2016 Program Schedule
January 12, 2016 | 7:30 PM - The Important Work of Our Committees
Representatives from the Georgia Chapter committees will come to speak about issues they are concerned with this coming legislative year.
On January 11, 2016, the Georgia General Assembly starts. These committees, Regional Action to Improve Livability (RAIL), Smart Energy Solutions, and Wildlands and Wildlife, will follow their issues and transportation topics. What's next and how can we help?
BECOME MORE ACTIVE BY LEARNING MORE AT THIS WEBSITE.
February 9, 2016 | 7:30 PM - What's going on under the Gold Dome?
Neill Herring (Sierra Club lobbyist) and Mark Woodall (Chair of Legislative Committee) will tell all about the actions at the Georgia State Capitol. On January 11, 2016, the Georgia General Assembly again starts a 40-day session with bills flying back and forth between the two chambers. Water and solar energy were both important issues last year. The hot topics (so far) this year are funding for MARTA expansion, groundwater protection and stream buffer protection.
March 8, 2016 | 7:30 PM - Double Feature Speakers!
(1) Bees, Butterflies, and More - Pollinators who Pull their Weight
(2) Joining in by Getting Outside - Bringing Veterans into the Sierra Club Community.
First, Cynthia Hodges, former president of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association, will introduce us to the fascinating array of local species that act as pollinators. Learn about how these creatures keep our ecosystem buzzing along, and find out how you can help support their populations in this time of pesticide ubiquity, colony collapse, and climate disruption. Cynthia's presentation will serve as a preview for a pollinator outing planned for April 2 with the Wildlands & Wildlife committee!
Next, we'll welcome Lornett Vestal, who joins the Georgia Chapter office in a new position of Southeast Military Veterans & Outdoors Coordinator. He is the first Southeast Military coordinator, working with staff and volunteers to design and implement both regional and local strategies and programs to constructively engage the military and veteran communities in the Southeastern US, with an emphasis on Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Find out the why's and how's behind this program, hear what brought Lornett to this work, and join the discussion about what the Sierra Club community is and can be.
April 12, 2016 | 7:30 PM - Rails-to-Trails and the Great Allegheny Passage
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy celebrates trail opening day on April 16 this year! At our April meeting, Gordon Draves will tell of his adventure on a bicycle ride along the Great Allegheny Passage from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA -- 150 miles on this rails-to-trails hiking and biking corridor. You may be quite surprised at the interesting sights along the way. This talk should put us in the spirit to go on some great John Muir outings this month.
May 10, 2016 | 7:00 PM - Whom Can We Send to the Halls of Power? Meet Endorsed Candidates!
The primary elections on May 24 will in many cases determine our next batch of local officials, including state lawmakers, judges, county commissioners, and more. From transportation to water quality protection, so many important decisions are made at the local or state level that these races cannot be overlooked.
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter has endorsed several candidates whose records and plans align with our goals. At this meeting, come hear from and meet some local candidates who’ve won the Chapter’s endorsement. Find out about their takes on big issues and let them earn your vote!
June 14, 2016 | Summer Picnic - POSTPONED, New date TBA
Learn how to get more involved at this page! And if there's a local issue you want to work on, come talk with us before or after the meeting!
July 12, 2016 | 7:00 PM - More voters, more voices - Let's be heard!
From the U.S. president down to city and county-level transportation referenda, the decisions made by voters this November can have major ramifications for our environmental trajectory. Right now, we have an opportunity to build up the electorate by making sure we and our neighbors have the resources needed to vote and take other political actions.
Nancy Haber will present to us the work of Decatur Team for Action (DTFA), a group that brings convenient voter registration to areas across Atlanta and provides resources for voters. Nancy is an active volunteer not only with DTFA but also with Citizens' Climate Lobby and our own Sierra Club. We'll also be talking about other ways to take local/state political action for the environment before voting day, as well as about upcoming outings.
August 9, 2016 | 7:00 PM - Bring on the Sun! Solarize Decatur-DeKalb
All over town, there are rooftops sitting idle, sunbathing day in and day out without earning their keep! It's time to put them to work generating electricity for us.
Solarize Decatur-DeKalb is a new campaign designed to make putting solar on local rooftops more affordable, by helping communities take advantage of bulk-purchasing discounts of solar equipment and services. Sierra Club - Georgia Chapter is taking a lead role in getting Solarize Decatur-DeKalb off the ground.
Find out how to get involved with this effort to bring clean energy inexpensively to a major part of our metro area - whether as a participant going solar at your own home or as a volunteer helping to jump start the program!
September 13, 2016 - No meeting.
Please note that there is no monthly Metro Atlanta Group meeting in September. We will resume meeting next month.
October 11, 2016 | 7:00 PM - Program TBA.
November 8, 2016 | 7:00 PM - Program TBA.
