of a bridge to accommodate more traffic.”

With all involved government agencies supporting some form of traffic expansion, Oregonians opposed to the project are now turning to non-traditional tactics. Non-violent civil disobedience has long been used by both civil rights and environmental movements when options to work within the legal framework have been exhausted.

“Given our lack of political alternatives for opposition, we are embracing Portland’s rich history of civil disobedience,” said Anthony Villagomez an organizer with Portland Rising Tide. “Our futures are not for politicians to gamble away with this project.”

The I-5 freeway has long caused negative health impacts on low-income communities and communities of color along the freeway(3): increased driving will lead to further pollution. By contrast, research shows that land use and transportation plans that encourage less driving help prevent chronic diseases associated with obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, and respiratory illness, including asthma.

Resistance to the CRC project is expanding. Portland Rising Tide has organized protest performances in front of Portland City Council Chamber and a huge banner drop on the Morrison Street Bridge in the past year. At a large Waterfront Park rally this spring, individuals from both sides of the river voiced concerns over the CRC project, and a telephone campaign has been launched to put pressure on government officials.

More photos from BikePortland.org at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeportland/sets/72157619786976872/show/

THANKS TO ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS!

Footnotes:
(1) http://portlandtransport.com/archives/2009/04/crc_to_survey_7.html
(2) http://www.environmentamerica.org/uploads/fL/Je/fLJe0yPMhOM4E8UuMWm05w/gw-solutions.-OR.pdf
(3) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/332268/north_portland_has_high_pollution_levels/index.html

MEDIA COVERAGE OF THIS EVENT:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2009/06/15/best-weekend-ever

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/06/activists_continue_to_protest.html

http://bikeportland.org/2009/06/15/12-lane-insane-is-the-battle-cry-on-anti-crc-ride/

http://portlandtransport.com/archives/2009/06/no_crc_ride_ped.html

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Pedalpalooza has traditionally been a place for people to celebrate Portland’s thriving bike culture. Portland Rising Tide decided to celebrate this culture by hosting a ride to inform and empower folks to resist our region’s biggest threat to bicycles and the people that love them.

WHEN: Sunday June 14th
WHERE: meet at the South end of Peninsula Park (650 N. Ainsworth)
WHEN: 3pm, ride leave promptly at 3:30 pm

The Columbia River Crossing (CRC) is a $4+ billion dollar proposed freeway expansion project along a five mile stretch of Interstate 5 between North Portland and Vancouver, WA. As conceived, the project will:

· Increase global warming pollution

· Harm people’s health, predominately those in low income neighborhoods

· Undermine our region’s vision of a sustainable economy.

· Leave us unprepared for the future, while draining $4 billion of our limited public resources.

· Create a faster corridor for Free Trade to ship products from the exploited Global South to privileged countries such as the U.S. and Canada.

The ride will stop at a number of places that may be affected by the CRC to inform folks about related environmental justice issues, about how this project ties into the Global Free Trade infrastructure plans, and how we can stop it. All while dancin’ and groovin’ to fun music throughout the ride. The ride will end at a secret action, but don’t worry it will be a fun, low-risk space for the whole family.

Download a flyer!
http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/cascadia/Flyer.pdf
Download handbills!
http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/cascadia/Quartersheets.pdf

Leo’s been involved in resistance movements against the oil industry in Ecuador since he was fourteen years old. He and others in his community starting doing workshops around the Amazon at that time, in different indigenous villages, discussing the causes and the future consequences of the oil industry, it’s relationship to climate change and the many other devastating consequences to people and the environment.

Leo’s been working on issues related to environmental protection, people’s sovereignty over land, coal mining, indigenous resistance, organic products cooperative and others ever since. Currently Leo is part of an organization called FAOICIN that is running a campaign to promote sustainable projects as an alternative for communities, associations, and other indigenous social actors to promote the recovery of ancestral customs. He’s also in charge of the human rights club at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito!

He’ll be discussing his communities work in Ecuador, the damage done by the oil industry, and efforts to build a more just, sustainable society in Ecuador.

Here is the dates for Leo’s tour. Some information is TBA, but contact information for each event is below!

