Convening for Green and Loving It

By Tara Shumate, Colorado Field Canvasser and Trainer I am proud to say my faith in our country’s democratic system is restored. For years my only exposure to our political process was news reports about politicians repetitively making decisions that negatively impact our environment, human rights progress, economic well-being, and more. It seemed politicians were only in place to maintain a state of constant backpedaling and to ensure that we would never reach our full potential - the indefatigable embodiment of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people, not just the one percent. Then, about  four  months ago I became a community organizer for Clean Water Action, and things began to change. The work breathed new life into me and upended my pessimistic ways.  I found myself immersed in a group of individuals with deeply rooted passion and drive. We harness that passion and drive to personify change on a daily basis. We walk into communities and educate residents about the ever-encroaching environmental impacts of activities  like fracking and drilling for oil and gas. We organize them to hold politicians accountable for their decisions. I have been able to meet hundreds of Coloradans and talk to them face to face about issues that affect us all, collect hundreds of letters addressed to decision-makers, meet and endorse local politicians to ensure the protection of our environment, and learn about the positive events occurring in politics. I recently attended the “Convene for Green” Citizen Lobby Day with Clean Water Action and conservation partners. I wanted to make the connection between our organization’s efforts and the state’s political processes. I anticipated being a spectator as some professional lobbyist got in front of the House or Senate and performed a short monologue about an environmental issue at stake. I was way off. I spoke with my legislators, as did everyone else that came for the Lobby Day. A short time after a note  requesting my Senator’s time was slipped through the doors of the Senate, Senator Cheri Jahn came out to join her constituents in the lobby (hence the term). There was no podium involved, no speech to a half-attentive crowd, no barrier between me and my legislator. I shook her hand and gave her my two cents about upcoming bills addressing drilling and fracking regulations. I was deeply inspired by this experience  and have been spreading the knowledge with friends, family, and community members since. It was really empowering to be able to inform and educate my legislators about important bills that resonate deeply with me. The two bills are sponsored by Rep. Mike Foote from Lafayette and address serious issues around the way the oil and gas industry operates. Both bills impose needed responsibility and accountability for oil and gas companies where it has been severely lacking for some time now. They take the crushing pressure off homeowners to repair any damage done by oil and gas operators and steer the industry towards a regulated and safely executed process. We heard motivating words from legislators such as Senator Matt Jones and Rep. Mike Foote, himself. Both indicated how there is nothing more powerful than to meet face to face with constituents, so I encourage everybody to get involved with their local politics and put democracy into practice!