To: Atlantic Chapter Volunteers and Leaders
From: Dan Miner
Re: Sierra Club National Pardons SC NYC ExCom Members
Date: Feb. 21, 2011
Some of you received emails from me about the disputed SC New York City Group ExCom elections of December 2009, and August 2010, which I copy below. To recap briefly, I explained that SC National applied a double standard, when it promptly and strictly enforced the letter of the law for procedural flaws in the 2009 election, but ignored the campaign of fraud and libel orchestrated by Ken Baer and Jim Lane in the 2010 election, documented in a formal complaint. In this election the longtime governing faction of the virtually defunct NYC Group ExCom returned to full control. In sharp contrast to its earlier response, National ignored the complaint for months. They responded, perhaps coincidentally, soon after I sent out an unauthorized email, alerting a large number of members to the unresolved complaint.
Many recall that Sierra Club National tried to shut down the NYC Group about ten years ago, but was blocked by legal action from Mr. Lane. I suggested that National’s apparent unwillingness to act on flagrant violations of Club rules was because it feared being sued by Mr. Lane, and predicted “if you never hear of this matter from Sierra Club National, or the complaint is dismissed without explanation, you can assume my theory is accurate.” I did receive a letter from National with their final decision. I am sharing it with Atlantic Chapter leaders because I don’t know if National has shared its decision with anyone else, and because it’s clearly relevant to National’s heightened scrutiny of the Atlantic Chapter, announced here. Here follows National’s letter to me. You can read the original PDF of the letter here.
***
Mr. Miner:
We understand your recent decision as communicated to Robin Mann, to continue your activist efforts outside the Sierra Club. We sincerely wish you the all the best and hope that you find those other venues less frustrating. In light of your decision, we also trust that you will delete and make no further use of Sierra Club’s lists. Given all that has happened, we will not be taking further action on your request to remove Ken Baer, Jim Lane, Diane Buxbaum, Antuan Cannon, Edgar Freud Irene Van Slyke, Annie Wilson and Robert Adamski from leadership in the Club under Standing Rule 5.10.2 Termination of Membership or Suspension of Member Privileges.
The Standing Rule specifically gives us discretion not to act on requests that we believe should be dealt with more appropriately by other means. We are committed to work closely with the leadership of the Atlantic Chapter to address ongoing leader conflicts in New York City that have led to a circumstance of poor leadership behavior on the part of many, regrettably including yourself. We believe that working with chapter leadership will be a more effective alternative than acting serially on multiple leadership removal requests. We will keep the materials on file that you forwarded us about the situation and actions of leaders in New York City and appreciate your effort to compile it. This background is an important context and will inform our ongoing efforts with the Atlantic Chapter and the New York City Group.
Sincerely, Robin Mann, President
Michael Brune, Executive Director
Lane Boldman, Chair, Volunteer Leadership Committee
***
Let’s be clear that this is effectively a letter of pardon, issued from the highest level of Sierra Club. National implicitly admits that the current leaders of the NYC Group committed serious misconduct. National pointedly ignored the option of enforcing 5.10.2 only against Mr. Baer and Mr. Lane, who committed the violations, as opposed to their supporters, who were not directly involved, using that as a thin excuse to dismiss all charges. What can we learn from this? The handful of cronies who run the NYC Group ExCom are a national embarrassment to the Club. Besides having to resort to fraud and libel to retain their offices, they are still virtually inactive. A glance at their nearly empty website will show that I am still listed as the Group Chair. [Note: Gary Nickerson, who is singlehandedly maintaining the Group's newsletter and website, has updated it since then.]
From National’s perspective, this is okay. Sierra Club volunteer groups are often competent and effective. In the earlier email I included for comparison links to the LA and Chicago Groups. Many other Groups in the Chapter, even from smaller communities, are more active. But I think that what National wants from Groups and Chapters boils down to just two things. One is to provide compliant foot soldiers for National campaigns. The other is to support the narrative of a vast volunteer network in fundraising pitches to major donors. National is entirely comfortable with defunct, ineptly led volunteer groups that don’t cause complete disasters, and can be safely contained and ignored while National goes about its real business.
This pardon is an embarrassing course of action for National as well.When National says they will work closely with Atlantic Chapter leadership, I think it really means they are desperately hoping to avoid further embarrassment from that New York State volunteer leaders, and will monitor and contain them as much as necessary. As long as Chapter leaders don’t burn down the asylum, they will have a free rein. However, don’t expect increased National funding or staff – and do try to keep the obsession with rules and procedures in perspective.
Dan Minerwww.beyondoilnyc.org
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Waiting for National's program of supervision for Atlantic Chapter - 4/2011
This email was sent to the ExCom of the Atlantic Chapter, and to the public email contacts for all Atlantic Chapter groups, on April 30, 2011
Sierra Club National offered free consulting to Atlantic Chapter & Group leaders. Has anyone taken advantage of it?Often when a particular model of car has technical problems, the manufacturer offers replacement parts and services to all owners of that car. If the manufacturer of your car promised to give you a free 50,000 mile tune up – wouldn’t you sign up for it?
I’m writing to remind Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders that Sierra Club National made just such an offer last fall. In these times of budget cuts, you may want to take advantage of it.
As you may recall, in November 2010, Sierra Club National President Robin Mann wrote a letter to Atlantic (New York State) Chapter leaders, essentially putting the Chapter on probation. One cause was the NYC ExCom August 2010 election, won by a campaign of fraud and libel, in flagrant violation of the Club’s internal code of conduct. Although thoroughly documented, the complaints against Ken Baer and Jim Lane (with potential penalty of removal from leadership positions) were dismissed through a February 2011 letter of pardon from Robin Mann. Another cause were problems on the Chapter’s Political Committee.
National set a higher standard for Atlantic Chapter leaders, and offered support to make it happen
As Robin wrote: “The Board of Directors expects all of the chapters to participate in building and maintaining a vibrant grassroots organization that advances the Club's mission. As Chapter & Group leaders, you all have an obligation to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate…Due to these concerns, we have asked the Volunteer Leadership Advisory Committee and staff in the Office of Volunteer and Activist Services to offer support to the Atlantic Chapter to help address these concerns. Greg Casini will be the lead staff for this effort, which will continue until it is evident the following has occurred:
WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE:
+ A welcoming and respectful environment for all volunteers and staff
- No basis for requests to suspend or remove leaders
+ Sincere efforts to involve new volunteers in meaningful ways
- No reports of factionalism or cliquishness
+ Positive public relationships with elected officials and other community leaders
- No reports of behavior that harms the Club's reputation and effectiveness with public officials
+ Chairs fostering productive and satisfying teamwork for their committee members
- No angry resignations
+ ExCom elections viewed by all as fair- Complaint-free elections…”
The potential benefits for the Chapter and your Group
Those are all excellent goals that every Chapter leader should support. While some leaders might have been embarrassed or offended by this communication, it represents an opportunity that the Chapter and Groups should embrace wholeheartedly. Remember that Robin’s goals go beyond simply avoiding scandal and wrongdoing, but enhancing volunteer and committee activities and increasing people’s interest in being involved with the Club – and with your Group. Greg Casini is a master facilitator and trainer, and he’s been assigned by National to help Chapter leaders. Just imagine how Greg’s direct consultation with your Group ExCom could make your activities more successful! Why not reach out and use the support National has generously offered?
