A great director can sometimes wring a good performance out of a bad actor. But it makes more sense to cast the right person in the role from the start.

That’s the reasoning behind the Sierra Club’s political program: Invest in getting pro-environment champions elected to office and it’s easier to get pro-environmental legislation passed.

Nationwide, the Sierra Club endorses and works for thousands of candidates, from city council members to county supervisors to U.S senators to presidential hopefuls. Chapter and group political committees make most of the Club’s endorsements; for federal-level candidates, they make the endorsement in conjunction with the national political committee.

The Sierra Club endorsement can make a difference. “Receiving the Sierra Club endorsement was the turning point in my campaign,” acknowledged Minnesota Mayor R.T. Rybak, elected with Club support in 2002.

But even more critical than making endorsements is getting out into the community and engaging citizens in conversations about environmental issues. That work doesn’t stop on election day. No matter who is elected, the Sierra Club has to keep shining the spotlight on the office-holders’ voting record, and praising the environmental champions while exposing the pretenders.