Service Outing in Memory of Bill Gupton

April 2, 2016 – 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Meet in the parking lot

RibbonWalk Nature Preserve, 4601 Nevin Road, Charlotte

Join Sierra Club members and community volunteers for this morning event at RibbonWalk Nature Preserve. Our work crews will remove invasive plant species and provide other clean up.  We’ll break before noon for a hike through the preserve and you are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy following the outing.  The preserve was a favorite of our former Chair, Bill Gupton.

Park and Rec staff will provide tools and supervise the activity. You may want to bring your own work gloves and water. Sunblock and appropriate clothing and footwear are important.

Contact maryloubuc@aol.com for more information.

Follow Up to Wednesday’s Meeting on The Comprehensive Transportation Plan

Bob Cook sent the following:

Thank you again for the invitation to speak to the Sierra Club at last night’s meeting.  I enjoyed it and hope the members did, too.

If you recall, during the Q&A, one of the members asked me who sponsored the Strategic Transportation Investments legislation.  According to the General Assembly’s website, the following were the sponsors:

William Brawley, Mecklenburg,

Dist. 103 – John Torbett, Gaston,

Dist. 108 – Frank Iler, Brunswick

Dist. 17 – Phil Shepard, Onslow,

Dist. 15 – (Listed as the primary sponsor) Nathan Ramsey, Buncombe,

Dist. 115 (no longer serving; defeated for re-election in 2014)

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?BillID=H817&Session=2013

Robert W. Cook, AICP, Secretary

Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization

600 E. 4th Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

704-336-8643 | 704-336-5123 (fax)

Urban Hike to Particle Falls

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

We’ll meet at Hickory Tavern at the Metropolitan (Kings Drive at Metropolitan Avenue on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway) at 6:30‎, have dinner, walk the Greenway up to 7th St, then up to Brevard & First Ward Park to the “Particle Falls” viewing area at UNCC’s uptown building.  If you prefer not to have dinner, join the group at 7:30 outside Hickory Tavern and come along for the walk.  “Particle Falls” is an animated light projection of real-time air quality data designed by artist and scientist Andrea Polli.  Don’t miss this multi-story projection on the side of the UNNC building.  Please contact Mary Lou Buck if you plan to join us for dinner (maryloubuc@aol.com).

 

The Comprehensive Transportation Plan

Monthly Meeting: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 6:30 p.m.

Mahlon Adams Pavilion at Freedom Park, 2435 Cumberland Ave. Charlotte

Bob Cook, Secretary of the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization will present an education session about the Plan.

A public comment period begins soon. Learn how you can advocate for alternative transportation choices!

Pizza is served at 6:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

photo courtesy of CRTPO

 

Free Film Screening – America’s First Forest

Tuesday, March 15th at Myers Park Baptist Church (Roswell Avenue entrance) 7:00 p.m.

A story of conservation beginnings in America
​The Charlotte screening of the PBS Special, “America’s First Forest” is presented by CROWN, in partnership with the Earthkeepers at Myers Park Baptist Church, Clean Air Carolina, and Keeping Watch.org.
“America’s First Forest”: Carl Schenck and the Asheville Experiment tells the story of how Carl Schenck, a German forester, came to America in 1895 to manage the forests at the Biltmore estate in Asheville, North Carolina. He not only helped restore the land there, he established the country’s first forestry school and helped launch the American conservation movement.
The 1-hour documentary film is produced for the Forest History Society by Bonesteel Films. 

Background information on this North Carolina based documentary can be found at this link:  http://www.americasfirstforest.org/

Following the film there will be a panel discussion with Panel Moderator Staci Clark, Director of Operations, Trees Charlotte and:

• Dr. James Lewis, Forest History Society, Historian and Executive Producer of America’s First Forest
• Aaron Shapiro, Associate Professor and Director of Public History at UNCC. He started and directed the public history program at Auburn University and previously served as national historian for the US Forest Service in Washington, DC
• Chris Miller, RF, ALC  AFM Land Sales, LLC  – American Forest Management, Inc.
• Laura Parker, Forest Planning Manager, American Forest Management, Inc.