Okay, who wants a free 50,000 mile tune up?
First in line could be the NYC Group. With the volunteers who have run the NYC Group for decades firmly back in control, there’s no internal conflict - but they have fallen back into old habits. Instead of developing their own activities, the Group maintains the appearance of activity by co-sponsoring events organized by others, and promoting a slew of committees which exist in name only. Despite the efforts of one dedicated volunteer, who singlehandedly publishes the newsletter and maintains the Group’s online activity, the NYC Group is nearly defunct – just as it’s been for years. Why not make lemonade out of lemons and request Greg’s ongoing participation?
Remember, Robin assigned Greg to work with the Chapter “to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate.” Even if your Group has its own programs and active committees, and no history of violating Club rules and procedures, Greg can surely help get you to the next level.
Maybe this is already taking place...
Maybe Greg is already working with Chapter and Group leaders. Since I’m no longer on NYC Group or Chapter leader lists, I wouldn’t know. I hope this is the case and it’s working well for everyone. Perhaps this message is months late and very out of date. If that’s the case, sorry, never mind!
What if Greg has already been working with the Atlantic Chapter ExCom or Group ExComs, and you don’t know about it?In that case, all Chapter and Group leaders should be kept informed of this important project, which was after all, directly ordered by the Club’s National President. This way everyone can learn together and step up to National’s higher standard of performance.
Could it be that neither the Atlantic Chapter nor individual Group ExComs have been working with Greg and taking advantage of National assistance?
If not, both National and Chapter leaders should learn what happened, and reactivate this effort to build the effectiveness of the Atlantic Chapter and its Groups.
I can’t believe that Robin’s offer of National support was always intended as an empty promise – or a hollow threat – to prod the Atlantic Chapter to stop scandalizing and embarrassing National Sierra Club.
If this was so, it would indicate that National does not take the Atlantic Chapter seriously, and thinks a sternly worded threat of future supervision will discourage misbehavior. This would also indicate that National is not really concerned about Atlantic Chapter functioning, and wishes only to avoid embarrassment and maintain minimum membership donation levels while National pursues its own program goals. Could this very cynical analysis be accurate? Perhaps, but it is also likely that Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders have already disproved it with their actions.
I’m curious to know what happened. But as Chapter and Group leaders, you have a right to know the answers to these questions. Thanks for your time!
Dan Miner
Past Chair, Sierra Club NYC
volunteer, www.beyondoilnyc.org
Sierra Club National offered free consulting to Atlantic Chapter & Group leaders. Has anyone taken advantage of it?Often when a particular model of car has technical problems, the manufacturer offers replacement parts and services to all owners of that car. If the manufacturer of your car promised to give you a free 50,000 mile tune up – wouldn’t you sign up for it?
I’m writing to remind Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders that Sierra Club National made just such an offer last fall. In these times of budget cuts, you may want to take advantage of it.
As you may recall, in November 2010, Sierra Club National President Robin Mann wrote a letter to Atlantic (New York State) Chapter leaders, essentially putting the Chapter on probation. One cause was the NYC ExCom August 2010 election, won by a campaign of fraud and libel, in flagrant violation of the Club’s internal code of conduct. Although thoroughly documented, the complaints against Ken Baer and Jim Lane (with potential penalty of removal from leadership positions) were dismissed through a February 2011 letter of pardon from Robin Mann. Another cause were problems on the Chapter’s Political Committee.
National set a higher standard for Atlantic Chapter leaders, and offered support to make it happen
As Robin wrote: “The Board of Directors expects all of the chapters to participate in building and maintaining a vibrant grassroots organization that advances the Club's mission. As Chapter & Group leaders, you all have an obligation to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate…Due to these concerns, we have asked the Volunteer Leadership Advisory Committee and staff in the Office of Volunteer and Activist Services to offer support to the Atlantic Chapter to help address these concerns. Greg Casini will be the lead staff for this effort, which will continue until it is evident the following has occurred:
WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE:
+ A welcoming and respectful environment for all volunteers and staff
- No basis for requests to suspend or remove leaders
+ Sincere efforts to involve new volunteers in meaningful ways
- No reports of factionalism or cliquishness
+ Positive public relationships with elected officials and other community leaders
- No reports of behavior that harms the Club's reputation and effectiveness with public officials
+ Chairs fostering productive and satisfying teamwork for their committee members
- No angry resignations
+ ExCom elections viewed by all as fair- Complaint-free elections…”
The potential benefits for the Chapter and your Group
Those are all excellent goals that every Chapter leader should support. While some leaders might have been embarrassed or offended by this communication, it represents an opportunity that the Chapter and Groups should embrace wholeheartedly. Remember that Robin’s goals go beyond simply avoiding scandal and wrongdoing, but enhancing volunteer and committee activities and increasing people’s interest in being involved with the Club – and with your Group. Greg Casini is a master facilitator and trainer, and he’s been assigned by National to help Chapter leaders. Just imagine how Greg’s direct consultation with your Group ExCom could make your activities more successful! Why not reach out and use the support National has generously offered?
Okay, who wants a free 50,000 mile tune up?
First in line could be the NYC Group. With the volunteers who have run the NYC Group for decades firmly back in control, there’s no internal conflict - but they have fallen back into old habits. Instead of developing their own activities, the Group maintains the appearance of activity by co-sponsoring events organized by others, and promoting a slew of committees which exist in name only. Despite the efforts of one dedicated volunteer, who singlehandedly publishes the newsletter and maintains the Group’s online activity, the NYC Group is nearly defunct – just as it’s been for years. Why not make lemonade out of lemons and request Greg’s ongoing participation?
Remember, Robin assigned Greg to work with the Chapter “to protect the Club's name and reputation, ensure a safe and productive working environment for members and staff, and foster a Club in which people want to participate.” Even if your Group has its own programs and active committees, and no history of violating Club rules and procedures, Greg can surely help get you to the next level.
Maybe this is already taking place...
Maybe Greg is already working with Chapter and Group leaders. Since I’m no longer on NYC Group or Chapter leader lists, I wouldn’t know. I hope this is the case and it’s working well for everyone. Perhaps this message is months late and very out of date. If that’s the case, sorry, never mind!
