Release date: April 16, 2015
Changes Afoot in Chapter Leadership
The new DC Board (missing a few members). Left to right: Hugh Youngblood, Lena Moffitt, Mark Rodeffer, Debby Cooney, Payton Chung, Jim Dougherty (ex-officio), Brenna Muller (staff), and Matt Gravatt. Rick Nunno is taking the picture.
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At its February 26 meeting, the DC Chapter ExCom (the Board) endorsed the results of the recent elections of new members, re-electing Hugh Youngblood and Rick Nunno to the Board, and electing two new members, Payton Chung and Mark Rodeffer, to fill the seats left vacant by Brock Evans and Jim Dougherty. This completes our roster of nine Board members. We then elected the following Chapter officers for this year: Matt Gravatt is Chapter Chair, Lena Moffitt is Vice Chair, Debby Cooney is Secretary, Karen Cordry (not a Board member) is Treasurer, Mark Rodeffer is the Delegate to Council of Club Leaders, Rick Nunno is Conservation Chair. We thank Hugh Youngblood for his leadership and dedication as Chapter Chair over the past year, along with the other outgoing officers and leaders.
Several changes have also taken place within the Committees. Lena Moffitt will co-chair the Energy Committee along with relatively new volunteer Patrick McKinney. Larry Martin will continue to serve as Energy Committee Advisor. Bob Summersgill will be stepping down from Chairing the Political Committee (as he has accepted a job that presents a potential conflict of interest), and Mark Rodeffer will be taking his place in that role.
And lastly, our staffer, Brenna Muller, has accepted a position with the National Sierra Club's "Our Wild America" campaign as program manager for two national projects, and ended her employment with the chapter on March 31. She will continue to be involved with the Chapter as a volunteer. We thank Brenna for over three years of hard work and dedication, and her steadfast positive energy, as we begin our search for her replacement. We look forward to a productive year with an engaged, active team of Chapter leaders.
Member Profile: Karen Cordry
I was born in
Baltimore and spent the first five years living in town. When I was five, my dad and mom built their
dream house out in the country – adjoining the watershed for Loch Raven
Reservoir (Baltimore County). Although we were
only about six miles from the suburbs, the houses were in an area that even now
relies on wells and septic tanks, so it has stayed very rural with trees,
deers, snakes, even a wild turkey strutting around Thanksgiving afternoon
celebrating the fact that he hadn't become dinner. We were one of the first to build on the
street and my two-years younger sister bitterly resented the next folks who
came in and built on the vacant lot next to us that was our favorite playground
– so I guess NIMBYism starts early!
I grew up
interested in science, went to two
National Science Foundation summer programs on college campuses during high
school and went on to Michigan State to study biochemistry. Or, actually, to pursue a double major in
biochemistry and political science, which my advisor said was the weirdest
combination she'd ever heard of – but was perfect for planning to head up the
EPA (even though it didn't yet exist but I knew it was coming). In the end, I got the BS in biochemistry, but
knew that I was really more cut out to be a lawyer. I went to Antioch Law
School in the District for two years (it's now the UDC School of Law) and did
my last year at Wayne Law School in Detroit. I had gotten interested in labor law at Antioch and worked for the
National Labor Relations Board for 15
years – the first four in Michigan, and then 11 more after I moved back to DC
in 1981.
When I first came
back, I lived in Northeast DC near Lincoln Park, which turned out to fairly close to
the Sierra Club National Headquarters, which was then on Pennsylvania Ave., SE. I started going to the monthly volunteer
nights there and just never quit. One of
the big activities then was putting out mass mailings on national priority
issues. (You remember mail – printed
material on paper, stuck in an envelope, has a stamp on it, takes several days
to get there?) Since one of my pre-law
school jobs involved sticking labels on packages, I was a champion at that part
of any mailing party. And even while
most of our communications have gone electronic, I have always enjoyed being
part of the big push to get the March Window mailing out to our members.
