December 18, 2017
By Susan Lawrence, Hudson Mohawk Group Conservation Chair & Atlantic Chapter Co-Legislative Chair
2018 is a critical time for Sierra Club members and so many others concerned about protecting the environment and the welfare of the people in this country and around the world. Each of us can work in whatever way we choose to do this, but we need everyone to step up to the plate and take action. The 56,000 Sierra Club members in New York State can make critical differences especially by linking with a diverse group of stakeholders.
In 2018, we need to:
- Educate voters to support candidates who will act on these priorities and will fairly redistrict Congressional and state and local electoral districts.
- Push hard for enactment of priority legislation and, sufficient budget appropriation and effective administrative regulations and programs at the state and local level to protect essential natural resources from pollution, exploitation and devastation. And let legislators and administrators know that they cannot stand in the way of what needs to be done.
- Speak loud and clear about the terrible impacts of climate change on our environment and what needs to be done. Educate our public officials, our children, our neighbors and friends and coworkers.
- Support critical litigation to keep essential priorities in place, including clean air and water laws, regulations, and programs. Some of these protections go back to enlightened Presidents including Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.
In New York State, we will escalate efforts to conserve energy and use it more efficiently and to replace dirty fossil fuels and nuclear energy with green renewable energy in all sectors - including electricity, heating and cooling, transportation, manufacturing and more. Comprehensive programs such as the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s “Climate Smart Communities” and the NYS Energy and Development Authority’s ”Energy Smart Communities” offer resources for community leaders and other stakeholders to move our communities to sustainability. The Sierra Club’s “Ready for 100” campaign is a national grassroots campaign to shift communities to renewable energy ASAP.
Key priorities in our state include enacting carbon taxes on fossil fuels use in all sectors with tax revenues directed to: (1) low-income/minority people and (2) communities most disadvantaged by fossil fuel pollution, (3) training and employment in renewable energy and energy conservation, and (4) priority capital projects. The Sierra Club is working with more than 100 environmental, labor, faith-based, environmental justice, and other organizations in the ”New York Renews” coalition to draft and lobby for omnibus legislation to make this happen.
Please think about what you can do. Advocate for your community to: institute or improve comprehensive planning and zoning ordinances, enact building codes to conserve energy through passive house and other technologies, and protect natural resources including wetlands that clean drinking water and curb flooding.
Think about different ways you can work to make all this happen. Speak out in public forums or public hearings, write letters to the editor, and encourage your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and faith communities to take action. Support initiatives to bring renewable energy and energy conservation to more people in our communities including community solar initiatives, shared electric vehicle use, and expanded renewable-powered public transportation.
There is so much to do in the Atlantic Chapter and our groups. We want and need your input and support.