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* ELECTION *
Sacramento Group Executive Committee
Ballots will be mailed about mid-November and must be received at the Mother Lode Chapter Office by Thursday, December 31, 2009.
Candidtate Statements
(In Alphabetical Order)
Linnea Fronce
I have served as Treasurer of the Sacramento Group for 5 years and as the Group's Secretary for 1 year. I am willing to serve another term.
s/Linnea Fronce
Warren Harding
I have been honored to serve on the Executive Board for the Sierra Club Sacramento Group this last year and half. I have been a lifetime environmentalist and community activist who believes in the principles and goals of the Sierra Club. I took leadership positions in creating 3 new community parks and introduced the idea of surrounding community parks with trees instead of posts.
Here is a listing of my community activities:
36 years of volunteer community leadership
Parks Director for Arden Manor Recreation and Park District (32 years, elected 8 times and continuing)
Creating 3 community parks
Founding a neighborhood association
Planting hundreds of trees
PTA President (5 years)
Assistant Scoutmaster (20 years)
Youth soccer coach (24 years)
Founding co-ed sports programs
San Juan School District Budget Committee (2 Years)
Member, Sacramento County Blue Ribbon Committee on Civil Service Reform
President of the Sacramento County Data Processing Professionals Association (6 Years)
President of the Sacramento County Management Association
Community Service Awards
Sacramento County Parks Award 1986
Family of the Year
Current Activities:
Sierra Club Sacramento Group Executive Board
Group Rep, to Sierra Club Executive Committee Mother Lode Chapter
President, Arden Arcade Community Alliance
Director and Chairperson, Arden Manor Recreation and Park District (8th Term, 32 years)
Board Member, Arden Manor Neighborhood Association (5th Term)
Chairperson, Crabtree Community Park Committee
s/Warren Harding
Mike Savino
When the Sacramento Group of the Sierra Club speaks, decision-makers listen. They know we are almost 6,000 members strong. It is an honor and great responsibility to help articulate that voice by serving on your group's Executive Committee. I have tried to do so in such a way as to represent the views and interests of our diverse membership.
I am a trained docent at three preserves in the Sacramento area (Cosumnes River Preserve, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, and Yolo Basin Wildlife Area) where I do volunteer work such as leading hikes, leading river paddle trips, operating the Visitors Center once a month, monitoring Wood Duck nesting boxes, monitoring Great Blue Heron nests, teaching children about nature and working on habitat restoration. I have an M.A. in Psychology and have worked in the field of health care administration and research until my retirement. Working in government I have come to appreciate its potential to do harm as well as good.
It has been a privilege to have served on the Sacramento Group Executive Committee for the past two years. In that time I have learned to be more effective in saving open space and generally protecting the environment from those short-sighted land use, development, and transportation decisions that are degrading our human and wildlife habitat at an accelerating pace. We must confront the despoilers with discipline, patience and good science.
I look forward to your allowing me to serve two more years to help represent your concerns and to serve as a positive voice to help preserve the environment in which we are priveledged to live. If I am allowed to serve again, I hope you will give me your counsel and support as I face decisions that will affect us all.
s/Mike Savino
Sean Wirth
I have an undergraduate degree in Zoology from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in English literature from SF State. I have worked as an infill developer for the past 15 years, buying historically interesting buildings and restoring them to keep as rentals. I am an avid outdoorsman with extensive backcountry experience and have traveled to many of this country’s and the world’s best outdoor locations. If I am re-elected, I plan to continue representing the Sierra Club through my work helping craft the South Sacramento Habitat Conversation Plan into something that adequately protects enough habitat to save listed species in the south county. I will also continue my efforts to encourage a sustainable balance between urban development and habitat protection throughout the Sacramento region by continuing my participation in the Sacramento County General Plan, Galt General Plan update, the Elk Grove sphere of influence expansion, and opposition to specific egregious development projects. I have recently been appointed the new chair of Habitat 2020, which is the habitat subcommittee of ECOS, for 2010 and if re-elected will be able to effectively represent the club in all local and regional habitat issues.
s/Sean Wirth
Global Warming - An Inconvenient Truth
The Club is updating its energy policies and mounting a campaign against global warming. You can read all about it at www.SierraClub.org/GlobalWarming.
Global climate change can occur in natural cycles; however, research demonstrates that it is increased by emissions of human-generated greenhouse gases (GHG). These emissions (of which 80% is carbon dioxide) include methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, and are thickening our atmosphere, which traps outgoing reflected infrared solar radiation and causes warming.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) indicate that the GHG sources in California are: Transportation (primarily automobiles) 41%; Industrial 23%; Electricity generation 20%; Agriculture 8%; Residential 5%; and, Commercial 3%. Deforestation also increases warming because there are not enough trees to sequester the GHGs.
The International Panel on Climate Change has projected warming of 2° to 10° F by the year 2100. Impacts, some of which are already occurring, include:
• Sea level rise of 2 to 3 feet (and with melting of the ice in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland it could rise 15 to 20 feet).
• Reduction of snow pack by 30 to 90%.
• Increased energy demand up to 20%.
• Loss of forests from an increase in wildfires and wildlife losses.
• Major losses in agricultural yields.
• Increased periods of extreme heat, with severe health affects.
• Worsening of air quality, especially health damaging ozone levels.
• Higher ocean temperatures causing more intense storms and flooding.
Efforts to reduce emissions include:
• The 1997 United Nations Kyoto Accords, wherein 132 industrialized nations pledged to lower emissions below 1990 levels by 2050. Only Australia and the U.S. declined. The Bush administration has stated that the negative economic impacts of emission reductions are excessive.
• The California Governors Climate Action Team 2006 (CAT) report commits to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.
• In 2004, California passed AB 1493 requiring new automobiles to have 80% lower emissions by 2050. Manufacturers are suing to block this law.
• Proposed AB 32 requires stationary sources to reduce emissions to meet the CAT goals. Business and industry strongly oppose this bill.
• The Mayor of Sacramento has signed a pledge, along with over 400 other mayors, to reduce emissions to below the Kyoto requirements.
• Actions include lower emission vehicles, reduction in automobile travel, more public transit, communities that are walkable, bikeable and transit oriented; low emissions energy sources; energy efficient buildings and industries, including white roofs; and water conservation.
• Individuals should conserve energy with efficient homes (insulation and white roofs) and appliances, compact fluorescent light-bulbs, low water use toilets and washers, water efficient landscaping, higher mileage vehicles, reduced driving, more use of public transit and walking and biking.
Additional information is available in many publications and web sites; such as, www.ClimateChange.ca.gov; www.ClimateCrisis.net; and www.ucsusa.org. The movie and book, An Inconvenient Truth with former Vice President Al Gore provides an excellent overview. The Sierra Club is pushing for the passage of AB 32 and all members are encouraged to urge your legislator and the governor to support this vital legislation.
by Rick Bettis, Conservation Chair, Sacramento Group