When I started getting
involved, there was no DC Chapter, there wasn't even a DC group; we were
part of the Rock Creek group (along with Montgomery County) within the Potomac
Chapter (which included all of Maryland). Once our fearless leaders, Jim Dougherty and Gwyn Jones, though, got
busy and convinced us to split DC off into a separate group, I volunteered to
serve as treasurer. By then, I had moved
to the Wheaton area in Maryland, but it was simpler to go to meetings before I
went home, so I stuck with DC then and have stayed ever since. I have also stayed treasurer even since. I don't remember for sure which year we split
but it has to be close to 30 years now – and, when a few years later, we
decided to upgrade again and become a Chapter, I stayed on again and became
Chapter Treasurer.
In some ways, the
Chapter has changed a lot – we've gotten more organized with having a staff
person to help us bring in more volunteers and expand our reach and our
activism. It's been very exciting
watching DC serve as a model for environmental activity in many ways. On the other hand, some things never change –
I just passed on a stack of newsletters going back to our earliest years as a
Chapter and we were trying to get an effective recycling program in place even
back then! What's the most heartening
thing, though, is that this chapter never gives up. As often as the city backslides, the Chapter
is right there pushing them to do better.
In 1992, I went to
work for the National Association of Attorneys General (which is comprised of
the state Attorneys General). It was
going to be an 18-month temporary position, but I just celebrated my 23rd
anniversary there – guess I'm a lifer there, just like being Chapter treasurer. I
primarily give the States advice with respect to enforcing their laws when the
defendant files bankruptcy. Cases with
environmental issues have been among the most interesting ones I've worked on –
most recently, creditors obtained a judgment against the old Kerr-McGee Company
(of Karen Silkwood infamy) for more than $5 billion, of which more than $4
billion will go to environmental clean-up costs. For once, that's even expected to be enough
to do the job.
For the last several
years, I have been helping my neighborhood fend off a proposal by Costco to
build one of its mega stations literally in our back yards – as well as in
close proximity to a neighborhood swim club and the County's school for its
most severely physically and mentally challenged children. It took five years of our time, tens of
thousands of dollars, and hundreds of hours of preparation for 37 days of
hearings, but in the end, our citizen activism beat back everything Costco
could throw at us. Among the lessons I
learned was to never give up – and never believe that the highly-paid experts
can't make glaring mistakes. The final
decision from the County came out on April 3, 2015 – a 5-0 denial of the
application. Now, we are working on
County and State legislation to establish a suitable buffer zone for these
large stations to make sure they don't get put in anyone's back yard.
For anyone coming new
to environmental issues, the lesson from both this Chapter and my own
experience is to never give up. Victories often don't come the first time around but if you keep
fighting, you can prevail. To quote
David Banner at the beginning of The Hulk – "Don't make me angry – you wouldn't
like me when I'm angry!" When it comes
to the environment, we don't like to lose – and if we stick together, we
won't.
DC Chapter Media Sponsor for Environmental Film Festival
The DC Chapter supported the 23rd annual DC Environmental Film Festival - the largest and longest running Film Festival in the nation. We announced the Festival on our website and in our facebook and twitter accounts; we sent emails to our list of members and supporters, and we participated at several films with a table and material to engage audience members. Some of us also volunteered as ushers and facilitators at some of the movies and panel discussions. We strongly believe that movies are a great way to teach people about environmental issues and to motivate them to become engaged in activism. We encourage our members to go out and see other environmental movies as they are shown throughout the year. See https://www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org/year-round-programs/ for updates on movies later this year.
Fight against the Proposed Pepco-Exelon Merger Intensifies
On March 17, D.C. Councilmembers Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Elissa Silverman (I-At Large), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), sent a letter to the DC Public Service Commission (PSC, the independent regulator for DC's utility companies) expressing serious concerns about the proposed $6.4 billion acquisition of Pepco by Exelon Corporation. "It appears that the only real beneficiaries of the takeover will be Pepco shareholders (Exelon is buying them out at a more than 24% premium over market value) and Exelon Corporation (which will capture a steady, reliable stream of revenue to offset its riskier generation assets)," they wrote in the letter. "The District could be worse off, far worse off, if the deal is approved." See the full letter at http://www.opc-dc.gov/images/docs/pdf/PSC_FC1119_Pepco-Exelon.pdf. We think that all DC Councilmembers should send such a letter to the PSC.
