Just days after Al Gore endorsed Sen. Barack Obama’s presidency, another major force in the world of the environment has thrown its weight behind the Democrat.
The Sierra Club, which calls itself America’s largest grassroots environmental organization, has endorsed Barack Obama. (It also endorsed Obama in the Democratic primaries.)
In an election when his rival, Sen. John McCain, has sought to distinguish his credentials on fighting global warming as a defining feature of his campaign, Obama’s detailed energy agenda seems to have won over the group. While both candidates endorse a cap-and-trade system for reducing heat-trapping carbon emissions, McCain’s goal falls short of the benchmark set by United Nations scientists for staving off the worst consequences of global warming. (Incidentally, even those targets are increasingly seen as weak, given the rapidity of climate-induced changes occurring around the world, and the increase in carbon pollution.)
Here are the facets of Obama’s agenda the Sierra Club highlighted:
The central “cap and auction” system that would cut our carbon dioxide emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 requires polluters to pay for their emissions and invests money into clean energy technology and jobs, and aid for low-income Americans affected by higher energy costs.
A requirement that 25% of U.S. electricity come from renewable sources by 2025, along with a plan for improving energy efficiency in the U.S. 50 percent by 2030.
Retention of bans on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and off-shore oil and gas exploration.
Opposition to the storage of nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain repository being built in southern Nevada.
Restoration of environmental programs undercut by Bush Administration executive orders.
Increased regulation of factory farms.
Support of the Lead Poisoning Reduction Act, which aims to protect children from toxic lead poisoning.
“We believe Senator Obama is the change our nation needs - he is the change we need, the leader who will put America on the path to a clean energy economy that will create and keep millions of jobs, spur innovation and opportunity, make us a more secure nation, and help us solve global warming,” said Carl Pope, president of the Sierra Club.
Interestingly, the Sierra Club endorsement came alongside that of the United Steelworkers, which sees the promise of new jobs in Obama’s clean energy agenda.
House of Solar Team :
I am so proud to be working with such a committed group of people. Every day I speak to somebody that has the vision and the attitude needed to change the world. Every day I get an email or a message where somebody is moving out of their circumstances , over the probable and onto the possible in their life.
When I started with Citizenre I only knew that this idea could change the world. I had never been in a MLM and I did not know much about “Being Green”. What I did know is I had lived in Taiwan and I had a chance to see what the world could look like if we kept moving down the path of coal fired electricity and raw “Consumerism”. It was so polluted in Taiwan that twice a year we had to was out our window screens because they were clogged. The way we are powering our country and using our resources right now puts this scenario not in a “If ” time frame but a “when” time frame.
I now know that I share the vision of a renewable future with many others. I share this vision with thousands of people that are on the House of Solar Team. People who are willing to do more than think about how different the future should be . The House of Solar has people that actually go out to create a different future. They go out to educate the public. The call their senators , talk to their neighbors and work to create change here and now.
One of my favorite quotes is “The best way to predict the future is to create it“
Here is my acknowledgment to the people that are doing so:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Our Amazing Team Leaders <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jerret Goodale(Ex. Sales Director) -A longtime friend and the first person I called about Citizenre. I told this this was an opportunity and to sign up 15 people. The next day he called me back to say” I have 15 people, now what?”. From Day one he was on the ball and never let up for a moment after that . Jerret has created training materials for the company and shared his skills in a selfless way while having his team participate in more shows than any other group in the country.He leads by example and trains for results. Jerret is the RSD for Norther California and Hawaii. He is a master of organization , motivation and if is not a measurable result, you probably should not even talk to him about it.
Louis Petrik (Sr. Sales Director)- I met Louis last spring and he invited me to breakfast with his brother. Over breakfast we talked about the possibilities with Citizenre. At the end of the meal he said “Ok , what first ?”. From that moment on Louis has been a picture of enthusiasm and vision. He was steadfast in his intention, putting one foot in front of the other to create value for his team on a daily basis. Not only did he manage to create amazing sales numbers through his clarity and leadership. He managed to do all of this while running his two other business ,becoming a certified solar installer, teaching classes at his church and being a worthwhile father and husband to his wife and kids. My hat goes off to Louis and his ability to get a full days work in before the sun comes up.
