SierraScape August - September 2002
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By Melissa Blakley, EVEC Coordinator
Melissa Blakely, (right) EVEC Program Organizier, fields questions from the press. |
Wednesday, June 26th, Sierra Club's Environmental Voter Education Campaign (EVEC) in Missouri was launched with a Press Conference in Tower Grove Park. The event, supported by Eastern Missouri Group volunteers, focused on EVEC's educational, grassroots, and media campaign that will highlight the voting records of Senator Jean Carnahan and former Representative Jim Talent.
The local campaign is one of many voter education campaigns kicked off in 10 states.
Locally, TV ads were introduced that convey the theme that public officials who care about America should care for America. A postcard was also introduced that asks voters to thank Senator Carnahan for voting to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, strengthen enforcement of the laws that protect our air and water, and protect National Monuments from oil drilling and destructive mining activities. You can download and send a postcard at www.sierraclub.org/voter_education/missouri/.
The purpose of EVEC is to:
- Publicize the environmental records of officials
- Raise the profile of environmental issues as part of the political debate
- Urge the public to call on officials to support environmental issues.
The strength of the Sierra Club is its membership - more than 700,000 members strong with nearly 6000 of those members in St. Louis. The success of our 2002 Environmental Voter Education Campaign (EVEC) lies with the grassroots efforts of volunteer members in St. Louis willing to work the phones, hold rallies and press conferences, distribute voter guides, and talk to the general public to get the word out on the environmental record of Senator Carnahan and former Representative Jim Talent.
Senator Carnahan has a League of Conservation (LCV) voting record of 63% for her first year in office and Jim talent has a LCV record of 7% for his last year in office. (Go to LCV.org for more information)
If you are concerned about enforcement of the laws that protect our air and water and want the people of Missouri to have all the information on where their officials stand on important environmental issues during this election year please volunteer to help in this important public service effort. Contact Melissa Hope Blakley, EVEC Coordinator, 314.646.7383, mblakley@telocity.com, www.sierraclub.org/voter_education/missouri/.