What if Greg has already been working with the Atlantic Chapter ExCom or Group ExComs, and you don’t know about it?In that case, all Chapter and Group leaders should be kept informed of this important project, which was after all, directly ordered by the Club’s National President. This way everyone can learn together and step up to National’s higher standard of performance.
Could it be that neither the Atlantic Chapter nor individual Group ExComs have been working with Greg and taking advantage of National assistance?
If not, both National and Chapter leaders should learn what happened, and reactivate this effort to build the effectiveness of the Atlantic Chapter and its Groups.
I can’t believe that Robin’s offer of National support was always intended as an empty promise – or a hollow threat – to prod the Atlantic Chapter to stop scandalizing and embarrassing National Sierra Club.
If this was so, it would indicate that National does not take the Atlantic Chapter seriously, and thinks a sternly worded threat of future supervision will discourage misbehavior. This would also indicate that National is not really concerned about Atlantic Chapter functioning, and wishes only to avoid embarrassment and maintain minimum membership donation levels while National pursues its own program goals. Could this very cynical analysis be accurate? Perhaps, but it is also likely that Atlantic Chapter and Group leaders have already disproved it with their actions.
I’m curious to know what happened. But as Chapter and Group leaders, you have a right to know the answers to these questions. Thanks for your time!
Dan Miner
Past Chair, Sierra Club NYC
volunteer, www.beyondoilnyc.org
A history of the NYC ExCom's Dysfunction from 1990 to 2012
Environmentalists in New York City have a right to expect that the Sierra Club is a valuable resource and organizational platform for their efforts. However, they must be warned: because of long-standing patterns of dysfunction, hypocricy and cronyism, activists should avoid the SC NYC Group. Because the handful of volunteer officers-for-life who run that group dominate the Atlantic (New York State) Chapter, they are free to do as much or as little as they please, and ignore Sierra Club internal rules without accountability or fear of enforcement. Someday, if enough Sierra Club members and senior volunteer leaders get disgusted, the situation may change. For today, environmentalists and sustainability activists in NYC should avoid the Sierra Club.
Sierra Club’s NYC Group and the Atlantic Chapter
A history of dysfunction from 1990 to 2012
Dan Miner, volunteer, www.BeyondOilNYC.org
Some Sierra Club chapters and groups in large urban areas are amazingly dynamic. The Los Angeles Chapter is the oldest and largest chapter in the country, made up of 62 regional groups, activity sections and committees, with 46,000 members. That's a tough act for anyone to follow. For an example of a more modest success, look at Chicago. The Sierra Club Chicago Group has 8,500 members, who have networking and clean-up events, and actively campaign for the local, state and national candidates they endorse. In contrast, Sierra Club activities in NYC are about as far down the ladder of functionality as you can go.The NYC Group – dominated by a small clique of long time volunteers - do virtually nothing themselves, while controlling the use of the Sierra Club brand name in NYC. They do not organize activities on its own, and the committees they list are all inactive. The Group has had a contentious relationship with National at least since 1990, when the clique sued Sierra Club National to prevent its dissolution from violation of Club procedures. Prior to the last Mayoral election, this clique refused to endorse Mayor Bloomberg, which prevented either the Atlantic Chapter or the National Group from endorsing Mayor Bloomberg, despite his record of national leadership on urban sustainability. (The Atlantic Chapter is the New York State Chapter. The Chapter Executive Committee prefers to keep the anachronistic, confusing old name.)
The clique, led by Jim Lane and Ken Baer, includes Annie Wilson, Carl Arnold, Diane Buxbaum, Edgar Freud, Moisha Blechman, and Irene Van Slyke. Olive Freud, although removed from Club leadership positions, is certainly still involved. It used to include Margaret Young, who was also removed from Club leadership positions, and is no longer active. I’m not sure whether Frank Morris is a member of the clique or just an ally. Although nominally a member of the ExCom, Anasa Scott is not a member of the clique, and may not actually be active within the Group ExCom. The new ExCom Chair, Thelma Fellows, is not a member of the clique but will have little influence on the ExCom despite her title. She was certainly chosen by the ExCom as a figurehead to convey the impression of change within the Group.
I have volunteered to do more than my share to remedy this situation, serving on Sierra Club NYC Group’s executive committee, and as Group chair from 2008 – 2010. I got involved with the Club and the NYC Group around 2006. Since then, and almost certainly for many years before, the NYC Group has been minimally active. It has seemed to have the primary function of providing members of the clique with positions as Sierra Club volunteer officers for life. I and other Club members have observed over and over that new volunteers were discouraged by the chronic dysfunction of the clique. Active hostility to outsiders, innovation, and requests for accountability have been the standard pattern.
Here’s one example: Olive Freud was known for rambling diatribes within meetings, and would erupt into anger at minimal provocation. Conducting effective, sane meetings was virtually impossible, especially because her behavior was condoned by the rest of the clique. Olive verbally abused Margaret Bettencourt, an extremely skilled and energetic new volunteer, within an ExCom meeting, and Margaret left the group.
This led to a petition signed by a plurality of the ExCom to the National Board, which removed leadership privileges from Mrs. Freud. Reversing this sensible decision has since become a cause célèbre of the NYC Group and the Atlantic Chapter ExCom.
Efforts to re-energize the NYC Group with a change in leadership were blocked by the clique. In a recent series of elections for Group officers, members of the clique relied on fraud and libel, abundantly documented, to remove me and other would-be reformers from office. In my October 2010 complaint to National Club leaders, I listed the violations of Sierra Club rules and asked that the offenders be removed from office, as provided by Sierra Club Code of Conduct. The National Board had the opportunity to address the problem at its root, but instead chose to dismiss the complaint, issuing in November 2010, a stern letter of warning to Atlantic Chapter leaders. Predictably, this letter only convinced Atlantic Chapter leaders that they were beyond reach of National enforcement and censure.
Since then the underlying issue has not gone away. Members of the clique are in full control of the NYC Group, as well as substantial control of the New York State Chapter. Of the 30 members of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom, 7 are from the NYC Group.
Spring, 2012: The NYC Group ExCom continues to routinely disregards Sierra Club Standards of Conduct, and that the leaders of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom won’t even acknowledge this is a problem
Despite the election of Frank Morris and Thelma Fellows to the NYC ExCom, and the naming of Ms. Fellows to the position of Group Chair, the following correspondence will demonstrate that the culture of the ExCom remains the same. After working on solo volunteer projects during 2011, I recognized that renewing my organizing efforts through Sierra Club offered more opportunity to make a positive difference than working as an unaffiliated individual. I decided to put the past behind me. I proposed a program of conservation activities through the NYC Group ExCom, which as you recall, does not organize activities on its own. Nor does it have active committees. I offered to organize a series of community forums (see original at the bottom of this email) to increase participation in City sustainability programs – a stated goal of PlaNYC, the Bloomberg Administration’s long-term sustainability program – which would also lay the groundwork for subsequent events to promote the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, not yet visible in NYC. I made it clear that I was uninterested in any Club office and that I did not want a visible role in the forums or their promotion, preferring to work behind the scenes.
