Eastern Missouri Group E-Newsletter
JANUARY 2014
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January 23, 2013, Sierra Club General Meeting
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Litzsinger School, 10094 Litzsinger Road at Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, MO 63124 (map)
Paul Krautmann, an organic farmer with Bellews Creek Farm, will talk about using ecosystems to grow crops and will offer a few tips for the home gardener. Join the speaker at 6 pm for dinner at St Louis Bread Co, 10336 Clayton Rd, Frontenac, MO (map) (Note earlier start time of 7 p.m.)
February 27, 2013, Sierra Club General Meeting
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Litzsinger School, 10094 Litzsinger Road at Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, MO 63124 (map)
Rick Hunter, CEO of Microgrid Solar, will discuss the 'triple
bottom line' as a practice of sustainable business.
Hearings on the Future of the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers
Make sure that you stand up to protect the Ozark National Scenic Riverways from degradation. Come to next week's hearing in St. Louis County on Wednesday, January 22 at 6 p.m. at the Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Rd, Kirkwood, MO 63122. The Open House begins at 6 p.m. and the Hearing begins at 8 pm. You can RSVP here for the Open House and Hearing in Powder Valley.
If you live near the rivers you have three other opportunities to speak on behalf of the rivers.
- Thursday, January 16 at 6 p.m. at the Eminence High School New Gym, 505 South Sixth Street, Eminence, MO 65466. You can RSVP here for the Open House in Eminence.
- Friday, January 17 at 6 p.m. at the Salem City Hall Auditorium, 202 North Washington, Salem, MO 65560. You can RSVP here for the Open House in Salem.
- Tuesday, January 21 at 6 p.m. at the Van Buren Youth and Community Center, 1204 County Road D, Van Buren, MO 63965. The Open House begins at 6 pm and the Hearing begins at 8 pm. You can RSVP here for the Open House and Hearing in Van Buren.
You can learn more about the issue here.
Lobby Days
Once again, the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter Legislative Committee is organizing four different days for Sierrans to go to Jefferson City and talk with legislators about environmental issues. These events are always informative and they are a great way to keep our elected officials accountable. Each Lobby Day will stress a different region of the state, but everyone is welcome and wanted at all Lobby Days. Presently the schedule is as follows:
Osage Group (Central Missouri) – Wednesday, February 19
Eastern Missouri Group – Wednesday, March 26
White River Group (Southwest Missouri) - Wednesday, April 23
Thomas Hart Benton Group (Western Missouri) – Wednesday, May 7
If you are interested in being part of any of these Lobby Days or have questions, write to Michael Berg or call the office at 314-644-1011.
2014 Marks the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act
Toni Armstrong
"A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape,
is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man,
where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
Fall in Piney Creek Wilderness by Richard Spener |
Wilderness: peaceful, inspiring, challenging, quiet, place of solace, healing, re-charging
Wilderness: a federal designation for federal land that allows hiking, camping, paddling, fishing, hunting, birding, backpacking
Wilderness: no mechanized travel or building of structures
Wilderness inspired writers like Thoreau, Muir, Burroughs but wilderness frightened early European settlers. We are fortunate that wilderness still exists for us in an age that seems to have forgotten reflection and quiet time alone. Congress in September 1964 created the National Wilderness Preservation System which included 9.1 million acres of Wilderness. President Lyndon Johnson said "If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Today America has 757 wilderness areas protecting more than 107 million acres that allow us a glimpse of that earlier world.
The word wilderness often brings images of wild open spaces in the Western US or Alaska. We have eight beautiful wilderness areas in Missouri. During 2014, we will explore these wilderness areas in our Missouri backyard in a series of articles and outings. Join us for an armchair view and/or a personal visit to these beautiful areas.
Missouri's wilderness areas are a testament to hard work by many people in the 1970's and 1980's. The Sierra Club in Missouri was an important participant in the effort to create the wilderness areas. The Sierra Club continues to work to designate new wilderness areas in Missouri. There will be more about proposed wilderness areas in a later issue of this newsletter.
Missouri's wilderness areas are: Bell Mountain, Rock Pile Mountain, Piney Creek, Mingo, Hercules Glade, Devil's Backbone, Irish Wilderness and Paddy Creek.
