<phred@SUNLIGHTDATA.COM>

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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