Ryan Tolley- (Ex. Sales Director)- Ryan is member of Jerret’s team and a fellow RSD for Northern California. Ryan is a focused machine when it comes to getting things done . Many times I have mentioned that it would be great to have a list of this or that or a excel sheet tracking important information only to receive what I mentioned at 3 AM. In his first couple of months last year ,Ryan attracted more sales himself than most teams had at the time and…. he made it look easy. Ryan is a leader , student and creator of what he wants in his life. He is a valued member of the team and the place to go if you are looking for a “how to ” conversation on running your organization
Cheri Black (Sr. Sales Director) - I knew this woman had some Mo-Jo after her first show report. She showed up on a team call and told us how she talked her way into a last minute show (that was full) and managed to get 15 FRA’s in her first half day. That alone would be impressive except that she also signed up 15 Ecos at the same time. From then on her name popped up in conversations almost every day. She was either building a team, breaking records or organizing the N.E corner of the U.S for success. She is proof that the world is run by people who show up and that she certainly does on a daily basis. If you would like to hear what she has to say you can show up for the team call she is leading Tuesday night with Donna Distefano (#1 sales person in the country)
>( 7 pm CST Tuesday and will run until 8pm. The call in number is 218-339-7800 and the access code is 481226 )
Citizenre TOP 20 List- House of Solar takes it again !!
There are many HOS Ecos out there making things happen. Not everybody has been around long enough to bring in the big numbers but they are important as well. Here are a few on the honorable mention list.
Name: Title: Personal/Team
Fred Huffman -Sr. SalesManager ( 17/127 ) Congratulationsto Fred for newposition
Coy Lay- Sr. SalesManager ( 62/226 ) Congratulationsto Coy for newposition
Norman Rossner -Sr. SalesManager ( 108/108 ) Congratulationsto Norm for newposition
Donna Baca -SalesManager ( 8/13 ) Congratulationsto Donna for newposition
Jonathan Schraurer -SalesManager ( 10/10 ) Congratulationsto Jonathan for newposition
Andreina Erwin -SalesManager ( 19/19 ) Congratulationsto Andreina for her newposition CharlesHageman -SalesManager (9/45 )CongratulationstoChuckonhisnewposition
I know there are plenty of you out there pushing forward and I want to both acknowledge you efforts and let you know that I appreciate your dedication.
If you have not already joined up in your local Google group you can participate by filling out this short application . every state in the country now has its own House of Solar leader to assist you in your success and help you participate in your local events. They are are successful leaders and have been put in place to help you in any way they can.
Thank you for your efforts. You will soon be rewarded for your vision and efforts.
I would like to acknowledge out Cap-City -Solar Team. Here is what they have been up to:
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The best week that the Cap City Solar team completed last year was 165 FRA’s. This week they finished their fourth week in a row with over 165 by adding 175 sales to our total. That is 793 sales in four weeks !!!!.
2008 has been a awesome year for CapCitySolar so far. Lets keep it going.
We have been working on adding shows to the Google Groups for the last couple of days but we need your help. There are lots of smaller events that are perfect to work for CitizenRe. The problem is that there is no way the HOSregional leaderscan not find them all. These are found in the local newspapers, the Chambers of Commerce, and the local news. We need you to let the Google Groups leaders know where and when these events are happening. Look for Craft Fairs, Flea Markets, Bizarres, Sporting Events, and so on. If you find one, then post it in your group. You may not be able to work it, but someone on the team may. These groups are for you to learn and help others. Make the most of them.
To apply for your House of Solar regional Google Group fill out the application on this link. Make certain to know your sponsorship tree ( In your back office) so we can confirm you as on the team.