(While I thought that using the Sierra Club name to bring together neighbors and civic leaders to discuss community sustainability would be a win for everyone involved. Jim Lane disagreed. In his December 8 email, he expresses his reluctance to have any NYC Group activity that would give even the appearance of Sierra Club support of PlaNYC. It seems to be the position of the NYC ExCom to snub PlaNYC - which does not advance the national Sierra Club’s relationship with its major fiscal sponsor.)
The ExCom showed a complete lack of interest in discussing the merits of my conservation event proposal, and responded in public emails with surprising personal negativity. I believe that the email exchanges with the NYC Group ExCom, copied here, demonstrate ongoing, flagrant and serious violations of multiple Standards of Conduct. I forwarded the correspondence to Jeff Bohner, Atlantic Chapter Chair and Jessica Helm, Atlantic Chapter Conservation Chair, asked three times for an official Chapter response, and received none.
To be realistic, it was probably not an option for Jeff and Jessica to take the question of inappropriate behavior by the entire NYC Group ExCom to the Chapter ExCom for review. Remember, of the 30 members of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom, 7 are from the NYC Group. It is politically impossible for any objective review of NYC Group action to take place at the Chapter level. Chapter leaders are clearly unable and unwilling to request any higher standards of behavior or performance from the NYC Group. NYC Group leaders are confident that they can do anything they wish with complete impunity.
Click here to read my original correspondence with NYC ExCom leaders.
Really. Shouldn't someone in Sierra Club leadership be embarrassed by all this?
Monday, April 23, 2012
SC NYC ExCom slams door on volunteers - April 2012
This memo was sent to the leadership of the New York State (Atlantic) Chapter of the Sierra Club, to draw its attention to the continued resistance of the NYC Group ExCom to work with new volunteers. In addition to my own experience, I related how Thelma Fellows, the new Chair of the NYC ExCom, recruited Lisa DiCaprio, an NYU professor and an anti-fracking activist, to be the new energy committee chair, and brought her to an ExCom meeting. The rest of the ExCom members immediately voted Annie Wilson to that position, in front of Thelma and Lisa, so of course Lisa did not continue as a volunteer with Sierra Club. Given the long history of the clique that is permanently set as the NYC Group ExCom, it's unlikely that Thelma will be able to attract and retain other volunteers.
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom did not acknowledge or respond to the following memo, suggesting not only that the NYC Group is broken, and in breach of its fiduciary duty, but that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom itself is in breach of Sierra Club Code of Conduct, for failing to hold its leaders accountable. But there is more.
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom had removed Annie Wilson from her position as Chapter Energy Chair reportedly because she is very, very difficult to get along with. However, they also named Annie to be co-chair of the Chapter's new Beyond Coal Committee.
The Beyond Coal campaign is the leading National Sierra Club initiative to slow down climate change, which has received $50 million from the Bloomberg Foundation. It is most surprising that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom would put Annie Wilson as its point person for this important National initiative.
If the Atlantic Chapter ExCom is incapable of policing itself or its leadership, and is indifferent to contributing effective results as part of the National Sierra Club, then National should intervene. If National continues its traditional policy of sweeping the litany of embarrassing Atlantic Chapter incidents under the rug, the Club's funders should be notified.
***
From: Dan Miner
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:55 PM
To: jbohner@stny.rr.com; fm@ecologicadvisors.us; secretary@newyork.sierraclub.org; treasurer@newyork.sierraclub.org; compliance@newyork.sierraclub.org; financial@newyork.sierraclub.org; earthharmony@live.com; legaladvisor@newyork.sierraclub.org; lauffer.scott@GMAIL.COM; arthur.kuypers@gmail.com; membership@newyork.sierraclub.org; onlinemedia@newyork.sierraclub.org; wildplaces@verizon.net; jojogorski@aol.com; hungryhiker@aol.com; publications@newyork.sierraclub.org; halS205B@aol.com; nsk@bestweb.net; conservation@newyork.sierraclub.org; ahak.sierra@gmail.com; adirondacks@newyork.sierraclub.org; adirondacks2@newyork.sierraclub.org; airquality@newyork.sierraclub.org; airports@newyork.sierraclub.org; biodiversityveg@newyork.sierraclub.org; globalwarming@newyork.sierraclub.org; goshawk@frontiernet.net; cleanwater2@newyork.sierraclub.org; energy@newyork.sierraclub.org; environeducation@newyork.sierraclub.org; environjustice@newyork.sierraclub.org; farmandfood@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling2@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling3@newyork.sierraclub.org; greatlakes@newyork.sierraclub.org; hudsonriverpcb@newyork.sierraclub.org; international@newyork.sierraclub.org; population2@newyork.sierraclub.org; population@newyork.sierraclub.org; toxics@newyork.sierraclub.org; transportation@newyork.sierraclub.org; wetlands@newyork.sierraclub.org; wilds@newyork.sierraclub.org; solidwaste@newyork.sierraclub.org
Subject: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that slams the door on volunteers?
To: Atlantic Chapter ExCom
Re: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that repeatedly slams the door on volunteers?
That’s just not supposed to happen. The SC Standards of Conduct (see bottom of this email) clearly say that Club leaders have an obligation to create a welcoming environment for volunteers, avoid cliquishness, resolve differences, avoid factionalism and behavior that prolongs conflict.
I’ve had my differences with the NYC Group ExCom. After some time away, I hoped I could get more done within the Club than outside it, and I offered an olive branch. Last December, I offered to organize neighborhood meetings in NYC neighborhoods, bringing together City sustainability programs, neighborhood civic leaders and people with conservation concerns. I stated from the outset that I had no desire to serve as a Club officer, would work behind the scenes, and would invite Group officers to be the official points of contact and the hosts of the event. Since the NYC Group doesn’t have its own events or programs, it seemed my offer would fill a need, raise the profile of the Group, and might even recruit new volunteers.
After several follow-ups, Group officers finally replied: my proposal would not be considered unless I took down the virtually unknown website in which I chronicled my previous complaints about their actions, and then apologized for those criticisms. Besides requesting that I censor myself as a precondition to being able to volunteer with Sierra Club, the emails from the ExCom members had a common tone of personal animosity, were definitely not welcoming, reinforced a sense of insider vs. outsider, and sought to reignite a conflict that I had tried to end with my offer. I was disappointed that there was no response on the merits to a serious proposal.
My offer, and all the emails from the NYC Group, are posted online for your review. I believe that they demonstrate ongoing, flagrant and serious violations of multiple Standards of Conduct.
