MARTIN (MARTY) MADOR is an outstanding example of a long time Sierra Club Connecticut Chapter member. He has been an active volunteer leader since the end of the last century. Marty found his way to environmental advocacy after careers in racial employment discrimination litigation in federal courts with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, then medical research at Yale. After getting involved in state politics and water protection efforts, he went back to school and earned a Master of Environmental Curiosity (er, Management) from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Marty joined the Executive Committee of our Chapter in 2006, and served for a full 10 years, when national term limits required him to retire. 

 

Marty led our Legislative and Political Committees for many years and submitted testimony at the state legislature on about 500 bills. During his time, the Political Committee endorsed hundreds of candidates including federal senator and house, president, state legislature, governor, secretary of state, and other statewide offices. Amazingly, considering today’s politics, about 10% of the state legislative endorsees were ... Republicans.

 

Some of his favorite memories are of the special people he met and worked together with to improve and protect our environment. Serving on the Executive Committee was a highlight because he enjoyed meeting once a month with like-minded people who shared his values. Former Chapter Chair, John Blake (now sadly deceased), became his best friend and working with him was life-affirming! 

 

Marty’s favorite word, besides ‘clotheslines’ (his way to get people to focus on energy, who thought they had no interest in doing so), is ‘biophilia,’ the need for people to have a strong connection to the natural world. He was a co-author of a book on the concept (Biophilic Design), which received national recognition.

 

He worked on hundreds of issues, such as schools, the bottle bill, campaign finance, climate change, open space, energy, environmental justice, EVs, farming, transportation, fossil fuels, solar energy, solid waste, toxics, trade, water, air quality, extended producer responsibility, and land use. He has been on Hamden commissions relating to the environment such as Open Space and Natural Resources and Energy Use and Climate Change, and has advocated for regional solutions to many issues for our 169 towns.

 

He worked with many national Sierra Club staff and regularly attended national legislative conferences with advocates from other states. In 2010 he received a national award at the national Sierra Club convention in San Francisco.

 

He worked with many local and national organizations, and established numerous communication channels for state advocates.

 

Marty has been an inspiration to us all! Many thanks for all your contributions!

 

Marty encourages anyone interested in nature and in protecting our environment to get involved with the Connecticut Chapter and benefit from the strength of our dedicated staff and volunteers, making the fight for our planet not a lonely one, but one that inspires and uplifts us!

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Photo: Marty with his rescue dog (and best friend), Rachxy