Eastern Missouri Group E-Newsletter
October 2011
Eastern Missouri Group Website | Join | Donate | Group Leadership
October 27, 2011, Sierra Club General Meeting
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Litzsinger School, 10094 Litzsinger Road at Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, MO 63124 (map)
John Hickey, Executive Director of the Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club, will discuss "Crunch Time for the Future of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways" and Sierra Club plans for ensuring a positive outcome to the rivers' future. Free and open to the public. Join us for dinner before the meeting at around 6:00 p.m. at The Daily Bread Cafe, 11719 Manchester Road in Des Peres. (map)
November 17, 2011, Sierra Club General Meeting
7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Litzsinger School, 10094 Litzsinger Road at Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, MO 63124 (map)
Annual Members Photo Show.
Protect the Ozark National Scenic Riverways - Sign the Petition
In January of 2012 the National Park Service will release its draft General Management Plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR). This plan will guide how these precious resources are maintained for the next 20 years. If you have not done so already, please utilize this link to sign our Sierra Club petition to the National Park Service. We need to make sure that the Park Service protects the natural integrity of the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Conservation Plan
Please comment by November 15, 2011.
A Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) is a document that outlines and guides long-term management for a National Wildlife Refuge. The original CCP for the Arctic Refuge was signed into effect in 1988. We are now midway through a 2-year process to revise the 1988 CCP and accompanying environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Designating the 1002 area (Coastal plain of the Arctic national Wildlife Refuge) as Wilderness is the most important comment to make about the plan. The 1002 area is being considered for oil and gas development. Here are reasons to protect the 1002 area:
- The 1002 area is the biological heart of the Refuge.
- The Porcupine Caribou herd calves in the 1002 area.
- The Porcupine Caribou herd uses the 1002 area as a summer feeding ground.
- The 1002 area has the highest concentration of denning polar bears in the US.
- The oil and gas development would be spread all over the 1002 area.
- The best guess for the amount of oil: a 6 month supply in the 1002 area.
It is easy to send your comment to the three important decision makers: President Barack Obama, Secretary Ken Salazar, and USFWS Director Dan Ashe. Please Take Action on "Keep the Arctic Refuge Wild!" You are welcome to add comments such as ones above to your message.
To read more about this marvelous fragile area click here. Thanks for your help!
CityGreen
A local sustainability newletter for your community, CityGreen sent out its 4th monthly edition in late September. This one-page e-newsletter is meant to keep you and your city officials up-to-date on sustainability actions in the St. Louis area. EMG Sierra Club is part of the committee that sponsors CityGreen along with Focus St. Louis, US Green Building Council and Sustainable St. Louis.
One event mentioned is "How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient," which will be held October 23 at the Green Center. There was an update on what Sunset Hills is doing to become sustainable. On a larger scale there is information about the St. Louis Regional Plan for Sustainable Development.
The late August issue of CityGreen featured our Cool Cities program through the Alton Climate Action Plan. You might really enjoy the article that Jane Allen Jones wrote about about conquering funding challenges. Jane Jones is a Sierra Club member as well as Chair of the FOCUS Environmental Sustainability Implementation Committee which brings our organizations together to put out CityGreen.
Click here for the latest edition of CityGreen and look on left to Join Our Mailing List so you can receive it regularly. You will find the newsletter easy to read and up-to-date.
Supporting Children's Health
October is Children's Health Month so the EPA has a poster with daily actions adults can take to safeguard children from pollutants and dangers in our environment. Here are some fun games for kids.
An example of EPA support for children's health and education is their yearly environmental education grant program. On October 7 EPA announced a partnership with the Blue River Watershed Association in Kansas city to teach students about the importance of good water quality to health, recreation and the quality of life in watersheds. The Blue River drains much of the Kansas City metropolitan area south of the Kansas and Missouri rivers so is vitally important to the Kansas City metropolitan community.
In past years grants have been awarded in St. Louis area such as the Friends of the Green Center for hands-on workshops in prairie education and restoration with outreach to the community. Fields trips for elementary students were planned with activities such as wildlife surveys, nature journaling, food web investigation and planting native plants.
An award for $24,507 went to MO Botanical Garden for "Investigate Green Schools" in which students and teachers took on the role of energy auditors, building designers, and green building ambassadors to create public service announcements and make presentations to school board meetings. Other environmental education grants have gone to Parents as Teachers National Center and to Jacks Fork Rivers Users.
2012 Sierra Club Calendars
Brighten your year with a calendar filled with gorgeous nature photos. A great choice for holiday gifts that support the environment. The calendars are available at the Sierra Club office, at The Alpine Shop in Kirkwood, at the October 27 and November 17 general meetings and at the December 17 EMG holiday party.
If you would like to order your calendars by mail, send $13.95 for each Wilderness Wall Calendar, $12.95 for each Engagement Calendar, plus shipping: $5 for the first three calendars and $1 for each additional. Mail your check and order to: Sierra Club EMG, 7164 Manchester Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63143. Include your email address if you'd like to be notified when your order is taken to the Post Office.
IS YOUR LIFE TOO PLASTIC?
Find out at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening, November 10 -- the documentary Bag It will be shown at the Maryville University Auditorium.
Each of the first 100 people to arrive will receive a free re-usable
Whole Foods grocery bag. The event is sponsored by Ladue Chapel
Presbyterian/Lee Institute, Town & Country Green Team, and Green
Maryville Student Association, and is free and open to the public.
SIERRA CLUB PARK
In April 2004, Sierra Club volunteers sowed seeds of prairie and woodland plants that are native to Missouri in a small Maplewood City park at the west end of the building that our club office is in. They had spent a year preparing for this event -- coordinating with city officials, getting rid of the non-native grass and weeds, planting a few native small trees, etc. About five times a year the volunteers spend a few hours caring for this oasis of nature in the midst of the urban area.
This native planting needs to find a new volunteer coordinator to continue providing an interesting, educational garden for the neighbors, shoppers and employees to walk past or through. If you have an interest in being the person to keep this project going, please call the office 314-644-0890 or email Penny Holtzmann.
Fall Trail Work -- Your Help Is Needed
Just a reminder that the week of October 22nd through October 30th is coming up soon and the trail volunteers would love to share the work with YOU. You may join them in the
Pioneer Forest for the whole week or
any part of the week. All tools will be provided -- they just need your time, your muscles and your smile! Click here to see photos from last year's outing.
Contact Paul Stupperich, (314) 429-4352, or Bob Gestel, (636) 296-8975, for more information.
Eastern Missouri Group Outings Schedule
Sierra Club members and non-members are welcome to join Club members on our outings.
Visit the Eastern Missouri Group website for more information about outings, activities, and issues.
Please consider making a donation to the Eastern Missouri Group today!