April 2002
Dear Sierran,
Welcome to the second issue of e-Sierra, the email magazine of the Sierra
Club North Star Chapter. Thank you for your feedback of our first issue.
Our intent is to keep this e-zine timely, brief, and to the point with
updates on key environmental battles and opportunities in Minnesota and the
nation.
For even more up to date information visit our website at
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/.
Sincerely,
Sam Garst
Chapter Secretary
SamGarst@aol.com
Welcome to e-Sierra
April 2002
GREEN LIVING IS THE LIFE FOR ME
If you yearn for clean air, water and land; a simple, healthy life; a better
natural environment for your children and grandchildren; and more thoughtful
consumption then join other sustainable minded people at the Living Green
Expo on Saturday, April 27 from 10:00 am to 5pm at the Minnesota State
Capitol Grounds. At the Expo, there will be over 130 exhibitors of
products
from new hybrid electric cars to organic food. Music, kids events,
workshops, and more. See:
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/ggi_living_green_expo.htm or
http://www.livinggreenexpo.org
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SierranACT ACTIVIST ALERT SYSTEM LAUNCHED
Over 600 people are now part of the new Sierra Club North Star Chapter
Activist Alert system, called SierranACT. This system allows you to send a
timely message to key decision makers when your views mean the most. Only a
few clicks of the mouse can make your voice heard, but we need more voices.
Sign-up today: http://northstar.sierraclubaction.org
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MINNESOTA HAS ITS TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES ALL WRONG
One of every seven barrels of oil produced in the world today goes straight
into the tank of a motor vehicle in the United States (NRDC). Over a
quarter of the worldwide emission of the most important greenhouse gases CO2
(carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere today comes from the U.S. vehicle fleet.
Just how poorly is Minnesota doing in transit, our volunteer
transportation leader Matt Hollinshead outlines the public policy values at
stake in the current transportation debate:
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/sprawl_Transit_why_fund.htm
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ACT GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY
The North Star Chapter, in cooperation with the National Sierra Club and
Amnesty International, has launched a new campaign to protect human rights and
the environment. This campaign focuses on International Right to Know
legislation that would require U.S. corporations operating abroad to report the
same kinds of information about environmental impacts of their
activities as they do in the U.S. For more information on this campaign and
what you can do, go to:
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/HumanRights_Home.htm
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MEET A MATURED PAUL BUNYAN
Stop by our forestry table at the Midwest Mountaineering Spring Expo, April
25-April 27, or the May Day Festival, May 5, and find out what Paul Bunyan
now thinks about disappearing national forests. Paul is helping Sierra
Club
sign postcards to challenge how much logging is done in National Forests.
Contact Josh at Joshua.davis@sierraclub.org or enter the Paul Bunyan Tall
Tales Writing contest by going to:
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/forestry_what’s_happening.htm
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BECOME A STEWARD OF MINNESOTA’S NATIONAL FORESTS
Learn the ins and outs of timber sales and how the public can impact timber
sales in Chippewa and Superior National Forests through Forest Watch
training. For more information:
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/Forestry_Forest_Watch.htm
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PLANT WHITE PINES IN HONOR OF SENATOR JANET JOHNSON & REPRESENTATIVE
WILLARD MUNGER
On Saturday, May 18 the Northern Lights Sierra Club group invites you to
enjoy spring on the shores of Lake Superior and to honor the memory of
environmental stewards, Senator Janet Johnson and Representative Willard
Munger by planting white pines at Tettegouche State Park. Arrive at 8:30
AM at the ranger station, or camp for free the night before and breakfast will
be served! Snacks, drinks provided; please bring lunch. Contact
Northern Lights Group volunteer Julie Bellehumeur at jabell@duluth.k12.mn.us or
at 218-724-8312.
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CLEAN ENERGY LAWN SIGNS
This summer, metro area neighborhoods will deliver a message to Xcel: Clean
up dirty, old coal plants! Xcel Energy is currently considering pollution
reduction projects at the 4 metro coal plants. To date, none of the metro coal
plants meet air quality standards of the Clean Air Act. The Sierra Club has
joined CLEAN ENERGY NOW's efforts to distribute CLEAN ENERGY NOW lawn signs
throughout the metro area to urge Xcel to clean up its act. If you are
willing to put up a lawn sign yet, contact Michelle Rosier, michelle.rosier@sierraclub.org
with your full name, address, city, zipcode and phone contact.
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MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE PASSES LAW LIMITING PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS
The environmental community won a major victory to protect Minnesota waters
for our families and future generations. The Minnesota Legislature listened to
your concerns and voted to ban phosphorous fertilizer use on metro lawns. Under
this new law, metro area residents would be required to use lawn fertilizers
with zero percent phosphorus and nonmetro area residents would use fertilizers
with three percent phosphorus content unless a soils test is done.
http://www.northstar.sierraclub.org/leg_ventura_signs_phosphate_bill.htm
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GLOBAL TRADE
In the very near future Congress will again be taking up Fast Track
authorization for the President, which allows the administration to
negotiate trade agreements and then present them to Congress for just a yes or
no vote with no chance for amendment. President Bush would like to use this
authority to extend NAFTA to the whole western hemisphere through a "Free
Trade Area of the Americas." The Sierra Club is fighting this provision in
cooperation with the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition. You can take immediate
action by going to: www.sierraclub.org/trade.
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SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
April 26-28: Midwest Mountaineering Expo
April 27: Living Green Expo
May 1: New Member Orientation
May 1: Twin Cities Group and Red River Group
May 1: Forestry, Land Use, and Conservation Committees
May 4-5: Backpacking in St. Croix Valley
May 5: Tofte Timber Sale Tour
May 9: Political Committee
May 11: Inner City Outing – Hike
May 11-12: Canoe BWCAW
May 14: Environmental Voter Education Campaign Committee
May 15: Air Toxics Committee
May 18: White Pine Planting in Tettegouche State Park
May 21: International Issues Committee
May 22: North Star Chapter Executive Committee
May 25-26: Niagra Cave Camping
May 29: Book Group
For More Calendar Information Contact: vicki.munson@sierraclub.org
For Interesting Submissions: heather.cusick@sierraclub.org
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heather.cusick@sierraclub.org
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