SustainUS: Historical Timeline of a Grassroots Movement

SustainUS was created in the Fall of 2001 following an ECOnference. The base of the leadership grew out of the USA youth planning crew that started at the Borgholm conference (I did not attend, but I believe Josh Tulkin did so I'm cc'ing him here for more of the story) and got a big boost after joining with an independently-formed group of wonks drawn from the Udall listserv (due in no small part to a coversation I had with State Dept's Daniel Rochberg responding to our Udall-based inquiry to State about what they were doing in anticipation of WSSD, recommending that we get in touch with Camilla Feibelman of the Borgholm crew). By the time we hosted a workshop at ECOnference in the fall, we had a crew of maybe 60 people interested in WSSD/sustainable development issues, and our listserv had grown toenough of a critical mass that we decided to form a loose network of similarly-interested folks in anticipation of WSSD. I checked out a bunch of open domain names and proposed a few names for our newly forming organization--the one that everyone seemed to like the most was SustainUS, and with a newly minted website, we became founded as SustainUS approximately sometime about this time of year a whopping six years ago(!). In any event, thought y'all might like to know.

May 2001 At Borgholm, Sweden, a small group of United States youth realize that the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), or Rio +10, billed as the greatest opportunity since the Rio Earth Summit to make progress toward sustainable development, is rapidly approaching. Youth from other countries are already well organized and networked to make their voices heard at the WSSD and its preparatory process. To ensure that youth have a voice, they form the US Youth Planning Group for Sustainable Development.

Summer 2001 The founders of the US Youth Planning Group write background educational materials and organizing manuals for youth who want to be active in the buildup for the WSSD. Interest grows from individuals and organizations alike.

October 2001 A few members of the US Youth Planning Group create a workshop for students about the WSSD at the EcoConference in Washington D.C. They re-organize the still-small but ever-growing movement as a network of US youth and call it SustainUS.

December 2001/January 2002 A small group of New York City students plan two meetings to educate US youth about sustainable development and how to be advocates for US youth interests.

January 2002 The first of the two NYC meetings, the "US Youth Prepcom on Sustainable Development" takes place at Hunter College. Geared primarily toward New York area students, the US Youth Prepcom produces the first SustainUS platform, short-term goals, and an expanded group of organizers for the second, larger youth meeting. Meanwhile, a preparatory meeting of the WSSD (Prepcom II) meets at the U.N. in New York. Several US youth represent SustainUS as delegates of other accredited organizations.

March/April 2002 The second youth meeting, the "US Youth Summit on Sustainable Development," attracts over 200 people, representing over 25 NGO's and hailing from over 20 different countries and all over the United States. At the US Youth Summit, SustainUS kicks off its "Bet" campaign with President Bush, through which the youth bet Bush that they could conserve 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide in pledges by youth. If they succeeded, they would call on Bush to attend the WSSD with a group of 5 youth. If they failed, they would volunteer to chauffeur Bush or a member of his administration in a bicycle rickshaw for a week. At the same time, another meeting at the UN (Prepcom III) was underway. SustainUS sends a full delegation as an officially accredited organization to the WSSD and leads a coordinated, but futile lobby campaign targeting the US government.

April 2002 The SustainUS Steering Committee is formed. The Committee is open to all those who commit 5 hours of volunteer time to SustainUS each week, and is charged with setting organizational priorities and coordinating campaigns. The Steering Committee continues to hold open conference calls every other week.

June 2002 SustainUS sends a full delegation to the last preparatory meeting for the WSSD (Prepcom IV), in Bali.

July 2002 After countless hours of tabling, e-mailing, and networking, SustainUS wins its Bet with President Bush. Youth carbon dioxide emission savings hit 20,000 tons with less than 48 hours remaining in the Bet period. Nonetheless, Bush fails to commit to attending the WSSD. Also, SustainUS members draft the first comprehensive policy platform, now available in the disclaimer on every SustainUS e-mail.

August 2002 Over 100 heads of State and 50,000 people attend the WSSD in Johannesburg; President Bush does not. A last ditch effort is made to save the WSSD from the policies that derailed it in preparatory meetings, and some modest progress is made. Still, the WSSD produces a document without meaningful reform of international institutions, commitments to funding research for sustainable development, or time-based commitments by governments on energy, among other things. Since the South African planners of the WSSD are unequipped to move and secure the number of people in attendance, the SustainUS delegation has tremendous difficulty keeping in touch, finding computers to update its constituency at home, and moving from venue to venue. In spite of these external difficulties, the delegation successfully covers the entire Summit and makes crucial contributions to the Youth Caucus, whose statement at the Summit was widely seen as the most honest, articulate, and bold. SustainUS returns home to reorganize and bring the new vision of sustainable development to the United States.

September 2002 SustainUS sends a delegation to the Youth Employment Summit and agrees to partner with the International Young Professionals Network by starting a separate network for young people in the working world. In conjunction with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, SustainUS drafts a white paper on the feasibility of a Youth Advisory Council to the U.S. federal government on sustainable development. Also, the Washington, D.C. geocluster meets for the first time - the second active geocluster in the nationwide youth network.

October 2002 SustainUS members brainstorm two campaigns that will be extremely successful in the future: the Campus Greening Network, which aims to facilitate resource and knowledge sharing between students trying to make their universities more sustainable, and the Science and Technology Newsletter, through which young scientists educate other young people about the science involved in different aspects of sustainable development.

November/December 2002 The Washington D.C. geocluster, in its first substantial group actions, drafts the sustainable Holiday Giving Guide, and forms the sustainable production and consumption working group. The first Science and Technology Newsletter is produced and released.