The Sierra Club DC Chapter is part of a coalition of organizations called Power DC that has formed to fight the proposal. Power DC added: "We applaud their leadership and hope that Mayor Bowser and other members of the Council join them in publicly opposing this bad deal.” In January, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis released a report that said the deal would expose customers to rate increases and threaten D.C.'s recent green and renewable energy efforts. But the proposal won critical support from Montgomery and Prince George's counties, two key counties with 75 percent of Pepco's customers in Maryland. They plan to increase their "customer investment fund" in the state from $40 million to $94.4 million. To go forward, however, the Pepco-Exelon merger deal will require approval from each of the public service commissions in Maryland, D.C., and Delaware. On April 13, the Huffington Post published an encouraging article about the issue, "How Grassroots Activists in DC Are Taking on a Corporate Titan -- And Winning."
DC Chapter Endorses Candidates in the Special Election
On March 9, the DC Chapter endorsed two candidates for DC Council seats. For Ward 4, we endorsed Brandon Todd, who responded affirmatively to every question on the Club's questionnaire and demonstrated an understanding of our issues and positions. Political Committee members who met with Mr. Todd were impressed with his knowledge of the issues, especially the relationship between transportation and the environment. We expect Mr. Todd to be a strong advocate for transportation and the environment on the Council. For Ward 8, we endorsed Eugene D. Kinlow, who has a long history of leading environmental efforts in Ward 8, including blocking a prison on federal park land, stopping a trash transfer station, and working to stop a commercial theme park on the parkland on Kingman Island. As a former D.C. Sierra Club member, Mr. Kinlow demonstrated a fluency with key Sierra Club issues and proposed transit-oriented design developments that we would strongly support. Mr. Kinlow's long-term advocacy for the people of Ward 8 and record of public service in the District on a host of issues gives him an edge with the likely voters in this expected low turn-out special election.
Committee Updates
The Clean Energy Committee is continuing to pursue its goals of 1) opposing the proposed acquisition of Pepco by Exelon Corporation through outreach to our members and followers, 2) increasing the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) to require our power providers to use even more renewable energy, 3) pushing for full and fair implementation of the Community Renewable Energy Act to make solar power more accessible to all DC residents, and 4) considering establishing some new campaign, such as promoting solar panel installations on all DC government buildings, and advocating putting solar panels on roofs of privately owned low income housing, and encouraging federal buildings in DC to install solar panels.
The Zero Waste Committee is primarily focused on four different priorities. We are working to get the DC government to require reuse or recycling of at least a portion of construction and demolition debris (which accounts for potentially 25 – 40% of DC's total waste). The committee also continues to fight against incineration by opposing a DC government contract where incineration is the only option for disposing of some of DC's waste. Additionally, the Committee is formulating a plan to support the siting and construction of a composting facility at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Farm in Beltsville, Maryland. UDC plans to develop food hubs in all wards of the city that will tie into the composting project. The Committee is also monitoring the implementation of the recently enacted laws overhauling how DC manages waste and banning Styrofoam food service containers.
In
March, the Smart Growth Committee sent a letter to Mayor Bowser advocating for 1) the start of revenue service for the new streetcar line, 2) implementation of the MoveDC plan developed by the District Department of
Transportation last year (which
includes dedicated bus lanes, metro-rail, streetcars, biking and walking), and 3)
extension of the H-Street-Benning Rd. streetcar line to Georgetown as a first
step in the creation of a city-wide streetcar network. The Committee is continuing to pursue its goals of increasing public transit capacity in DC (including the streetcar), ensuring the budget is adequate for these programs, and developing objective standards for green growth/development on public lands (including ensuring that larger buildings meet LEED specifications and that RFPs have high environmental standards).
Proposed Rules Threaten District Solar Co-ops
By Marc Barna, Energy Committee volunteer
In 2013, the District of Columbia government passed the Community Renewable Energy Act (CREA), a law that gives District residents of apartments and multi-family homes the opportunity to share in the benefits of owning solar panels, an advantage usually only available to single-family homeowners. Individuals can purchase shares in communal solar arrays, using the energy generated to power their homes. Any excess energy generated in a given month is "purchased" by the electric company in exchange for a credit against future usage. This process, known as "net metering," creates a huge financial incentive for going solar. Net metering, along with falling costs of solar panels, has contributed to the boom in solar projects across the country. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, an estimated 6,500 megawatts of new solar capacity was installed in the U.S. in 2014, a 36% increase from the prior year.