I am excited as we move forward. I know we are still the number one team in the country because just our part of House of Solar team accounted for over 55% of the sales nationally last week. We are the leaders. Keep up the good work.
Lastly I want to congratulate Cheri Black (363) and Donna Distefano (374) who are quickly approaching top salespeople in the country. Thanks for your continued support and success.
Have a great week and God Bless.
Louis Petrik
Senior Sales Director ———————————————————————————————
Cap -City -Solar under Louis Petrik has an AMAZING 2640 sales
Watching the political process I have been both strangely hopeful about the future and pessimistic about how the large corporations filter what we know and see. I loved the message this video brings .Powur to the people.
Don’t forget to tune into David Gregg speaking to the entire company on Monday evening Feb 4th at 6pm Pacific.
The call in number is: (319) 279 1001 code: 1025747#
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.
Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.
Yes we can.
It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can.
We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics…they will only grow louder and more dissonant ……….. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea –
Yes. We. Can.
Peace
-Tim Padden
House of Solar “Come from what you are committed to”
I’ve run into a lot of sentiment along the lines of this comment thread — harumphing about how weak and insufficient the impending energy bill is — and it seems crazy and wrongheaded to me.
I urge you to check out this post by Josh Dorner on the post-2000 history of energy bill negotiations. Remember what it’s been like.
Since I started at Grist, I’ve been writing about a Republican president and Congress trying over and over again to pass energy legislation focused on drilling, mining, and doling out subsidies. Their greed and overreach were such that they bungled it again and again, until the 2005 Energy Act, which was a slightly scaled down version of the same old thing.
That act was part and parcel of what energy policy has been in this country more or less since Ronald Reagan walked in the White House: a monomaniacal focus on extraction and supply coupled with generous corporate welfare.
In just over a year, Democrats, with a small majority in the House and a knife-edge margin in the Senate, have pulled together an energy bill that contains:
The first CAFE boost since 1975. Even if you don’t think CAFE is crucial energy policy (I don’t), it ain’t nothing, and it is of extraordinary symbolic significance. It’s going to be the headline.
A 15% Renewable Energy Standard — a clear statement of support for a new energy direction, echoing and amplifying state-level efforts.
Billions in subsidies for clean energy.
Boosted energy efficiency and green building standards.
Yes, yes, a massive, horrendous boost in biofuels, but even on that front there are environmental safeguards attached that were absent in early negotiations.
The distance between this bill and where were were a year ago is remarkable. And it is a credit to the leadership.
If you’re determined to think that all politicians are craven simps, go ahead, but it’s hard for me to see what would count of evidence of boldness and commitment on Nancy Pelosi’s part if this doesn’t.
Don’t think she’s been tiptoeing around. Sen. Pete Domenici, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy Committee, is so pissed off at her he’s pulling out of the energy bill process. He’d gotten the impression that the RES (aka RPS) was off the table, but Pelosi’s pushed it back on. Says the irritated and possibly soon to be steamrolled Domenici:
RPS may not be the only deviation from the negotiated bill text, as the Speaker appears willing to take advantage of the lack of a formal conference committee process and institute other changes in the bill as she sees fit.
You’ll recall that when they were in control, Republican leadership regularly pulled procedural shenanigans that made this look like patty cakes. But still, Pelosi isn’t playing by Queensbury Rules. She’s throwing elbows.
It wasn’t just leading Republicans Pelosi had to outmaneuver. As this NYT story makes clear, she’s also gone head to head with Rep. John Dingell, one of the most powerful committee chairs in recent history, and pulled him in line:
Mr. Dingell said that all sides had compromised to get a good deal on the energy bill, and he took credit for safeguarding the interests of the auto industry. In a telephone interview, he praised Ms. Pelosi and said his disagreements with her had been useful.
