Planet Movers,Thanks for another great meeting last night. I am again humbled by the insight and creativity of this group — you all are amazing.
Help us continue the brainstorm! http://bit.ly/nrYOvd More below.
The real heart of our work last night was the discussion of desired outcomes and how the scope/format of the event can help us achieve those. We centered on six possible outcomes:
- Show clout. Show the power and maturity behind this movement
- Debunk stereotypes and negative associations. Show sophistication.
- Build a coalition and establish leverage for the future. DO something with all the people/orgs we’re able to bring together for 9/24. Reach business. Reach faith community. Make people say “thank God I got involved with this!”
- Increase communication between groups with shared agendas. Increase communication about existing efforts — legislative, state, local, grassroots. Increase communication between grassroots groups and state reps/policy people. Communicate our needs to each other.
- Use 9/24 as a launch for some project/initiative or set of projects.
- Increase energy efficiency of buildings and use of energy efficiency programs.
Going forward, an absolutely central part of our work will be building the network of organizations and people who will support us on 9/24 and beyond. Gaining the support of these organizations will require reaching them, telling them a compelling story about the work that we’re doing to fight for a better future, asking for their support, and keeping in regular touch. We will need your help on this — what organizations and people can you reach out to and maintain contact with?
Last night, we each agreed to contribute two things: ideas for the compelling story/theme/slogan about what we’re doing, AND ideas for organizations and people to ask to support us or get involved. Please contribue here (http://bit.ly/nrYOvd) by Sunday 6pm. For organizations, add ones you think are important, ones you have good connections to, or both. Think Environmental Justice Network, Boy Scouts, League of Women Voters, your corner market, high schools, student groups, churches — anyone that might be interested/able to help us, and remember this is a brainstorm. No bad ideas. Be as specific as possible.
If you haven’t already, please fill out the form at bit.ly/mpct-interest to let us know how you would like to help these efforts. We’ve got an impressive group of movers and shakers to work on this, and filling this out is important so we can keep track of what everyone is interested and available to do.
Look for a doodle shortly for our next meeting. Meeting notes below.
All best,
Justin
—
Justin Haaheim
CT Regional Coordinator, 350.org
Lead Organizer, Act New Haven
Master of Arts, Environmental Ethics, Yale University
203.936.9006 | Contact
7/12/11 Moving Planet Planning Meeting 2
6pm-8pm at The Grove, 71 Orange St New Haven CT
hosted by Act New Haven (actnh.org)
People (name, affiliation, fun 4th thing, what talent do you have to offer?)
Lee Cruz, human being, took son pablo to fireworks, network connector
Chris Randall, nh land trust, 4th of july block party, knows lots of people. has “got a guy”.
Diane Lentakis, CT Sierra Club and ActNH, 4th of july with brothers and wife, good organizer
Paul Brunner, CT Sierra Club, same 4th celebration as Diane, likes doing dirty work/grunt work
Aaron Goode, went to cape cod for 4th of july, very good at procrastinating
Joyce Acebo-Raguskus, Env Concerns Coalition, CWA and Roger Smith, 4th of july: invited to Ann Berman picnic,
Adam Washal, fairhaven time bank, built a trailer and pulled canoe to quinnipiac, good at organizing and logistics
Nate Bixby, 5 days left as membership coordinator, works with urban miners, member at grove, havens for the future, starting land value investment, talents: gardening, music, synthesizing lots of ideas. Seeing possibility and communicating.
Justin Haaheim, 350.org, Act New Haven, CWA, offer: drumming
Kim Stoner, Clerk at Quaker Meetinghouse, CT Ag Experiment Station, went to parents 60th wedding anniversary in indiana. Likes everybody, good at organizing meetings.
Paul Hammer, ECC, CT Bicycle Coalition, Bike Walk CT, American Youth Hostels, BEEEP, fun: introduced a new culinary dish to Elm City Market potluck – introduce the “couch potato”, bring: network of bicyclists around the state
Emily Freed, Act New Haven, lots of the weekend at the beach, beautiful smile
Melissa Everett, part time director of sustainable hudson valley, part time ct resident
Rachel Webster, yale ’14, living in east rock, part of YSEC
Agenda
Agree on meeting ground rules and brainstorm rules
Updates from Justin on what we are doing, what we have done, and what we need to do
Updates from others, including especially Lee Cruz from the Community Foundation
Addressing questions raised about scope
Brainstorming:
-Outcomes/goals
-Scope/format of event
-Orgs and people to reach out to
-What our “ask” is
Next steps, including deciding our next meeting time.
### Updates from Justin
what are we doing
what have we done
what do we need to do:
-outreach/coalition building
-core organizing
-media
-university organizing
-organizer recruitment/managing
-meeting planning
### Updates from others
LC
getting a permit for the green, process
work with barbara lamb for movie screen, office of cultural affair
cultural affairs is about getting people coming downtown. frame this in terms of getting a significant number of people. work with local businesses, get sponsors, restaurants.
downtown special services district — association of downtown businesses — see daisy.
connect with Christine Tang. get a separate internal advocate for city hall.
