Letter from the Chair

helping cities address global warming

In the absence of federal leadership, local governments are taking the lead in addressing global warming by improving energy efficiency. The Sierra Club is helping that effort with its Cool Cities campaign, and we're doing our part in Dallas.

In March, 2005, after the Kyoto Protocol took effect without the participation of the U.S., Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels led a group of the nation's mayors in establishing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. As of June 9, 2006, 243 mayors, including Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, had signed the agreement, committing their cities to take action to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.

The national Sierra Club's Cool Cities campaign was launched in 2005 to encourage more cities to join the Mayors Agreement and to support city initiatives to reduce emissions of global warming gases through energy efficiency. The Club is advocating three policies:

1. Efficient transportation fleets: Cities should require new purchases for municipal auto fleets to be energy-efficient models.
2. Efficient buildings: New construction of city-owned buildings should be up to high efficiency standards, such as the US Green Building Council's LEED standard. Existing buildings should be retrofitted to improve energy efficiency. Municipal commercial and residential building codes should be revised to require greater energy efficiency.
3. Clean electricity: Cities should purchase electricity from the cleanest sources available and generate electricity from renewable sources.

The Dallas Group is building a Cool Cities advocacy team to bring this campaign to Dallas and surrounding cities. Our volunteers will focus on several areas:

1. Lobbying officials of cities that have not yet signed on to the Mayors agreement.
2. Providing support for city staffs to carry out initiatives to achieve their goals.
3. Carrying out public education to raise awareness and support for the cities' initiatives and to educate individuals about the energy-efficient choices they can make.

Our campaign will provide a range of opportunities for volunteers with widely varying expertise, skills, interests and time availability. If you want to participate, we will find the job that suits you.

Our campaign will need public speaking opportunities at churches, schools, and community organizations. If you know of someplace we can send a volunteer to speak – an adult Sunday School class, a PTA meeting, a homeowners' association meeting – please let us know.

Think globally, act locally. That's what we're doing in the Dallas Sierra Club.

Ann Drumm
Dallas Sierra Club Chair
214-350-6108
ann@dallassierraclub.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
The Cool Cities website is at:
www.coolcities.us

The home of the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement is at:
www.ci.seattle.wa.us/mayor/climate