…
Outside observers, however, said Mr. Dingell had capitulated after realizing he could not win, especially given high oil prices. “The speaker basically took him on and won,” said Dan Becker, an environmental consultant.
Pelosi’s been fighting hard and smart, and she’s done so out of what everyone who knows her describes as a genuine passion for renewable energy.
Please explain to me why the first reaction to this should be grumbling about how it’s not enough. What kind of political message does that send? What incentive does that give anyone to follow Pelosi out onto this limb?
You know what nobody likes? Nobody likes people who do nothing but judge and condemn and enforce in-group purity and piss on everyone’s shoes, including their friends’ shoes. Nobody wants to make any effort to please those people. Nobody even wants to get stuck in an elevator with them.
Of course this bill is not enough. Nothing will ever be enough, I guarantee you. But it’s a victory, and you know what people do like? People like winning. They like being on the winning team. They like winners. They want to hang around the winners, and act like them, and date them, and name drop them.
So please, take a moment for some strutting. Take strength from this victory, and give strength. Hand out some props for a job well done. Make politicians feel like there’s social and political capital to be gained by going green — if you do that, they’ll be back for more.
The arc of history is bending in our direction. Celebrate it.
Tell everyone you know about it. Tell them about this
A special “Great job TEAM!!!” to Jason Keen and Viky Von Aspern (Super SolarRangers - our West coast group) for bringing the contact info to the Citizenre HQ to make this happen.
—————————————————————————————— From the Forums
2007-11-28 19:12:49 - MR. ROB STYLER - Administrator
I spent the day today on a roof filming Stephen Gates and the crew installing a 2.4 KW system on a house in Pacific Palisades.
The event was also filmed by “Green that House”, but we wanted some of our own footage–and I wanted to see an install. It was fun, but that is not a job I would want. I was just standing around filming those guys works, but the heat and the reflection. It is a tough job installing solar.
The system looked and worked beautifully. We had to use equipment from other manufacturers, but the rental model was all ours and the client was thrilled.
She had invested a ton of money for remodeling. She really wanted to do solar, but had not budget for it. Citizenre to the rescue. She was so happy. It feels good to help people be happy.
Thanks for all you do everyday to make our mission happen.
Rob
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Keep up the good work.
House of Solar is in the lead and not looking back !!!
Now is the time to start preparing for your spring events.
Be involved ,Support your team , Live in your vision every day.
Have you ever been in a room where you didn’t know anybody and it seemed like everyone knew everyone else? If you look close enough you’d probably notice that there are a few people who may not know anybody else but are somehow making their way around the room and socializing with a number of different people. The ability to start a meaningful conversation is a unique and valuable skill to have. The good news is that anybody can learn and master this skill. The bad news is that most people believe that they can’t learn how to start conversations effectively. Fortunately for you, you’re not one of those people. Even if you are, I’m going to give you some foolproof ways to successfully start a conversation. Whether you are in a networking meeting, café, or just walking down the street, people are everywhere and now it’s time to master how to meet them.
Before you Begin
Before we get started, I’d like you to understand a few things. First, I have a lot of information on gaining social success so I’ll be breaking them down in a number of different articles. I suggest you Bookmark this site if you haven’t already because I have a lot more information on this topic. Second, I also suggest that after you read this you read my post called “Be a Presence in Any Room”. It will help become more confident and help you establish your presence whenever you are meeting new people. Third, remember that starting a conversation is just the beginning to becoming more socially active, a better networker, and a people driven leader. Conversation is the best way to connect and communicate with other people. So once you’ve mastered how to begin a conversation properly, you are well on your way to success.
The Right Note
Nothing is worse than a negative comment in a positive atmosphere. I like going to social gatherings, parties, and network events. These types of events are designed to bring people together usually to have a good time and interact. Even though that purpose should be clear to just about everyone in the room, there are usually a few people who don’t quite seem to understand that concept. They are the ones that will try to break the ice with a negative remark or a bad attempt to be funny. Whenever I meet someone and some of the first words out of their mouth are comments about the food, organizer/host(s), or anything else they don’t like, I think “man, where is this conversation going?” Then I quickly try to change the subject or plan my escape. Don’t be that person that people are running from! Try to start every conversation off in a positive note.
