| Nero... Er, Trump Tweets as California Burns Last week, President Trump blamed "bad environmental laws" for the catastrophic wildfires now raging in California, inaccurately claiming that water that could be used to fight the fires is "foolishly being diverted into the Pacific Ocean." Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, set the record straight in an editorial on CNN.com. Read the editorial. A Man of His Word Trophy hunts of Greater Yellowstone grizzlies are scheduled to commence in Idaho and Wyoming on September 1. But Interior Secretary Zinke still hasn't held meaningful consultation with affected Native American tribes—something he admitted was his legal responsibility and that he committed to in congressional testimony. Yet mere hours later, he went ahead and delisted the Greater Yellowstone grizzly without consulting any Tribal nations. Tell Secretary Zinke to keep his word, honor Tribal sovereignty, and call off the trophy hunts. Can These Wolves Beat Extinction a Second Time? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now poised to abandon efforts to save the red wolf, this time with no plan for how, when, or where to reunite the rare and endangered canid with their natural habitat. Find out more about what environmentalists are calling an "abandonment of recovery in the wild." Some 20 red wolves live at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York | Photo courtesy of the Wolf Conservation Center Our Latest International & Domestic Journeys Reach for the sublime on a soaring journey through awe-inspiring lands and cultures. Discover folklore and diverse geological features on a walking tour in Germany's Harz Mountains; view exceptional biodiversity in the southern jungles of Peru; and witness the wildebeest migration and other dramatic sights in Tanzania; plus Asia, the Middle East, and more. Or check out our first domestic trips of the year, including service, snow, Hawaii, the American Caribbean, and much more. See all trips and sign up. Photo by Steve Veit A Sierra Club Partnership Watch the Video and Take Action for 100% Clean Energy The Sierra Club's Ready for 100 Campaign, Climate Parents, and Seventh Generation have launched a new partnership and five-part video series, "Commit To Clean," featuring local leaders who are committed to driving positive momentum toward 100% clean, renewable energy in their communities. See how Rev. Burton--a parent, faith leader, and resident of St. Louis, MO--made the choice to install solar panels on his church and ended up helping to get the largest Midwestern U.S. city to-date committed to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2035. Watch the video and send a message. Sleeping Bags, Not Sleeping Pills Robert Vessels, a veteran who works for the Sierra Club's Military Outdoors program, is featured in a story in the latest issue of California magazine about the healing power of awe. Vessels, who suffered from PTSD after multiple tours of combat duty, is trying to convince the Veterans Administration to prescribe sleeping bags, tents, and outdoor adventure opportunities instead of—or at least along with—prescriptions for painkillers and antidepressants. Read more about how nature can be a healing force by creating a sense of awe. Determinedly Independent Clergyman, carpenter, and conservationist Mark Johnston stepped down earlier this year from his position as director of an Episcopal camp in northern Alabama to run for governor of the Yellowhammer State. A past recipient of the Alabama Sierra Club's Environmentalist of the Year award, Johnston chose to run as an Independant and an unapologetic environmentalist. Can an Independent green candidate succeed in a deep red state? The Great Voter Purge A new study shows that between 2014 and the end of 2016, some 16 million voters—overwhelmingly low-income and people of color—were inaccurately or unlawfully purged from states' voting rolls. Some states purged their rolls three months before Election Day without warning the affected voters. Others that require voters to show a driver's licence shut down the offices that issue those IDs in low-income and minority communities. "The architects of voter suppression allege that they are only trying to prevent voter fraud," says Sierra Club associate communications director Javier Sierra. "In reality, this is a solution in search of a problem." Toxic Algae Taking Over South Florida Toxic algal blooms have been proliferating at an alarming rate throughout South Florida, prompting Governor Rick Scott to declare a state of emergency. Some blooms are so thick they float on top of the water like a bright-green carpet. But they're not just an ugly nuisance; the blue-green algae is composed of bacteria that can cause kidney damage and possibly degenerative neurological diseases. This is some scary s***. Read about what local Sierra Club Waterkeepers are doing to figure out the cause of the bloom—and what can be done to stop it. The L-10 Canal outside the S-352 spillway in Canal Point, on the East Coast of Lake Worth | Photo courtesy of Waterkeeper Alliance A Gas-Free Road Trip to Zion Want to plan your own gas-free road trip? Thanks to new EV chargers, a visit to Utah's most popular national park can be made by without a single fill-up. Here's what you need to know to visit Utah's most popular national park without paying for gas. Photo courtesy of Emma Pernod Rise for Climate on September 8 In just a few weeks, we will Rise for Climate, Jobs & Justice in San Francisco and in thousands of cities and towns across the country and throughout the world. We will rise for clean energy; for the right to organize for family-sustaining wages; for racial, economic, and social justice. Join us on Saturday, September 8, in demanding bold, visionary leadership for a clean-energy economy that leaves no one behind. Attend the march in San Francisco or find a Rise for Climate, Jobs, & Justice event closer to you. Jerry Brown's Last Challenge With the Trump administration mired in scandal, ineptitude, and denial, the federal government has essentially ceded to California the chance to become the global leader on transitioning from fossil fuels. "Nowhere else in the U.S. do we have a better opportunity to show how it's possible .. in a way that's smart, pragmatic, and equitable," says Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune. "What's been missing, surprisingly, is the leadership to get started." Justice for Farmworkers Most workers in the U.S. enjoy overtime and minimum wage protections—not so the nation's 2.5 million farmworkers. When Congress was debating the Fair Labor Standards Act in the 1930s, it exempted farm workers so that farm labor—mostly by African Americans in the South—would remain cheap. Nowadays, it's mainly Hispanic Americans and immigrants who are affected. A new bill, the Fairness for Farm Workers Act, would end this discrimination. Tell your members of Congress to support the Fairness for Farm Workers Act so that farmworkers are paid fairly. Backyard Day With Team Sierra Join Team Sierra on September 15 to celebrate Backyard Day, dedicated to honoring the places you consider to be your outdoor home. Whether the local trails, the beach you've gone to since you were a kid, or a beautiful park in your town center—your Backyard is the place you feel at home in nature. Team Sierra is celebrating Backyard Day with a virtual 5K/10K—a chance to run, walk, roll, swim, or cycle in your backyard. Every participant gets a printable bib and an exclusive Backyard Day medal. Register today. Ethanol Comment Period Ends This Week An EPA mandate to increase ethanol and biodiesel is causing a spike in demand for corn ethanol and soy biodiesel, which has exacerbated nutrient pollution from nitrogen-based fertilizers that run off into our waterways. Experts widely attribute the growth of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico to increased industrial corn production. Tell the EPA to clean up the Renewable Fuel Standard before the public comment period ends on August 18—this coming Saturday! Be a Champion for the Environment—Donate Today: Your contribution directly supports our conservation efforts and will be applied where most urgently needed. Donate today and get your choice of Sierra Club Binoculars, Favorite Fleece Blanket, or Exploration Day Pack as your free gift! |
|
|
| |
|