Chair's Column

y James Turner, Missouri Chapter Chair

For a livable Missouri, we must
• Ramp up the role of solar and wind energy, and achieve more energy efficiency;
• Reduce the use and political dominance of fossil fuels;• Protect wildlife habitats and fresh waters everywhere from degradation – and often it is fossil fuel extraction that does the long-lasting damage.

2015 is a critical year to expand our work. With Pope Francis’s leadership and his planned visit to the White House in September, more faith communities are stepping up beside us, to denounce the immorality of privileging coal and oil use.  Millennials know that their future is threatened by climate disruption; if we keep acting vigorously in rallies and in the halls of power, the millennials will get out to vote in 2016,  reinforcing policy improvements like the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Furthermore, Sierra Club, labor unions, and faith leaders are joining in a Democracy Initiative, to overcome obstacles to installing wise government.

Bolstered by some grants, Missouri Chapter recently hired two additional staff organizers for 2015. Let’s aim to keep supporting this fine enlarged staff’s work into 2016 and well beyond! We all should raise Missouri Chapter to even higher positions on our donation plans.