How You Can Make Your City Cool

By David Newton

Based on recent successful actions by members of the Alabama Chapter, it is very likely YOU can, with limited effort, cause your mayor to sign the “Cool Cities” pledge promoted by the Sierra Club.   If enough of us get involved, Alabama could lead the nation in the percentage of communities that are responding to the threat of climate change with smart energy solutions.

So far, we know that members have persuaded the mayors of Auburn and Tuscaloosa to sign the pledge, and, at this writing, members in Opelika are on the verge of having their mayor to sign.   If you use the materials provided in this article, it is very possible your community will be next.  Why?  Because Sierra Club members in Alabama have used the proposal presented here to get the job done.  Three-for-three is as good as it gets.

So here’s the drill.  It’s easy and effective!

  1. Call your mayor’s office and make an appointment for a brief meeting – not over 30 minutes.
  2. Visit the Alabama Chapter’s website and download, edit (slightly), and print the cover letter that appears below – in this article – for your proposal to your mayor.  Don’t worry; the necessary edits are identified for you.
  3. Using the links provided on the website, print the other four items mentioned in the cover letter.
  4. Place the complete proposal (that will be no more than 19 sheets) into an appropriate binder or folder.  If possible, make a copy for each person who is expected to participate in the meeting with your mayor.
  5. Become somewhat familiar with the content of the websites listed in the cover letter, so you can better offer these as sources of additional information for your mayor.
  6. Make your presentation to the mayor.  Be sure to include a comment concerning following up after a reasonable time. Request news coverage and make the arrangements.
  7. The day after your meeting, send your mayor a note of thanks and indicate you will be in touch.
  8. Follow up with your mayor or the mayor’s designee.

If you do not have access to Alabama Chapter’s website, contact David Newton, 129 Carter St., Auburn, AL 36830-6320 – telephone 334-821-9817.  We’ll try to help you get the documents you need.

Please help us make Alabama the leader in “Cool Cities” communities.  Working together, we can do it.  It is satisfying and fun.  Don’t delay.  Start now.

A draft of the proposed cover letter follows. We've also conveniently gathered all the required links below:

Link 1: Cover Letter: http://alabama.sierraclub.org/coolcities/coverletter.doc

Link 2: Listing of mayors that have signed the agreement: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate/quotes.htm#mayors

Link 3: Fact Sheet: http://www.coolcities.us/files/CoolCitiesfactsheet.pdf

Link 4: http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate/PDF/USMCPA_resolutionAndSignPage.pdf

Link 5: http://alabama.sierraclub.org/coolcities/SCCoolSavings.pdf

Please let us know if you're contacting your mayor. Send us an email at newton3117@bellsouth.net

This letter is available in editable Microsoft Word format here

sierra club logo                                                [YOUR NAME AND COMPLETE POSTAL ADDRESS]
                                                                                                    [YOUR Telephone:  xxx-xxx-xxxx   YOUR E-mail:  xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx]
                                                                                                    

[DATE OF APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR MAYOR]

 

[COMPLETE &
OFFICIAL ADDRESS
OF YOUR MAYOR]

Dear Mayor xxxxxxx:

On behalf of the members of the Sierra Club in [INSERT NAME OF YOUR TOWN] and the over 750,000 members nationwide, we thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the Cool Cities program of  the Sierra Club, which is conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels.  As of [INSERT DATE & NUMBER AT LINK #2] mayors had agreed to participate in this voluntary non-partisan program which strives to avoid dramatic climate change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.

Why is the program important?  As noted by conservation philosopher and author Bill McKibben, energy has become a central economic, foreign policy, and environmental question; therefore, it is extremely important that we take bold steps to modify our use of energy, especially energy obtained from fossil fuels.

We have attached a Cool Cities fact sheet from the Sierra Club [PRINT FACT SHEET AT LINK #3], a resolution titled “Endorsing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement,” and the “U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement – Signature Page.” [PRINT BOTH “ENDORSING . . . AGREEMENT” & SIGNATURE PAGE AT LINK #4.]  This signature page should be completed and sent to the Seattle address provided at the bottom of the form.  Finally, you will find attached a summary of some of the significant savings (titled “Cool Ca$h:  How Local Governments are Using Smart Energy Solutions to Save Taxpayer Dollars and Curb Global Warming”) [PRINT COOL CA$H DOCUMENT AT LINK #5] associated with more judicious use of energy.

Additional information about this and related programs may be found at:

We hope to communicate with you again about this matter; however, please contact us if you have questions.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME]                                                                                                    [COLLEAGUE’S NAME]

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