Most likely the atmosphere you are in is a social and positive one, so try to match the mood of the room. Another advantage to starting a conversation off on a positive note is that it helps lift the mood of the other person you are talking to. If you are in a long line at the DMV, bank, or grocery store, all it takes is someone to say something that makes people smile and the entire mood of the people around them shifts.
The Journalist Approach
Many books have been written about the right way to network and meet people. I’m willing to bet just about all of them suggest that asking questions is the best way to start and keep a conversation going. I do agree with that but I’m going to take it a little farther than that. Asking questions in a conversation can be a good lead into a great discussion or it can end up being a boring interview. Journalists operate under one mandate, ‘ask the right questions’. Flinging questions at someone with the intention of starting a meaningful conversation is a disaster waiting to happen.
When you take the journalist approach, you increase your chances of engaging in a meaningful and memorable conversation. When you ask questions, make sure you allow the person you are talking to a chance to reveal more about themselves. Questions that have a yes, no, or I don’t know answers are a dead end road. In the beginning stages of a conversation, these types of questions will let you understand the person you are talking to better.
-Thoughts on the event or occasion.
-Opinions.
-Reasons for attending .
-Who they are associated with and how they are acquainted.
-Past experiences at similar places or events.
-What other interest do they have?
-Why are they interest in those types of activities?
The way a question is asked is just as important as what the question is. Lighthearted open ended questions that have the person mentally searching for an answer that is just as clever as the question was, can be the one thing that set you apart from the other people that person will meet. Try to find interesting and unique ways to ask the same type of question.
Meet Me In The Middle
Conversations are pointless unless two people connect. Let’s say you call your credit card company to try to resolve an issue. You may be on the phone for 20 minutes with the operator but you wouldn’t consider that a conversation would you? Of course not and you shouldn’t. Meaningful conversations always involve a connection and connections usually involve common ground. The best way to connect with a new person is to find a common ground that you both share and meet there. The sooner you both find something that you have in common, the sooner you can start building a connection.
This practice is lost at networking meetings. Most people at networking meeting are more concerned about getting business cards out and not focused on the individuals that are being handed those same cards. The most effective networkers that I know are the ones who can connect quickly with a new person. Taking an interest in the other person and then finding a common ground is skill that can instantly initiate rapport.
Be Interesting
Ok so you’ve got your questions, you’ve got common ground, now what? The beginning of a conversation is the easiest time to end the conversation. This is because no real relationship potential has yet been established. People talk to other people in passing all the time and nothing comes of it. When you are starting a conversation in any situation, questions are not enough. In order for you to continue the conversation you must say something worth listening to. Most people will be eager to continue a conversation with you if you are funny, intelligent, or engaging enough to keep their interest. Would you stay in a conversation with someone if their reply to every statement you made was, “yup”? I hope not.
Being knowledgeable, witty, and charismatic is a big advantage when starting a conversation. But you don’t have to make them die laughing or be totally captivating in order to slam dunk a new conversation. But you have to have something interesting to say. I once started a conversation with a mortgage broker at a networking meeting. The conversation was going fine until I asked her opinion about the condition of the market.
“It’s bad man, it’s bad”, she said.
Is that all you have to say? I knew that since the real estate market was her specially, and she had almost nothing to say about it, the conversation was going nowhere. That is the effect of not having anything interesting to plug into your conversations. One day an elderly man struck up a conversation with me at a park and he was a wealth of information, stories, and experiences.
Our conversation was a great exchange of thoughts and ideas. I enjoyed hearing what he had to say because he had interesting conversation topics. His ability to switch from one interesting topic to the next kept our conversation moving. Here are some things you can do to help you find more interesting topics to talk about.