I forwarded the correspondence to Jeff Bohner, Atlantic Chapter Chair and Jessica Helm, Atlantic Chapter Conservation Chair, asked three times for an official Chapter response, and received none. I’m sure it’s politically difficult for Jeff and Jessica to take the question of inappropriate behavior by the entire NYC Group ExCom to the Chapter ExCom for review. 6 of the 30 members of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom are from the NYC Group. As their silence demonstrates, NYC Group leaders are justified in their confidence that they can do anything they wish with complete impunity.
This is not an isolated incident, but typical behavior of the NYC Group ExCom.
If I was the only person with this complaint about the Group, it could be legitimately dismissed as an isolated incident. However, it is not. Thelma Fellows, a new member of the ExCom, was recently elected Chair. She brought Lisa DiCaprio, an NYU professor and anti-fracking activist, to an ExCom meeting and proposed her as the energy committee chair. The majority of the ExCom instantly objected, and voted Annie Wilson into that position in Ms. DiCaprio’s presence – a slap in the face both to the new Group Chair and her recruit. Thelma Fellows told me that at ExCom meetings, she can’t get proposed agenda items discussed because ExCom members constantly argue amongst themselves, and Jim Lane keeps interrupting her with his view of proper parliamentary procedure. I believe that Thelma is Chair in name only and cannot affect the function of ExCom whose majority is a long-established faction. I am concerned that under these conditions (just as I encountered several years ago) any new volunteers will leave quickly, making any reform impossible, and perpetuating the faction’s control of the Group ExCom indefinitely.
Since the NYC Group ExCom continues to have no events, activities or programs, in one of the nation’s largest cities, it also seems to be in violation of standard (F): “Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.” I urge Chapter and Club leaders to ask Thelma for themselves, and investigate.
Atlantic Chapter Leaders are required by the Standards of Conduct to investigate
Chapter leaders may prefer to keep ignoring the matter, but as SR. 2.2.6 (ii) states, “(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.”
With this memo, the Atlantic Chapter ExCom has been put on notice that the NYC Group seems to be habitually and repeatedly flouting the Standards of Conduct. If the Chapter refuses to investigate and to hold Chapter leaders accountable to Club standards of conduct, Chapter leaders are themselves in violation of the Standards.
Sincerely,
Dan Miner
Sierra Club member
Queens, NYC
718.786.5300 x 27
dminer@licpartnership.org
SR. 2.2.6: Standards of Conduct
http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/policies/personnel/standards-of-conduct.pdf
(a) Affirmative Standards of Conduct
(i) Serving in an appointed to elected position of leadership is a privilege that can be lost either by ignoring the duty of loyalty expected of all Club leaders or by violating the following affirmative standards of conduct.
(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.
(A) Communicate and work together with common courtesy and collegial respect; disagree without being disagreeable.
(B) Create a welcoming environment for new members, visitors, guests, staff and volunteers. Avoid cliquishness, behavior that fosters an “insider” vs. “outsider” culture and language or behavior that offends others. Seek to welcome and engage people who reflect the diversity of the community.
(F) Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.
(G) Foster an open democratic decision-making process; respect decisions once they are made.
(H) When speaking of other Club leaders praise publicly, criticize privately and tactfully.
(I) Seek to resolve differences with other Club leaders, avoid factionalism and behavior that exacerbates or prolongs conflict.
(J) Respect the policies and procedures that have been established by and for members engaged in specific Club activities; when in doubt, ask.
Documentation of the history of Sierra Club NYC Group
National Sierra Club issues pardon to SC NYC ExCom - Feb. 2011
A top priority for SC NYC: the reinstatement of Olive Freud? – Jan. 2011
After National ignores its own rules, I try civil disobedience - Dec. 2010
SC National Puts NY State Chapter on Probation in Nov. 2010
Like failed states, there are failed Sierra Club Groups – Nov. 2010
Chicago has a highly functioning SC Group – why not NYC? – Sept. 2010
“Fraud in Sierra Club NYC August 2010 ExCom Election Violates SC Code of Conduct” – official complaint sent to Greg Casini – arbitrarily dismissed by SC National President Robin Mann
Documenting election fraud in the Dec. 2009 SC NYC Election – Sept. 2010
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom did not acknowledge or respond to the following memo, suggesting not only that the NYC Group is broken, and in breach of its fiduciary duty, but that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom itself is in breach of Sierra Club Code of Conduct, for failing to hold its leaders accountable. But there is more.
The Atlantic Chapter ExCom had removed Annie Wilson from her position as Chapter Energy Chair reportedly because she is very, very difficult to get along with. However, they also named Annie to be co-chair of the Chapter's new Beyond Coal Committee.
The Beyond Coal campaign is the leading National Sierra Club initiative to slow down climate change, which has received $50 million from the Bloomberg Foundation. It is most surprising that the Atlantic Chapter ExCom would put Annie Wilson as its point person for this important National initiative.
If the Atlantic Chapter ExCom is incapable of policing itself or its leadership, and is indifferent to contributing effective results as part of the National Sierra Club, then National should intervene. If National continues its traditional policy of sweeping the litany of embarrassing Atlantic Chapter incidents under the rug, the Club's funders should be notified.
***
From: Dan Miner
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:55 PM
To: jbohner@stny.rr.com; fm@ecologicadvisors.us; secretary@newyork.sierraclub.org; treasurer@newyork.sierraclub.org; compliance@newyork.sierraclub.org; financial@newyork.sierraclub.org; earthharmony@live.com; legaladvisor@newyork.sierraclub.org; lauffer.scott@GMAIL.COM; arthur.kuypers@gmail.com; membership@newyork.sierraclub.org; onlinemedia@newyork.sierraclub.org; wildplaces@verizon.net; jojogorski@aol.com; hungryhiker@aol.com; publications@newyork.sierraclub.org; halS205B@aol.com; nsk@bestweb.net; conservation@newyork.sierraclub.org; ahak.sierra@gmail.com; adirondacks@newyork.sierraclub.org; adirondacks2@newyork.sierraclub.org; airquality@newyork.sierraclub.org; airports@newyork.sierraclub.org; biodiversityveg@newyork.sierraclub.org; globalwarming@newyork.sierraclub.org; goshawk@frontiernet.net; cleanwater2@newyork.sierraclub.org; energy@newyork.sierraclub.org; environeducation@newyork.sierraclub.org; environjustice@newyork.sierraclub.org; farmandfood@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling2@newyork.sierraclub.org; gasdrilling3@newyork.sierraclub.org; greatlakes@newyork.sierraclub.org; hudsonriverpcb@newyork.sierraclub.org; international@newyork.sierraclub.org; population2@newyork.sierraclub.org; population@newyork.sierraclub.org; toxics@newyork.sierraclub.org; transportation@newyork.sierraclub.org; wetlands@newyork.sierraclub.org; wilds@newyork.sierraclub.org; solidwaste@newyork.sierraclub.org
Subject: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that slams the door on volunteers?
