Margaret Pennington
Redwood Chapter Chair

Dear Fellow Sierra Club Members,

Where to begin? If you, like me, vote with the environment strongly in mind, then you, like me, are feeling exceedingly dismayed in the wake of the national election results. The Bush Administration's record on the environment has been a nightmare. The thought of four more years is unsettling at best and downright frightening at worst.

Despite the extraordinary efforts of the Sierra Club and other environmental groups in getting the word out about the candidates' environmental records, the environment did not play a central role in this election. That, unfortunately, does not mean that the environment will not be impacted by the results. As a reminder of that, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge made the number four spot on the President's short list of five next-term agenda items!

We are informed by exit pollsters and pundits that the high priority issues for most voters were war, terrorism, the economy and "moral values". I'm left scratching my head trying to figure out how it is that this president's disregard for the environment plays well with anyone's moral values. I guess that's what is meant by the "cultural divide."

My moral values tell me that there is something amiss with our country when we are responsible for 25% of greenhouse gasses emissions but refuse to engage with the international community to find solutions for the growing problem of climate change.

My moral values tell me that there is something amiss with our country when drilling for oil in a pristine wilderness is continually shoved to the forefront of this Administration's energy agenda while "drilling in Detroit" by increasing fuel efficiency standards is resisted tooth and nail.

My moral values tell me that there is something amiss with our country when in the midst of all our wealth we cannot find it in our hearts to leave space for endangered species - a loss to both "them" and to so many future generations of "us."

If it's the environment, we need your help. You can read in this issue of The Needles about many of the activities going on within our local groups (Lake,Napa,North,Solano,Sonoma) A major Chapter campaign we're involved in right now is protecting remaining redwood forests from conversion to vineyards. See Stop Forestland Destruction. If you check out the volunteer section you'll see we're in need of more volunteers for our political committee. Now is definitely the time to organize for the next cycle. Please consider lending a hand.

Political Good News

Here in Northern California we did have some election results worth cheering about. Sierra Club endorsed candidates for state assembly, Patty Berg and Noreen Evans; both won seats and will be representing our region in Sacramento. Sierra Club endorsed candidates Barbara Boxer, Lynn Woolsey and Mike Thompson will be heading back to Congress. Many of our Club local candidates were also successful (See Group Reports.)

Thanks to all of you who helped with Sierra Club's voter education efforts.

Redwood Chapter contributed funds to Sierra Club's battleground state member-to-member contact effort aimed at getting every Club environmental voter to the polls. Many of you may have helped with the Club's "Road to Somewhere" program. Thank you for doing so. Overall, Sierra Club contacted over 4 million voters with information about candidate environmental records. If you made some of those contacts please give yourself a big pat on the back and please keep talking, every chance you get, about why caring for the environment matters to you.