The Bay Area 350 No Tar Sands Campaign focuses on local activism in support of the 350.org movement. We bring to public attention the dangers of the Tar Sands Oil and the Keystone XL Pipeline. We support the ongoing Tar Sands Blockade and encourage participation. We will work to prevent the refining of this Tar Sands-based oil in the refineries of the East Bay.
NEXT STEP TO STOP KEYSTONE XL Tar Sands Pipeline
Sat May 25, 1:00-3:00pm (please come on time)
350.org Office, 1729 Telegraph at 18th St, Downtown Oakland
above Somar Bar, right at the 19th St BART.
* FACEBOOK/ZUCKERBERG: STOP FUNDING FOSSIL FUEL KEYSTONE ADS Facebook Shareholder Meeting
June 11, 10am, Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel
* Plan Mass Nonviolent Direct Action: How can we best mobilize our people power in the Bay Area to push back to the fossil fuel industry behind Keystone KXL,Tars Sands and climate chaos?Our Goals Are:
* Decide on Nonviolent Direct Action/s to stop Keystone.
* Organize ourselves into affinity groups to decide on & plan actions. Organize an "affinity group" of people who will participate in (or support those who do) nonviolent direct action to stop the Keystone Pipeline from your organization, your friends, family, community, congregation, union, school, neighborhood, etc. You can also join or form an affinity group at the Keystone Action Council meetings.
* Build a movement to stop climate change!
350bayarea.org/no_tar_sands
ART/FLAG PARTY BEFORE MEETING:
We're going to have a flag-making party for Bike the Math on Saturday May 25th at Mosswood Park in Oakland from 10am-12:30PM
http://www.350bayarea.org/bike_the_math
https://www.facebook.com/events/181371562018083/
EARTH DAY ACTION VIDEOS:
Earth Day Idle No More part 1: At the EPA w/ Rev Billy, Penny, Scott & Jasenya
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aL-s40QL5M
Earth Day Idle No More part 2: At the State Dept. 22 April 2013
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FACEBOOK ACTION MEDIA COVERAGE:
Groups protest Zuckerberg's support for Keystone pipeline
Facebook's Zuckerberg Angers Enviros With Keystone XL Pipeline Ads
FWD.us social-engagement group funding controversial ads
Protestors Want Zuckerberg Out of Keystone XL Pipeline Debate
Our next No Tar Sands 350BayArea Group meeting will be June 2nd, 12:30 at Katy's, West Oakland, 510 763 1266 for info: Contact Katy Here
In addition to mobilizing for non-violent civil disobedience as part of the 350.org call for "Summer Heat", we are also developing work, in conjunction with others, to block Bay Area refineries from refining tar sands oil, or any dirty crude, whether it comes from Canada or the Monterey Shales. Not a small task.
We are starting a Speaker's Bureau, in order to broaden our base of support through people-to-people, face-to-face outreach about the climate crisis. We hope to motivate, prepare and organize ourselves to speak to gatherings of people, conduct active discussions, table and leaflet at various venues, and activate more people's involvement, employing techniques ranging from street theatre to one-on one conversation. If you are interested in working with us, please call Laurie at 510-548-3852 to discuss. Hope to hear from you!
Congratulations and cheers to all who took part in or worked on our Teach-in/ Training in NVCD SF Event: Next Step to Stop Keystone XL Preparation for NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION on SAT MARCH 23
It was a wonderful success! We estimate somewhere between 250 - 300 people took part and many signed up with one of the Affinity Groups that are now forming. About 20 signed up for the No Tar Sands Team and our Affinity Group.
Event Pix: 1 2 3 4 5
Buzzfeed says that there is an "Army of 50,000 People Ready For Arrest If Obama OKs Keystone" !!
Come be a part of history in the making!
Petition
Read & Sign The No Tar Sands in the Bay Area Petition
Featured Photo Journalist:
Garth Lenz
Photographer Garth Lenz has documented the evidence of the devastation caused by Tar Sands mining:
See Garth's TED Talk
- Tar Sands oil is killing and polluting Alberta's Boreal forest, through its refining and shipping through highly pressurized and corrosive piping.
- Those who have been to Texas inform us that the blockade is heating up, with more participants engaging in more urgent tactics, facing increasing repression and penalties.
- One of our members is already in Texas and three more are leaving soon. We will gather supplies to send down to them.