To: Atlantic Chapter ExCom
Re: Whoever heard of a Sierra Club Group that repeatedly slams the door on volunteers?
That’s just not supposed to happen. The SC Standards of Conduct (see bottom of this email) clearly say that Club leaders have an obligation to create a welcoming environment for volunteers, avoid cliquishness, resolve differences, avoid factionalism and behavior that prolongs conflict.
I’ve had my differences with the NYC Group ExCom. After some time away, I hoped I could get more done within the Club than outside it, and I offered an olive branch. Last December, I offered to organize neighborhood meetings in NYC neighborhoods, bringing together City sustainability programs, neighborhood civic leaders and people with conservation concerns. I stated from the outset that I had no desire to serve as a Club officer, would work behind the scenes, and would invite Group officers to be the official points of contact and the hosts of the event. Since the NYC Group doesn’t have its own events or programs, it seemed my offer would fill a need, raise the profile of the Group, and might even recruit new volunteers.
After several follow-ups, Group officers finally replied: my proposal would not be considered unless I took down the virtually unknown website in which I chronicled my previous complaints about their actions, and then apologized for those criticisms. Besides requesting that I censor myself as a precondition to being able to volunteer with Sierra Club, the emails from the ExCom members had a common tone of personal animosity, were definitely not welcoming, reinforced a sense of insider vs. outsider, and sought to reignite a conflict that I had tried to end with my offer. I was disappointed that there was no response on the merits to a serious proposal.
My offer, and all the emails from the NYC Group, are posted online for your review. I believe that they demonstrate ongoing, flagrant and serious violations of multiple Standards of Conduct.
I forwarded the correspondence to Jeff Bohner, Atlantic Chapter Chair and Jessica Helm, Atlantic Chapter Conservation Chair, asked three times for an official Chapter response, and received none. I’m sure it’s politically difficult for Jeff and Jessica to take the question of inappropriate behavior by the entire NYC Group ExCom to the Chapter ExCom for review. 6 of the 30 members of the Atlantic Chapter ExCom are from the NYC Group. As their silence demonstrates, NYC Group leaders are justified in their confidence that they can do anything they wish with complete impunity.
This is not an isolated incident, but typical behavior of the NYC Group ExCom.
If I was the only person with this complaint about the Group, it could be legitimately dismissed as an isolated incident. However, it is not. Thelma Fellows, a new member of the ExCom, was recently elected Chair. She brought Lisa DiCaprio, an NYU professor and anti-fracking activist, to an ExCom meeting and proposed her as the energy committee chair. The majority of the ExCom instantly objected, and voted Annie Wilson into that position in Ms. DiCaprio’s presence – a slap in the face both to the new Group Chair and her recruit. Thelma Fellows told me that at ExCom meetings, she can’t get proposed agenda items discussed because ExCom members constantly argue amongst themselves, and Jim Lane keeps interrupting her with his view of proper parliamentary procedure. I believe that Thelma is Chair in name only and cannot affect the function of ExCom whose majority is a long-established faction. I am concerned that under these conditions (just as I encountered several years ago) any new volunteers will leave quickly, making any reform impossible, and perpetuating the faction’s control of the Group ExCom indefinitely.
Since the NYC Group ExCom continues to have no events, activities or programs, in one of the nation’s largest cities, it also seems to be in violation of standard (F): “Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.” I urge Chapter and Club leaders to ask Thelma for themselves, and investigate.
Atlantic Chapter Leaders are required by the Standards of Conduct to investigate
Chapter leaders may prefer to keep ignoring the matter, but as SR. 2.2.6 (ii) states, “(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.”
With this memo, the Atlantic Chapter ExCom has been put on notice that the NYC Group seems to be habitually and repeatedly flouting the Standards of Conduct. If the Chapter refuses to investigate and to hold Chapter leaders accountable to Club standards of conduct, Chapter leaders are themselves in violation of the Standards.
Sincerely,
Dan Miner
Sierra Club member
Queens, NYC
718.786.5300 x 27
dminer@licpartnership.org
SR. 2.2.6: Standards of Conduct
http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/administration/policies/personnel/standards-of-conduct.pdf
(a) Affirmative Standards of Conduct
(i) Serving in an appointed to elected position of leadership is a privilege that can be lost either by ignoring the duty of loyalty expected of all Club leaders or by violating the following affirmative standards of conduct.
(ii) Club leaders have an obligation to meet the following affirmative standards of conduct, and to hold other leaders accountable to them as well, in all Club interactions with others, including in person, in writing, on email, or on the phone.
(A) Communicate and work together with common courtesy and collegial respect; disagree without being disagreeable.
(B) Create a welcoming environment for new members, visitors, guests, staff and volunteers. Avoid cliquishness, behavior that fosters an “insider” vs. “outsider” culture and language or behavior that offends others. Seek to welcome and engage people who reflect the diversity of the community.
(F) Use Club resources wisely and in keeping with the fiduciary responsibility of all leaders.
(G) Foster an open democratic decision-making process; respect decisions once they are made.
(H) When speaking of other Club leaders praise publicly, criticize privately and tactfully.
(I) Seek to resolve differences with other Club leaders, avoid factionalism and behavior that exacerbates or prolongs conflict.
(J) Respect the policies and procedures that have been established by and for members engaged in specific Club activities; when in doubt, ask.
Documentation of the history of Sierra Club NYC Group
National Sierra Club issues pardon to SC NYC ExCom - Feb. 2011
A top priority for SC NYC: the reinstatement of Olive Freud? – Jan. 2011
After National ignores its own rules, I try civil disobedience - Dec. 2010
SC National Puts NY State Chapter on Probation in Nov. 2010
Like failed states, there are failed Sierra Club Groups – Nov. 2010
Chicago has a highly functioning SC Group – why not NYC? – Sept. 2010
“Fraud in Sierra Club NYC August 2010 ExCom Election Violates SC Code of Conduct” – official complaint sent to Greg Casini – arbitrarily dismissed by SC National President Robin Mann
Documenting election fraud in the Dec. 2009 SC NYC Election – Sept. 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Chicago's Sierra Club Local Volunteer Group - A Shining Example
Sierra Club, the nation's largest environmental organization, owes its reputation in part to its networks of volunteer members. Those networks are divided into regional or state chapters, which are in further divided into subregional groups. The New York State Chapter, whose leaders prefer the anachronistic name of the Atlantic Chapter, contains 11 regional groups, one of which is the NYC Group.
Some chapters and groups, especially in large urban areas, are amazingly dynamic. Here's a statement from a leader of the Los Angeles area network.
