SoCoCAN! Agreements

SoCoCAN! is a volunteer based network.
​We rely on members to contribute to the smooth functioning of the group. ​

SoCoCAN! Decision-Making Process

Consensus: In consensus, participants are asked to identify their overriding objections to a proposal. The proposal is then amended until all objections have been addressed. Participants are asked to expand their range of comfort. Blocking consensus is not very common. There can be objections in various ways and still be a path to agreement.

‘Consensus-ish’: Pure consensus is the preferred option; supermajority (70%-80%) is then used if consensus cannot be reached.

The group decided to use the ‘consensus-ish’ decision-making process.
approved by consensus on April 29, 2018

Common Ground Statement

To be a participating member please review our Common Ground Statement and attend meetings regularly.

We have found common ground in working toward the following objectives: ​ ​

Sustainability

• Divest from fossil fuels
• Set the goal for 100% renewable energy
• Exclude all forest-based biomass energy as nonrenewable
• Ban future fracking, drilling and fossil fuel infrastructure
• Put a price on carbon
• Support electrification of vehicles
• Support policies that help people decrease use of cars and increase their use of walking, biking, and public transportation
• Support regenerative agriculture, sequester carbon, produce healthy food

Social Justice

• Consider impact of climate change on vulnerable populations

Act Now

• Support public banking
• Hold local, state and national politicians accountable
• Build coalitions
• Educate about climate change solutions in schools and community
• Support plant-based diet
• Shop with zero waste as goal
• Oppose forest-based biomass energy production​

​approved by unanimous consensus on 4/29/19
​updated by unanimous consensus on 3/29/21

Adopt One Campaign

(agreement to adopt one campaign for network support between meetings)

• Call for proposals or support of campaigns
• What campaigns are you working on that would benefit from a broader base of support?
• Adopt a campaign all together for four months until next meeting and rotate.
• Criteria for choosing which campaign for all of us to work on together
• Effectiveness of campaign

approved by consensus on 10/30/17

* This model has been very successful. SoCoCAN! has some big accomplishments from unifying the network behind one campaign for a few months between meetings.​

Additional SoCoCAN! Agreements

Green New Deal Statement
Listserv Posting Guidelines ​
​SoCoCAN! Spokes Council Process

* Our decision-making structure has been less formal than this model, but this is a fallback agreement if we need it.