1. Sierra Club History

2. 4 Touchstones individuals who help explain how we got to where we are today David Brower Newt Gingrich James Watt John Muir

3. 1892 - Sierra Club Founded Farmer, Inventor, Author “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” -- John Muir, 1911

4. John Muir “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” -- John Muir, 1901 World Traveller, Educator, Conservationist, Naturalist

5. Membership Growth YEARMEMBERS 1892 182 1900 1930 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 today John Muir founds Sierra Club in 1892

6. David Brower 1952-69 - SC Executive Director Climber, Author, Publisher

7. David Brower SC Board Member 3x Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Friends of the Earth & Earth Island Institute Founder

8. David Brower New York Times Ad -- 1966

9. David Brower SC loses tax-exempt status in 1966 due to excessive legislative/lobbying work 1963 - SC DC office opens SC Council created SC campaign to keep dams out of the Grand Canyon

10. Membership Growth YEARMEMBERS 1892 182 1908 1,000 1930 2,500 1956 10,000 1960 1970 1980 1990 today John Muir founds Sierra Club in 1892 1950’s - David Brower becomes the Club’s first Exec. Director, creates modern Sierra Club

11. James Watt 1981-83 - Secretary of Interior Reagan Administration

12. James Watt 1981 - Club gathers over 1 Million Signatures on the Watt Petition asking for James Watt’s resignation Secty of the Interior Gale Norton’s mentor

13. Membership Growth YEARMEMBERS 1892 182 1908 1,000 1930 2,500 1956 10,000 1960 16,000 1970114,000 1980200,000 1982325,000 1990 today John Muir founds Sierra Club in 1892 1950’s - David Brower becomes the Club’s first Exec. Director, creates modern Sierra Club James Watt appointed Secty of the Interior

14. Newt Gingrich Lecturer, Reporter, Author Time Man of the Year - 1995 The key strategist and leader behind the1994 Republican victory, which created the first GOP majority in Congress in forty years, and the 1996 and 1998 victories that retained that majority for the first time in 74 years. Under his leadership, Congress passed welfare reform, the first balanced budget in a generation, and the first tax cuts in sixteen years.

15. Newt Gingrich 1994-98 - Speaker of the House Contract with America (a Polluter’s Bill of Rights) A sweeping attempt to remake the way government functions included provisions that would indirectly undermine the foundation of environmental, health and safety protections.

16. Membership Growth YEARMEMBERS 1892 182 1908 1,000 1930 2,500 1956 10,000 1960 16,000 1970114,000 1980200,000 1982325,000 1990540,000 today700,000 John Muir founds Sierra Club in 1892 1950’s - David Brower becomes the Club’s first Exec. Director, creates modern Sierra Club James Watt appointed Secty of the Interior Newt Gingrich becomes Speaker of the House

17. Change In Approach Citizen Lobbyists Write a letter to or meet with your member of Congress! SC Approach

18. Change in Approach 500,000 SC members isn’t enough people to influence law makers when compared to a US population of 250 Million! 1995 - Taking it to the people Write a letter to the editor of the paper and influence the public in the community!

19. Change in Approach Create Demand Hold Individuals Accountable Take Delivery “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them...” -- Frederick Douglass, abolitionist orator 1857

20. Change in Approach Sierra Club Mission Statement Explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth. Practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources. Educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment. Use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.