-Read, read, read. The more knowledge you have the more you can share.
-Daily news, weather, and sports. Most people talk about at least one of these topics every day. If you know about them, talk about them. But be sure to have something interesting to say about them. Don’t just report them. That’s what news anchors are for.
-Take information with you. Take something you learned from one conversation to the next.
-A joke a day. Find something that makes you laugh online, in a magazine, or on TV and share it with at least one time in your conversations (if you have the opportunity to work them in).
Starting a successful conversation is an art that is not hard to learn. Like most things in life conversations usually follow a pattern or formula. Start applying these techniques today and begin to see a difference in your social and professional life.
I once spoke with a gentleman who was a 54-year old Sales Manager for a major U.S. Computer Company. He had never been in Network Marketing but
was highly considering it for the first time.
He said, “Jerry, I was in London last month on a business trip. A business associate over there gave me a magazine that was published in
the U.K. and I saw an article you wrote in it. I didn’t know who you were but I read your article and really got a lot from it. Then I heard
you on a radio show when I got back to the U.S., and I thought that was a sign that I should contact you. Over the past 25 years, at least a
dozen people have approached me about Network Marketing, but I have never been able to see myself as a distributor.”
I asked him what interested him about it now, and he said, “Retirement. Based on my investment portfolio and my income I know I won’t be able to
retire and continue to live the lifestyle that my wife and I are accustomed to. And based on my research, it appears this thing I’ve been
avoiding all these years - Network Marketing - is our best chance to be able to set ourselves up financially within the next 6-8 years. But I
just don’t like doing the things that I’ve been hearing that I would have to do in order to make it work.”
I laughed and said, “Great! Welcome to the crowd.”
He was puzzled.
I told him that one of the best parts about building a Network Marketing business is the fact that you don’t have to like it to do it. There was
silence on the phone and I knew he was confused so I continued.
I asked him how long he had been in the workforce. He said over 30 years.
I then made the following statement to him: “Are you telling me that over the last 30 years you actually liked waking up in the morning to an
electronic rooster ringing in your ear? Did you like rushing in the morning to get into traffic and breathe in the exhaust pipe fumes that
came from other cars? Did you like working with a bunch of negative people who were constantly engaged in office politics? Did you like
being told when you could take a lunch break, take a vacation, how often you could get sick, and how much money you were worth? Did you actually
like telling your four children that they couldn’t get the toys they wanted and deserved? Did you like telling your wife that you couldn’t
take the vacation that you all deserved and desired? Did you like being bossed around by someone who was less competent than you were?”
I went on a tangent for at least another minute or two with this type of questioning. I finished by saying, “I didn’t like a lot of what I had to
do, but I knew I wasn’t going to like doing all that corporate stuff for 30 or 40 years either. So I figured if I was going to do something I
didn’t like, I may as well do it for a shorter period of time. That’s why I chose Network Marketing.
“Today I’m a 32 year old guy who lives in a 7,000 sq. ft. home, travels the equivalent of five trips around the world each year, associates with
positive, uplifting and pumped up people, and wakes up when I’m done sleeping to a beautiful view of trees and the sounds of the waterfall
crashing down on my swimming pool. I figured if I was going to do something I didn’t like, I may as well do it for a shorter period of time.
“So my friend, you can go ahead and spend the next 6-8 years of your life doing something you don’t like and end up flat broke, or you can
spend the next 6-8 years of your life doing something you don’t like and set yourself up for life. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if you start
to not only like Network Marketing, but also love it. It’s your life and it’s your choice.”
By the time the call ended, the guy was in tears. I think he got the point.
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Jerry Clark became a self-made millionaire while still in his 20’s. Today, through his company Club Rhino, Inc., he conducts personal and
professional development seminars around the World. http://www.clubrhino.com/
–
The single greatest attribute of a soldier is not strength, it’s not courage. Rather it is ENDURANCE” - Napoleon
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