FRIDAY FIVE
Climate change is happening, and unfortunately, the Bay Area has already felt its impact. From exploding wildfires to rising sea levels, the City by the Bay has not been untouched by rising carbon emissions. Today, hundreds and even thousands of Bay Area folks, young and old, are expected to walk out in the youth-led Global Climate Strike, demanding action on climate change.
The San Francisco edition of the strike begins at Nancy Pelosi’s office at 10:00 a.m. From there, participants will march to institutions that are contributing to the planet’s climate crisis, including the Bank of America Financial Center and the PG&E Building (see the full route here). While the march ends at 1:00 p.m., more events will take place throughout next week, from educational talks to additional protests. Here’s how to get involved:
1. Saturday Morning: Coastal Cleanup Day
Saturday is Coastal Cleanup Day, when Californians come together to clean up trash on local beaches and in rivers, creeks, and parks. In 2018, an estimated 72,000 volunteers removed over 800,000 pounds of debris from the state’s beaches and creeks. If you want to take part, organizers recommend bringing a bucket or a reusable bag, work gloves, and a water bottle. Since some cleanup areas allow only a certain number of volunteers to participate, it’s best to check to see if you have to register ahead of time. However, the good news is that plenty of San Francisco sites still need volunteers, including Candlestick Point and the Mission. Most cleanups start at around 9:00 a.m. and end at noon.
Find a site and register here at parksconservancy.org.
2. Saturday Afternoon: Walnut Creek Community Climate Rally and Environmental Action Fair
After the Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, if you’re feeling really motivated to keep the climate-action momentum going, head over to the Community Climate Rally and Environmental Action Fair in Walnut Creek. The events are hosted by the East Bay Climate Action Network, and speakers, displays, and representatives from various climate groups will be available to educate and raise awareness about local climate issues. During the second part of the event, attendees will have the opportunity to break out into working groups and start planning future actions. The event is free and starts at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
1375 Civic Drive (Walnut Creek) | facebook.com/events
3. Monday Night: An Evening With Land Defenders and Water Protectors
The Dakota Access Pipeline protests were the subject of many news stories in 2016 and 2017, and if you’ve ever been curious about what it was like to be on the front lines of the pipeline protests, this event is for you. Three activists—Anne White Hat, Cherri Foytlin, and Mark Tilsen—will be discussing their indigenous-led effort to fight the Bayou Bridge Pipeline, a 162.5-mile crude-oil pipeline in Louisiana, at the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland. The Q&A runs from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday evening; it’s free, but donations are appreciated and will go toward their efforts.
523 International Blvd (Oakland) | sunflower-alliance.org
4. Thursday Night: Naomi Klein on the Case for a Green New Deal
If you’re curious to learn more about the Green New Deal, acclaimed journalist and New York Times bestselling author Naomi Klein is the person to tell you all about it. On Thursday night, Berkeley Arts & Letters is hosting a reading and Q&A session with Klein on her new book, On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal, at the First Congregational Church of Oakland. Tickets range from $20 to $39 (depending on if you want a copy of the book), and she will be joined by Clara Jeffery, the editor in chief of Mother Jones. The event starts at 7:00 p.m.
2501 Harrison Street (Oakland) | onfire.bpt.me
5. Friday Morning: Chevron Protest
Saturday will mark the end of the climate-strike week, but it won’t end without one last protest — hoorah! Since the burning of fossil fuels by humans is the largest source of carbon emissions that are contributing to global warming, activists are taking action against the multinational corporations that drive fossil fuel use. Activists will be protesting at Chevron in San Ramon and demanding that the company stop using fossil fuels by 2025. Those who are interested should meet at the global headquarters at 9:00 a.m.
6001 Bollinger Canyon Road (San Ramon) | facebook.com/events