January 2003 The SustainUS working group on peace is formed, which publishes a guide to peace and sustainable development. The guide highlights the appalling disparity between the budget for defense and the budget for development and illustrates the capacity of sustainable development to create conditions for peace. While taking no official position on the impending war with Iraq, SustainUS outreaches to the pro-peace community, stressing the need to prepare for post-war reconstruction, responsible democracy-building, and an adequate post-war development budget.

February 2003 The Campus Greening Network launches. Before long, scores of campus environmental groups join as members. A SustainUS member is elected to the United Nations Environmental Program Youth Advisory Council as one of two North American Representatives. Then, for the first time, SustainUS sends a delegation to the Commission on Social Development and works with the CONGO Youth Advisory Committee. SustainUS also conducts its first review of the organizational policy first drafted in June, 2002, and starts work on a short, one-page policy summary.

March 2003 The Science and Technology Newsletter partners with the International Young Professionals Network to create Symbiosis, a newsletter on sustainable development science and technology for the UN Millennium Development Goals. SustainUS presents its plan for a National Youth Council on Sustainability to the American Insititute of Chemical Engineers and obtains their endorsement and support, and the two groups partner to start the Council. Also, a new listserv, SustainUS-Opportunity, is created exclusively for the exchange of job, fellowship, and scholarship opportunities for young people.

April 2003 SustainUS sends a full delegation to the 11th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development in New York. In addition to working closely and effectively with the Youth Caucus, the New York geocluster successfully provides housing for all international youth who request it - a first in CSD history - helping many delegates stay within their tight budgets.

May 2003 SustainUS signs onto the Jubilee Iraq Campaign, demanding an immediate cancellation of Iraqi external debt accumulated during the reign of Saddam Hussein. The New York geocluster agrees to host a leadership retreat in August, the first national SustainUS event since the press conference that concluded the Bet campaign a full year earlier.

June 2003 SustainUS holds the first exploratory meeting with U.S. government officials on the creation of the National Youth Council on Sustainability and receives strong support.

July 2003 SustainUS holds an exploratory meeting for governmental and nonprofit representatives regarding the National Youth Council on Sustainability. Thirty representatives attend and commit to helping with the project.

August 2003 The New York geocluster hosts a leadership retreat, the first gathering of SustainUS members from around the country since the Youth Summit on Sustainable Development in March, 2002. SustainUS emerges from the retreat with new energy, tighter organization, and an ambitious plan for empowering youth and realizing sustainable development in the coming year.

September 2003 SustainUS is invited to join the NGO Committee on Youth as a Executive Board member organization - the only all-volunteer organization to gain that status.

October 2003 SustainUS members elect their first set of officers - a Steering Wheel (Chairperson), a Secretary, and a Treasurer - to one-year terms. Then, SustainUS members join "Planning for a Decade of Education for Sustainable Development," a coalition of educators and organizations bringing sustainable development into the classrooms and other educational venues.

November 2003 SustainUS teams up with the Center for a New American Dream's Turn the Tide campaign to encourage young people to take steps every day to live more sustainably. Momentum continues to build for establishing a National Youth Council on Sustainability; a second exploratory meeting is held.

December 2003 The December 5 issue of the New York Times publishes a Letter to the Editor from SustainUS demanding U.S. regulatory action on climate change on behalf of future generations. Later, the Washington, D.C. geocluster publishes its thoroughly revised second edition of the Holiday Sustainable Giving Guide.

January 2004 With a coalition of 18 other leading environmental and international cooperation groups, SustainUS launches the Earth Legacy campaign, which works to restore U.S. leadership in global environmental protection.

February 2004 SustainUS launches its third independent geocluster in Austin, TX. Also, under the new project name “Agents of Change,” the SustainUS international program sends a full, 25-member delegation to the Commission on Social Development.

March 2004 After exhaustive deliberations, SustainUS elects its first-ever Board of Directors. SustainUS members in Austin, TX form the third active geocluster.

April 2004 SustainUS sends another full delegation to the Commission on Sustainable Development through its Agents of Change program, earning high praise from international colleagues for cooperation and assistance in New York. Also, the New York geocluster hosts a Youth Summit on Sustainable Development to coincide with the CSD; film screenings, teach-ins, recreational events, panels, and a sustainable careers showcase are all included in the program.

July 2004 Without staff support, SustainUS members finish drafting a set of bylaws and a certificate of incorporation that preserves the organization’s volunteer spirit at the organization's Annual Retreat outside of Washington, DC.

Fall of 2004 STAC begins to take form in a new and stronger form. Scott Paul was selected during the retreat to make STAC an active wing of SustainUS. Scott and the STAC team outlines a new Citizen Science paper competition. The competition is meant to be only one form to promote young people doing and engaging in science of sustainable development.

Spring 2005 Citizen Science was born between January 2005 and CSD 2005.

November 2005 SustainUS and the North American delegation represented by Emma Wendt at the United Nations Environment Programme's Global Civil Society Forum Draft Meeting in Bahrain . The meeting was held to draft the Global Civil Society statement to be presented at the UNEP Global Civil Society Forum/Global Ministerial Environment Forum held in Dubai in February 2006. The meeting in Bahrain follows the UNEP North America regional meeting in Washington, DC, which was attended by several other SustainUS members.

February 2006 SustainUS and the North American delegation represented by Kate Davenport and Zoe Chafe at the UNEP Global Civil Society Forum/Global Ministerial Environment Forum held in Dubai.

Corinna

SustainUSHistory (last edited 2008-02-02 23:44:56 by YochiZakai)