Earth Day is every day, but go ahead and celebrate!
Even if you already have your carbon footprint as low as it can go, why not spread some environmental love to the masses? Sierra Club Groups around the state have events lined up and they need YOU!
Atlanta -- Sweetwater 420 Fest, April 15-17th
Sweetwater 420 Fest is an annual Earth Day festival with free admission for great live music, activities, food, and environmental education. An approximate 10,000 visitors are expected at this year's festival.
Note: For those 21+ who wish to partake in Sweetwater's lovely adult brews, purchase of a $5 wristband is required. Click here to sign up for a shift!
In Gwinnett the Second Annual Earth Day Tree Planting at Camp Creek Elementary in Lilburn will be held on Wednesday April 20th, from 12-1 pm. Contact Beth Remmes at bremmes@hotmail.com for details.
Following our monthly stream monitoring on Saturday, April 23rd, we'll also celebrate Earth Day with a picnic. Bring a dish to share and celebrate the Earth and spring. Contact Tom Morrissey at
thmorrissey@bellsouth.net for more details.
The Centennial Group (Cobb, Cherokee & North Fulton) will hold its Second Annual Photography Contest on May 5th. Images can be submitted in three categories: (1) ULP - Urban Landscapes, Parks and Gardens, (2) ANH - Any animal or living creature in their natural habitat. (No pets, no live stock, no captive animals, no people), and (3) NLP - Natural landscapes and panoramas of flora and fauna.
The following judging criteria will apply: originality, composition, technique, and difficulty. Contact gacentexcom@gmail.com for information on how to submit your entry.
The Savannah River Group in Augusta will have a Sierra Club table with information and mercury postcards on April 16th in North Augusta and on April 22nd at the Medical College of Georgia. Contact Sam Booher at sbooher@aol.com for more information and to sign up for a shift!
The Coastal Group in Savannah will have a Sierra Club table at the annual event in Forsyth Park on April 23rd. Contact Steve Willis at snwillis@yahoo.com for more information and to sign up for a shift.
The LaGrange Group will have a table at the Great American Clean Up from 11-2 pm on April 16th. Contact Laura Breyfogle at breyfogle@charter.net to sign up.
Legislative Summary
Sine Die (the last day of the Session) is tomorrow, and most issues of concern to environmentalists have been resolved. For a non-election year, with a new Governor, this was not nearly as bad for the environment as it might have been. Here's how it went down:
Georgia Water Coalition legislative goals were a mixed bag and included: a) regulation of Interbasin Transfers of water was not achieved, but support for it is undiminished; b) public-private reservoir and related water supply schemes made a modest legal advance at a possible cost to the environment and to local taxpayers; and c) the legislature took a positive step toward Congressional Reallocation of Lake Lanier by appropriating $2 million as partial funding for a cost benefit analysis of raising the Lanier pool elevation by 2 feet.
Landfill issues returned as a major issue for the Club yet again. At this writing most of these matters remain unresolved, as HB 274 is headed for a conference committee. Click here to tell your Senator and Representative to vote NO on the conference report.
Transportation was the Great Non-Issue of the Session, with the issue "on hold" until the various referenda of 2012 are conducted.
The steady growth of a bi-partisan pro-conservation coalition in the General Assembly continued its slow but steady advance, and working relationships with non-traditional allies also advanced.
An attempt by a powerful legislative leader to legalize the "mining" of sunken logs from GA Rivers was defeated on the House floor.
Efforts by the GA Highway Contractors to shift the costs of their construction projects by ruining water quality and downstream property values were decisively defeated in both Chambers.
Sierra Club Meetings
Wildlands & Wildlife Committee Meeting, Tuesday, April 19th, 7:00p.m., Phil Zinsmeister - Chair, pzinsmeister@oglethorpe.edu RAIL Committee Meeting, Monday, April 25th, 7:00 p.m., Jim Dexter - Chair, call 678-313-2407, jimdex@aol.com Atlanta Inner City Outings (ICO), Tuesday, April 26th, 7:30p.m., contact Allison Williams adwilliams8@yahoo.com Smart Energy Team Meeting, Monday, May 2nd, 6:30p.m. refreshments, 7p.m. start, Mike Walls - Chair, mwalls@ellijay.com |
There is still time to go on a John Muir Outing!
Our first two events to Dawson Forest and Rollins Ranch have been a great success! We still have three more chances for you to come explore, enjoy and learn more about how to protect the planet.
April 16th in Savannah (almost sold out), April 23rd Unicoi to Helen, and the Oconee Paddle April 30th!
EarthShare of Georgia Earth Day Events
Celebrate Earth Day at EarthShare of Georgia's 15th annual Earth Day Party, this year at Summerour Studio on April 21st.
Business and nonprofit leaders of Georgia and beyond will gather to celebrate their sustainable business practices at the Earth Day Leadership Breakfast on April 20th.
Atlanta Inner City Outings Fundraiser -- Save the Date for May 17th
The Atlanta ICO program volunteers take kids of limited means on hikes, camping trips and other outings. Horizon Theater generously sponsors the program by offering the proceeds from ticket sales to support the program once a year.
This year, the play on May 17th will support Atlanta ICO. Mark your calendars and watch for more details about how to get your tickets!
Sierra Club 101 is back! Mark your calendar!
Attention, Members! You joined the Sierra Club to help protect the
environment -- now what? Sierra Club 101! Come learn about the Sierra
Club and how to get involved in our local efforts. Open to members and
non-members alike--bring a friend! Refreshments provided. June 11th, 10:30-12 pm. Register online by clicking here.
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