Jan 2018
Hello:

One Sustainable Planet is a climate group made up of parents and ordinary people who are trying to create the structures and policies for a sustainable planet for all future generations.  We are guided in our work by the question: what will create a liveable and just planet for our children’s children?  Our work begins with how we treat each other and the methods we use to create new possibilities and change.   We function as a community of people allied with each other, with attention to sexism, racism, and classism and all forms of oppression from existing oligarchical structure that can sneak into our own way of operating.   

We recognize that climate change will not be stopped by leaving any groups behind, or without abolishing an extractive, exploitive mindset.  As such, even in the face of the Crisis of climate disruption we are organizing at a pace that honors our commitments to family, friends and our various modes of earning a living.  We use consensus process as a way of truly hearing each other, honoring minority points of view and working towards win/win solutions that are stronger than those majority win decisions that leave many behind.  We use non-violence methods because it is part of the world we want, not as a “safe” tactic.  We are committed to taking time to resolving conflicts in our own midst and to the time good decision making takes and the time truly learning these processes take.

As we begin we have identified the areas of: food and climate, planting more trees, building a steady state economy, supporting a clean air rule that meets the real science, supporting a plan for fossil free sustainable energy by 2030, and supporting families efforts to create a sustainable future for their children as areas we will work on.

The areas of our work groups: click on tabs for longer explanations.

Food Challenge:  We will be reaching out to churches and people going into grocery stores to ask them to take the food challenge: to reduce our carbon impact by choosing more organic, more local, and less meat, and to reduce food waste.   The food challenge asks people to both change the way they eat and to work to change our food production system.   This campaign is a great way to enter into conversation with ordinary people about climate change.   We're looking for people to do research, build our webpage, write, do flyering, possibly testify or give presentations.

150 Trees and Me: This workgroup is starting as a study group on forestry policy and current developments in planting trees to capture carbon. It will promote forestry policies to protect trees, (including testimony and protest) and organize tree planting with the goal of planting 150 trees per person for carbon sink. Looking for people to do research, testify publicly, write, organize tree-planting groups, and plant trees.

Taming Big Foot:   This workgroup will be organizing teams of 5 to 6, many of which will be in faith congrégations, to compete over a period of several months to reduce their carbon footprint (which will include food consumption, tree planting, as well as transportation, etc.)The competition will Jan 2018 - April 2018.   This task force will help launch this campaign as a way to raise public awareness.  Looking for people to be on teams, organize teams, create promotional materials, and to give talks.

Changing our Built Environment:   This workgroup is currently engaged in trying to influence development in Mt. Baker which is already underway, for less energy-intensive buildings and a more walkable and sustainable neighborhood.   Looking for people to do research, write, speak at public meetings, and do outreach in the community.

Building the Green Economy:  This workgroup is going to work on connecting labor and climate folks with the goal of both building the alternative economy that can support green jobs and , but also beginning to do transition planning for jobs that will go away under climate change.  Looking for people with research skills, labor connections/background, planning skills, writing skills, economics knowledge, etc.

Little Green Communities:   This workgroup will build an online FB connection between members with ways of engaging those who may not go to meetings.  Looking for people with social media, FB experience.

Other skills we could use: web page design, photography, database management, fundraising, etc.

If you are unable to come to this meeting but are interested in a particular work group, drop me an email so I can try to get you connected.   lynn.fitzhugh@earthlink.net

Peace,

Lynn Fitz-Hugh

1SP Director

Why another Climate Organization?

When movements become large enough they are actually more effective when they organize different groups of people.  People are more likely to participate when there is a group and a way of functioning that matches their identity.  Each of these groups then fills a different niche in the food chain.  (Eg during the Vietnam war there were Students against the war, Clergy against the war, peace groups within congregations, professional groups against the war, neighborhood groups, etc.)  These groups tend to pick different focus’, campaigns for how to work on the problem and also different methods.  This group focuses on supporting future generations through our current actions (families is one way to think about that).   It is focusing on solutions, but not just alternative energy solutions but really how to create what will be needed for our descendants.