Southern California Town Meeting for the U.N. Earth Summit

Saturday June 29, 8 am-5 pm
Crossroads School
1715 Olympic Blvd
Santa Monica, CA

Dear Colleague,

We have organized the Southern California Town Meeting for the U.N. Earth
Summit on June 29 event -for more info, see http://www.scced.org/worldsummitla. We are expecting 200-300 people, representing over 50 local environmental groups and local governments. We would like your feedback by Tuesday, June 25 on the potential campaign outlined below.

Our purposes for the June 29 event:

1. Discuss the global environmental crisis and the failure of the Bali
PrepCom to agree on enforceable international agreements (including the US
role in that outcome).

2. Hear reports by local experts on exemplary programs in California that
should be shared with the world and prepare a Report for Johannesburg to be
given to US government delegation, UN Staff, and others (who?).

3. Launch a Campaign in Southern California to push for approval in
Johannesburg of enforceable international agreements and timetables (other
objectives?).

Below is a brainstorm of Campaign elements we are considering. We would
like your feedback, edits, suggestions for content and priorities among the
following list.

1. Press releases about the Southern California Town Meeting sent to L.A.
media (already done).

2. Prepare postcards to all attendees to mail to who? George Bush, leaders
of the House and Senate, members of Congress, California state legislators,
media? Content?

3. Prepare a Petition for all attendees to sign? Content? Who send to?
Write a basic statement on what we want to happen in Johannesburg?

4. Distribute to all attendees 2 copies of a half sheet of paper on which
they mark their commitments, such as:
- I personally sign on to the statement of what we want to happen in
Johannesburg (Content?)
- I sign my organization on to the statement.
- I agree to try to get my organization to sign on to the statement.
- I will lobby my local elected officials to sign on to the statement.
- I am interested in participating in a follow-up meeting to plan an
ongoing Campaign.
- Other commitments?

5. Get attendees to join the Citnet listserve? Set up our own listserve?
Chat room?

6. Congressional Dear Colleague letter (we could urge all attendees to get
their reps to sign on to the letter). Do you know of any members of
Congress that could write such a letter by Friday June 28, that we could
support? We could try to generate support from local elected leaders in LA.

7. Ongoing media campaign? Based where? How could we help? What would be
the message of the media campaign?

8. Celebrity sign-ons? We might be able to get some celebs to sign on to
support a letter. Who would write one? How can we make it have maximum
impact?

9. Get attendees to support legislation under consideration at national and
state level? We have a California auto emissions global warming bill, AB
1058, sponsored by Fran Pavely. Are there important national bills?

10. Ongoing grassroots Campaign after June 29 directed toward support of
implementation Agenda 21? Other objectives?

11. We will convene immediately after June 29 conference to evaluate the
day and develop a clear powerful message.

12. Send report of June 29 conference to US delegation to Summit and UN
staff. Also to all elected officials in California? To who else?

13. Put Adelphia videos from June 29 conference on cable. Any other videos
we could put on local public access cable?

14. Hold media event in LA in August for all the local delegates with local
political leaders sending people to the Summit. Our representatives will
present the Southern California concerns at the Summit (Content)?

15. Hold an event in Johannesburg for LA's vision to be heard to the
international community. Include celebrities, artists and local leaders
join to call for (what content)?

16. Hold an event after the summit to give a report to Southern California
on outcome of Summit.

Other questions:
How do we overcome the expected US spin of Partnerships and other cosmetic
outcomes from Johannesburg?

Rather than focussing on Johannesburg, should we look at a broader Campaign
to move our government and fellow citizens towards a greater recognition
of the importance of sustainability in policy and practice, globally,
nationally, and locally?

Jim Stewart (310) 390-4366
1247 Lincoln Blvd. #253
Santa Monica, CA 90401-1711