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4/28/2019 0 Comments

Successes to celebrate! From Earth Ministry:

Your faith in action made a difference for our air, water, and communities. Here’s what we accomplished, and what we’ll pick back up next year.
Passed!
Clean Energy

Washington’s 100% Clean Electricity (SB 5116) bill is the strongest in the nation! SB 5116 will get our grid off coal by 2025, carbon neutral by 2030, and completely free of fossil fuels by 2045, all while centering innovative approaches to protect low-income communities and tying clean energy incentives to strong labor standards.
The Clean Buildings for Washington Act (HB 1257) will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings through empowering the Commerce Department to craft strong energy performance standards, incentives for commercial buildings, and fracked gas conservation and efficiency standards. It also requires electric vehicle charging readiness in new buildings.

Orca Emergency Response

The Oil Spill Prevention Act (HB 1578) will protect the Salish Sea from oil spills by extending proven safeguards of zone-based tug escorts for crude-laden vessels, such as barges and smaller oil tankers, in the waters around the San Juan Islands
The Pollution Prevention for our Future Act (HB 5135) is a comprehensive commitment to protect vulnerable populations, like children and orcas, from five especially dangerous classes of chemicals.
The final state budget includes full funding for a stakeholder process on the future of the Lower Snake River dams. Religious leaders will have a part to play in making sure this mediation process is well run, inclusive, and effective - stay tuned! In the meantime, the Legislature also funded increased spill over these dams, which will increase salmon survival this season and help feed orcas.

Did not pass

HEAL Act (SB 5489): Defining and addressing environmental justice
The Pollution Prevention for our Future Act (HB 5135) is a comprehensive committee
Reusable Bag Act (SB 5323): Eliminating plastic bags at retail establishments

These are just the bills that Earth Ministry actively worked on. Check out the Environmental Priorities Coalition press release to see even more good environmental legislation that passed!

An excerpt from retiring Campaign strategist Jessie Dye's letter tells of recent successes Earth Ministry contributed to in our State...

... Together we have phased out Washington's only coal plant, to see it transition into the largest solar farm in the state. We have stopped six coal export terminals though the odds were overwhelmingly against us. We have prevented oil trains from risking our towns, halted one wasteful methanol plant (so far), and any number of other fossil fuel infrastructure projects. We have stood as reliable allies with Native nations on behalf of their treaty rights and sacred sites in our region. Environmental partners now see the strength that people of faith bring to our joint campaigns. We have moved the transition to clean energy forward as quickly as any state in the nation. Survival of salmon and orcas is a key priority because we stand with tribes and conservationists for our neighbors under the waters. I am so proud and grateful for these and many more shared accomplishments over the last dozen years.

Thank you to Jessie and to all the Earth Ministry Team as well as those that spend time to care for our common home. Let's keep up the good work! earthministry.org

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4/8/2019 0 Comments

Taming Bigfoot Kick Off Event was April 22nd at UU in Freeland

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4/1/2019 1 Comment

Plastic Explosion

GCC members asked 5-10 families in their congregations to separate out the locally non-recyclable plastics from their garbage for one month. People were excited to participate. The volume was sobering. This photo shows just 40 of the participating households collection for one month. We will be displaying a portion at The Goose Grocer on April 6th & 27th. Come by to see our display, learn more and get suggestions on how to reduce your plastic consumption. The time is now to make a difference choice.

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Shelly Ackerman

Welcome to our new website! This site was created to be able to share info. about our group and to share upcoming events, links to things we find worth your while, and other things of value.

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Successes to celebrate! From Earth Ministry:

Taming Bigfoot Kick Off Event was April 22nd at UU in Freeland

Plastic Explosion

Shelly Ackerman

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