December 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM - Beyond forest fires: other effects of drought on north Georgia forests
We know that wildfires have been taking a toll on forests in the Southeast this year, but what other impacts is the drought having on local ecosystems?
2015 Program Schedule
January 13, 2015 | 7:30 PM – Water and Ancient Pueblo Indian Culture
Join Ted Jackson for his talk about how Ancient Pueblo Indians adapted to the arid west and used water.
February 10, 2015 | 7:30 PM – Georgia General Assembly Update
Sierra Club lobbyist Neill Herring and Legislative Chair Mark Woodall will again circulate to our groups to tell about the the good, the bad and the ugly at the Georgia State Capitol. How many bills have been introduced that negatively affect the environment?
March 10, 2015 | 7:30 PM – The establishment of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
Join Roger Buerki who helped the process to create CRNRA, will speak about that and other history.
April 14, 2015 | 7:30 PM – What is "permaculture"?
Learn about urban gardening, and sustainable food production. The Soil and Water nominee for the DeKalb District (not sworn in yet), Tony Gobert, will bring his presentation about "permaculture", urban gardening, and sustainable food production for the April meeting. He is an instructor in Horticulture at Gwinnett Tech and a community educator on these topics.
May 12, 2015 | 7:30 PM – Georgia Legislative Session Wrap-up
Come and hear about the Legislative Session that just concluded on April 2. We will have guests from the Georgia General Assembly, we are hoping for one member from the House of Representatives and one Senator. Please bring your questions about legislative issues and find out what really happens under the Gold Dome.
June 16, 2015 | 6:30 PM – Annual Group Picnic
Prepare to enjoy some good food! Come join us at the covered picnic tables across from the swimming pool at Candler Park in Atlanta for a potluck picnic. Please bring some food to share. There will be a fire for cooking, and our group will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers. Bring your own plate, cup, and tableware, but we will have extra if you forget. Please consider bringing salad, side dishes, beverages, and/or desserts.
Note: Gather at 6:30 PM, eat at 7:00 PM. Come at 6 PM for a short hike before dinner and stay for a longer hike after the picnic.
The main Candler Park entrance is across the street from 1493 McLendon Avenue NE, Atlanta. That is about a half mile east of Moreland Avenue in Little 5 Points and 3/10th mile west of Clifton Road.
July 14, 2015 | 7:30 PM – South Fork Conservancy (Peachtree Creek)
Sally Sears is Executive Director of South Fork Conservancy and she will speak about the many projects that the group has worked on over the years. Last September 23, Cheshire Farm Trail opened along I-85 and the North Fork Peachtree Creek, the trail runs between Cheshire Bridge Road and LaVista Road so there is easy access via auto or MARTA bus. The trail crosses Peachtree Creek on a new modern bridge. It is named for the Cheshire family who were early 1800's settlers of the area.
She will have more tales of parks and trails constructed by the group, such as Zonolite Park reclaimed from a brown field. Also, in several locations invasive exotic plants have been removed, and there are plantings of natives, including re-introduction of the American chestnut.
To see the Cheshire Farm Trail go to GOOGLE Maps: https://www.google.com/maps and search for Cheshire Farm Trail, Atlanta
August 11, 2015 | 7:30 PM – What the EPA Clean Power Plan Can Do
We will have a presentation and discussion of the EPA's Clean Power Plan. At least two presenters will speak: one from the Georgia Chapter and one from our local group. We will have handouts--the EPA's Fact Sheet for Georgia and copies of news articles.
September 8, 2015 | 7:30 PM – Sustainable Water Management
Wilton Rooks will be giving his program 'Sustainable Water Management.'
October 13, 2015 | 7:30 PM – Candidate Forum
We will be providing a two part meeting with a Candidate Forum for the listed Metro Atlanta Group Candidates for EXCOM. This will be followed by a 'Call City Hall' segment to inform people (primarily in DeKalb County) how to identify items of concern and respond to the County Government in a positive and effective fashion.
November 10, 2015 | 7:30 PM – No information.
December 8, 2015 | 6:30 PM – Annual Holiday Potluck Dinner
Please join us for the annual Metro Atlanta Group holiday potluck beginning at 6:30 PM! (Note earlier meeting time.) Bring a dish to share if you can: salad, entree, dessert or beverage. Place settings may be limited, so we encourage you to bring your own plate, cup and silverware.
Featured speakers:
- Sierra Club Wildlands & Wildlife Coordinator Joshua Hanthorn will update us on the campaign to protect Cooper Creek from an extremely destructive logging project, which would threaten an important North Georgia watershed.
- YOU! Come and share what you think Metro Atlanta Group's priorities should be in 2016.
Please list your Zip code when you sign the attendance sheet.
Gather at 6:30. Dinner at 7. Program begins 7:30 PM.
