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Spring is in the air

28, 2007

Dear Friends:  There’s a fresh wind blowing. A new season is upon us! Folks, I’m not talking just about the weather, I’m talking about climate change and energy policy. These are two very important issues for our children’s future, and there is a buzz about it.

You, too, can get in on the buzz, you can get involved: learn about climate change (aka global warming). Visit the Sierra Club public website for an intro: www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming, or for more, much more (this is where activists get informed), go online to the "Clubhouse." It’s open to all members, but you’ll need to get your password – sign up online at http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org. Tell others about what you learn, at the office, in church, while talking to your neighbor. Tell your government representatives what you think (write them a one page note – not a lot, nothing fancy, they mostly just count the letters in categories), what you want them to support – and help get elected to office candidates who would pursue wise energy policies for our town, our state, the nation.

On March 15, come to the Florida Energy Commission hearing at Jacksonville City Hall. Two sessions will all be open to the public for information and lots of comments during the afternoon and evening. I’ll be there and there’ll be a lot of good information exchanged – we’re gonna get the message across! – and you can help.

Also, you can get involved in the Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group. We are only our members. We’re volunteers who spend a little time, or for some of us, a lot of time, pursuing and sharing our love for our planet, the wonders of life upon it and the joy of being outdoors, in the world.

Remember, I say we’re volunteers, so think of helping to pitch in. We have lots of opportunities for members, really fun, nice people just like you, to help with an outing once this year, or enjoy an afternoon touching young minds with your Earth Day expression of life outdoors, or help change the world by supporting better growth management in Florida – let’s get the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment to the state constitution onto the ballot next year. We need to get 40,000-some signatures in our area in the next 12 months. Help our political committee get the signatures. See our website http://florida.sierraclub.org/northeast/issues and www.floridahometowndemocracy.com for details about this important proposed amendment.

We need member support for Group committees in all areas. Contact me or one of the committee chairs (see the list on page 2 of this newsletter) to ask about what a committee does, and what you might do to help. The mission of the Sierra Club is broad and many can carry the flag to great credit! You can write your own job description and put as much or as little time into many activities as you like. Look for just a few of our current opportunities to get involved on page 3.

With people’s involvement, we gain our strength. The Sierra Club is the largest, most influential and oldest environmental group there is. There are folks like you across the nation and in our community – and we’re a great bunch of fun people! When we speak, act, and share, people listen, others look up and take notice that the Sierra Club is walking the walk and talking the talk. You can help change the world. We can do so much good together.