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by Bob Shields
We are all looking forward to the changes in Washington’s attitude
toward, and action on, the environment. Better and healthier days
are coming. That said, those changes will take time whether the issue
is air
quality, the raising of mileage standards in cars, or increased
availability of alternative sources of energy. In the meantime, the question
is, as
always, what can I do?
I imagine that all of us recycle, which is an individual commitment
to the environment. As individuals, we can also help by reducing
our use of energy or by increasing conservation of energy at home
and on the job.
If you aren’t doing this yet, perhaps the upcoming Earth Day, April
22, 2009, might be a good day to begin. Along with other Ohio groups,
the Northeast Ohio Group is participating in "Lights Out Ohio",
a campaign to encourage better use as well as less use of energy.
Lights Out Ohio, scheduled for Earth Day, asks that we turn off
all non-essential lighting at home between 8-9 PM and at work between
8-9 AM or at night. It's that simple. Can you carry on without
those lights for one hour? Lights Out Ohio also encourages the use of
compact fluorescent light bulbs. If you haven’t used them yet, or
not recently, I can tell you that they are great and really do reduce
energy
consumption. Finally, Lights Out Ohio is encouraging us to pledge
to reduce our carbon
footprint by 2% during the next year.
So what is our group doing to help us achieve these goals? We will
be posting practical information and recommendations on our website
well before Earth Day. As a member of the Sierra Club, I know you
will be able
to put those recommendations into action at home and on your job.
More than that though, we want to encourage you to reach out to
your neighbors and colleagues and encourage them to participate
as well. We will
also
be posting information for you to distribute to them. Finally,
we can use your help. Who, as the Northeast Ohio Group of the Sierra
Club, can
we actively reach out to? I’d like your ideas. You can contact me,
Bob Shields, through our contact form. Place "Lights Out" on the
subject line so I know you're not spam. Keep checking back to our
website for the new information we’ll be placing there in the near
future.
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The City of Cleveland's 
Do you know of a local environmental issue in need
of attention? Do you have inside information on what's
going on in your city or township? With over 5,000
members in Northeast Ohio we count on you to be the
Club's eyes and ears of the region. While the Federal
government and large corporations continue to wreak
havoc on our environment, it is more important than
ever before to act as watchdogs in our own backyards.
For those new to
calling state or federal representatives, it's easier and
less confrontational than it sounds. You will never
speak directly with your rep or senator - an aide
will answer the phone, take brief notes plus your name and city (sometimes), and that's it.