Jim Sconyers
jim_scon@yahoo.com
304.906.6628
Remember: Mother Nature bats last.
--- On Fri, 3/13/09, Fred Heutte phred@SUNLIGHTDATA.COM wrote: From: Fred Heutte phred@SUNLIGHTDATA.COM Subject: drafts for two new Activist Network Teams: comments and core team nominations welcome To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Date: Friday, March 13, 2009, 4:29 AM
Dear all,
We're now ready to move forward in setting up teams in the Activist Network to cover the broad issues of global warming and energy.
After our conference call last month (thanks for all the great discussion) and a lot of consultation we are proposing not one but two new Activist Network teams:
* Clean Technology Team
The Clean Tech Team will primarily focus on technical assessment and presentation on important issues of interest to the Club and especially chapters, national campaigns and other teams.
* Energy Chairs Team
The Energy Chairs Team will help coordinate work at the chapter level and provide links and a voice to energy chairs and other volunteers at the national level.
These are not mutually exclusive and will be able to coordinate their work. See below for further details.
Each Team will have a core of 6 to 10 members who are responsible for team planning and oversight.
Please nominate yourself or others if interested in being part of a core team -- we'll accept nominations received by next Monday, March 16 to phred@sunlightdata.com, with a short note indicating your interest and background and the team you are interested in.
Further core team appointments may come later. We thank the CNRCC for their nominations which have already been received.
Final recommendations will be made to the Activist Network Support Team when we submit the team charges next week.
If you have questions or comments, please send them asap.
regards,
Fred
on behalf of Global Warming & Energy Committee and members of the former Smart Energy Solutions CIC
================================================== Proposals for Clean Tech Team and Energy Chairs Team
Drafts below as of: March 12, 2009 Will be finalized: March 16, 2009
Core team members (about 6 to 10) will be responsible for team planning and management. You do not need to be a member of the core team to participate in the team. Broad participation is strongly encouraged.
Please send additional core team nominations to phred@sunlightdata.com by Monday, March 16
================================================== DRAFT A: Clean Technology Team
1. What is your team's goal?
The goal of the Clean Technology Team is:
To broaden understanding of key technology opportunities and issues to create a sustainable, equitable and clean energy system and reduce the risks of climate change.
2. What is your team's purpose?
* To inform Club activists, members, entities and the public with accurate and accessible information about important energy technology opportunities and issues.
* To draw on the experience and knowledge of Club volunteers and staff alike to develop a full understanding of key energy technology issues.
3. What is the scope of your team's work? Regional? National?
The scope of the team’s work is national and, in fact, international in that energy technology development, opportunities and problems occur globally, but the emphasis will be on technologies and issues directly affecting the US.
The team can respond to requests for assessments from the National Board as well as setting out its own research agenda, and will coordinate with the national campaigns and other Club entities, including the Energy Chairs Team.
4. What have you accomplished in 2008 and in the past few years?
The immediate predecessor of this team was the Global Warming & Energy Committee. In addition to developing the Energy Resources Policy in 2006, which covered a complete spectrum of energy technologies, GWE also developed or participated in the Wind Resource Guidance, the national policy on Carbon Markets, CFL Guidelines, Biomass Guidance, the forthcoming Landfill-Gas-to-Energy policy, and consultations on numerous other issues involving technical and policy assessments.
5. What are you going to be working on in 2009?
The first task will be setting a research agenda by identifying technologies and issues of interest, and selecting an initial set for study and reporting based on immediacy, impact and the availability of interest and expertise.
6. How can volunteers get involved?
Tasks/opportunities for new volunteers:
Provide questions on energy technologies that arise from work at the chapter or other level and would help advance that work. Identify local experts to assist with team assessment efforts. Distribute assessment results locally to inform Club members, the public and decision-makers about key energy opportunities and issues.