- This is their wish list:
**CAMPAIGN VEHICLES - small sedans, small trucks, economy vans**
- Small portable solar panels with battery
- a MacBook Pro (post '09) for video production
- 16GB SDcards (Class 10 preferred)
- 8GB+ flash drives
- Verizon, Virgin, Sprint, or AT&T WiFi hotspots
- Simple field watches
- 1TB (or more) USB External Hard Drives (Mac & PC compatible)
- Verizon prepaid $50 phone cards
- Gift cards: Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, Brookshire’s
**Message from Katy, our lead Tar Sands organizer:
First I'd like to extend a heartfelt "Welcome!" to the new people coming to our No Tar Sands Team of 350BayArea. We're only 3 months old but have been remarkably active for our age, reflecting the urgency of the Tar Sands, KeystoneXL issue. We have bannered on 80 (lots of fun), hosted 3 speaking engagements for Garth Lenz (check him out on Ted Talks), and were very instrumental int he Feb. 17th FOC demonstration. (I'm exhausted just remembering all this). And now, with some new folks spear heading, we're on to an action on April 22nd.
Click here for Background Information on Tar Sands and The Keystone XL Pipeline
Bay Area Objectives: Getting public and news media attention on the problems with Tar Sands mining and transport across the U.S. via the Keystone XL pipeline, and attracting new 350BayArea members and other supporters.
ARCHIVE NOTES
NO TAR SANDS COMMITTEE MEETING, Sunday April 7, 2013
Political Developments/Thoughts
L: Some think think Pres. Obama likely to approve the KXL and do so soon; national survey shows 66% of Americans still approve of KXL
S: Some commentators say we should go for a trade - let Obama approve KXL in return for something like a carbon tax. This is fallacious, unrealistic thinking.
G: National 350.org working on “oppose KXL “letter to Obama to signed by 1 million people.
D: We should give more support Native American groups' stop-KXL efforts.
Reports on Recent and Coming Actions
N: Oklahoma Keystone XL pipeline (KXL)blockade: A recent training event there, while having positive aspects, was thwarted by police infiltration of planning and Native American resentment at not being at the forefront of the planning.
L: On April 2 Berkeley City Council passed resolution to send Obama letter opposing KXL. But the Council did not, as a group, agree to the CREDO pledge of civil disobedience in opposing KXL.
F: Non-violent civil disobedience (NVCD) training event in SF on March 23 attended by 250; good practical training received; good energy developed.
K: March 30 Planning for Direct Action meeting in SF. 80 people from multiple groups came for the discussion. Decisions: make as big an impact as possible with April 22 Earth Day event(s); focus on smaller actions in next 3+ months, building to another big event in August. Planning for these actions started. Next meeting is April 13, same place/time.
Several spoke on April 3 Obama visit rally in SF. Were about 250 participants; good energy; lot of media coverage. Some wondered about effectiveness of these activities - they do serve a purpose, but they're subject to media's whims in covering them, and they don't provide much education to the public not familiar with KXL problems and dangers.
D, April 22 Earth Day action planning: Many organizations involved. Will be two activities in SF: 1. Rally outside EPA office at 75 Hawthorne. Multiple speakers, incl. persons harmed by fossil fuel & toxic industries. EPA is sending staff to listen. 2. Then a march to State Dept. office at Market & Embarcadero. Peaceful, but maybe some NVCD activity.
Discussion ensued regarding multiple interpretations of what the terms “Direct Action” and “Civil Disobedience” mean. It was agreed we need to produce and promulgate clear definitions of these terms for our own group's internal communication purposes.
L. will research this and present proposed definitions at our next meeting.
Educational Outreach
K: More of this needed. 350 Bay Area is forming a global warming speakers bureau, to speak at local church and other community organization meetings. We need to supply some speakers on the Tar Sands mining and KXL. A volunteer speaker sheet was passed around; several signed up.
G: We need a one-page informational sheet with more information on Tar Sands mining and KXL impacts, for use as handouts at educational talks at and rallies, such as on April 22. L. will develop and circulate a draft of this and e-mail to our Committee members for comments/changes this week. Final version will go to J for formatting. We need to move quickly here.
SF Bay Area Refineries Taking on Tar Sands Bitumen and/or Other Heavier, Dirtier, Petroleum Crude for Refining
K: A movement in Richmond plans to advocate for stricter pollution prevention standards that could make it impossible for SF Bay Are refineries to take on these cruder, dirtier products. Should we join up with them?
Possible actions for our committee: 1. Start our own “No Tar Sands Bitumen Refining in the Bay Area” public campaign.
2. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is holding meetings on this matter. The public can attend these meetings and present comments. We could participate.
S. Regarding Bay refineries retooling to handle dirtier materials, that they also need to do this in order to refine the carbon and sulfur intensive crude in the Monterey Shale, which is about to be fracked all to hell . . . so a convergence of energies from fracking and tar sands campaigns in this respect seems desirable and perhaps even inevitable.
L. The fracking of Monterey shale has been stopped-at least temporarily . A federal judge ruled that Obama did not have the right to lease the land without an environmental study. So, a small reprieve - but a victory, nonetheless.
K. proposes forming a subgroup to work on this topic.
Our Next Meeting Sunday April 28, same place at 12:30PM.