In a move that would threaten the expansion of clean energy in the District, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has proposed rules for solar co-ops that would place a cap on the amount of energy credits a subscriber could claim (by as much as 20% over the user's average energy use from the prior 12 months), regardless of the actual power generated. This is not the case for single-family homeowners. Such a cap would diminish the financial incentives to investing in solar co-ops, and would prevent solar energy from becoming a viable alternative for the majority of DC residents.
The DC Council did not envision such limits on net metering when it passed the CREA and recently sent a letter, signed by all but one council member, urging the PSC to revise the proposed rules. The Energy Committee will be watching these developments closely and plans to take action should the PSC decline to issue a revised ruling. For further information on solar co-ops in DC, visit DC Sun.
DC Chapter supports "A Desire Named Streetcar"
We encourage our membership to sign the petition started by Philip Radford (formerly of Greenpeace) urging Mayor Bowser to move forward on the H-Street NE streetcar plans. Not only has the DC Government spent $200 million on this project already, but a great many business owners and property owners have spent their own money assuming greater accessibility to the community would be provided. Go to Save the DC Streetcar to sign the petition.
Chapter Urges Mayor Bowser to Implement MoveDC Plan
The chapter has urged Mayor Muriel Bowser to implement the MoveDC plan adopted last year by the District Department of Transportation (DDoT) after extensive public input. That plan calls for the development or expansion of a variety of transportation alternatives, including Metro, streetcars, biking, and dedicated bus lanes. In a March letter to the mayor, Smart Growth Committee chair Payton Chung also asked her to open the fledgling streetcar line and to expand it both to the east and to Georgetown in the west. The mayor later committed herself to those actions in her State of the District address on March 31. For further info on this action, see http://dc.sierraclub.org/content/chapter-urges-mayor-bowser-implement-movedc-plan.
Chapter Supports Latest Takoma Development Proposal
The chapter submitted testimony March 25 to the Metro board in support of the proposed apartment building at the Takoma Metro station. The project by EYA developers would replace a Metro parking lot located next to the station. The Metro board voted unanimously at its March 26 meeting to support the project, which now must seek additional approvals from the city before construction can begin. In its testimony to the board the chapter said that, "This project helps fulfill Metro's promise of reducing our dependence on the automobile, while promoting vibrant, walkable communities. This promise can only be fulfilled, however, when we build projects that enable people to live and work within walking distance of a Metro station." The current proposal is a scaled back version of the project first proposed by the developer. The chapter had also supported that earlier proposal, arguing that its size was appropriate, given its proximity to a Metro station.
DC Chapter Participates in Several Rallies
On March 19, DC Chapter volunteers participated in a rally at the World Bank to "Stop the Lawsuit Against El Salvador - Stop Fast Track". The issue involves an alleged a secret tribunal inside the World Bank that is getting ready to rule on a lawsuit by Pacific Rim/Oceana Gold a Canadian/Australian mining company that could force El Salvador to pay hundreds of millions of dollars just for trying to protect its major river system from pollution from cyanide-based gold mining. Under trade provisions reportedly promoted by the U.S. government, corporations can use tribunals at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) to challenge national laws and regulations protecting public health, the environment and human rights. The Obama administration is trying to expand these corporate rights in new agreements with Asia (the Trans-Pacific Partnership) and Europe (the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership), and is pushing to "Fast Track" these controversial deals through Congress. Other participating organizations included AFL CIO, CARECEN, CASA, the Center for International Environmental Law, CISPES, Council of Canadians, Friends of the Earth, the Institute for Policy Studies, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, SHARE Foundation, Sierra Club, Sisters of Mercy, the Teamsters, Washington Ethical Society and others.
On March 24, DC Chapter volunteers participated in another rally, this one in front of the White House, to "Chill the Drills" and oppose the proposal to drill in America's Arctic Oceans. Held on the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the group's aim was to remind the Obama Administration of the dangers of offshore oil drilling and the importance of protecting the Arctic region. Activities included an interactive outdoor photo gallery, a press conference at the White House, and calls to the White House by activists from across the country with a message to halt drilling in the Arctic. Speakers included David Scott, president of the Sierra Club, Cindy Shogan, Executive Director of Alaska Wilderness League, a non-profit that works to protect federal lands and waters in Alaska, David Thoreson, author, presenter, photographer who in 2009 became the first American sailor to navigate the Northwest Passage in both directions.
