A Plan to Revitalize Sierra Club NYC

Original date of publication: 7/09/10


SC NYC's Past

For many years, a handful of volunteers with Sierra Club's NYC Group maintained a rather low profile: organizing occasional presentations on random environmental topics, and issuing carefully debated resolutions supporting or opposing various policies. While some individual volunteers have been active on particular projects, the Group did not prioritize building its own capacity to engage New Yorkers on an ongoing basis, developing projects or campaigns, and judging the success of efforts by measurable results. Potential volunteers and activists have generally moved on to more active groups very quickly. The Sierra Club name, with its power to mobilize volunteers and create positive change, has been underused in NYC. We can do better.

A Plan to Revitalize Sierra Club NYC

Here's a plan to quickly create positive collaborations for the Sierra Club, recruit many volunteers, and develop grassroots contacts with civic leaders all over the City. Best of all, it's already underway! We're promoting an existing sustainability program already being offered by NYC which lowers costs and carbon emissions at the same time - the City's Cool Roofs program, painting the roofs of buildings white, lowering their air conditioning costs, and their electric bills. The City needs help recruiting volunteers, and finding nonprofit buildings to be painted by the program.

At least 100 have volunteered through John Kolp, Sierra Club's Cool Roof coordinator, and are receiving updates of white roof painting days. Our two summer interns and some volunteers are contacting elected officials and civic leaders, many of whom have indicated their interest, and are looking for buildings in their districts for volunteers to paint.

The Cool Roof projects are just the start of our discussion. We'll recruit for local roof painting volunteers, and get positive publicity for the nonprofit and civic leaders involved, by helping neighborhood partners set up sustainability events. Already being organized by City and State agencies to promote energy efficiency services, our versions will get higher turnout by getting other neighborhood groups and leaders to sponsor and promote them, and by bringing in other presenters that will bring money-saving, quality of life-raising services to neighbors. Partners already on board include NYSERDA, the State energy agency, with free energy efficiency surveys and discounted upgrades; GrowNYC, which organizes the City's greenmarkets and offers composting and recycling workshops; the Cool Roofs program, offered through the City's Department of Buildings.; and of course, Sierra Club NYC.

Because there's something in it for everyone, just a few volunteers are already getting a strong response, and we're enabling Sierra Club to become a strong new factor in NYC sustainability plans. (Request a copy of the proposal that has been sent to many civic leaders from beyondoilnyc@yahoo.com.)

Building One Success Paves the Way for Other Volunteer Projects

Of course, that would never be the only set of projects taking place under the Sierra Club NYC name. However, quickly developing a highly visible string of successes is likely to attract other activists who can create their own Sierra Club projects. We need an Executive Committee that sees Sierra Club NYC's higher potentials - to catalyze many sustainability projects and improve the lives of thousands of New Yorkers.

Other candidates for the ExCom with a smaller vision for SC NYC are of course welcome to continue their activist projects - but should not stifle the growth of the organization.

That's why your votes for Warren Berger, John Kolp, Len Maniace, Gary Nickerson, and Anasa Scott are essential. Please mail your ballot today.