"The Angeles Chapter, which covers both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, is the oldest and largest chapter in the country. We are currently planning our Centennial 1911-2011. The Chapter is comprised of 62 separate entities which is a combination of regional groups, activity sections, task forces and committees. The Angeles Chapter has a membership of approximately 46,000 people, of which 8-10,000 actively participate in our outings (of which we have over 6,000 per year), our political advocacy and our conservation efforts which include our Water Committee, Transportation Committee and Global Warming and Energy Committee just to name a few…." - Ron Silverman, ron.silverman@sierraclub.org
Chicago is an urban center comparable to NYC, right? The chair of Sierra Club's Chicago Group sent an article, originally for printing in the NYC Group newsletter, to tell New Yorkers what they are up to. Briefly, they maintain a volume of activity on a vast scope of issues and programs that is completely unlike what we have in New York City. What's the difference? Purely and simply, it's about the quality and competence of volunteer leadership. Read what they're doing in Chicago...
***
By Christine Williamson
Chair, Chicago Group of the Sierra Club
The Chicago Group of the Sierra Club is having one of its busiest years ever as we fight to shutter coal-fired power plants in the city, battle the spread of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan and spread the word about the impacts of global warming on wildlife, plants and people.
Our group has about 8,500 members spread across a wide geographic area. Our territory encompasses the city of Chicago and suburbs south of the city to the Indiana border, north to the next county and extends about 20 miles west of the city. Our territory includes intensely populated inner city business and residential areas, a narrow green band 20 miles long of parks along Lake Michigan, many large and small neighborhood parks and open spaces, industrial areas and typical suburban landscapes.
Our issues are varied and so are the activities of the group. We have a fairly small Executive Committee and like many Sierra Club groups, that cadre of core activists does much of the priority setting, planning and executing for the much wider group.
But we’ve made a concerted effort to reach out to our members through monthly electronic newsletters and a well-maintained web site. We only publish a print newsletter once per year. We also advertise many of our events on Facebook, Meet-up, in print and electronic versions of local newspapers, many core activists blog regularly about their work and some of our younger members have very strong “viral” networks of friends and acquaintances that they prevail upon to come to events and work days.
We also are very fortunate because the Illinois Chapter office is located in Chicago and it is well-staffed with both state and national conservation organizers. Chicago Group works closely with all of the staff in the office on various political, lobbying, fundraising and conservation issues. Our chapter staffers, for example, are coordinating with other Great Lakes states on the Asian Carp issue and our members respond eagerly to action alerts that ask them to contact the federal legislators to take action to control the spread of this voracious non-native fish.
One of our most important campaigns this year is in support of an ordinance that’s been introduced into the Chicago City Council called the Chicago Clean Power ordinance. You may have read about this issue recently in a story in the New York Times, which suggested that the plan to clean up or close the city’s dirty coal-fired power plants may prove to be a good model for other cities.
The ordinance is stuck in committee right now and Mayor Richard M. Daley has not expressed support for the ordinance. But with the help of national clean energy staffers, Chicago Group’s Air and Energy Committee members are reaching out to their city council representatives, known as aldermen here, to try to gain more support for the ordinance. Using the person-by-person organizing approach of the Obama presidential campaign, our members and those of our coalition partners are gathering friends, family and neighbors together to learn about the ordinance and then setting out to lobby their aldermen.
The goal of closing or cleaning up Chicago’s coal-fired power plants has been a priority for about six years now. It might take more time to make it a reality, but the issue has proven to be a powerful rallying point for our members.
Chicago Group also works on park and public land use issues and one of the ways we find more volunteers for this work is through the adoption of Chicago’s largest beach, Montrose Beach. We hold beach clean-ups monthly from April through September and also help the land stewards of the bird sanctuaries at Montrose with habitat restoration work. We typically have about 100 people attend our April Earth Day beach sweep and about 400, including many local school groups, attend our September event, which is part of International Coastal Clean-up day. The international event is sponsored by the Ocean Alliance and 2010 is the event’s 25th anniversary. We expect an even bigger crowd this year and have struck partnerships with Whole Foods to provide snacks for the workers, with REI, local coffee shops, hardware stores for supplies, and a host of other supporters.
Chicago Group is very active politically and we endorse environmental champions on the local, county, state and federal level in every election. For the February primary elections this year, we endorsed more than 20 candidates. We also work hard to get our champions elected and have made a big difference in hotly contested races by getting our members out on the streets to hand out campaign literature and on phone banks to talk to other Sierrans about the importance of voting for environmentally responsible candidates.
Most importantly, we have fun in doing all of these activities. We love to feed people and Sierrans love to eat and one way we combined the food focus with good environmentalism is to hold “service parties” in the Illinois Chapter office. There is always something to be done, from addressing thank you letters to donors, to data entry and carpentry. One year, we cleaned out and completely reorganized the chapter’s cluttered storage area. Our staff was amazed on Monday when they saw the efficient new storage scheme and could actually find everything they were looking for.
The party ends with a dessert pot luck and wine and lots of social interaction! But innovation often happens spontaneously. Last December, one Sierran stopped at a tiny family-owned Mexican restaurant on her way over and picked up tamales. They disappeared in minutes and members insisted that we make it an “appetizer and dessert” potluck this year. There’s no way to say no to that demand!
Chicago Group also has had an active outings program for many years which takes members on outdoor adventures all over the city, the state and the Midwest. Our Inner City Outings program that takes underprivileged kids out into nature also is thriving. In fact, our ICO kids are among the best workers we have at our Montrose Beach sweeps and some repeat attendees will become trainers for new kids this September.
Our philosophy with outings for kids and adults is that if you can help people experience nature in a positive way in a wonderful place, they will become advocates not only for “real” wilderness, but also for the wild corners of the city (we have an unbelievable wildlife population in this city!).
And last, but not least, the demand for social connections remains very strong within Chicago Group of the Sierra Club. Our Social Committee hosts monthly dinners, bar nights, neighborhood walks, movie nights and book discussion groups. Environmentalists want to hang out with each other. We don’t fight it: we embrace it and provide the opportunities.
Sometimes it seems that as environmentalists, Sierrans have such deadly serious work to do. If we don’t get those coal-fired power plants cleaned up or closed, more people with asthma could die or suffer with ill health. Asian Carp could decimate Lake Michigan’s eco-system if they reach the lake through various rivers and canals. If the BP plant just south of the Indiana border emits any more pollutants into Lake Michigan, our water supply may be compromised and the underwater eco-system once again will suffer.
But unless our members, potential members and supporters have fun with each other and feel like they’ve accomplished something important, we won’t see them at another event or they won’t act on an action alert we email to them. So our goal always is to provide a high quality experience that’s very well-organized and that’s as much as it can be.
Some chapters and groups, especially in large urban areas, are amazingly dynamic. Here's a statement from a leader of the Los Angeles area network.
