Hi all,
A huge thank you to everyone who showed up at the meeting tonight. I’m psyched about continuing to work with all of you over the next few months.
Attached are the meeting minutes (also pasted below) and a picture of our “tasks” white-board brainstorm. Thanks to Kim and Jackie for taking notes during the meeting!
And now, WE NEED YOUR HELP. Below is a link to a spreadsheet with a list of the tasks we brainstormed that have to be accomplished. Please SIGN-UP anywhere you can help out. And get your friends to volunteer too. Also feel free to add/modify any tasks.
There is also a second tab on the spreadsheet where you can add your contact info, so committee members will be able to contact each other. Please add your contact info (only people with this link will be able to access the spreadsheet).
Best,
Emily
Lead Organizer, Act New Haven and 350 Connecticut
Moving Planet, Meeting #3 Notes
Attending: Maria Tupper, Kim Stoner, Arturo Jaris Watts from Fairfield University, Colin Bennett from Great Land Conservation Trust, Terry O’Brien from Fairfield, Justin Haaheim, 5 people from New England Climate Summer, Rachel, Emily, Diane Lentakis, Paul Bruner, Paul Hammer, Melinda Tuhus, Aaron Goode, Nate Bixby
Introductions:
Climate Summer – Community Organizing around getting away from fossil fuels with all kinds of organizations – non-profit, state, community, land trusts
Name, home, why you care
Arturo – Fairfield – cares about being resourceful and frugal
Terry – Fairfield and New Jersey, grew up on the beach, wants to keep childhood for future generations
Colin – Connecticut – no other choice
Kim – Cheshire – essential to take care of the earth before it is destroyed
Rachel – Wellington, FL and New Haven – we could do better, and we might as well
Emily – New Haven – we are rapidly approaching the point where we can’t make a better tomorrow, so we better do it now.
Justin – New Haven – because we are rapidly approaching a turning point, and much will be lost if we don’t move now
Tara – Long Island – from Climate Summer – can’t think of anything better to do
Ellie – Watkins Glen – our job to protect the planet
Jackie – Singapore and Providence – Waste bothers me – wants to build a future not characterized by waste
Melinda – New Haven and Hamden – wants a better world for grandchildren
Louisa – Providence – how we treat the planet is tied in to how we interact with each other
Julia -Hamilton, out side of Boston – effects of fossil fuel burning often burdens those not using fossil fuel
Maria – New Haven – has devoted a lot of time over the last few years to these issues
Paul Hammer – New Haven – because father told him to. We can get it done this time.
Diane – Connecticut, originally NY – doesn’t think we have enough time – this will affect our generation, not just future
Paul Bruner – Philadelphia, Atlanta, now CT – we have only one planet, and it is finite.
Nate – Westville, New Haven, CT, US, Planet Earth – care about planet because it’s part of being whole
Aaron – Quinnipiac Bioregion – essential for us as humans to lead lives of dignity.
Colin talked about the person getting sentenced today for bidding on an oil lease facing up to 10 years in prison and $250K fine.
Ground rules –
Be respectful and constructive. No negative comments. Stay on topic. We are all responsible for respecting rules. Everyone should get an opportunity to speak.
A
Agenda:
Talk about where we are – great coalition forming, a sense of what our event is.
Timeline
Next steps
People will come together for a better future and planet. In New Haven, to show our strength. We will get moving.
Coalition building!
Clean Energy Fund is putting up money for 50 towns to promote this event.
Morning –
Bike rides
Afternoon-
Gardening, Fixing Bikes, more bike rides
Evening – people coming from across the state – we aren’t sure how (bike, train, foot, carpool)
Goal – community support, show our strength
We will deal with issues about using fossil fuels for transportation.
Movie screening – in process of getting permit for Green – people showing movies on the Green now are on board.
Movie to be chosen – No Impact Man, Wall-E, On My Own Two Wheels, other possible choices
Elevator speech – Communities and people coming together for a healthier planet and a brighter future.
The more groups we add, the more there is to keep track of. But all of these groups together could be part of a vision of a beautiful and diverse future with a diversity of climate solutions. The more people we bring in, the better.
Details will be forthcoming.
Question – people come together and then what? People will pledge to do something – garden, bicycle once per week, political actions.
Quantify reductions in carbon emissions.
Identify pieces of legislation to support.
Launch campaign.
Education. Educating people outside the current environmental movement
Have entry points that are easy to access – have new people make a commitment.
Have a statewide network coming out of this. Boston and Vermont have found 350 events to be great for networking. Resources for groups that want to see things happen and need support of others.
Balancing turn out and moving forward on big issues. We need to have starting places.
People are concerned about finances. Need to show them that you can be green and save money.
Need to hold elected officials accountable in a non-partisan, bipartisan way.
Event, party, part of a day of global action, doesn’t have to be the end. Generic asks now, with real campaigns later.
No choice but to build network. Some you can plan, some not. But it is much easier to move forward, once you have made the connections, and people can support each other to keep going. In one way or another, people will have to face this. The more connections they have, the better.
Beautiful to have lots of cooks in the kitchen. Need wheat for the bread to hold it all together. Bring all the people together, have options to sign up for specific campaigns.
People have different levels of commitment.
Cater to all levels of involvement and commitment – meaningful for people just stepping onto the road and people already sprinting.
