Eastern Missouri Group E-Newsletter
JULY 2014
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July 24, 2014, Social Gathering
Olympia Kebob House, 1543 McCausland Ave. (map)
Instead of a general meeting this month, we will gather for dinner, wine and conversation. The dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. No registration required. We have reserved a private room. Contact Mark Ostendorf (417-850-0064) with questions.
August 28, 2014, General Meeting
7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Litzsinger School, 10094 Litzsinger Road at Lindbergh Blvd., Ladue, MO 63124 (map)
Short presentations given by members on projects,
topics, political issues, brief how-to's, highlights on Sierra Club
campaigns.
The Mystery of the Irish Wilderness
By Toni Armstrong
The
Irish Wilderness is Missouri's largest wilderness area at 16,500
acres. It is also the most recent addition to Missouri's wilderness
system. The Irish Wilderness is named for the people who settled the
area in the 1850's. What happened to the settlers is a mystery.
Most
of the Irish Wilderness was logged in the early 1900's, the logging was
completed by the 1920's. The Irish Wilderness is second growth
oak-hickory forest.
White's Creek Trail offers wonderful
opportunities to explore the Irish Wilderness. The trail is 18.6 miles
in length and takes the hiker by Fiddler Spring and Bliss Spring.
Lovely views of the Eleven Point River are afforded from the trail.
Many backpackers like to camp at the Whites Creek float camp on the
Eleven Point River which affords access to the river and water.
Camp 5 Pond is the trailhead for the Whites Creek Trail. Primitive camping is available at Camp 5 Pond.
Another
option to visit the Irish Wilderness is by canoe on the Eleven Point
River. The Eleven Point River skirts the western boundary of the Irish
Wilderness. The river intersects the Whites Creek Trail near Bliss
Spring and again at Whites Creek float camp. If quiet and solitude are
what you are seeking in the Irish Wilderness, avoid the river on summer
weekends.
For more information on the Irish Wilderness visit the Mark Twain National Forest website.
Vote on Tuesday, August 5
The Sierra Club is recommending "NO" votes
on Amendment 7 (sales tax for highways) and Amendment 1 (the so-called "Right to Farm"). The Club opposes the sales tax for highways because
there is virtually no money for public transit, and expanded highway
building means more urban sprawl that converts productive farmland into
shopping malls. The Club opposed the "Right to Farm" because it is a
trick to allow CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) to expand in
our state by taking away the right of neighbors to intervene.
VICTORY IN MISSOURI! On June 26, Ameren's Board of Directors voted to retire the Meramec coal plant in St. Louis County by 2020. Ameren then filed with the PSC comments indicating intent to retire the coal plant by 2022 or earlier. This is an exciting victory for the Sierra Club, which has been calling for retirement of the Meramec coal plant for over 2 years. Thanks to everyone who helped make this victory possible. Please share this image on social media and help us continue to call for an earlier retirement date, safe closure and clean up of the site, clean energy investments, and a fair transition for workers.
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Wilderness Photo Exhibit in Doniphan
The
collection of photos of Missouri wilderness areas, taken by Toni
Armstrong & Richard Spener, is hanging at the U.S. Forest Service
(USFS) office in Doniphan until July 31. The office is located at the
Eleven Point Ranger District, #4 Confederate Ridge Road, Doniphan, MO
63935. The USFS phone number there is 573-996-2153.
Public Hearing in Hannibal on Transmission Line for Wind Energy
On Tuesday Aug. 12 the Public Service Commission is holding a public hearing on a proposal to build a transmission line from western Kansas to deliver 500 MW of wind power to the Ameren service territory. The Club is supporting the project, and encourages Sierra Club members to attend and voice their support for expanding our use of clean energy. The public hearing will take place at 6pm at the Theater Auditorium at Hannibal-LaGrange University, 2800 Palmyra Road, Hannibal, MO 63401.
Milkweeds for Monarchs: The Saint Louis Butterfly Project
The goal of the Milkweed for Monarchs initiative is for 250 milkweed gardens to be planted in the City of St Louis in 2014 as we celebrate the 250th year of the founding of St Louis. So far 31 milkweed gardens have been registered on the map.
Milkweed plants are essential for monarch butterflies to breed but the native plants recommended for these gardens will benefit many pollinators and butterflies as well as monarchs. Even if you don’t live in St Louis city you may enjoy planting and caring for a milkweed or perennial native plant garden using the advice and information on the butterfly project website.
Special Thanks
Our appreciation goes to Brook Dubman of Carol House Furniture for answering our plea for
table lamps. We have a brighter office as a result of his
donation.
Green Time TV - Acting and Building Green
Green Time appears in four Missouri areas. In the St. Louis area it airs at noon on Saturdays on Channel 24-1 and at 8 pm on Mondays on Channel 24-2 on these dates:
August 2 & 4: “The Right to Farm or the Right to Harm?” Wes Shoemyer explains that Missouri law guarantees rights to family farmers; but the so-called “Right to Farm” would extend these rights to corporations. That could give advantages to CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) and huge corporations that are not even headquartered in Missouri.
August 9 & 11: “Just Energy Policies.” Adolphus Pruitt and Sam Cummings discuss the NAACP’s new report “Just Energy Policies: Reducing Pollution & Creating Jobs?” Reducing air pollution is critical because childhood asthma is epidemic in the African American community. The clean energy field may bring jobs to the African American community.
August 16 & 18: “Residential Energy Efficiency.” Can using energy efficiency save you money while it helps the environment? For low income home-owners, reduction of energy bills can be critical for affording medications or food. Jessica Freiberger and Connie Taylor ask why “healthy homes” are important and how home retrofits can provide local jobs.
August 23 & 25: “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.
August 30 & September 1: “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.
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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!