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Tennessee Climate Action Team Gathers for Summit
The Tennessee Climate Action Campaign is a statewide effort to increase awareness about energy efficiency and the importance of pursuing sensible, cost-effective, planet-friendly ways of meeting our energy needs. The campaign includes a team of activists across the state who help encourage their communities to become more energy efficient, while working with TVA to make long-lasting policy changes. SOCM's Green-Collar Jobs Committee has supported the campaign and many SOCM members are serving on the Tennessee Climate Action Team (TCAT).
"it is about being more energy efficient, but also involves advocating for energy efficient policies that save carbon, protect the climate, and enhance sustainability," said SOCM member Jack Turner. "One goal of the campaign is to persuade TVA to commit to at least a 1% annual energy savings. Such savings could enable the giant utility to idle or retire additional coal fired plants in Tennessee. That would not only help clear the air, but save considerable fuel and operating costs."
Jack was one of many SOCM members who attended a TCAT summit on June 16th at Cumberland Mountain State Park. Team members strategized and brainstormed how TCAT can influence TVA's energy efficiency policy making. It was a great session so thanks to all the members who came!
To learn more or to become a part of the Tennessee Climate Action Team, visit
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Cookout Set to Raise Awareness of High Water Bill Problem
SOCM members and friends in Mt. Pleasant, in Maury County, are still suffering from outrageous water bills. In the last SOCM E-Newsletter, we asked members from across Tennessee to send in their bills for comparison. Several of you responded and we got several bills. Thank you!
The graphic below compares a bill from a Mt. Pleasant resident and a Knoxville resident. Notice the differences in the presentation of the bills and the prices.
On July 14th, SOCM will host a cookout at Gardenia Park in Mt. Pleasant and are asking residents to bring a recent water/sewer bill. It's a great opportunity for community members to learn about why their bills are so high and gather ideas for confronting the issue. The attendee with the highest water bill (without late fees) will win a prize!
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SOCM Signs on to "American Clean Energy Agenda"
Fed up with the undue influence of the energy companies, utilities, lobbyists and other interests that are making it impossible for Washington to move forward decisively in achieving America's clean energy future, SOCM (with direction from the Green-Collar Jobs and E3 Committees) has joined 35 other citizen organizations with more than 1.1 million combined members, to advance a nine-point "American Clean Energy Agenda" and to push for a serious renewable energy agenda.
The Agenda was released to the public this week and received a lot of press coverage. Click here to see the press release and the agenda.
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Be a Part of SOCM's Priority-Setting Process
As a member-run organization, members are responsible for the direction of SOCM. We are about to start our goal-setting and priority-setting process, which will dictate the work we do next year. It is very important to be involved in your chapter and committee meetings over the next month. Let your voice be heard!
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Fran Ansley Wins "Every Member Get a Member" This Month
 Fran Ansley has won this month's Every Member Get a Member Prize- a set of fish casserole dishes. The dishes were made in China during the early part of the 20th Century and signify good fortune. Congratulations Fran and thanks for all your hard work!
We still have plenty of great prizes left so keep up the recruitment efforts!
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Katie Greer Attends Wind Powering America All-States Summit
On June 7th, SOCM Green-Collar Jobs Organizer Katie Greer traveled to Atlanta to attend the Department of Energy's Wind Powering America All-State Summit. Katie represented Tennessee at the event. The Summit provided an opportunity to review successes, opportunities, and challenges for wind energy and plan future collaboration among states. A major theme of the event was the advance of wind energy manufacturing in the Southeastern United States. Just a few years ago, a majority of wind energy manufacturing occurred overseas. Now over 60% of U.S. wind turbine parts are manufactured in America. A video of the summit's presentations will be available soon at www.windpoweringamerica.gov. The American Wind Energy Association has also created a fact sheet on wind energy manufacturing in Tennessee, which you can find here. |
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Join SOCM!
Your community needs you. Click on the link above to pay membership dues or click below to donate to SOCM and designate your donation as membership dues.
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Bedford Chapter Conference Call
Tuesday, July 10
6:30 = 7:30 p.m.
Jackson Chapter Meeting
Tuesday, July 10
SOCM West Office
6:30 = 8: 30 p.m.
Anti-Racism Transformation Team (ARTT) Meeting
Saturday, July 14
Lebanon, Tenn.
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Mt. Pleasant Cookout and Highest Water Bill Competition
Saturday, July 14
Gardenia Park, Mt. Pleasant
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Green-Collar Jobs Committee Call
Tuesday, July 24
8 - 9 p.m.
SOCM Board Meeting
Saturday, July 28
Lebanon, Tenn.
9:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Knoxville Chapter Meeting
Monday, July 30
Location TBD
6 - 7:30 p.m.
"Music from the Big House"
Saturday, July 14
Relix Variety, 1208 N. Central St., Knoxville
9 p.m.
Rita Chiarelli, an award-winning recording artist, travels to Louisiana State Maximum Security Penitentiary, a.k.a. Angola Prison and performs a historic jailhouse performance with inmates serving life sentences. Their remarkable voices of hope take us on emotional quests for forgiveness.
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E3 Organizer Position Opening
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"Believe it is possible to solve your problem. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So believe the answer will come. It will."
- Norman Vincent Peale
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