Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet
April 12, 2011: In This Issue
IN THE NEWS
Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune writes for The Atlantic Monthly about why getting clean energy right is so important for protecting our wild places. EXPLORE
Yellowstone to Kabul "They'd never realized America looked this way. They thought it was all New York and Hollywood," says Ian Shive of the reaction from college students in Dubai to his book of nature photography, The National Parks: Our American Landscape. Shive now plans to distribute 25,000 copies to Afghan students for a project he calls "wilderness diplomacy." Sierra magazine's photo essay follows his book as it finds its way into the hands of a Kabul policeman, a burka-clad mother of eight, and a woodcutter who finds our common ground: "Some pictures remind me of Afghanistan." TODAY'S GREEN TIP
To minimize your garden's water use, mulch with cocoa shells, bark, or other natural materials to reduce evaporation. (Bonus: This also helps keep weeds down.) When you do need to sprinkle your crop, consider using graywater or installing a rain-collection system. More tips | Subscribe! ENJOY
Who'll Land the Best Internship on Earth? We were flooded with video applications brimming with creativity, energy, and talent for the Best Internship on Earth, but -- somehow -- we've narrowed it down to just 25 semifinalists. Now it's your turn to weigh in on who you think should make the finals! Watch, comment, and share your favorites on Facebook. ON THE RADIO
1) David Kirby, author of a book called Animal Factory, talks with us about factory farming, 2) Avital Binshtock from Sierra magazine gives us tips for green cleaning products, 3) Dr. Paul Epstein on his new book Changing Planet, Changing Health, 4) Green cuisine tips from chef Annie Somerville. Listen | Subscribe PROTECT
Let's Do Solar Right The Bureau of Land Management is developing a plan for how solar energy will be developed on land in six southwestern states. This new program must include the strongest possible environmental protections. Tell Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar that you support solar on our public land -- but only with strong environmental safeguards. The deadline for comments is April 15th. |
Why Sea Turtles Need Solar Panels
Sea turtles have thrived in the world's oceans for millions of years, but every single species is currently endangered. That makes it doubly tragic that, nearly a year after the BP oil disaster, sea turtles are dying in record numbers in the Gulf of Mexico. Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune blogs about how clean-energy sources like wind and solar can help wild creatures like sea turtles -- and points us to an action we can take right now to keep some leatherback sea turtles from losing their nesting sites. Be an Eco Hero and Win a Caribbean Vacation Earth Day (April 22) is a time to reflect on what each of us is doing to help the planet and consider the little things we might do differently. We've put together a few of our favorite "small things that add up to a big difference" and made it easy to add your personal pledge to our national map -- so we can all see what happens when everyone pitches in. And to celebrate Earth Day, all of our Eco Heroes will be entered to win a free trip to Vieques Island for a five-night Caribbean vacation at the Inn on the Blue Horizon, including an excursion to the island's incredible bioluminescent bay, and a $1,000 gift certificate for some fashion-forward vacation attire from BCBG Max Azria. Join the Sierra Club for Earth Day! Support Mother Earth by becoming a Sierra Club member this Earth Day. Your membership will support our year-round efforts to protect wild lands and wildlife, keep our air and water free from pollution, and promote a clean energy future. For a limited time, join between now and Earth Day for just $15 and receive a free gift! Join today! Urgent: Budget Deal Would Kill Wolves Language inserted into the budget bill that Congress will vote on this week will remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies. The fate of the gray wolf should not be bargained away in a rider attached to an unrelated funding bill. Species-specific decisions must be based on sound science -- not on politics. Tell Congress right now that you don't want them to undermine the ESA! 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About John Muir What bearded Sierra Club icon, choosing to go by "the wildest, leafiest, and least trodden way I could find," walked 1,000 miles from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico? John Muir, of course, whose 174th birthday would be next week, on April 21st. Discover more Muir trivia with our ten awesome things you probably don't know about the self-described "poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist." And don't miss PBS's new American Masters program, "John Muir in the New World," premiering April 18. School Spirit Kicks Coal off Campuses Colleges and universities are leading the way to a post-coal world with a great big push from the Sierra Student Coalition. Students at Miami University of Ohio recently convinced the school to move beyond coal by 2016, while Western Illinois University announced that it would be decommissioning its coal plant instead of making costly upgrades to the dirty power source. The two schools are the 16th and 17th victories in our Campus Beyond Coal campaign. Kudos for Hilton Kelley When Hilton Kelley returned to his hometown of Port Arthur, TX, ten years ago, he discovered that the Gulf Coast city had become an industrial dumping ground and wondered why nobody was doing anything about it. And then he looked in the mirror and got to work. Kelley founded the Community In-Power and Development Association and partnered with the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club to hold polluters accountable. Kelley trained residents to take air samples. He held rallies. He secured health care for affected families and an entrepreneurship fund to attract new businesses. His good work put an end to toxic-waste shipments from Mexico destined for a nearby incinerator. Now this Sierra Club ally has won the 2011 Goldman Environmental Prize -- considered the Nobel Prize for environmental activists -- for his leadership in taking on some of the largest petrochemical companies in the country. He follows in the footsteps of last year's winner -- Sierra Club activist Lynn Henning -- in showing the difference one determined person can make for their community. Win a Free Trip, Kayak, or New Paddling Gear! Sierra magazine's Sixth Annual Paddling Sweepstakes is under way. Don't miss your chance to win a free trip from Caravan.com! Additional prizes include an AdvancedFrame sport kayak, as well as other paddling gear from NRS, SPOT, Werner, and SealLine. Ready to explore the planet by waterway? The deadline for entries is June 30, 2011.
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