Building Materials Subcommittee
of Zero Waste Committee Pushes for Change
By
Jim Schulman, AIA, BMRA, Building Materials subcommittee Chair
The
DC Chapter's Zero Waste Committee is partnering with the Building Materials
Reuse Association to encourage the DC City Council to reform the processing of DC's
construction and demolition debris (C&D). We are pushing for more diversion
of clean wood, glass, metals, and plastics from the construction waste stream. We are also working to increase diversion of fully
intact doors, windows, masonry, lumber, and electrical and plumbing components.
Successfully diverting construction debris can help create green jobs reusing
or remanufacturing these items in the Washington Metro area.
We
are investigating recent changes in DC's new Green Construction Code and in the
regulation of waste transfer stations in DC. We hope these changes will affect
the processing of C&D debris in some small way. However, to make significant progress in
converting DC's construction debris into resources, we may need a regional
solution for the metropolitan area. Iowa, for example, has a regional waste
exchange that redistributes surplus materials from one county to another that
needs the materials so they don't end up in the waste stream. We would like to replicate similar efforts
undertaken in other parts of the nation. For example, California is at the
forefront of zero waste practices with respect to building materials because of
its law creating Recycling Market Development Zones. A new Seattle law requires
materials audits as part of the demolition permit process. Boston, Houston, and
Oakland also have relevant legislation. A progressive diversion ordinance in
Cook County, Illinois mandates a 75 percent diversion rate on residential
projects!
DC
residents wanting to purchase salvaged, reused, or otherwise processed
materials can find a number of businesses serving the market. For example, the
high-end dealer called Olde Good Things in Scranton, Pennsylvania, manufactures
snazzy mirrors from tin ceiling squares and car radiators. Craft dealers at
Eastern Market sell purses made of duct tape and sculptures fabricated from
aluminum beverage containers. There are also non-profit organizations like
SCRAP DC (www.scrapdc.org) that encourage reuse for educational purposes and
personal arts expression and big-box scale building materials reuse outlets
such as Community Forklift (www.communityforklift.org). Some of these
organizations will be showcased at a city-sponsored event entitled "Path to
Zero Waste" on Earth Day, April 22, from 9:00 AM to noon. For more information
about the event, visit http://pathtozerowaste.splashthat.com/. To get involved with the subcommittee, please contact Jim Schulman at (202) 544-0069
or RegionalArchitect@gmail.com.
News from Nearby Chapters, Our Allied Groups...
Maryland Legislature Passes Fracking Moratorium Bill. On March 24, the MD Senate voted in favor of a bill that holds drilling companies strictly liable for injuries to residents or their property, and in the case of legal action companies would have to disclose what chemicals they use for drilling. The bill passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support on April 10, and the bill passed both Houses by veto-proof margins. The legislation forbids drilling any wells until October 2017, and also requires the state to enact regulations next year to monitor the practice.
Bald Eagles nesting at National Arboretum.
For the first time in over 70 years, the US National Arboretum in Northeast DC has a bald eagle nest, very likely with baby eagles that hatched in recent weeks. Bald eagle nests are also been spotted near the Metropolitan Police Department's training facility academy and at the West campus of St. Elizabeth's Hospital, both in southeast DC. Some feel that the re-emergence of this icon to our city could give local environmental groups a boost in clout in our negotiations for the reforms that we seek.
In March, the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter released a new report that warns that sea level rise is accelerating and that greater precuations should be taken in planning for growth along the coast. For further discussion of the report, see http://vasierraclub.org/2015/03/new-report-urges-long-term-view-greater-margin-of-safety-in-planning-for-sea-level-rise/.
On March 19, dozens of Sierra Club volunteers from 16 states, led by our National Beyond Coal Campaign, paid a visit to over 100 Congressional offices on Capitol Hill to demand support for EPA's Clean Power Plan. See http://sierraclub.org/compass/2015/03/community-leaders-storm-capitol-hill-clean-air-clean-water-climate-action for more details.