Thursday, 13th
Eugene
U. of O.
Ben Linder Room
7:30

Saturday, 15th
Seattle
maya@riseup.net

Sunday, 16th
Olympia
Traditions Cafe
6pm

Monday & Tuesday, 17th & 18th
Olympia
Evergreen State College
Time TBA
maya-at-riseup.net

Wednesday, 19th
Tacoma
Pacific Lutheran U.
8:00PM on Wednesday in UC 133.
maierme-at-plu.edu

Thursday, 20th
Tacoma
U. of W., Tacoma Campus
Room 1230 in Sci 209
12:30PM
minnella-at-u.washington.edu

Friday, 21st
Portland
Portland State U.
4:00 pm in the Smith Bldg, rm 338

Sunday, 23rd
Portland
Black Rose Books
6:00 pm

Monday, 24th
Portland
Lewis and Clark College
JR Howard Hall room 114 (across from the library)
5:30pm

Wednesday, 26th
Portland
Reed College
Reed College Student Union (3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.)
7pm
fenollot-at-reed.edu

Indigenous nations are disproportionately targeted by fossil fuel extraction & environmental devastation and Black Mesa is no exception. At this moment Peabody Coal Co. is planning to seize tribal lands and massively expand dirty coal strip-mining operations. In 30 years of controversial operation, Peabody’s Black Mesa Mine has been the source of an estimated 325 million tons of CO2 that have been discharged into the atmosphere.* If expansion plans are permitted, it would exacerbate already devastating environmental and cultural impacts on local communities and significantly add fuel to the fire of the current climate chaos we face globally. Coal from the Black Mesa mine could contribute an additional 290 million tons of CO2 to the global warming crisis!*

Institutional racism has fueled neglect and abandonment of public needs such as water, maintenance of roads, health care, and schools. Daily life for Big Mountain residents hasn’t changed too much over the years, except that more of them have become elderly and now struggle with daily chores. Due to lack of local job opportunities and federal strangulation on Indian self-sufficiency, extended families are forced to live many miles away to earn incomes and have all the social amenities which include choices in mandatory American education. It is increasingly difficult for families to come back to visit their relatives in these remote areas due to the unmaintained roads and the rising cost of transportation.

On behalf of their peoples, their sacred ancestral lands, and future generations, residents of Black Mesa continue their staunch resistance to the efforts of the US Government, which is acting in the interests of the Peabody Coal Company to devastate whole communities & ecosystems, and de-stabilize our planet’s climate for the profit of an elite few. “The Big Mountain matriarchal leaders always believed that resisting forced relocation will eventually benefit all ecological systems, including the human race.” Bahe Keediniihii, Dineh organizer and translator states. “Continued residency by families throughout the Big Mountain region has a significant role in the intervention of Peabody’s future plan for Black Mesa coal to be the major source of unsustainable energy, the growing dependency on fossil fuel, and escalating green house gas emissions. We will continue to fight to defend our homelands.”

We are at a critical juncture and must take a stand in support of communities on the front lines of resistance now! Indigenous & land-based peoples have maintained the understanding that our collective survival is deeply dependent on our relationship to Mother Earth. Victory in protecting and reclaiming the Earth will require a broad movement that can help bridge cultures, issues, & nations. This caravan will be an important opportunity for people of all backgrounds to work with the families of Black Mesa & to come together to strengthen our solidarity and find ways to work together to protect Black Mesa & our Mother Earth for all life.

PROJECTS: By assisting with direct, on-land projects with the Sovereign communities of Big Mountain, Black Mesa you are helping families resist an illegal occupation and to stay on their lands, who serve as the very blockade to coal mining! Projects include chopping wood, water catchment, health care, corral, roof, & home repairs.

** There is a caravan heading out from Portland, Olympia, and Eugene.

To get involved, please contact the Portland coordinator at: stephanie@RisingTideNorthAmerica.org

For more information, please visit: http://www.blackmesais.org

The phrase direct action has been invoked in many ways for many movements. Often, in the climate movement it is used to describe non-violent civil disobedience that directly confront and seek to physically halt fossil fuel development projects, such as lock-downs to equipment and road blockades. At this year’s West Coast Convergence for Climate Action, we spoke of direct action as not only taking action against dirty fossil fuel projects, but also taking action for community solutions and sustainability!

The week led up to a day of civil disobedience on Monday, which consisted of two major acts of disruption, street theater and rallies. It was awesome to learn about the details of proposed dirty energy projects, then hear the personal stories from impacted communities fighting them, and then finally organize and take action in the efforts to stop them.

