SierraScape October - November 2009
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by Becky Denney
Contributing Member

All year I have had a folder on my computer called "Copenhagen." I am happy to say that the Sierra Club is starting to develop tools to work and educate us on steps for a united front as environmentalists. All year we have had updates on action in Congress but now we are looking at an even larger picture. Our first official conference call was Monday, Sept 21 and some basic tools are already developed. Our energy conference calls focusing on federal action will continue. One of the areas that national Sierra Club really wants our support on is phone banking. There is training for that—and both the training and phoning can be done from your home. I believe the phone banking itself is done on Wednesday evenings so that is a specific time. Ever since I have been studying Sierra Club materials the importance of personal contact such as phone requests or calls has been emphasized. We must inform each other.

Another area where national Sierra Club is asking for our help is with letters-to-the-editor. We have all kinds of talking points which are sometimes general but you can use them for a starter and add that one point you are most concerned about. These letters should be short—no more than 300 words. I have actually had good success at getting my letters printed by the Post. But they are usually short and concerning a recent issue. The most time consuming part is really registering with the newspaper. I should make it a challenge to see how many newspapers I can get my LTE's into.

The value of LTE's is to show both the newspapers and politicians what is important to the public. Will they persuade anyone to change their opinion? Perhaps not. But they can educate us all. And, open, public discourse may in this age of voting machines be as important as your vote.

One way to describe the Sierra Club Global Warming program is to say that "a rolling stone gathers no moss."

There is always something new to do and something new to learn! For instance, the newest e-mail from Christina Yagjian, the Global Warming and Energy organizer, takes us past the support of ex-Senator John Warner and the ex-military in fighting global warming into working with other partners on GW and national security.

If you are interested in working on the Sierra Club Copenhagen campaign contact me by e-mail: dardenney@sbcglobal.net or phone: 314-645-3394.