On March 12, the DC, Maryland and Virginia Sierra Club Chapters and several other environmental advocacy groups, sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy urging action that will ensure clean, renewable energy is a priority. The letter expresses "concerns that EPA has included biomass power as a form of renewable energy that may be used for compliance under the proposed Clean Power Plan, and further, that EPA's treatment of bioenergy as producing zero carbon emissions will encourage the use of this polluting form of energy." The letter, signed by the heads of local Sierra Club chapters as well as officials from the DC Environmental Network, Clean Water Action, the Maryland Environmental Health Network and other groups, makes the case that biomass plants are worse than coal-burning facilities." For details, see: http://www.pfpi.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DC-and-MD-Groups-To-EPA-on-Bioenergy-in-Clean-Power-Plan.pdf.
At its February 2015 meeting, Sierra Club's National Board of Directors adopted a new and expanded Agriculture and Food policy. It is now posted at http://www.sierraclub.org/policy/agriculture. The new policy replaces the old 1976 Agriculture policy and incorporates and references some elements from other existing related policies such as water, public lands grazing, pest management and farm workers, but it does not replace them. The policy is designed to govern and guide all Club positions in this broad area. Questions? Contact Task Force Chair Victoria Brandon at vbrandon@wildblue.net.
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On April 2, DC Chapter volunteers attended a seminar at the Mt. Pleasant Library hosted by the Citizens Climate Lobby (a non-profit focused on national policies to address climate change) on NASA's global warming research. The lecture was given by Dr. Walt Meier, Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, who talked about the work NASA is doing in the polar regions and what their observations say about climate change.
Dozens of DC Sierrans came together for a happy hour on April 9th at the Science Club. We were joined by Sierra Club-endorsed Ward 8 candidate Eugene Kinlow. Thanks to everyone who came out and joined us! Volunteer Joshua Hankerson put together this video from the happy hour: DC Sierra Club happy hour.
Several DC Sierrans participated in the 7th annual Rock Creek Park Cleanup on April 11, sponsored by Rock Creek Conservancy and the National Park Service. Cleanup groups gathered in over 75 locations along the 33 mile length of Rock Creek. Notable items included TVs, toaster ovens, laptops, running shoes, bicycle tires...
Potomac Conservancy will be holding its annual fundraising event on Thursday, April 30, from 6:30-8:30 PM at the House of Sweden. This spectacular venue in Georgetown provides outstanding views of the Nation's River as it winds its way past Teddy Roosevelt Island and the Kennedy Center. Save the date now and stay tuned for additional details.
The National Park Service and the 11th Street Bridge Park held the first-ever Anacostia River Festival on April 12, in partnership with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Fun was had by all, with activities including hands-on art projects, musical performances, boating, fishing workshops, tours of historic Anacostia, bike parades, and other unique programs to engage families with the environment. Our ally, Anacostia Riverkeeper, was also on the dock teaching people the skills of fishing.
Rock Creek Conservancy's Anniversary Spring Nature Walk, April 24, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Boundary Bridge parking lot, Beach Dr. register at http://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/what-we-do/upcoming-events?view=events.
Rock Creek Conservancy's Spring Volunteer Day, May 9, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 3060 R St. NW, register at http://www.rockcreekconservancy.org/what-we-do/upcoming-events?view=events.
Upcoming Events
Following is a selection of upcoming chapter events. For complete listings and details, visit our calendar.
Horizons 2015: Uniting Energy, Technology and Consumers. On Saturday, April 18, from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law, the DC Office of the People's Counsel is coordinating a consumer education symposium. The symposium will inform DC consumers about cutting-edge energy and sustainability issues such as, solar energy, grid modernization and tools for tracking and reducing their energy consumption. OPC believes these sustainable energy technologies will be important for advancing DC's clean energy economy goals and empowering consumers. The general goal of the event is to present issues in layman's terms, from the perspective of the District consumer who is probably asking: "What does all of this mean for me?" It will be critical for consumers to understand the changes that are occurring in DC's energy landscape so that they can make informed decisions regarding their energy use in the future. For further info, contact Nicole Sitaraman - nsitaraman@opc-dc.gov. The event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UDC and the DC Department of the Environment are sponsoring the seminar: PATH TO ZERO WASTE, on Wednesday, April 22, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. Learn how the District is working to increase the city's recycling rate, adopting new innovative technologies, and working towards "zero waste" as defined in the Sustainable DC Plan. UDC David A Clark Law School, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, Van Ness—UDC Metro (Red Line), RSVP HERE. Mayor Muriel Bowser, DDOE Director Tommy Wells, and invited guest speakers from California and Canada will discuss the future of waste management and answer questions such as, "How do we turn waste collection and disposal into materials recovery and economic opportunity?"
