WaterWays, winter 2017

This is the cover article from our winter 2017 WaterWays newsletter (formerly The Flow). Download a PDF of the full Newsletter.

The Next Step 

By Raj Shukla

Influence is a tricky business. River Alliance of Wisconsin is a water advocacy organization in a time when corporate polluters have expanded their grip in both Madison and Washington DC. We’re one of many conservation groups that have tried to push against the industry money that props up politicians who make bad policy. And the numbers don’t lie—we need new approaches to safeguarding our waters. Our way of life depends on it.

The way to change the numbers is to renew our focus on one particularly important element of our democracy and economy: you. Well, you and your friends. And theirs. And theirs.

For almost a quarter century, River Alliance has served as an advocate on behalf of Wisconsin rivers and watersheds. That won’t ever change. But our members and supporters have urged us to refine our mission to reflect the need for greater numbers and greater impact across all waters.

Our board and staff coalesced around a simple sentence to capture who and what we work for, and it’s been adopted as River Alliance of Wisconsin’s new mission statement: Empowering people to protect and restore water.

Yes, we will continue to bring people together around the wonder of Wisconsin waters. We will continue to support local groups. We will continue to manage projects that improve the health of water. And you can continue to count on us as a source of commentary and information—though the format may change from time to time. (You may have noticed this newsletter has an updated name and a new format; the latter is more mindful of conserving paper and costs.)

What we want to emphasize is that we know our greatest strength is you—your voice, your time, your dedication and passion to protect and restore water. The next step for River Alliance of Wisconsin is to expand the tools you’ll have to influence your community, the businesses that serve it and the officials that govern it. We’ll unveil more in the days and months to come.

For now, remember the power in numbers. We cannot change the current state of affairs without you. River Alliance of Wisconsin is determined to give you all you need for success. Will you take the next step with us?”