"The Angeles Chapter, which covers both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, is the oldest and largest chapter in the country. We are currently planning our Centennial 1911-2011. The Chapter is comprised of 62 separate entities which is a combination of regional groups, activity sections, task forces and committees. The Angeles Chapter has a membership of approximately 46,000 people, of which 8-10,000 actively participate in our outings (of which we have over 6,000 per year), our political advocacy and our conservation efforts which include our Water Committee, Transportation Committee and Global Warming and Energy Committee just to name a few…." - Ron Silverman, ron.silverman@sierraclub.org
Chicago is an urban center comparable to NYC, right? The chair of Sierra Club's Chicago Group sent an article, originally for printing in the NYC Group newsletter, to tell New Yorkers what they are up to. Briefly, they maintain a volume of activity on a vast scope of issues and programs that is completely unlike what we have in New York City. What's the difference? Purely and simply, it's about the quality and competence of volunteer leadership. Read what they're doing in Chicago...
***
By Christine Williamson
Chair, Chicago Group of the Sierra Club
The Chicago Group of the Sierra Club is having one of its busiest years ever as we fight to shutter coal-fired power plants in the city, battle the spread of Asian Carp into Lake Michigan and spread the word about the impacts of global warming on wildlife, plants and people.
Our group has about 8,500 members spread across a wide geographic area. Our territory encompasses the city of Chicago and suburbs south of the city to the Indiana border, north to the next county and extends about 20 miles west of the city. Our territory includes intensely populated inner city business and residential areas, a narrow green band 20 miles long of parks along Lake Michigan, many large and small neighborhood parks and open spaces, industrial areas and typical suburban landscapes.
Our issues are varied and so are the activities of the group. We have a fairly small Executive Committee and like many Sierra Club groups, that cadre of core activists does much of the priority setting, planning and executing for the much wider group.
But we’ve made a concerted effort to reach out to our members through monthly electronic newsletters and a well-maintained web site. We only publish a print newsletter once per year. We also advertise many of our events on Facebook, Meet-up, in print and electronic versions of local newspapers, many core activists blog regularly about their work and some of our younger members have very strong “viral” networks of friends and acquaintances that they prevail upon to come to events and work days.
We also are very fortunate because the Illinois Chapter office is located in Chicago and it is well-staffed with both state and national conservation organizers. Chicago Group works closely with all of the staff in the office on various political, lobbying, fundraising and conservation issues. Our chapter staffers, for example, are coordinating with other Great Lakes states on the Asian Carp issue and our members respond eagerly to action alerts that ask them to contact the federal legislators to take action to control the spread of this voracious non-native fish.
One of our most important campaigns this year is in support of an ordinance that’s been introduced into the Chicago City Council called the Chicago Clean Power ordinance. You may have read about this issue recently in a story in the New York Times, which suggested that the plan to clean up or close the city’s dirty coal-fired power plants may prove to be a good model for other cities.
The ordinance is stuck in committee right now and Mayor Richard M. Daley has not expressed support for the ordinance. But with the help of national clean energy staffers, Chicago Group’s Air and Energy Committee members are reaching out to their city council representatives, known as aldermen here, to try to gain more support for the ordinance. Using the person-by-person organizing approach of the Obama presidential campaign, our members and those of our coalition partners are gathering friends, family and neighbors together to learn about the ordinance and then setting out to lobby their aldermen.
The goal of closing or cleaning up Chicago’s coal-fired power plants has been a priority for about six years now. It might take more time to make it a reality, but the issue has proven to be a powerful rallying point for our members.
Chicago Group also works on park and public land use issues and one of the ways we find more volunteers for this work is through the adoption of Chicago’s largest beach, Montrose Beach. We hold beach clean-ups monthly from April through September and also help the land stewards of the bird sanctuaries at Montrose with habitat restoration work. We typically have about 100 people attend our April Earth Day beach sweep and about 400, including many local school groups, attend our September event, which is part of International Coastal Clean-up day. The international event is sponsored by the Ocean Alliance and 2010 is the event’s 25th anniversary. We expect an even bigger crowd this year and have struck partnerships with Whole Foods to provide snacks for the workers, with REI, local coffee shops, hardware stores for supplies, and a host of other supporters.
Chicago Group is very active politically and we endorse environmental champions on the local, county, state and federal level in every election. For the February primary elections this year, we endorsed more than 20 candidates. We also work hard to get our champions elected and have made a big difference in hotly contested races by getting our members out on the streets to hand out campaign literature and on phone banks to talk to other Sierrans about the importance of voting for environmentally responsible candidates.
Most importantly, we have fun in doing all of these activities. We love to feed people and Sierrans love to eat and one way we combined the food focus with good environmentalism is to hold “service parties” in the Illinois Chapter office. There is always something to be done, from addressing thank you letters to donors, to data entry and carpentry. One year, we cleaned out and completely reorganized the chapter’s cluttered storage area. Our staff was amazed on Monday when they saw the efficient new storage scheme and could actually find everything they were looking for.
The party ends with a dessert pot luck and wine and lots of social interaction! But innovation often happens spontaneously. Last December, one Sierran stopped at a tiny family-owned Mexican restaurant on her way over and picked up tamales. They disappeared in minutes and members insisted that we make it an “appetizer and dessert” potluck this year. There’s no way to say no to that demand!
Chicago Group also has had an active outings program for many years which takes members on outdoor adventures all over the city, the state and the Midwest. Our Inner City Outings program that takes underprivileged kids out into nature also is thriving. In fact, our ICO kids are among the best workers we have at our Montrose Beach sweeps and some repeat attendees will become trainers for new kids this September.
Our philosophy with outings for kids and adults is that if you can help people experience nature in a positive way in a wonderful place, they will become advocates not only for “real” wilderness, but also for the wild corners of the city (we have an unbelievable wildlife population in this city!).
And last, but not least, the demand for social connections remains very strong within Chicago Group of the Sierra Club. Our Social Committee hosts monthly dinners, bar nights, neighborhood walks, movie nights and book discussion groups. Environmentalists want to hang out with each other. We don’t fight it: we embrace it and provide the opportunities.
Sometimes it seems that as environmentalists, Sierrans have such deadly serious work to do. If we don’t get those coal-fired power plants cleaned up or closed, more people with asthma could die or suffer with ill health. Asian Carp could decimate Lake Michigan’s eco-system if they reach the lake through various rivers and canals. If the BP plant just south of the Indiana border emits any more pollutants into Lake Michigan, our water supply may be compromised and the underwater eco-system once again will suffer.
But unless our members, potential members and supporters have fun with each other and feel like they’ve accomplished something important, we won’t see them at another event or they won’t act on an action alert we email to them. So our goal always is to provide a high quality experience that’s very well-organized and that’s as much as it can be.
Friday, July 9, 2010
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.
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.
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