Maine White Pine Cone

MAINE PINE TREE AMENDMENT

January-February 2024 Newsletter

2024 kicks off with a bang! As the power and public awareness of the Green Amendment Movement grows, a green wave is sweeping the country.

California is the most recent state to propose language for the first time. Vermont, West Virginia, and Oregon had taken a bit of a hiatus but proposals are coming forth once again. In the case of California, there is strong grassroots and community engagement already building.

Strong Engagement Continues to Grow

January 18: ~200 individuals and organizations signed up for a Washington Green Amendment training. In case you missed the training and want to get up to speed on the Washington movement, you can watch it on the Green Amendment app here, after first signing up.

January 20: GAFTG Founder Maya van Rossum joined an auspicious panel at the Penn Carey Law Journal of Constitutional Law Symposium.  It was a day focused on exploring how constitutional protections can and are being effectively used to recognize and protect environmental rights. The day culminated with a panel titled The Green Amendment Movement, Pennsylvania Roots and Nationwide Reach where van Rossum joined Senator Franklin Kury, who authored the first constitutional amendment of this kind in the nation, international constitutional law authority James R. May, and Pennsylvania constitutional expert John Dernbach.

January 24: GAFTG, The Northeast Organic Farming Association of CT, The CT Climate Crisis Mobilization, and the CT Environmental Rights Amendment Alliance teamed up to host “Telling your Story”, the 2nd installment in their training series, featuring local and national experts sharing the most effective and compelling ways to share your story and advocate for your environmental rights! If you want to get caught up on the ongoing CT training series, you can view both sessions, here. (Just sign up and click on “Joined Programs” to view”).

 


SPOTLIGHT

NM Green Amendment 2024 Filed!

By mid-January, Representative Joanne Ferrary and Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez had both already pre-filed the New Mexico Green Amendment so it was ready to roll as soon as the legislative session began.  For strategic reasons, they filed two slightly different versions, each reflecting different kinds of feedback received from community members and fellow legislators. You can see the language options here.

In addition, these states have already pre-filed or re-filed for 2024:

…and there are more on the way!

While our Michigan Green Amendment coalition has been organizing and spreading the word on the ground and through presentations for several years, we have finally found our legislative champion, and are expecting an amendment to be proposed this year! Stay tuned for the big announcement. And in the meantime, check out the resources, upcoming events, and sign the petition HERE.

The Oregon Green Amendment is on the move again! Oregonians, inspired by recent legal successes in the three Green Amendment states of Pennsylvania, Montana and New York, are working to re-up and advance an Oregon Green Amendment in the coming year.

The Connecticut Environmental Rights Amendment – aka the Connecticut Green Amendment – is powering forward with growing support, leadership and engagement and the  leadership team is hopeful to see a proposal soon!

 

Actions, Tools & Opportunities for Green Amendments are Growing & Flourishing

The Good Ole’ Letter to the Editor:
Once again Letters to the Editor are emerging as a valuable tool for spreading the word. They offer an opportunity for individuals to demonstrate their leadership in the Green Amendment movement advancing in their state as well as helping to provide varying perspectives on why Green Amendments are so important.

We are working to create a letter to the editor online portal for all of our most active states, but if we have not gotten to your state yet, the GAFTG online Letter To The Editor Portal will work anywhere in the nation.  Here’s a great example of an effective letter to the editor written by New Mexico Green Amendment activist Glenn Griffin.

New Resource Launched for Green Amendment Legal & Advocacy Successes:
As we travel around the country, one question always arises: “How are Green Amendments actually making a difference?”To help those that want to see the breadth and depth of both legal and advocacy successes in the three states that have Green Amendments — Pennsylvania, Montana, New York — GAFTG has created a dedicated web page that highlights and breaks down some of these key successes and ongoing efforts, HERE.

Green Amendment Action Portal:
Be the first to learn about action opportunities, hearings, news, and more regarding the national Green Amendment movement, as well as the movement advancing in your state, by joining the free Green Amendment Action App.

Sign up here! Or search your app store for Green Amendments FTG to download the app. And reach out to us at GAFTG@forthegenerations.org if you have any trouble or questions.

 


Upcoming Events

Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on events across the nation! Schedule an event with Maya here.

 

February 6, 6:00 pm MST
350 Santa Fe Screening of Youth v Gov

Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe NM 87505

350 Santa Fe hosts a screening of Youth v Gov, which follows the story of 21 youth taking on the United States for their constitutional rights. Following the screening, there will be a discussion and Q+A with Maya van Rossum of Green Amendments for the Generations and others. Registration is requested.

For more information about the event, please visit: https://350santafe.org/event/350-santa-fe-brings-youthvgov-movie-to-cca/

February 7, 1:00 pm HST
Hawaii Green Amendment Gets a Hearing!

The Hawaii Green Amendment has been scheduled for its first hearing of 2024 before the Senate Committee on Agriculture & Environment on February 7, 1:00 pm HST. Go here to see all the details.

For more on the Hawaii Green Amendment proposal or movement, go to www.HIGreenAmendment.org – where you will find information sheets and other helpful resources.

