Our Coalition, composed of individuals and group representatives, is completely volunteer-run, which means that we are not beholden to government or special interests but that we are not always as organized as we would like to be. Most of the groups that are loosely represented are grassroots nonprofits, although we have a few businesspeople, such as the City's Sustainability Manager, and Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson, who also attend. We usually have 25-45 people at our meetings. We operate on a modified consensus system for decision-making.

Our Coalition formed in November and meets monthly. Currently we are having some natural growing pains, but I believe that gaining more members will help us. I really believe that to just attend and give us your outside perspective would be valuable to us even if you do not become a regular member. Despite our "Points of Unity," we have some disunity that we need to address (see agenda item about action as a Coalition) at our meeting tomorrow.

Below is a list of "Points of Unity" that our Coalition developed at a day-long workshop facilitated by professional Tree Bressen, as well as the tentative agenda for our meeting tomorrow.

Please let me know at any point if you do not want to receive future notices regarding our Coalition's meetings or related work.

Cheers,

Samantha Chirillo
Facilitator and Steering Committee member, Climate Change and Peak Oil Coalition

Points of Unity:
* Our goal is deep, systemic change at a level necessary to address the problems.
* We recognize the need to educate ourselves and others on how deep change really happens.
* We commit to being strategic in how to meet our goals.
* Diversify interests, communities, and sectors in this Coalition.
* We need to have [love] compassion through this transition for each other and all beings.
* We see the possibilities for a much better world emerging from this crisis.
* Expose false solutions and promote real solutions.