The first action targeted the I-5 expansion due to proposed increase individual car and truck traffic, which would increase negative health issue in surrounding areas, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and drive dependency on oil. Maya, who learned her climbing skills at the convergence, climbed across a prominent Portland bridge dropping a banner that read, “6 more lanes = more sick people, no I-5 expansion”. Below her, convergence attendees performed theater involving huge cardboard bummers, as well as heroic bicyclists.

The rally then moved along the waterfront to the headquarters of Northwest Natural Gas Co., a company who would own and operate new pipelines proposed through Oregon associated with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). In front of the building three young women locked themselves to each other, blocking the entrance to the building while leading chants. The group sang, “Palomar is No Solution, LNG is New Pollution” as well as, “You can’t Fool us, We’ve been Watching: No More Greenwashing”.

The Convergence was co-sponsored by Rising Tide North America, Global Exchange and Rainforest Action Network, as well as local groups including: Energy Options, Friends of Living Oregon Waters, Columbia River Clean Energy Coalition and Cascadia Earth First!

Overall it pumped me up, gave me some new ideas, and fueled me to work harder and have more fun in our fight for a better future!

Here are a few trinkets about the week:

-One of the most popular workshops was led by a community member directly impacted by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) development in Washington. Not only did she come to speak about LNG, but she led a workshop about canning, drying and freezing fruits and vegetables in preparation for decreasing food availability due to fuel prices and climate change.

-The NW Natural action was organized as a women’s action. We chose to do this for a few reasons, including because we were finding that the “sexy” roles were often being taken by young men in the group, while women were doing a lot of support and behind the scenes organizing. As we organized we came up with ways to make the action super fun, including by covering ourselves and our lock-boxes with glitter and heart-shaped stickers. One of our banner’s read, “Pipeline thru my heart” with a map of Oregon with a drawn pipeline through it. This actions was awesome, inspiring and fun!

-All of our keynote speakers were amazing! Including: Louise Benally-an Indigenous Matriarch and Black Mesa Resister, Jane Williams with California Communities Against Toxins and John Sundquist with River’s Turn Farm.

Here are some videos, and more coverage (including a hilarious right-wing blog interpretation) to learn more:

youtube video of Post Convergence ACTIONS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4cR-8sJHQU

Oregonian Video of No I-5 Expansion banner hang:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/08/protesters_climb_onto_morrison.html

General Coverage of Climate Convergence:
http://www.kval.com/news/26195294.html
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=125947&sid=4&fid=1
h

The controversy over the I-5 expansion project known as the Columbia River Crossing took a theatrical turn on Wednesday, as politically charged street performance took center stage outside a packed city hall. Meeting attendees were greeted with a fake check point just past an area marked off by “Global Warming Crime Scene” tape.

Decked out in a Men-in-Black style uniform marked with the insignia of the “Oil Enforcement Agency”, an actress known as Agent Burns was busily preparing a ticket for a bemused member of the Portland Business Alliance on his way to the meeting. “This is your final warning sir, if you’re intent on testifying in favor of the bridge, we’re going to have to write you up for abuse of a foreign fossil fuel,” chided the agent.

[Hi-resolution images after the jump!]

The Oil Enforcement agents were not the only performers making a point about the I-5 expansion’s impacts on oil use and climate change. A second troupe had assembled an oil-worshipping cult, chanting dirges in praise of fossil fuel burning while bowing before a 12-foot tall mock oil-derrick. Occasionally members of the Oil Enforcement Agency would attempt to arrest the cult, only to be chased away by an oil-worshipping dominatrix.

Meanwhile, inside the city council meeting a variety of groups opposed to the Columbia River Crossing raised their concerns about the I-5 expansion in a more sober fashion. Hostility to the project has been expanding in recent months, with dozens of groups on both sides of the Columbia River weighing in against the project.

Opponents of the project point out that the state of Oregon has stated a goal of reducing global warming pollution to at least 75% below 1990 levels(1), with transportation-caused global warming pollution responsible for 1/3 of regional global warming pollution(2). Public health advocates at the hearing point out that the I-5 freeway has already had a negative impact on the health of low-income communities and communities of color along the freeway and that increased driving would lead to further pollution. Finally, homeowners are up in arms about the possibility of their property being seized through imminent domain to make way for an expanded highway.

