Civic Engagement, Identity, and Group Mobilization: The Sierra Club

Kasey Jackson

Jonathan GS Koppel/Eileen Eisen-Cohen/The PAF112 Course Team

Identity, Service, and American Democracy

9 December 2020
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Kasey Jackson

The PAF112 Course Team

PAF112

9 December 2020

Civic Engagement, Identity, and Group Mobilization: The Sierra Club

Thesis
The Sierra Club, the oldest grassroots conservation organization in America, is expanding

awareness for environmental issues with a new approach.

The club’s original focus, to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet, has evolved. Their intent is

coined on their website’s page, ‘People and Justice’. The page states “To change everything, we need

everyone.” (“People and Justice”) The Sierra Club seeks pluralism, a state of society in which members of

diverse ethnic, racial, religious, and social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture and special

interest within the confines of a common civilization, and overcomes identity divide, a divide that exists

when people do not share a shared sense of identity with each other, by introducing engagement towards

equity, inclusion, and justice. This adaptation aids in overcoming barriers that prevent society from

collectively assessing actions to take towards a key issue, protecting the environment.

Identity

The identity, A shared characteristic that can cause people to form a group, of the Sierra Club

members is being an environmentally aware individual. Although broad, it represents the importance of

engagement and forming a collectivist culture, where the welfare of the group and group relationships are a

primary value, towards the Sierra Clubs cause. The Sierra Club’s current intent is to demolish the racial
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identity divide preventing America from collectively valuing and contributing towards a sustainable planet.

Dan Ritzman, Lands, Water, and Wildlife director for the Sierra Club's ‘Our Wild America’ campaign

acknowledges that conservation work has been historically white-dominated and resulted in the stripping of

green space for communities of color. “Racism in the outdoors continued for decades with segregation in

many national parks and public spaces, policies that removed decisions out of the hands of Native Nations

and into the control of a white, male- dominated government, and can still be seen today in the ongoing

selling and leasing of lands and waters to the detriment of communities of color for fossil fuel profit.

Systemic racism has contributed to a pattern of “sacrifice zones” where many communities suffer the loss of

green space, safe air and water, and quality of life for the benefit of pollutive industry.” (Ritzman) The

Sierra Club was founded by John Muir in 1892 in San Francisco. Muir and other original members, such as

David Starr Jordan, founder of the Eugenic Research Organization (Maldonado and Maldonado) framed

environmentally conservative work in America with white supremacy. In the organization’s early days, the

Sierra Club was for middle- and upper-class white people. (“Pulling Down Our Monuments”)

Today’s members plan to make a transformative change and gain social capital, the collective value

of all ‘social networks’ and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other. The

Sierra Club’s current beliefs concur with Professor Koppel’s message in what it means to make America

great again, “a belief in equality, a belief in participation, a belief in the rule of law, a belief in the respect

for each other's rights.” (Jonathan Koppell, The Arizona Republic) This work has created a new identity,

those seeking social inclusion. The nature of this identity ingrains a responsible mentality in current

members, holding themselves accountable for both social equality and environmental justice.

Social Capital and Engagement

Holding 3.8 million members nationwide, anyone is welcomed to join the Sierra Club;

membership is permitted with a monthly donation. There is a chapter for each state, apart from California,

the home of the organization, which holds 13 chapters. (“Sierra Club Chapters”) Each of these chapters

locally partake in political engagement, when people act about a public problem through political means,
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through outside lobbying, educating members of political environmental issues on their websites, and

supplying links to contact their state’s government officials. Each chapter provides information on

candidates and where they stand on environmental and social issues, ensuring preparation for election day.

The club also connects with public officials and legislators, sharing how environmental issues will influence

future generations. The organization initiated an economic dimension to their engagement, cofounding ‘The

Blue Green Alliance’. The alliance “unites America’s largest labor unions and its most influential

environmental organizations to solve today’s environmental challenges in ways that create and maintain

quality jobs and build a stronger, fairer economy.” (BlueGreen Alliance). Expanding their focus towards

equality and social engagement, when people act about a public problem through social service means, the

Sierra Club has formed a coalition with the Equal Justice Initiative, contributed to rebuilding New Orleans

after hurricane Katrina, and protected Navajo sites in Arizona.

