Political Resources
The Delaware Chapter follows policy and regulations at the state and local levels to integrate concerns for environmental protection with social justice.
The following goals guide the Club’s work:*
I. Enhance public perception of "environment" (overcome the perception of limits):
A. Develop pressure by consumers for green products.
B. Educate public that strong environmental protection creates jobs.
C. Reduce consumption levels in the U.S. through increasing efficiency, recycling,producing more durable goods, and by making waste and non-essential products andpackaging socially unacceptable.
II. Build upon and develop new forms of political leverage:
A. Mobilize market incentives to induce corporate environmental change.
B. Develop hybrid or "coordinated campaigns," targeting multiple levels of decision making.
C. Work to make existing institutions more responsive and accountable to communityand environmental needs.
D. Create new vehicles for responsive institutions of government.
E. Develop unconventional alliances to overcome legislative obstacles.
III. Integrate concerns for environmental protection and social justice to strengthen the environmental movement:
A. Develop more effective means for communicating through race, class, age, and cultural barriers.
B. Re-position the Sierra Club as more visibly concerned about threats to community and workplace environments.
C. Encourage more extensive coalition work between local Sierra Club entities and environmental justice groups.
D. Develop a stronger capacity to influence state and local regulatory and land-use actions (particularly as these relate to pollution threats to vulnerable groups in our society and land uses they find unacceptable).
IV. Enhance the Club's position of leadership within the environmental movement:
A. Continue to develop programs to cultivate and train new leaders.
B. Nurture a culture within the Club that encourages cooperation and collaboration, and that rewards innovative ideas and contributions.
C. Significantly enhance our ability for "quick responses" to issues and challenges.
D. Strengthen the Club's public affairs capacity for "telling our story."
* Strategic Goals, Board of Directors, May 1-2, 1993