Tasks/opportunities for experienced volunteers:
Provide access to the team for new volunteers and general members. Help shape the research agenda and priorities. Provide own technical knowledge and experience. Distribute results widely through all available Club communication methods and entities.
Tasks/opportunities for leaders:
Organize and manage the team. Insure access and accountability to chapter and other volunteers, other Club entities, the Activist Network Support Team and the National Board. Set a research agenda, assign subteams and tasks, and shape reports and other outcomes. Establish a budget and seek funding. Seek assistance from outside scientists and other professionals, and links to outside technical groups and organizations.
7. What resources does your team want to share and/or develop?
Driven by needs expressed by other Club entities, particularly chapters, campaigns and the National Board.
8. Who is on your core team?
Core team members are:
Paul Craig, CA David Reister, TN Dick Ball, VA Dick Fiddler, WA [others TBA, please send nominations to phred@sunlightdata.com by Monday, March 16]
9. Notes and Questions
==================================================
DRAFT B: Energy Chairs Team
1. What is your team's goal?
The goal of the Energy Chairs Team is:
To strengthen chapter energy and global warming research, education, activism and organizing and contribute to the Sierra Club’s overall effort to create a sustainable, equitable and clean energy system and reduce the risks of climate change.
2. What is your team's purpose?
* To assist chapter Energy Chairs by providing information, access to expertise, a sounding board and a communications path to coordinate efforts across chapters.
* To give Energy Chairs an arena to discuss issues and communicate views and concerns to other Club entities including the National Board, chapters, national campaigns and other Activist Network teams.
* To provide a venue for other Club volunteers and staff to interact with and provide assistance to Energy Chairs.
3. What is the scope of your team's work? Regional? National?
The scope of the team’s work is national but organized to focus on chapter level activities.
4. What have you accomplished in 2008 and in the past few years?
The predecessors of this team were the Global Warming & Energy Committee (GWE) and Smart Energy Solutions Conservation Initiative Committee (SESCIC). Those national committees provided information, funded specific projects and in other ways assisted chapter energy and global warming efforts. GWE launched the Energy Chairs Task Force to gain advice on these issues, and established the Energy Chairs listserv which continues to function. SESCIC provided funding and technical assistance for many chapter energy and global warming related projects in 2005-2008.
5. What are you going to be working on in 2009?
To be determined. Initial efforts will focus on organizing the team and setting an initial agenda of topics to consider that would assist chapter energy and global warming efforts. Some work can be coordinated with the Energy Technology Team.
6. How can volunteers get involved?
Tasks/opportunities for new volunteers:
Provide questions on energy issues that arise from work at the chapter level and would help advance that work. Learn about key energy and global warming issues, policies and technologies. Identify local experts to assist with team efforts. Assist Energy Chairs in working with chapters to disseminate information and resources. Team involvement can be a ladder of engagement for new volunteers to become Energy Chairs in their chapters.
Tasks/opportunities for experienced volunteers:
Many experienced volunteers will be Energy Chairs or serve similar chapter functions. Provide access to the team for new volunteers and general members. Help shape the team agenda and priorities. Provide own technical knowledge and experience. Distribute results widely through all available Club communication methods and entities. Help develop and shape chapter energy and global warming efforts.
Tasks/opportunities for leaders:
Organize and manage the team. Insure access and accountability to chapter and other volunteers, other Club entities, the Activist Network Support Team and the National Board. Set an agenda, assign subteams and tasks, and shape reports and other outcomes. Establish a budget and seek funding. Seek assistance from other Club entities, including the Energy Technology Team. Coordinate with other areas of the Club working on forest, lands, transportation, environmental justice, fair trade, public involvement and governance issues.
7. What resources does your team want to share and/or develop?
Driven by needs expressed by Energy Chairs and by other Club entities, particularly chapters.
8. Who is on your core team?
Core team members are:
Joan Saxe, ME Wallace McMullen, KY [others TBA, please send nominations to phred@sunlightdata.com by Monday, March 16]
9. Notes and Questions
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