Mobilization

The Sierra Club initializes mobilization for environmental protection socially by hosting

trips to different regions of America. These trips enable members to enjoy nature, learn firsthand how to

decrease negative environmental impact, and partake in volunteer opportunities. The Sierra Club mobilizes

online as well, sharing articles covering key issues affecting the environment. Each chapter also holds

scheduled meetings, previously in person and now to ensure social distancing, through the online chat

service, Zoom. The Organization offers material incentive, tangible benefits, to new members in the form of

free coolers and bags with membership, a subscription to their magazine, discounts on their books and

apparel, and exclusive members only nature trips. Solidary incentive, benefit of joining with others sharing

concerns, is offered by ensuring social capital for members by providing interactions with other

environmentally conscious individuals. Purposive incentive, focus on issues and causes promoted by a

group, entices future member by engaging in morally fulfilling opportunities to improve the environment.

American Democracy
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As Professor Koppel stated, forming allegiance towards a cause “is one of the

quintessentially important purposes of national service, because it brings you together with people who you

might have differences of opinion on.” (“Overcoming the Identity Divide,” 07:43–07:51) Constructing

identity around an important objective despite differences is an effective way to mobilize people. Ed Pastors

example of hunger as a primary universal concern (“Civic Engagement, Identity, and Mobilization

(Pastor),” 14:33–14:55) is comparable to the Sierra Clubs concern, conserving the planet. The Sierra Club’s

work falls into every level of society. The organization performs work on a national level and each state’s

chapter holds groups, these groups representing cities, performing work on both a state and local level.

Summary

Support for the disturbance theory, when people will naturally join groups in response to

disturbances, is represented in The Sierra Clubs motives. The year 2020 has brought social issues to the

forefront of national concern. The organization’s effort to expand social capital is presented in the inclusion

of social issues as a key objective. Implementing the importance and inclusion of women’s rights, racial

justice, and overcoming LGBTQ+ discrimination strengthens the club’s sense of identity and attracts

different members of society, increasing social capital. This adapted inclusion initiates effort towards first,

solving social issues, and will increase the likeliness of meeting the organization’s mission statement, “to

explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the

earth’s ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the

natural and human environment; and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.” (“Mission”)
 Works Cited

BlueGreen Alliance. “About Us.” Bluegreenalliance.Org, BlueGreen Alliance, www.bluegreenalliance.org/about.

“Civic Engagement, Identity, and Mobilization (Pastor).” YouTube, uploaded by CPP112x - Service Year Alliance, 16

July 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAGWk-5vg0.

“Home Page | School of Politics and Global Studies.” ASU.Edu, spgs.asu.edu/#:%7E:text=The%20School%20of

%20Politics%20and%20Global%20Studies%20at%20ASU%20emphasizes,local%2C%20national%20and%20global

%20levels. Accessed 12 Nov. 2020.

Maldonado, Ben, and Ben Maldonado. “Eugenics on the Farm: David Starr Jordan.” The Stanford Daily, 8 Apr. 2020,

www.stanforddaily.com/2020/04/07/eugenics-on-the-farm-david-starr-jordan.

“Mission.” Sierra Club, 7 Oct. 2019, www.sierraclub.org/loma-prieta/mission.

“Overcoming the Identity Divide.” YouTube, uploaded by CPP112x - Service Year Alliance, 25 July 2018,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qbTGXmtlcc.

“People and Justice.” Sierra Club, 5 Mar. 2020, www.sierraclub.org/people-and-justice.

Ritzman, Dan. “Growing Our Roots: Anti-Racism in Conservation Work.” Sierra Club, 31 Aug. 2020,

www.sierraclub.org/articles/2020/08/growing-our-roots-anti-racism-conservation-work.