With more than 130,000 members and supporters in Massachusetts, the chapter is currently organized into a set of geographic groups, teams, and special interest ad hoc committees. Attending the meetings of a local group or an interesting committee is a great way to get more involved! Visit the Meetings + Events page to see the calendar of upcoming meetings.
The Sierra Club also offers educational outdoor experiences to Boston-area youth, with programming that is enriched by the contributions of volunteers.
Everyone is welcome to attend and contribute to group and committee meetings. All meetings are open to the public unless otherwise noted; meetings of the Political committee are only open to Sierra Club members.
The volunteer leaders of the Sierra Club’s groups and committees are elected by our membership annually in December.
GROUPS
Some regions of the chapter are organized into groups to address local issues of interest to constituents of a particular geographic area. These groups always welcome new member involvement.
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Cape Cod and the Islands Group—All of Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket counties, including the Elizabeth Islands and the portion of Bourne that is west of the Cape Cod Canal. Meet the executive committee and officers.
- Merrimack Valley Action Team
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Other Groups!—If you live in an area that does not have an active Sierra Club group, you can start one! Please begin by attending a few group or committee meetings.
All members are encouraged and welcome to attend committee meetings to learn more about issues that the Club advocates for. An overview of activities and volunteer opportunities for current committees follows. Questions? Contact the committee chair.
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Energy Committee—Addresses environmental, economic, and educational issues relating to energy and its production and consumption. Assists at the local, state, national, and international levels. General issues include GWSA implementation; energy reduction; coal plants; solar, wind, and alternative energy; and global warming.
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Political Committee—Identifies candidates who are expected to best represent the goals of the Sierra Club on environmental issues and legislation. Endorses and supports candidates who can be counted on to preserve the environment. This highly active committee meets regularly throughout the year, and particularly welcomes volunteer participation during the busy campaign season to assist with research, phone calls, and interviews. The committee also welcomes volunteers in the longer term as committee members who are interested in learning about Massachusetts politics and wish to be part of the endorsement process.
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Legislative Action Committee—Sponsors and supports many environmental bills, and covers all aspects of legislation including testifying at hearings, lobbying, making calls to legislators, and contacting the press about important legislative issues. Volunteers who are interested in drafting testimony reports on environmental bills are particularly welcome! These reports are typically 2-3 pages, often include a chart or graph, and are footnoted. If you enjoy doing research and writing reports, please join us!
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Marine and Coastal Committee—Advises the Chapter executive committee on marine issues and coordinates action with the national Sierra Club’s Marine Action Team. The committee works to combat climate change and eutrophication, over fishing, sand and gravel mining, and navy sonar training; to protect ocean wildlife such as North Atlantic right whales from human stressors; and assists in state/federal ocean planning endeavors. Committee members attend public meetings and submit comments on behalf of the Chapter’s executive committee.
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Transportation Committee—Focuses on all aspects of transportation, from rail, bus, MBTA and other regional transit authorities, to airports and issues of sprawl.
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Other Committees!—We are always seeking take-charge volunteers to lead and drive initiatives. If you’re interested in forming a committee on a specific environmental issue, please begin by attending a few group or committee meetings.
The Sierra Club’s Boston Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) Program provides safe, fun, and educational outdoor experiences to young people who would not otherwise have access to these opportunities; simply stated, we take kids outdoors! The adventures are provided at no cost to the participants, their families or the volunteers. Our program is dependent upon volunteers and charitable contributions. For members interested in learning more about the group visit www.bostonico.org and attend one of the volunteer orientation sessions listed on the calendar on the right side of the page.