350 Wisconsin, begun in 2012 as the Madison action group independently affiliated with 350.org, strives to protect the region’s environment, foster sustainable practices, and to ensure a livable future for all. The organization empowers individuals to take meaningful action and builds community resilience, especially for the BIPOC, low-income, and indigenous who bear the greatest burden of climate change effects. 350 Wisconsin has developed initiatives to support fossil fuel divestment, prevent new oil pipelines from being built in Wisconsin, decommission and remove existing pipelines on indigenous lands, and collaborate on national campaigns, such as the protests at Standing Rock. 350 Wisconsin is currently engaged in Together for the Climate, a multi-year fundraising campaign to grow the movement and provide resources to build capacity with the goal of a rapid transition to renewable energy resulting in healthy, just, and thriving communities.
350 Wisconsin is a grassroots organization with 6.35 full-time employees, five interns and over 235 active volunteers. Its board members and staff have a variety of backgrounds and extensive skill sets. The organization has established relationships with a wide range of organizations throughout Wisconsin. It manages several teams and campaigns with a multi-pronged approach that includes collaboration on national campaigns, pressuring local governments to enact tougher environmental regulations, promoting voter participation, producing creative videos to increase awareness, and coordinating action with other climate organizations. It has recently had success at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission highlighting the energy burden on low-income communities and fighting utility plans to gut solar net metering. Its ongoing work includes advocacy to shut down pipelines operated by the Canadian company Enbridge and to shift the state toward more climate-friendly energy practices.