Toolkit: Build Back Fossil Free

Introduction

#BuildBackFossilFree Week of Action

February 8th – 13th

Thank you for joining the Build Back Fossil Free week of action! We’re calling on President Joe Biden to protect and invest in the Black, Indigenous, Brown, and working-class communities, to end the era of fossil fuel production, and to launch a national climate mobilization to Build Back Fossil Free. Through this week of action, we will highlight the specific actions President Biden should take now, and demonstrate that there is broad support for these policies across the country. 

If you haven’t already, please use this form to sign up for the week of action. This will allow us to share updates and send you materials as necessary. Then read the rest of this document for instructions and tips on planning your action.

Because of COVID, we won’t be able to organize large events. But we can each organize a small, safe event with our families or pods in our community. Together our actions and photos will show that the mandate that ushered Biden into office has only gotten stronger. 

Prepare

Pick a time and place to gather outdoors where you can take photos and video.

• The week of action is Monday Feb 8 to Saturday Feb 13. Pick a day that works for you and others that may join you.
• Gather for a photo in front of a specific fossil fuel project, go to a Congress member’s district office, an iconic landmark in your area, a high-visibility place like an intersection or overpass, or just take action from your home.
• Ask others in your area to join. Small gatherings are best, and everyone should wear a mask.
• Join the #event-support channel on our online volunteer Slack community here to connect with other volunteers taking action, ask questions and to share photos.

Prepare visuals that convey your message to President Biden: Build Back Fossil Free!

We are asking everyone take a picture of you holding a sign that says “President Biden, #BuildBackFossilFree”. We’re  also want you to add something personal regarding what you are fighting against.

For example:

• #BuildBackFossilFree Stop Line 3 & DAPL
• #BuildBackFossilFree Stop Fossil Fuel Exports
• #BuildBackFossilFree No More Pipelines
• #BuildBackFossilFree Ban Fracking Now

Bring signs or banners to your action that will be clearly visible in photos and to the public. They should incorporate the Build Back Fossil Free message to President Biden, and tie in local fossil fuel campaigns. 

You can also customize and print these posters from home: black and white, and color!

Take Action

Take action! Gather your crew and visuals for a photo or quick rally.

Be sure to take at least one photo that clearly shows you/your group, visuals, and your location. A short video with remarks or chants (“Build back fossil free!”) would be great too. 

Share photos and video on social media with the hashtag #BuildBackFossilFree.

• You can also tag @JoeBiden, @POTUS, and @ginamccarthy in addition to any other decision makers or local groups. 

Please share back photos and videos on our #event-support channel on our online volunteer Slack community here.

If you don’t have social media, please send them via email to [email protected]

Sample Posts

Below are sample social media posts for your day of action.

Twitter

1. Now @POTUS @JoeBiden, we need you to follow through: protect frontline communities, end the era of fossil fuels & #BuildBackFossilFree
2. Saying #NoKXL & halting federal oil & gas leasing was a terrific start to tackling the #ClimateEmergency #BuildBackFossilFree
3. People across the country are uniting this week to demand that @JoeBiden #BuildBackFossilFree
4. @POTUS @Gina_McCarthy, we need you to use existing law to protect communities, end the era of fossil fuels, and put a down payment on a healthy, thriving economy that works for all #BuildBackFossilFree 

Facebook & Instagram

Make sure to tag President Biden and others in your photos and that your posts are set up public, so they get the most reach! 

1. For generations, Black and Indigenous communities & their land have been sacrifice zones for the pollution caused by oil and gas companies. Enough is enough! We hit the streets today to demand that you #BuildBackFossilFree
2.  We organized one of hundreds of actions this week to show we need you to #BuildBackFossilFree and stop the other fossil fuel projects that are just as bad. We need you to invest in our communities, not more fracking, pipelines, and exports. #noDAPL #StopLine3 #StopFormosa #NoMVP 
3. We joined thousands of people this week in the #BuildBackFossilFree week of action to demand Biden to keep his promise to be the #ClimatePresident.
4. President Biden should take executive action to address the climate crisis, end the era of fossil fuels,  and invest in a thriving economy that works for everyone. #BuildBackFossilFreeTell @JoeBiden to #BuildBackFossilFree immediately. With the stroke of a pen, Biden can: Make the pause on new fossil fuel leases on public lands & waters permanent, Reject fossil fuel projects & enact a climate test , Declare a National Climate Emergency, Eliminate US fossil fuel subsidies, End pollution hot spots, Address cumulative pollution impacts, Strengthen the federal environmental justice mandate, Create a Just Transition Task Force, Enshrine self-determination of Indigenous peoples. 

Social media handles to include

You can include the following social media handles.

Twitter: @JoeBiden @POTUS @Gina_McCarthy

Instagram: Joe Biden, POTUS, ginanrdc

Organizing during a pandemic

• All participants should wear a mask at all times. Masks save lives. Please make sure that all participants are wearing masks during your action.
• Keep participants physically distanced from one another at all times. The Center for Disease Control guidelines are that people maintain six feet of physical distance from one another. Please keep participants in your action socially distanced.
• Don’t go inside. It is imperative that we don’t put others at risk with our actions. Please plan your action at an outdoor location where a small group of people can safely meet and gather.
• Do NOT plan a mass mobilization action. We know that actions can be powerful even with smaller numbers of people. We encourage you to NOT plan actions with large numbers of people at this time, but instead participate in this COVID safe action by keeping your group small.
• Do NOT engage in actions that have a risk of arrest. People who are imprisoned are among the most vulnerable in our society. Don’t put them at further risk by getting yourself arrested at this action. Make sure the location you’ve chosen is public space where you are allowed to gather. If the location is private, make sure you have permission to be there or stay on the public sidewalk out front.

Questions

If you have any questions or run into any issues, reach out to the Distributed Organizing Team at [email protected]