The Sierra Club is America's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization, with 1.3 million members.  Sierra Club's national network of activists are organized in regional Chapters and local Groups.  The 15,000 members in NYC are members of both SC NYC and SC Atlantic Chapter (NY State). 

SC NYC's ExCom election will take place on Friday, January 15, at 6 PM, at the SC National office on 1350 Broadway, 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10018.  Planning for 2010 programs and events will take place in January, February and thereafter.

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Click here to sign up for action alerts and NYC events.   Contact beyondoilnyc@yahoo.com for more information.   

Shifting From SC NYC Postal Newsletter to Facebook?

For quite some time we've put out quarterly newsletters.  Click here to read the full Fall 2009 newsletter.  It has some good articles on: painting roofs white to keep buildings cool and cut energy use; the Passive House standard for energy efficiency; efforts to add Gowanus Canal to the Superfund list; how there's much less coal than widely imagined.  However, there's been interest in a 2010 shift to electronic communications through a Facebook page.  More pixels, less paper. 


New Yorkers March Across Brooklyn Bridge as Part of Climate Change Actions with 350.org

In October, SC NYC members and other New Yorkers marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and rallied in Times Square as part of a worldwide effort to rally political will for strong climate change action. The international coalition 350.org will continue to bring together environmentalists around the world at events to showcase that 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide is the maximum safe upper limit to prevent catastrophic climate change - and we're already at 389 ppm.  To be informed about upcoming events, contact Stephanie Corrado at stephanie.corrado@gmail.com or 908.309.3986. To find out more click here. This winter, we'll explore what are next steps in our response as New Yorkers to climate change.

Get Ready to Paint Roofs White to Keep NYC Cool

How about some hands-on projects? On summer days, black tar roofs get very hot, raising demand for air conditioning. Gray aluminum paint keeps roofs cooler, but painting them white cuts energy use the most. The Bloomberg Administration kicked off a pilot program in fall 2009 to paint roofs white in Long Island City, Queens, and has asked Sierra Club to help recruit volunteers. Learn how to take the program to your neighborhood next.  Contact John L. Kolp at 212-400-8230 or jlkolp@yahoo.com.

Help Organize an Earth Day Event in Your Neighborhood

We'll be working with Earth Day New York and other green programs to build neighborhood sustainability networks like those on the Upper West Side, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Rego Park, or Flatbush.  Join existing teams or start your own. Contact Dan Miner at beyondoilnyc@yahoo.com or 917.319.2924. Click here for more information.  Earth Day events will lead to ongoing sustainability education programs in partnership with area civic groups - because after all, every day is Earth Day.

Preparing for Higher Energy Prices Can Boost Climate Change Response Efforts

Oil prices are low now, because of the economic contraction, but will go back up because of geological limits on fuel supplies.  The International Energy Agency warns of a oil supply crunch in the next few years, with world oil production peaking by 2020.  (Others say it will peak earlier.) San Francisco officials explain how their city can prepare in its just-released Peak Oil Task Force Report.  Portland, Oregon and Bloomington, Indian have excellent municipal reports.  Back in 2008, SC NYC's report, "Sustainable Energy Independence for NYC" called for City officials, as well as civic and business leaders, to address this issue, and explained how.  NYC officials should sieze the opportunity to integrate preparation for higher fuel prices with efforts to relocalize the economy, and respond to climate change. In fact, after the dissappointment of the Copenhagen talks, many observers say that local efforts are the most effective points at which climate change campaigns can intervene.