A Look Ahead at 2018
Help Protect Our Coast from Oil Spills
Shine With Eco-Friendly Glitter
Women's March Anniversary
By Kathryn Phillips
Just two days after this year’s state legislative session began this month, the 45th president took action that helped make sure California’s oil dependence would be debated as part of the year’s top environmental legislation.
The Trump administration announced plans to open offshore oil drilling leases in six locations stretched along the California coast. (See accompanying article for details on a public hearing to comment.)
Within hours, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson and Senator Ricardo Lara introduced SB 834 and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi and Assemblymember Monique Limón introduced AB 1775, identical bills that will help discourage offshore drilling by making it harder for offshore oil to be processed.
Sierra Club California supported a similar bill that was stalled last year. The latest threat to open offshore drilling underscores the need for the legislation.
Cutting dependence on oil and gas will be strong themes in other top legislation we’ll be supporting in 2018.
For instance, Senator Phil Ting has introduced SB 1745, a bill that will bring California in line with countries in Europe and Asia that have set goals to make zero-emission vehicles the only new cars available for purchase in the state 22 years from now. The bill lines up with technological, consumer and manufacturing trends for cars.
Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León is continuing to push SB 100, a bill we have supported that would set an achievable 100% clean energy goal for the electricity sector by 2045.
All of these bills will face strong opposition by the oil and gas industry. But given that this is an election year, legislators will be more sensitive to voters’ demands than during odd-numbered years when fundraising from deep-pocketed industry interest is the name of the game.
Watch for alerts about these and other bills Sierra Club California supports in the coming months to take action to help move them. Your voice will make a difference.
Help Protect Our Coast from Oil Spills
The Trump administration has announced plans to open new oil drilling leases along six coastal areas in California. We need your support in Sacramento on February 8th to put an end to this appalling proposal.
Californians must show up and insist that we protect the Pacific Ocean from dangerous offshore oil drilling. RSVP for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management meeting now to urge the Trump administration against opening new leases. Sacramento is preparing to hold activities all afternoon to show that we will not allow our coast to be sold off to polluters who want to destroy our environment. We will have more information once details are finalized - stay tuned.
But, if we’re really going to fight this plan we need more than one single hearing. Click here to tell your Congressperson that he or she press for more meetings across the state.
California is committed to cutting our oil dependence, not expanding it. Join us to ensure that we continue to protect our coastlines from the threat of oil drilling.
Shine With Eco-Friendly Glitter
By Eddie Moreno
Millenials are set to make music festivals a defining facet of their generation when you consider the size and number that exist today, and it's easy to see why.
These events are often illuminated with brightly colored lights and overflowing with thousands of spectacular costumes doused in glitter, tons of glitter. So much so that many shows leave a sparkling post-apocalyptic wasteland--and that's quite a problem.
As the world begins to grasp the impact of our careless introduction of plastic into the environment, especially the ocean, microplastics rise to the surface as one of the greatest plastic threats to ecosystems and public health.
In a marine environment, these tiny particles attract toxic compounds and the chemical breakdown of the plastic itself can disrupt hormones in the bodies of animals.
Due to their size, microplastics are often confused for food particles by aquatic animals and can be found in everything from plankton to blue whales, including the fish that makes its way to your dinner table.
Unfortunately, glitter is a microplastic. It is made of mylar and its individual parts are about a millimeter in length on average.
However, it's safe to assume there won't be a global ban on glitter. It's literally everywhere. It's in the makeup we put on our faces, it makes the holidays that much more magical and it serves as a medium for childhood creativity.
Archaeologists have even demonstrated that the concept of glitter goes back over 11,000 years, while other scientists have argued that our attraction to its sparkle is innate and stems from an instinct to find fresh water. It's likely not going anywhere.
But there is something that we can do as consumers to keep our shimmer and reduce the amount of plastic that makes its way into the world's oceans.
Buy biodegradable glitter. A number of products use eco-friendly materials designed to degrade fairly quickly. Just Google “biodegradeable glitter” to find links to brands and purveyors.
By Katherine Garcia
In January 2017, communities across seven continents held Women’s Marches to drive transformative social change. Protesters took to the streets demanding civil rights, reproductive freedom, and environmental justice. The demonstrations launched a powerful movement of resistance and introduced the pussyhat as a symbol of solidarity for women's rights.
This year, the flagship anniversary event, Women's March: Power to the Polls, will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Again, Sister Marches have been organized around the world on January 20th and 21st. So far, 30 California marches have been announced from Crescent City to San Diego. Check out the anniversary events map to find a march near you!
The timely theme “Power to the Polls” captures the march’s political agenda: to elect more women to public office. This year, there’s been an increase in the number of women running for local public office and the march organizers aim to help them win seats. The event will kick-off a national effort to register new voters and advocate for progressive policies.
Are you planning to march on behalf of the Sierra Club? If so, fill out this Women's March 2018 Survey to tell the Sierra Club Gender Equity team. They can help provide resources and support for a successful event.
The countdown is on with less than two weeks until the march. It’s time to knit a pussyhat, make a poster and break in your comfortable walking shoes. Let’s go, Power to the Polls!
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