Environmental Justice

Environmentalists and Workers Must Link Up to Stop Global Warming and Fight for Workers' Rights 
"On May 18, 2015, I rallied with hundreds of protestors to say NO to Shell's Artic oil drilling, and to demand that the rig leave the Port of Seattle. To be successful, those who are passionate about fighting for the environment must link up with workers to collectively stop global warming and improve workers' rights. Here's a solidarity letter I sent to Port workers earlier that week."

Divest UW Scores Major Victory, Convinces Board of Regents at UW to Divest from Coal 
"Congratulations to the students in Divest UW, who joined the call to build divestment campaigns in 2012 and have worked relentlessly for 3 years to get the UW Board of Regents to divest from fossil fuels. On May 14th, after years of rallying and building support for fossil fuel divestment with the students and with the community, Divest UW won divestment from the dirtiest fossil fuel, coal."

Saturday 9/20: Kshama Sawant, Bernie Sanders, Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, Chris Hedges to Debate Strategy for the Environmental Movement 
"Kshama Sawant will join Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and activists Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben and Chris Hedges in New York City for a panel discussion to debate the way forward for the environmental movement."

Kshama Sawant Speaks with Activists Occupying Shell's Arctic Drilling Rig
Councilmember Kshama Sawant spoke via satellite phone with activists aboard Shell's Arctic drilling oil rig 750 miles northwest of Hawaii. Sawant was joined by Mary Nichol, National Activist Network Director at Greenpeace, and Kurtis Criscoula from Greenpeace Seattle. Follow the link for more information and audio and a transcript of the conversation.

Stop the TPP! City Council Passes Resolution Opposing Fast Track
"Few things counterpose the greed of multinational corporations to the interests of workers, the environment, and democracy as sharply as trade deals like NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership."

Speech from People's Climate March NYC
A day before the largest climate action in history, Kshama Sawant joined Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, activists Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben and Chris Hedges in New York City for a panel discussion to debate the way forward for the environmental movement. Video jumps directly to Kshama, and you can read the speech below.

Oil Trains: Example of Capitalism's Destructive Environmental Agenda
It is going to take a determined and defiant broad-based movement that will organize non-violent civil disobedience actions in favor of a ban oil and coal trains to shift away from fossil fuels, build support for rapid investment in alternative energy sources, and to challenge the environmentally destructive agenda of capitalism.

Remarks on Fossil Fuel Divestment
On June 30, 2014 the Council voted on a resolution which revised investment policies in several ways, most notably to encourage fossil fuel divestment (PDF). I supported the resolution. Follow the link for my remarks and video.