CR EDC?
LC Kelly Murphy does econ development. EDC might be a sponsor, but they’re different. Must make the case.
If you’re going to show a movie, you must have a license to show the movie. License could be up to $200. Lee can help with this.
PH get Criterion involved. Show it in the schools as a rain date? There are bicycle film festivals
EF have we decided on a movie screening?
LC has used movies in community organizing. If you’re serious about using the movie as an organizing tool, do it inside.
### Questions of Scope
is the scope new haven, greater new haven, or CT?
what’s the desired outcome? policy change? ride more bikes?
who do we want to reach?
who are our partners and allies?
JDH Background on where we are. Gist: there are other actions happening in the state, but lots of interest and support in doing something in New Haven. Probably best to think in terms of some New Haven component, and some state-oriented component.
AW Is this just one day?
JDH Yes, but we could think about doing things leading up or afterwards
PH Freedom trail ride – people descending on hartford. WOuld like to see people descend on New Haven using everything BUT cars. Freedom ride takes lots of lead time. Suggests model of: ask people to turn their saturday ride into a MP event.
PH wants to see people get on bikes that aren’t already.
PH destination: new windmill at Criscuolo park. Cool neighborhood. Small enough to be cozy.
NB where rivers converge.
PH outcomes: ask people to make a pledge, and legislative angle.
NB piggybacking: have someone do a cellphone app. do signup ahead of time. what form of transport are you taking? how many people? (carpooling?) figure out carbon footprint — how much less than it would be under normal circumstances.
PH kayaking
### Outcomes Brainstorm
ME 1) show CLOUT. Show power and maturity behind this movement. 2) debunk stereotypes. show sophistication. 3) build a coalition and establish leverage for the future. Make our numbers important. Not just environmental community. Show solidarity with business and community interests. Have new blood saying “thank god we got involved with this”
JAR make legislators aware of our goals. JAR is close with env chairs. Dick roy. Ed Meyers. Get feedback from them.
NB CT population is underinformed about leadership that exists. Let env chairs tell US what’s needed. Get them INVOLVED.
JDH increase communicating needs in both directions. Make 9/24 about communicating needs.
PH pledge. ’63 march on washington was very effective. Look at this day as a LAUNCH. Think in year-long increments. Come up with specific goals. Think about missing links. Everyone should be mingling.
JAR make this mainstream. dinner conversation.
PH average people are talking about the economy. make the link to the economy.
ME consider outcome. CT is no 9. Let’s get to #1. Energy efficiency is strongly correlated with economic health. Local hardware store features weatherization stuff.
PB this is about showing clout. Publicize this. Document this.
NB do something so that people FEEL/NOTICE
KS real focus on public transportation. focus on complete streets. make that a highlight of this. #travers #slowcity.
DL does new haven have the infrastructure for 2000 bikes.
PH Steve Nadel – ACEEE.org good about focusing on outcomes.
JDH SUMMARY: 1,2,3 and increase communication with reps, launch, focus on energy efficiency.
NB aggregate demand. There’s lots that we want. Lots want lower energy bills. Lots want a green business. Pockets of demand. They’re not aggregated and recognizable.
ME CT has a gov’t climate action plan. Map these ideas against the climate action plan. Make a citizens climate action plan to complement.
JDH communicate with folks like Lynn Stoddard — what should we do?
### Scope and form brainstorm
DL more than new haven. bigger than greater new haven. come to new haven
PH everyone do things in their own communities in the morning
PB we have to do something outside of new haven. get the whole state feeling involved.
# JDH: what could we do in new haven to meet other people’s goals
RW do a concert
EF raffle
PB measure what goes on in the whole state
EF do friendly competition
PH 169 towns in CT. Lends itself to having a statement. Everyone reports something bad and something good. Plus delta. Here’s the news from putnam.
JAR angelride – helps children with cancer. Climate change is a cancer. use angelride’s strategy. everyone across CT. well coordinated.
PH Conn tour. Fundraiser for CFE. Downhill ride.
JDH anecdote about NH farms
JAR we need a common link. we need something to motivate. What’s our pitch? What will make people say “i want to go to this thing?”
### Brainstorm about our “ask” and our story. What’s going to motivate people?
PH “be green and save green.” Invite people into this. You can do something to help save this planet and save on your budget. We have the tools.
DL +1. Many people think going green is spending more.
JDH CT is an embarrassment of riches in terms of programs to save money by going green.
PB co workers are programmers and engineers. Always think it’s going to cost more.
### Outreach brainstorm
DL churches synagogues, schools
KS building trades
RW summer camps
EF friends of X park
JDH boy scouts, girl scouts, 4h, bike groups
PB public transportation advocates
EF office of sustainability
RW solar youth
JDH unviersity student groups, universities
RW local universities
PB hockey clubs, mountain clubs
JAR special olympics
PH could give an endless number of groups. get an org to do pro bono advertising. mass, mass spreading via email.
JDH will create a doc. add orgs that we should reach out to. also add grabber sentence/ASK.
JDH climate week
Times for next meeting:
wed is bad for PB and DL
thursday works well
M T Th