Back outside city hall, the Oil Enforcement Agents had a closing message to Portland residents. “If the politicians won’t do it, it’s going to take community-based policing, each of us standing up to the oil pushers in our neighborhoods,” said Agent Slick, also of the Oil Enforcement Agency. “We’ve need to put an end to the lawless abuse of the climate and the illegal foreign wars before they prove the end of us.”

The street theater was organized by energy activists with the organizations Rising Tide and Global Exchange, as a kick off for the 2nd Annual Convergence for Climate Action, a week long conference that takes place in Coburg, Oregon later this month(3). The Convergence focuses on regional climate and energy issues, including liquefied natural gas development along Oregon’s waterways, the Bureau of Land Management’s forest plan revisions, the removal of the Klamath dams, sustainable agriculture, and the Columbia River Crossing.

1) http://sustainableoregon.org/documents/climate/Oregon_Strategy_Final_Report.pdf
2) http://wweek.com/editorial/3428/11009/
3) More information at www.climateconvergence.org

]]> http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2008/07/09/oil-enforcement-agency-busts-oil-worshiping-cult-at-hearing-on-i-5-expansion/feed/ 0 http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2008/07/07/oil-enforcement-agency-to-bust-oil-worshiping-cult-at-portland-city-council-hearing-on-i-5-expansion/ http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/2008/07/07/oil-enforcement-agency-to-bust-oil-worshiping-cult-at-portland-city-council-hearing-on-i-5-expansion/#comments Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:07:07 +0000 brian http://www.risingtidenorthamerica.org/wordpress/?p=1050 Press Advisory
For Immediate Release: July 7, 2008

Contact:
Brian Sloan
(971) 533-7483 / brian–at–RisingTideNorthAmerica.org
Oil Enforcement Agency to bust oil worshiping cult at Portland City Council hearing on I-5 expansion

What: In a comic act of political street theatre, the fictitious Oil Enforcement Agency” (OEA) will be operating a check point outside Wednesday’s Portland City Council meeting. The OEA will attempt to ticket supporters of the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) for their advocacy of oil abuse. Also in attendance will be a “cult” of pro-bridge oil-worshippers, complete with a 12 foot tall mock oil derrick.

When: Wednesday, July 9th, 2008, between 1 pm and 3 pm.

Where: 1221 SW 4th Ave, outside the Portland City Council chambers.

Why: Activists are pointing out that the CRC will encourage oil decency. They are concerned about the CO2 impacts of the CRC and Interstate 5 expansion as well as the reliance on oil-based transportation infrastructure at time when oil supplies are falling and prices are rising dramatically. The theatrics are intended to poke fun at the City Council’s support of the CRC, despite the city’s prominent green image.

The dramatics will take place as the City Council hears public comment on the CRC. The City Council has already pledged its support for the CRC, much to the dismay of community members opposed to the project who intended to utilize forum for a genuine debate on the project.

Who: The performance is orchestrated by Cascadia Rising Tide (http://cascadia.RisingTideNorthAmerica.org) and the Convergence for Climate Action (http://www.climateconvergence.org)

Background: The CRC is an investment in public works intended to accommodate more driving. Specifically the CRC is designed to enable a 30% increase in individual car traffic.

The state of Oregon has stated a goal of reducing global warming pollution to at least 75% below 1990 levels. Transportation-caused global warming pollution is responsible for 40% of all regional global warming pollution. Given these facts, activists believe the money should instead be invested in reducing driving through public transit, carpooling, greater support for biking and other programs.

Additionally, the I-5 freeway has caused negative health impacts on low-income communities and communities of color along the freeway: increased driving will lead to further pollution. By contrast, research shows that land use and transportation plans that encourage less driving help prevent chronic diseases associated with obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, and respiratory illness, including asthma.

The event is a lead up to the 2nd Annual Convergence for Climate Action which takes place July 28 – August 4th in Coburg, Oregon. The Convergence focuses on climate and energy issues in our region, including the CRC, the Bureau of Land Management’s forest plan revisions, the removal of the Klamath dams, sustainable agriculture, and liquefied natural gas development along Oregon’s waterways.

