July 24, 2012: In This Issue
º Grand Canyon Treasure Troves º "Young, Black, and Amazing!" º The Bee Lady º Best Internship Chronicles º Real-Life Sea Monsters
EXPLORE
Win an Everglades Trip for Two Mining, drilling, and climate disruption threaten some of America's most amazing places. But you can help by adding your voice to our My Piece of America campaign -- and you might win a trip for two to Florida.
ENJOY
Real-Life Sea Monsters These rarely seen, prehistoric-looking creatures manage to be simultaneously terrifying and fascinating. Check out the remarkable video of these underwater creatures.
ON THE RADIO
1) Edward Humes, the author of Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash 2) Dan Coffin talks with us about his film Cape Spin! and The Electron Project
3) Lori Joyce on Arise, her documentary about women environmental activists.
Listen | Subscribe
PROTECT
A Tar Sands Nightmare Two years ago, Michiganders like Susan Connolly discovered firsthand how horrific a tar sands spill really is when 1 million gallons of toxic crude poured into the Kalamazoo. Here's her story -- and what we can do about it. Photo: Lucas Evans/ Sierra Club Michigan Chapter |
The Smartest (and Easiest) Home Improvement
Last week, an iceberg twice the size of Manhattan broke from a Greenland glacier and fell into the sea. Your house is probably not in immediate danger. Probably. But why take chances? Get a free solar quote and find out whether you can save money and help the planet keep its cool by putting solar panels on your roof. As home improvements go, it's incredibly easy: The only power tools you might need are a mouse and a computer. Go solar with the Sierra Club and Sungevity -- because we already have enough giant icebergs to worry about. Don't Play a Shell Game with the Arctic We've been fighting Shell Oil's attempts to drill in Alaska's Polar Bear Seas for months. But the past two weeks have shown just how unprepared Shell really is. First, we learned that Shell's cleanup barge is ill-equipped to deal with a serious Arctic storm. Then, Shell admitted that it couldn't actually meet EPA clean air protections it had already agreed to. To top it off, last weekend a Shell drill ship headed for the Arctic almost grounded on an Alaskan island. It's obvious: Shell cannot drill safely in the Arctic Ocean. Join the 40,000 people who have already emailed President Obama and the EPA, or send the Enivronmental Protection Agency a message on Facebook or Twitter. Stacy Bare Wants You -- Outdoors! Former U.S. Army Captain and Bronze Star recipient Stacy Bare is the new director of the Sierra Club's Mission Outdoors program, which means it's his job to make sure that everyone from inner-city school kids to returning vets has the opportunity to get outdoors. That's him in the blue parka, at right, atop 14,411-ft Mt. Rainier. Stacy's also a great blogger -- whether writing about his ambitious vision for Mission Outdoors or telling the story of how he wound up hiking in the pouring rain with The Dark Knight Rises star Marion Cotillard. "Young, Black, and Amazing!" Maryland Sierra Club organizer Christine Hill was featured in Essence magazine's "Young, Black, and Amazing!"; package in its August issue. Essence wrote: "Armed with a law degree, this conservation representative works with the Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club to demand a safe and healthy environment." Essence has a monthly circulation of 1,050,000 and reaches 8.5 million readers. Learn how this young environmental advocate got her start, what she's working on now, and why she believes we can successfully meet the challenges of climate disruption and energy independence.
The Best Internship Chronicles Have you been following the adventures of this summer's Sierra Club outdoor youth ambassador (popularly known as the winner of the Best Internship on Earth)? So far, Joaquin Sosa has canoed in Grand Teton National Park, scrubbed rocks in the Nevada desert, and climbed Yosemite's Sentinel Dome -- and the summer's only half over. How is Joaquin holding up? His latest video shows why this summer dream job is both exhausting and exhilarating. Grand Canyon Treasure Troves From dusty cowboy paraphernalia to ancient Indian rock art, the hidden alcoves of the Grand Canyon's caves have stories to tell about those who've explored them over the centuries. According to outdoor writer and wilderness guide Michael Engelhard, "the spark of discovery keeps me coming back." Learn what he's discovered in the Grand Canyon's caves. Illustration: Daniel Chang Feel-Good Auto Insurance Saving money on your auto insurance is good. Even better is choosing an auto insurance company that shares your commitment to being green. Now, an innovative auto insurance program by The Hartford -- ranked #1 Greenest Financial Services Company in Newsweek's 2011 "Green Rankings" -- rewards Sierra Club members and supporters for their responsible lifestyle with special rates, a discount for hybrid cars, and a new discount for electric vehicles (now available in 21 states). Try the free online auto-quote service. |