"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread." Edward Abbey
40 Years and Still Going Strong
For the last 40 years, the Sierra Club has had a proud tradition of building and maintaining hiking trails throughout Missouri. You probably have hiked on one of our trails at Hawn State Park, the Ozark Trail or a number of other trails in Missouri.
So what will the next 40 years bring for the Sierra Club and our trail efforts? That will depend on you -- our members. All our past efforts could only have happened because volunteers have stepped forward to help build a great tradition of building hiking trails. So as we move forward to the next 40 years how can you help? Join us for a day outing, a weekend of trail building or even a whole week in October working on the Ozark Trail set for Oct 18-26 at Current River State Park. If you can not attend a outing join us at a Trails Committee Meeting were we can always use your help.
Hope to see you on the Trail as we get ready to celebrate the next 40 years of Trail Building. For more information on Trail Outings and the next Trail Meeting contact Paul Stupperich (314-429-4352).
Upcoming Events for Sierra Club Members and Friends
January 17 Deadline to apply for attendance at the Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference in Washington DC on February 10-11. For financial subsidies apply here by Friday, Jan 17.
January 28 A Sense of Wonder, the inspiring story of Rachel Carson, will be shown on Tuesday, January 28, at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church at the corner of Darst and Clay in Ferguson, MO 63135. Rachel Carson was one of the key pioneers of the modern day environmental movement and when her book, Silent Spring, was published in 1962, it awakened the world to the dangers of pesticides. The film is the first in the 2014 Ferguson Eco Team Video Night series. Free popcorn and no cost. For additional information, contact Carleton Stock or call 314-941-9378.
February 1 Twelfth Annual Winter Sing-Along. Attendees are welcome to bring refreshments. Join us at 7 p.m. at the Sierra Club Office, 7164 Manchester Avenue in Maplewood (map). Call George Behrens at (314) 821-0247. In case of inclement weather (snow or ice), call George to see if event is cancelled.
coal ash |
February 8 the Missouri Chapter Executive Committee will be meeting at the Columbia MO Public Library from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
February 11 Panel discussion featuring Sierra Club staff, members, and supporters discussing the problems with coal burning at the Meramec plant. Starting at 7 p.m., at Mary Mother of the Church, 5901 Kerth Road, St. Louis, MO 63128 (map)
February 11 Deadline to enter the RainScaping Prize Drawing, for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate for Shaw Nature Reserve's Spring Wildflower Market in May or one of five other rainscaping prizes valued at $350 to $1,000. In addition, landowners in 19 participating municipalities, including residents, schools, churches, and businesses are eligible to take part in a RainScape Rebates Program. This voluntary program financially assists landowners in and near the Deer Creek Watershed wishing to landscape their yards to improve stormwater management. Rebates of up to $2,000 are available, and the application deadline is February 12, 2014. Visit the Deer Creek Watershed Alliance website to learn more.
February 22, Saturday for Outings Leader Training. This is an all day event (8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) at Babler State Park Visitor Center. Cost is $10 per trainee and registration is required with Marilyn Harlan at 314-966-8797.
Green Time TV - DEEP GREEN HOMES
Green Time appears in four Missouri areas.
In the St. Louis area it airs at noon on Saturdays and 5:30 p.m.
Wednesdays on Channel 24-1 and at 8 p.m. on Mondays on Channel 24-2 on
these dates:
February 1 & 3: "Passive House: The Idea" A Passive House is so well designed, insulated, and airtight that it uses about 90% less energy than similar buildings. Ralph Wafer and Gary Steps discuss how they designed the first St.
Louis Passive House.
February 8 & 10: "Passive House: The Building" Ralph Wafer and Anthony Garavaglia look at details of construction which are critical for achieving Passive Building Standards for minimizing heat gain in summer, minimizing heat loss in winter and holding air infiltration to near zero.
February 15 & 17: "Dancing Rabbit: Its Ecological Impact" Dancing Rabbit co-founders Tony Sirna and Rachel Katz focus on how the eco-village has reduced its ecological impact.
February 22 & 24: "Community Building at Dancing Rabbit;" Dancing Rabbit co-founders Tony Sirna and Sharon Bagatell discuss green and natural building and the eco-village's community building.
February shows include portions of the movies "Passive House: A Building Revolution," "Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: An Introduction," and "Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage: Green Community Building."; To volunteer to help produce Green Time call 314-727-8554 or email Don Fitz.
Eastern Missouri Group Outings Calendar
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!