December 2008
Let’s Keep Telling the Co-op Story
by Keven Groenewold
This has been an important year for electric co-ops. We have seen many challenges emerge and many debates intensify. The electric utility industry has entered a period of long-term, increased demand for electricity and rising costs of power supply. We are working hard to communicate with members about rising costs and changes in the electric utility industry.
There is a national sense that our country needs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect our environment. For co-ops these emissions are caused by much of the electric power its members rely on every day.
It is an extremely complicated balancing act. If, in addition, you throw in the health of the economy and the financial crisis this country and the world are facing it doesn’t get any prettier.
Everyone is quick to place their position on the table, but far too often the other points of view are misunderstood or disregarded. A true understanding of all opinions is what forges compromise.
Let’s not forget the just concluded election that ushered in many changes. The results were red states went blue, and blue states went bluer. In New Mexico, we are a state that teetered between blue and red the last few years. On November 4, New Mexico went a resounding blue. Never before has one party held all five congressional seats. We have our work cut out for us in educating the new delegation. The 111th Congress will hit the ground running in January and co-ops must help their delegation get up to speed on the issues of importance to our members.
You may ask “What can I do in the face of these mountains?” The answer is you do what we have always done. Co-ops respond by telling their story in cities, towns and legislatures across the country. Also, NRECA, the national co-op organization has created a program that can help. “Our Energy, Our Future” is an interactive way you can participate in the education of our newly elected congressmen. It’s a national grassroots campaign to engage consumer/members in a conversation with elected officials about how we meet climate change goals while keeping electricity reliable and affordable.
As a consumer/member you can send an e-mail to www.ourenergy.coop, and start a conversation by asking key questions about climate change, fuel supply, technology, and costs. Along with these important questions remember to continue telling the co-op story.
It is a story to be proud of and one that will not get told unless we do it. Whether at our annual meetings, in newsletters, at the local coffee shop, or in Washington DC, we need to let people know that we stand for community-based action to solve our country’s problems.
We also need to keep our perspective. Solving these issues will require critical listening by everyone. Everyone is quick to place their position on the table, but far too often the other points of view are misunderstood or disregarded. A true understanding of all opinions is what forges compromise.
We can get the co-op message out with a little help from all of you. Talk to your local board of directors and co-op employees. As long as we hold to our fundamental principles, we can meet the current challenges.
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