Ecominds-a Mailing List: EcoMinds meeting Jan 14th, 7:00 pm -- and Dec notes

[Ralph Wyman (rwmuusja]

Next MUUSJA EcoMinds meeting:

Thursday, January 14th
7:00 - 9:00 pm
First Universalist, Room 204
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis


--------

EcoMinds Meeting Notes 
December 10, 2009

Ralph Wyman, Marcy Leussler, Cecelia Newton, Bob Friedman, Lisa
Herschberger, Rebecca Cramer, Chris Burda

1.      Approving Minutes from Last Month
Marcy moved and Lisa seconded - approved
2.      Update on HIRE MN & UUSC proposal
3.      Visit to Sen. Klobuchar and Sen. Franken
4.      General Assembly
5.      Outreach to MN congregations
6.      Congregations Caring for Creation - 
Speaker's Training Saturday, Dec 12th
12:30-4:30 pm, Center for Families
3333 North 4th St, Minneapolis, MN 55412
 

Action steps - review assignments (5 mins)
Get list of people on the bonding committees - Ralph working on that
Education about the green jobs - see the back of the handout - info related
to 
Marcy talk with Kendyl about Central Lutheran
Ralph/Catie talk with Louis King/Steger about the Workshop - if agreeable,
then we'll also talk with Rowen and UUSC (Nicole) about this.
Catie - find out who will go to Copenhagen
Marcy and Betsy go to Sierra Club 
Rebecca brought information about Northland Bioneers

General Assembly - June 23 - 27th June - we're hoping to create a networking
meeting with food, hopefully at Central Lutheran's
Lisa has a friend at Westminster, Simpson (red brick) is closer
Chris offered several ideas about how to improve networking, collect ideas.
How do we let all MN UU's know that MUUSJA is hosting this.  Talk about
MUUSJA as "MN Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance".  

Louis King is confirmed for GA, and Will Steger is TBD - invited Nicole Rom
We should know within 2 weeks if it is accepted. [note: GA proposal
acceptance rec'd 12/16 !!]
FYI, MUUSJA submitted 3 workshops, plus Jenny submitted a 4th one.

Marcy and Cecelia attended Sierra Club workshop on visiting elected
officials and Cecelia attended one on tabling/individual outreach.

HIRE update
Green Jobs working group is meeting weekly.  Decide which specific bonding
projects to support, talking with MCTC, Henn Cty, UMN, Native American
projects (greater MN),  and .. Creating a matrix
There will be 100s of legislative proposals, looking for projects that
racial equity and have a green component with 6 criteria, if not green than
Infrastructure with racial equity. 

HIRE party next week Tues Dec 15 
***January 21st - next quarterly coalition HIRE MN meeting (all 70
organizations).
>From 6-8:00.  Location: tentatively, Minneapolis Urban Luague.  Big rollout
of legislative agenda.  Dinner served at 6 pm, program starts 6:30 pm.

Will look at all people on bonding committee - what are their interests

Lobbyists with HIRE Coalition include:
Patrick Ness - Catholic Charities
Jeff Bauer - Family and Children Services

For the legislative session, HIRE will need people to take notes, phone
calls and district visits, etc.  
Nicole (UU?) will likely do a Sat workshop (tentatively Feb 27th) for MUUSJA
with analysis of the bill, what HIRE is supporting, communications training,
strategizing how to go out and promote it at the various UU congregations.
Rally, etc.

Some ideas for criteria for selecting projects include: from group that
includes Catie Chi Olson, Jeff Bauer, Ralph Wyman, Jennifer Jimenez
(research and community organizer), Lynn Daniels (emerge), Angelina
Matias-Vasquez, Camile (young voters group), Lynn Hinkle (policy person for
MN solar energy consortium- MNSEA-want solar panel plant in N. Mpls)
1.      How many jobs will it create?
2.      Do we have allies that are supporting?
3.      Is it in a geographic area with target communities?
4.      If geographically there, will it actually create jobs there?
5.      Are there tangible environmental benefits to the project?
6.      Complexity? Multiple MN governmental agencies?
7.      Opportunities for visibility?
8.      Will media understand it?
9.      Are these long term, sustainable, family supporting jobs?

Visit to Sen. Klobuchar and Sen. Franken
Goal is to build a relationship with Sen. Klobuchar and her staff

People who are available include:
Betsy Allis, Dick Ottman, Marcy, Ralph, Lisa, Cecelia, Chris, 
Strong climate bill clean energy, jobs, keep EPA's authority to regulate
greenhouse gases (GHG)

Need to have a premeeting - 

Rowan who works for UUA - thinks the Senate will take up the bill in early
January, 

Brainstorming on contents for the discussion:
.       Tell why are we doing this, UU principles, MUUSJA, relationships, ..
.       Personal perspectives
.       Want some specific asks
.       Allies in racial justice work
.       Need hard targets
.       Also want to use the meeting to hear from them

Then write a letter back to them thanking for this
The leave behind is usually given at the end of the meeting
Kelly Scanlon is Sen. Klobuchar's staffer on maternity leave


7.      Outreach to MN congregations
If we do this with Sen. Klobuchar, GA networking, Feb 27th workshop on the
bonding bill, article for all church newsletters, maybe include some leaders
from C3 for Feb 27th 

Hand the something, make it positive, end on a positive note
Can encourage congregations to do an Earth Day , e.g. to have a speaker come
in
Action on Earth day, could be outreach for greater MN congregations

Action Steps:
Ralph is making an appointment for Jan meeting with Sen. Klobuchar's staff


Announcements:
Rebecca - IATP - talk back about Copenhagen (21st on 5:30-7) check their
website - have ~ people in Copenhagen 
PCA not going to do a Living Green - another coalition is trying to create
it without PCA