Join
the U.S. Department of State in the annual 6k Walk for Water Thursday,
April 23, 12:00 PM (tentative start of walk) at 2201 C St NW. DDOE Director Tommy Wells will speak at the start of the
walk. The Embassy of Sweden will host a water break at the halfway point,
where walkers will hear from experts from the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and WASH Advocates
about water issues from around the world. For more information and to
register, please visit HERE.
2015 Earth Day Clean-up and Celebration. On Saturday, April 25, from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, The DC Sierra Club will join the Anacostia Watershed Society's annual Earth Day Clean-up. Join over 2000 volunteers as we remove thousands of pounds of trash from neighborhoods, streams, and the Anacostia River! Sierra Club volunteers will join Groundwork Anacostia at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE. For more information and to participate, please contact Irv Sheffey at irv.sheffey@gmail.com, and to sign up to participate, register for the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens site at www.anacostiaws.org/earthday2015.
Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 15, sponsored by the Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA). Sign up here.
Clean Energy Committee Meeting, Tuesday May 12, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, Sierra Club office, 50 F St NW, 8th Floor. For more updated information and to RSVP, email washingtondc.chapter@sierraclub.org.
Smart Growth Committee Meeting, Wednesday, May 13, 7:00 - 8:30 PM, Sierra Club office, 50 F St. NW, 8th floor. For more updated information and to RSVP, email washingtondc.chapter@sierraclub.org.
Zero Waste Committee Meeting, Wednesday May 20, 6:30 - 8:00 PM, Sierra Club office, 50 F St NW, 8th Floor. For more updated information and to RSVP, email washingtondc.chapter@sierraclub.org.
The Coalition for Smarter Growth is hosting several forums this Spring that focus on local DC issues and take place in the city, including a book talk on "Tactical Urbanism with author Mike Lydon (April 21), creating a walkable Capital Hill and Hill East (May 30), and NoMa: Industrial to Walkable (June 6). For further info and to register, see http://www.smartergrowth.net/events/.
The Citizen's Climate Lobby (CCL) is holding its 6th annual Climate Education International conference June 21-23. The conference will take place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Woodley Park, and will bring together 1,000 volunteers who are dedicated to building the political will for a livable world. Attendees will hear from inspiring speakers, receive lobby training and go to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress. Click here for further info.
Looking for a hike or other outdoor adventure?
Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings One-Day Hike. The 42nd consecutive annual One Day Hike (www.onedayhike.org) will take place this year on Saturday, Apr 25. Registration for the event is closed, but volunteers are still needed. If you are a veteran volunteer, and want to reprise your role or would like to try something different, or you are an interested newbie, please let me know. Volunteers must be dependable and hardy – showing up to work on time and regardless of weather. First-time volunteers get a free ODH T-shirt as a small token of appreciation. Volunteers are needed as: 1) Support-station volunteers to manage the stations that provide food, drink, and assistance to hikers; 2) Bike patrollers to ride their bikes to check on hikers all along the mostly dirt route, providing assistance as needed; 3) First aiders to provide first aid to hikers as needed at major support stations. If you have first-aid or medical training, we'd love your help. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Mike Darzi (michael.darzi@saic.com). If you know others who may be interested, please forward this message to them.
Click here to learn more about regional Sierra Club offerings.
Members and friends are encouraged to join Nature Lovers Meetup group, at http://www.meetup.com/nature-lovers/. Meet other outdoors enthusiasts who are environmentally conscious and spiritually inclined. Their main purpose is to enjoy nature, whether it is hiking, biking, camping, backpacking or bird-watching. They also try to do their part to protect the environment by joining clean-ups, trail maintenance, etc. When they are not outdoors they participate in meditations, book-readings, and various Sierra Club activities, or other hiking and biking clubs and environmental and meditation groups.
Donate to the DC Chapter
Check out a new video made by Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune advocating for giving to our local chapters. Thanks Mike! You're an inspiration to us all...
We need your support to help us succeed in our important work to protect our precious environment. Please donate today!
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