In the four-way Democratic primary in Assembly District 14, the Sierra Club has endorsed both Kriss Worthington and Nancy Skinner. (This is the seat being vacated by Loni Hancock, who is running for state Senate.)
Both Kriss and Nancy are outstanding environmental champions and friends of the Sierra Club, and it would be agonizing for the Club to choose between them. It is essential, however, that one of them wins, to take on a role as a key environmental leader in Sacramento.
Kriss Worthington has served on the Berkeley City Council since 1996. Before that he had served on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club's Northern Alameda County Group, including a term as chair.
On the Berkeley Council, Kriss has spearheaded the Eco-Pass program, providing free public transit for 1,500 city employees. He sponsored the Zero Waste Ordinance, has fought for creeks and waterfront restoration, has helped prevent inappropriate development along the Berkeley shoreline, and has increased funding for bicycle and pedestrian alternatives. Kriss also serves as Berkeley's representative on the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency and Waste Management Authority.
We are encouraged by Kriss's excellent record on the environment as a councilperson in Berkeley, and are confident that he will continue to fight for the issues we care about, should he become a member of the California State if elected to the Assembly.
Kriss's campaign web site is www.krissworthington.com
Nancy Skinner has been an environmental activist and an environmental professional for over 25 years. Currently on the East Bay Regional Park District Board, Nancy represents 2/3 of the communities in Assembly District 14.
In the early '80s Nancy organized the ballot initiative that established Berkeley's 50% recycling goal, the first such goal in the U.S. On the Berkeley City Council, Nancy introduced the 1988 ban on polystyrene foam that led McDonald's to eliminate the product from all of its U.S. outlets. She worked closely with the Sierra Club to protect Berkeley's waterfront, now the Eastshore State Park. Nancy was also on the team of writers that wrote the best-selling book series that includes 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth.
To help other cities become environmental leaders, Nancy founded ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and launched the Cities for Climate Protection campaign organizing cities to take action to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Most recently she worked with Fortune 500 companies and state and national leaders to pass California's groundbreaking global warming bill AB 32.
Nancy's campaign web site is: http://skinnerad14.com
The Sierra Club strongly urges all District 14 voters to vote for Nancy Skinner or Kriss Worthington.
To join with Sierra Club efforts to help Nancy and Kriss, contact Chapter conservation organizer or call (510)848-0800, ext. 312
