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Strategic Partnerships

Sierra Club is unique in Rhode Island because of its focus on grassroots organizing. Where other groups stay on the surface, call on the usual suspects, and work in environmental-only coalitions, Sierra Club is building community support from the ground up and reaching out to build new alliances with groups like labor unions, churches, public health and student organizations.

Solving global warming with new transportation choices will take the combined efforts of a diverse group of organizations and constituencies working together. For that reason, the Sierra Club is working with faith-based, labor, student, community, and other groups to promote smart energy solutions that will protect our families, our wildlife, and the world community while creating a new carbon-neutral economy that has the potential to create thousands of new jobs in Rhode Island. In 2005, the Sierra Club co-founded the New Public Transit Alliance, a coalition of environmental, public health, smart growth and social justice groups that are committed to finding transportation solutions in Rhode Island. In 2009, the Club was a lead partner in the formation of the new Coalition for Transportation Choices calling for a 21^st century transportation system that enhances our economy and provides all Rhode Islanders with healthy transportation choices.

One of the key partnerships the Sierra Club has developed in Rhode Island is with the labor community. Trade and staff unions have a strong influence in the policies of state and local government. In 2008, the Sierra Club worked with the AFL-CIO and the IBEW in Rhode Island to ensure that we get as much renewable power online quickly. Building on those relationships, the Sierra Club is also working with the ATU, Local 618 and the RI AFL-CIO to strengthen public transportation in the state.