​

Watch Monica Embrey’s Inspiring Message

Our thanks to Brian Kasher for producing this video of Monica’s presentation at our Feb. meeting.

“Why Environmentalists Should Work for Social Justice”

Monica Embrey delivered an eye-opening presentation at our Feb 24 meeting: “Why Environmentalists Should Work for Social Justice.”  Check out this video of her presentation, shot by Brian Kasher.  It’s an inspiring talk that might fundamentally change your idea of what it means to work toward a better future.  Monica is a “Climate and Energy Campaigner” for Greenpeace, based in Charlotte.  She has a degree from Pomona College in “Environmental Justice Studies: Race, Class, Gender, and the Environment.”  Check it out!  Great video to show your group.

TONIGHT: Coal Ash Stories – Free Film Screening

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Hattie’s Tap and Tavern, 2918 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205

Click here for more information and to RSVP

Central Piedmont Sierra Club, Catawba Riverkeeper, Greenpeace NC and Appalachian Voices will host a screening of Coal Ash Stories, a series of short films and call to action. This is a key time to learn about the issues, because the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is currently deciding when and how Duke Energy’s coal ash sites across the state will be cleaned up. A series of hearings in March, 2016 are a unique and critical opportunity for concerned citizens and impacted communities to speak out for a transparent, swift, and protective plan to safely store coal ash and ensure safe drinking water for neighbors of coal ash sites.

Save the date to learn more about NC’s coal ash mess and what you can do to get it cleaned up!

Lake Jocassee Pontoon Boat Tour and Hike

Saturday, April 16, 2016, 9:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Come and enjoy Spring on a 4 hour boat ride with short hike that will familiarize us with this beautiful lake. We will likely see see Spring blooming trees and flowers, a nesting pair of Bald Eagles, numerous waterfalls from pristine mountain streams and rivers that flow into Lake Jocassee, and more! We might be in time to see the rare Oconee Bell wildflowers blooming.

Bring your own lunch and snacks. Bottled water is provided on the boat. We will stop at a beautiful spot to enjoy our lunch.

Our tour guides are Brooks and Kay Wade of Jocassee Lake Tours. They are passionate about sharing the Lake Jocassee and the Jocassee Gorges, and they are knowledgable naturalists. Check out their website here:  http://www.jocasseelaketours.com/

Cost is $40 per person for the boat tour. Additionally, Devil’s Fork State Park charges $2 entry fee per person.

Reservations for this trip have to be finalized by April 1. There is a minimum of 10 people needed, if we haven’t reached the ten person minimum by April 1, the trip will be canceled. You can pay me in advance, details on that will be sent when you RSVP for this trip.

To reserve your spot and for payment instructions, please email: lindasuealley@hotmail.com

Participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. You can view the waiver here: https://nc2.sierraclub.org/sites/nc.sierraclub.org/files/SignInWaiver%20…

Annual Super Bowl Sunday Hike

Browns Mountain Outing 2/7/16

18 Hikers joined Outings Leader Steve Copulsky for a great day on the mountain.

 

Monthly Meeting: Wed. Feb. 24, 2016 6:30 p.m.

Mahlon Adams Pavilion at Freedom Park: 2435 Cumberland Ave., Charlotte

Why Environmentalists Must Embrace Social Justice

Monica Embrey, Climate and Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace USA

Join us to hear Monica Embrey, Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace USA based in Charlotte, speak about the role of intersectional organizing in the environmental movement. Why should environmentalists stand in solidarity with racial, gender, labor and immigrants rights advocates? We’ll discuss what’s to gain by taking action and what we could lose if we don’t. Monica has worked on environmental justice campaigns across the country and will bring her personal experiences, in addition to academic research for this lively conversation. She has a degree in Environmental Justice Studies: Race, Class, Gender and the Environment from Pomona College.

The evening begins with pizza at 6:30 and the program begins at 7 p.m.  Free and open to the public. You do not have to be a member of Sierra Club to attend.