CT Green Expo – Sept. 10. They will promote our event.
How we will proceed:
Will people sign up? Facebook page to RSVP. Make sure that people sign in when they arrive, e-mail addresses, sign them up to do things. Often e-mail addresses are unreadable when they sign up onsite.
Publicity – even for events in a distinct place – events will refer to each other. Get out word in a consistent way, with a consistent message, logo.
Provide opportunities for people to talk to each other in dyads or small groups. Interact, share information.
Nuts and bolts – Overview – ad hoc committee to plan bicycling events. Find energy efficient ways for people to get to New Haven. Let people do things in their own towns, but also organize group rides into New Haven. Keep it simple – usually takes a year to organize group rides. Use this as a way to get people to get their bikes out of their attics or basements. Regarding media – need to get a press release out now. Was there any connection with Social Media – pile up a bunch of events in a week – their theme is sustainability
Goal – have a comprehensive event that coheres all the diverse, wonderful things that are happening already, lets people recognize what’s happening, have fun,
Bike rides, movie, rally with speakers, crafts, fun, kids activities
Tasks-
Brainstorm Distinguish between categories and specific tasks
Posters–Design and post
Make decisions about specifics
Decide core language – tag lines, elevator pitch,
Message out to them very soon – central in New Haven, and also local events in other towns and outside state. Ask us to get back to us
Being a liaison to an organization
Contact media
Op-eds, articles
Press releases
Raising money
Act New Haven has some money. Tied to reaching out to schools. Banners, printing flyers can come from this
Ct Sierra Club can help to some extent
Budget
Create Facebook event, and other social media
Keeping website current
Contingency plan – rain
Teaching – skill share
Identify teachers, organizations to lead workshops
Food
Children’s activities
Day care
Pick movie
Plan bike route
Where can people park bikes? Bike valet
Relationship with authorities – New Haven
Security
First Aid
Message for big banner
Signage in general – to get people to a particular spot at a time
Permit for Green
Figure out how to shut down a street
Identify goals, asks, pledges, that we will ask people to make
From Vermont – a set of goals
Asks matched to Climate Action Plan for CT
Specific legislation for bikes
Research on other legislation – what policy makes sense to ask for
Photo imaging: I want clean energy because……… with picture
For each organization – banner with “I want a better future for Ct because….”
Also Tshirts
Schedule for the day- structured events to engage people as they arrive
Internal documentarian –
YouTube feed for the day
Last year had a video person for the day
Vladimir to take pictures
Sound system
Bullhorns
Equipment and tech
Port- a Potties
Water, food vendors
Local, sustainable businesses
Booths for organizations – would they bring their own, or should we supply tables
How will we invite organizations to participate?
Outreach coordinating – connecting, inviting, keeping in contact, growing that, work with them on identifying actions for people to take (pledges, legislation)
Contact list
Transparency about who to talk to
Organizing bicycle rides
Things people have taken leadership on, could use more people.
How much time above and beyond these meetings?
Hierarchy
Justin 350 regional coordinator – volunteer. Clean Water Action – reaching out to Clean Energy groups. He has some staff time, but also mostly volunteer
Community meetings – this is probably the last – now much of the work needs to be done in small groups
Justin, Rick Herron, Genevive Harding, Emily, Doug, Mennen, Arturo – core organizers
In addition:
Organizers
Organizational leaders – representatives – eg Bill Duesing of CT NOFA
Various jobs with various time commitments
Working groups – each one will have a core organizer taking the lead
Outreach coordinator, consistent communication, ask for workshop, money, tell them our story, what do they have to offer, what do they ask of us
Diane will help – Liaison to Sierra Club, Friends of Edgewood Park
Maria – to bioregional group
Melinda – Elm City Cycling
Bill Duesing – CT NOFA
Arturo and Terry – outreach to Fairfield,
Doug – leadership
Need to make sure people know who to get to for what. Customer Service – I hear there’s an event in my town – where, when, who do I talk to?
Volunteer and recruitment coordinator
Meeting and event coordinator
Emily has helped with this
Kim taking notes
Someone to handle public inquiries
Biking committee –with a side order of transportation
Paul Hammer
Melinda
Timbeera Armand- chair
Doug Kelly
Publicity coordinator
Diane contact media, editing
Joyce – writing articles
Nate – messaging, language
Colin
Social media coordinator – Genevieve
University or community coordinator
Genevieve – Conn College
Arturo – Fairfield U
Logistics
Emily
Graphic Design
Doug
Can draw on Moving Planet materials
That helps us make a connection to other actions all over the world
Can get staff support from 350 org
Colin
Speakers –
Introduce the event, speak before and after the movie
Dan Esty – available
Entertainment, Movie committee
Groups
Churches
Farming and gardening
Clean energy
Bikes
Assignment – Think about the people you know who could help, invite them in to help. Especially for specific tasks, like graphic design.
How will communication take place?
Through 350.org Google Group e-mail list (ACT NH will be just announcements)
How will we get more tasks taken?
Timeline – Nate
Put list on the Google doc and sending it out – hasn’t gotten a lot of response in the past. Everyone should take on tasks, bring in others you know who can take on tasks.
Announcements:
New England Climate Summer – World Café tomorrow.
Bloomberg’s foundation just offered a lot of money to Sierra Club.