February 12, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EST
The Fight for a NJ Green Amendment

The League of Women Voters of Camden County Green Amendment Action Team – recently formed to advance the NJ Green Amendment – is hosting their first event: Webinar: the Fight For a New Jersey Green Amendment. The webinar is designed to educate, energize, and activate community support for action on the amendment through a discussion about the fight for a Green Amendment in New Jersey. Speakers include Maya Van Rossum,  Founder of GAFTG and the Delaware Riverkeeper; Svanfridur Mura, Co-chair and Green Amendments Campaign Coordinator for the NJ Student Sustainability Coalition; Rachel Dawn Davis, Public Policy and Justice Organizer at Waterspirit; and Melissa Marks, Senior Organizer at the League of Women Voters. Registration is required.

February 15, 6:30 pm EST
Citizens Climate Lobby Grand Rapids/Grand Haven – Lakeshore chapter Presents:
Exploring A Green Amendment for Michigan

Citizens Climate Lobby Grand Rapids/Grand Haven – Lakeshore chapter, a local leader in the MI Green Amendment movement, is hosting Maya van Rossum, Founder of Green Amendments For The Generations, to speak about the movement seeking constitutional protection of all Michganders’ inalienable human rights to clean water and air, a safe climate and healthy environments through the passage of MI’s very own Green Amendment. Register here to learn how a Green Amendment can help provide essential protections to address the climate crisis, environmental justice & environmental preservation.

February 22, 3:20 pm EST
Climate Tech and Coastal Resilience: Green Amendment Panel
Florida International University College of Law
11291 SW 12th St, Miami, FL 33199

On February 22-23, Florida International University, College of Law will host its 3rd Annual Environment Forum, themed ‘Climate Tech and Coastal Resilience’.

Catch the Green Amendment panel with Maya van Rossum on 2/22 at 3:20pm.
Learn more & how to register here.

February 26, 6:00 pm EST
Michigan Training Series Part 1: Learning the Basics of the Michigan Green Amendment

The Michigan Green Amendment team is kicking off its own multi-part training aeries with a primer on the Michigan Green Amendment: Learning the Basics of the Michigan Green Amendment – How it works & How it Will Help, led by Laprisha Daniels, Executive Director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ) and Maya van Rossum, Founder of GAFTG.  Register now, HERE!

March 4, 6:00 pm EST
Reinvigorating the New Jersey Green Amendment 2024

Join host and moderator Terrance L. Bankston, environmental justice & Green Amendment advocate, as he leads a panel in exploring the history of the NJ Green Amendment campaign, where we are now and what is needed, how critical the amendment is for environmental justice (EJ) communities throughout the state, and the importance of EJ leaders and organizations state-wide to get more engaged and lead in the call for the protection of their environmental rights. Speakers include: Maya van Rossum, Founder of the Green Amendment for The Generations Movement; Jamal Littles, Non-Profit Leader for Youth and Young Adults; Regina Townes, Retired Longshoreman of Port Authority, Newark & Ports Organizer for the South Ward Environmental Alliance; Rachel Davis, Public Policy & Justice Organizer for Waterspirit; and more for this virtual presentation on our NJ Green Amendment campaigning efforts. Register to join here.

March 3, 9:00-10:30 am PST
Public Interest Environmental Law Conference: Rights Based Environmental Protection

Eugene, OR and Virtual

Find out more about the event here.

March 21, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT
Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series: Green Amendments

Konover Auditorium, Thomas J. Dodd Research Center
Storrs, CT 06269

The University of Connecticut’s Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Institute of the Environment is hosting Maya van Rossum in, “Green Amendments – The National Movement To Empower Environmental Rights, Law & Advocacy”, as part of the Edwin Way Teale Lecture Series. Learn more & how to register here.

March 23, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm EDT
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut – Winter Conference Keynote

Eastern Connecticut State University, 83 Windham St, Willimantic, CT 06226

Tickets are available now for CTNOFA’s 42nd annual Winter Conference. The conference will feature a variety of workshops, covering topics such as farming, seed saving, organic land care, community food security, social justice issues, and more, including a keynote address by Maya van Rossum, Founder of the Green Amendments for the Generations organization.

Learn more & how to register here.

April 20, 3:00 pm EDT
2024 Great Lakes Environmental Festival

Manistee High School, 525 12th St, Manistee, MI 49660

Join us in person in Manistee, Michigan this Earth Day to meet the Founder of the Green Amendment for The Generations Movement, Maya K. van Rossum, in person at the 2024 Great Lakes Environmental Festival! Maya will be presenting on the power of the Green Amendment and the ongoing movement in Michigan, followed by an open forum discussion. Local MI Green Amendment leaders will also have an informational display in the Environmental Expo Hall. Stop by throughout the day to meet Maya, get a signed copy of her book, The Green Amendment, the People’s Fight to Secure a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment, and even get the chance to win a free copy! GLEF will be generously giving away one copy of the book every hour – just enter your name into the drawing for the chance to bring home a free copy for your friends, family, or yourself! Learn more at www.glef.us

*Ongoing*

Michigan Green Amendment Training Series
Want to stay in the loop on this Multi-Part Series Michigan Training Series, starting in February and rolling out over the course of the Spring? Sign up here to receive updates and registration details on future trainings.

Share