###

Portland, OR – With a bouquet of heart shaped balloons, a group of Portland-area climate activists calling themselves the “Greenwash Guerrillas” presented a highly experimental new business model to passersby in downtown Portland on Tuesday. Drawing their inspiration from so-called carbon neutral companies like Portland’s Climate Trust, the activists claim to be launching a new company called “Cheat Neutral.”

“Have you cheated on your girlfriend recently?” Lynne Tucker of Cheat Neutral asked a passerby, “For $19.95 we can clear up your conscience with an infidelity offset, and fund someone else to be faithful and neutralize the heartache in the world.”

The prank was part of “Fossil Fools Day”, an international day of protest focused on the energy industry and climate change. North Carolina residents kicked off the day of action in the US at 6:30am by locking themselves to bulldozers to stop the construction of a massive coal-fired power near Charlotte, NC. Police arrived on the scene and arrested 8 people, using pain compliance holds and tazers on those locked down.

Earlier, climate activists in Nottingham, England blockaded the offices of E-on, a company trying to build a new generation of coal-fired power stations in the UK, while another group in Wales halted work at one of the biggest opencast coal mines in Europe. Globally, more than 150 actions are expected on April 1st.

The events were called for by the international Rising Tide network in conjunction with Rainforest Action Network and the student Energy Action Coalition.

Portland’s action took place a half block away from The Climate Trust, which claims to “neutralize” businesses’ and individuals’ global warming impact. The activists say that this practice is akin to the Catholic Church selling “indulgences” during the 16th century. It is believed Portland’s protest was the first at a carbon offset company in the United States.

“Just like taking a faithful couple out to dinner doesn’t make cheating on your partner ok, paying money to forest parks and carpooling services does not “counteract” pollution from your car,” said Sakura Saunders of the Greenwash Guerillas. “We aren’t going to prevent a climate meltdown by asking people to plant a tree for every time they fill their car with oil. We need to revolutionize public transportation so there is no need to fill cars with oil in the first place.”

The activists point out that many offset projects of questionable integrity, relying on rough estimations and generalizations. Forest protection offsets in particular, which are a sizeable chunk of Climate Trust’s portfolio, have been exposed in the media as being scientifically dubious. Most of the carbon temporarily absorbed by the trees gets released into the atmosphere when the tree decomposes or burns, while fossil fuel carbon is inert unless it is extracted and burned. As such a tree can’t neutralize a smokestack.

“By selling the idea that climate change is something you can only address if you can pay for it, offset companies distract from these real changes that are needed to stop a climate catastrophe,” said Anthony Villagomez of Cascadia Rising Tide. “There is no way to negate our pollution; the solution to climate change is to stop burning fossil fuels.”

Contact:

Brian Sloan, Rising Tide (General Contact)
971-533-7483 / falsesolutions@risingtidenorthamerica.org
Sakura Saunders, Rising Tide (On site contact 10:30am – 2 pm only)
510-271-8080

Online: www.fossilfoolsday.org and www.cheatneutral.com

This is a two part workshop which dives into recognizing the need for radical analysis over reformist thinking- working to drastically change the system rather than working within it. Using the method of education called a mind-map, the presentation draws direct links and parallels between radical-feminism and environmentalism exploring eco-activisms’ need for radical feminism. And finally, it goes into the reasons it is so important to include animal rights into environmental activism based on moral ethics and the environmental impact of industrial agriculture. The presentation is interactive and provides plenty of time for discussion.

You may have seen part of this workshop at the EF! Rendezvous in Indiana or on the Rising Tide North America Climate Justice Action Tour last summer.
Tour schedule is as follows:

Tour schedule is as follows:
March 22- Portland, OR
Portland State Univeristy

March 23- Olympia, WA
Evergreen College

March 24- Portland, OR
Reed College

March 26- Arcata, CA
Humboldt State University

March 27- Sacramento, CA

March 28-
Long Haul Infoshop
3124 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA

March 29- Oakland, CA

March 30, 31- San Francisco, CA

April 1- Santa Cruz, CA
University of Santa Cruz

April 2- San Luis Obispo, CA
Cal Poly

April 3- Santa Barbara, CA

www.myspace.com/pdxanimaldefense
www.risingtidenorthamerica.org

Help is still needed with booking and promoting.

If you’d like to see this tour in your town, please contact:
stephanie@RisingTideNorthAmerica.org