As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.
New Director a "Perfect Fit" for Sierra Club Maine
Sarah Leighton brings a dedication to protecting the Maine environment and ten years of nonprofit management experience to help the Chapter grow during these challenging times.
Sierra Club Maine is thrilled to welcome our new Chapter Director, Sarah Leighton (photo, with husband, Ryan LaRochelle). Sarah joined us in September 2019 as our volunteer Advancement Team Leader, helping to build a more robust fundraising strategy. She was elected to the Executive Committee in January 2020. Sarah has over ten years of experience in nonprofit management, most recently serving as the Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer for the YMCA of Southern Maine where she worked since 2015. She also holds an MBA in nonprofit management from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. “As a native Mainer, Sarah understands the uniqueness of our state and is dedicated to ensuring that generations to come will be able to enjoy the Maine outdoors as she has,” said Chapter Chair Sue Levene. “And her experience as a manager with nonprofit groups will be a great benefit to our Chapter. She’s a perfect fit for Sierra Club Maine.”
Be Sure to Vote on July 14!
July 14th is Primary Election Day for the US House and Senate and the Maine State House and Senate (a ranked choice election throughout). You can vote in-person or via absentee ballot. Today, July 9 is the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot online or by phone. Your completed ballot may be mailed into your town/city hall, but make sure it gets there in time to be counted on election day. Alternatively, you can turn in your ballot at your town/city hall up to, and including election day. Sierra Club Maine’s Political Team has weighed in on some of the state primaries. Please check out our Political Page. We’ll share our general election endorsement list with our members soon. Not a member? Please join by clicking here!
Help Us Get Out the Vote in November!
As we all cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sierra Club Maine is adapting to the social distancing restraints in planning our efforts for the November election. Two things we know: we need your help to GOTV (Get Out The Vote) and the stakes in this election could not be higher. Look for a member survey in your email inbox in the coming weeks with opportunities to help the chapter GOTV.
A Green Bank For Maine?
A June 26 on-line summit brought together experts, legislators, officials, business people, and supporters to discuss the possibilities.
Nearly 100 people took part in the Chapter’s Green Bank Summit via Zoom on June 26. The group included legislators, government officials, nonprofit leaders, business people, and many members of the public. Summit organizer David Gibson (a Chapter Executive Committee member) set the tone for the event by noting the systemic problems created by a fossil fuel economy. “Green banks can help us build a better world.” Gibson said, adding that the time for a Maine Green Bank has arrived. Presenter Abe Wapner of the Coalition for Green Capital explained that green banks are mission-driven institutions that use innovative financing to accelerate the transition to clean energy and fight climate change. He added that many also have the objectives of adding resiliency and serving low-income communities. Wapner emphasized the fact that in the difficult times we’re currently in, green banks can create jobs and “put us on the right track to recovery.” He estimated that a national green bank could create up to 5.4 million new jobs. Green banks use financing, not grants. Financing means that capital is eventually expected to be returned or repaid. This helps to maximize the impact of each dollar that a green bank deploys. Other speakers at the summit included Steve Clemmer of the Union of Concerned Scientists; Hannah Pingree, Director of the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation, and the Future; and keynote speakers Bryan Garcia and Bert Hunter of the Connecticut Green Bank. The summit also included in-depth panel discussions on the implications a Maine Green Bank would have on the residential and the commercial sectors. “It was inspiring to bring all these dedicated people together to share their expertise and experience,” Gibson said. “Now we need to move forward and establish a green bank here in Maine. As our speakers and panelists emphasized, a green bank will help us on the road to economic recovery and also transition to a more stable, and socially-just, clean-energy economy.” A Maine Green Bank is one of the recommendations from the Energy Working Group to the Governor's Climate Council to fund this transition. Please help make the Green Bank a reality in Maine by submitting feedback and support at the Council’s website. You can watch the entire Green Bank Summit on YouTube by clicking here.
Responding to Crisis With Resiliency and Creativity
The online course, Eco-Anxiety and the Pandemic, starts on August 3.
E co-Anxiety and the Pandemic is a complimentary nine-week course (via Zoom) that will be held Mondays, 5:30-6:30 pm from August 3, 2020 to October 5, 2020. Speakers include: David R. Loy (photo), author of the highly-acclaimed book, Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis; Newell Lewey, Passamaquoddy Language and Culture Manager, Wabanaki Public Health; Professors Ivan Fernandez, University of Maine Orono, Will Hafford, Unity College and Tora Johnson, University of Maine Machias. The classes will: • Consider the relationship between the pandemic and the ecological crisis • Teach about the interconnected effect of these crises on mental and physical health • Explore the impacts of the eco-crisis on New England • Validate eco-anxiety as a sane, healthy response • Discover how to make friends with uncertainty • Experience a sense of kinship with the natural world as practiced by Native Americans and Zen meditators • Find ways to engage in our diverse communities during these challenging, unpredictable times, centering on dignity as a guiding principle • Find joy in measuring up to the great trumpet call of our time, responding to the pandemic and the eco-crisis with newfound resiliency and creativity This course is offered by Zen Downeast and sponsored by EcoSattvas DownEast, Sierra Club Maine and the Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine. Learn more and register for all or part of the nine-week series of classes.
Maine Climate Council Update
The collaboration among working groups is encouraging, but the recommendations don't go far enough.
The Maine Climate Council convened for the third time on June 17th and 18th. At the two-day session, the Council’s working groups presented their greenhouse gas mitigation and climate change adaptation recommendations. The working groups met regularly in the past months to determine the Climate Council's priorities for its Climate Action Plan, due in December 2020. That plan will guide Maine's climate policy for the next four years. Overall, it was encouraging to see collaboration amongst many different stakeholders involved in developing the Climate Action Plan. Clearly, COVID has impacted the financial situation of the state, and many recommendations are dependent upon sustainable funding mechanisms. Equity was a common theme, and it seems likely that recommendations will be filtered through that lens. A Green Bank was mentioned several times as a means to fund many renewable energy projects. A consumer-owned utility was also presented as a possible solution. However, many of the recommendations do not go far enough to avert potentially devastating impacts of the climate crisis. Of special importance are target dates, many of which need to change. For example, the implementation of net-zero new construction standards needs to be moved to 2025 from the recommended date of 2035. There also needs to be more emphasis on early investment in quality, energy-efficient, and safe affordable housing for low-income residents. The Maine Climate Council launched its new website on July 6th. You can now read more about the draft strategies and submit your feedback through the summer.
As a result of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, our Chapter office is currently closed and no events or outings will occur until further notice. However, we are still at work remotely and we are checking messages daily. For the most timely response, please email maine.chapter@sierraclub.org
As we all deal with a global pandemic with COVID-19, we want to let you know that Sierra Club is adapting so we can continue doing the important work of helping our communities, protecting our natural environment and fighting for a just, clean energy future.
The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice.
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