And don't let yourself get fatigued by festivities! The Georgia Chapter holiday party is Thursday, December 10 at the office in Decatur! It is located across Sams Street from the Avondale MARTA Station. For directions and to RSVP go to: http://goo.gl/eQmHuk
2014 Programs
January 14, 2014 | 7:30 PM – The Wilderness Act at 50 Years
Larry Winslett presents about the Wilderness Act 
now after 50 years.
"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 its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
February 25, 2014 | 7:30 PM – News from under the Gold Dome
Date for this meeting changed due to inclement weather.
Neill Herring and Mark Woodall will again come to our February meeting to tell us about what the Georgia General Assembly is up to, since the session began on January 13.
March 11, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Fukushima and Other Nuclear Issues
Glenn Carroll, coordinator of Nuclear Watch South (formerly Georgians Against Nuclear Energy) will discuss nuclear issues local and far away--coinciding with the third anniversary of the triple nuclear meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan.
REPEAL THE CWIP TAX FOR VOGTLE
For more information about a nuclear facility near Georgia: NukeWatch, Savannah River Site
April 8, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Global Warming Issue Discussion
Jeff Bragg attended a recent meeting about the results of the global warming conference and will present from those findings. Konrad Hayashi will present on how climate change will affect our health with information on movement of infectious diseases into new territories.
May 13, 2014 | 7:30 PM – The Elections are coming, The Elections are coming...
The Primary elections will be on May 20 this year – much earlier than previous times. Eddie Ehlert, Group & Chapter Political Chair, will bring the latest news on the upcoming elections. He will tell us about the candidates that the Sierra Club is endorsing and may even bring some of them to speak to the group.
June 10, 2014 | 6:30 PM – Annual Picnic at Candler Park
Come join us at the covered picnic tables across from the swimming pool at Candler Park in Atlanta for potluck picnic. Bring some food to share. There will be a fire for cooking, and our group will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers. Please bring your own plate, cup, and tableware, but we will have extra if you forget.
Please consider bringing salad, side dishes, beverages, other meats for the grill, and/or desserts.
Note: Come at 6 PM for a short hike before dinner. Gather at 6:30 PM, eat at 7:00 PM and a longer hike after the picnic.
July 8, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Preparing for a Solar Spill!
Sol Haroon will discuss aspects of using solar energy. In the last few years Solar Power has become a lot more affordable and accessible.
Join Sol, Director of Energy at IP UtiliNET, in an exploration of sustainable architectural design and how to go solar the cost-effective way for your home and commercial space. We will explore sustainable design principles, solar energy systems design, electric vehicle systems, and finally go through a virtual tour of one sustainable Atlanta house incorporating these ideas.
August 12, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Monadnocks, Rejuvenation, and Quartzite: The Geology of Atlanta's Outdoor Recreation Spots
Bill Witherspoon works at the Fernbank Science Center educating students K-12, and the public about geology.
NOTE: Gather at 6:30 PM at trolley shelter across the street from the church for a hike before the meeting. We will descend to the creek in Deepdene Park, easternmost of the Olmstead Linear Parks. We will see a variety of plants, maybe see or hear an owl or woodpecker, and see where trees are being undercut by the creek, which has surges of water larger than in the past due to the increase in impervious surfaces from more buildings and roads. Then we go to the church for refreshments and Bill's talk.
September 9, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area - history and other facts
Ranger Jerry Hightower will help us explore one of the national park units in the Atlanta area. We will learn about the history of CRNRA, and see, feel, smell and/or taste some of the plants from the river and woodlands.
Photo and information about cattails by Survival Gear Guide .
October 14, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Our 100 miles of Georgia coast
Megan Desrosiers, Executive Director of One Hundred Miles will journey from Brunswick to tell us about our fragile coast. One Hundred Miles is a coastal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting, preserving and enhancing the 100-mile Georgia coast. We will explore how to keep our shores sustainable.
November 11, 2014 | 7:30 PM – Bees and honey vs Neonicotinoids!
Dennis Krusac will describe the plead of the bees. Bee colony collapse threatens the bees, the honey industry but more importantly the one bite of food out of three that depend on bee pollination. Dennis is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, Endangered Species Specialist/Pollinator Conservation Coordinator with the US Forest Service .
"Pyrazoles And Neonicotinoids Linked To Reduced Honeybee Mitochondrial Activity", SCIENCE , August 6, 2014.
December 9, 2014 | 6:30 PM – Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Intown and Out
Join Jonah McDonald for his talk about hiking in the Metro Atlanta forests.
For more information about Jonah and the book .
"Some say Atlanta is only about asphalt. This guidebook will change their minds." - Sally Sears, Executive Director, The South Fork Conservancy
This is our potluck meeting, so please bring something to share, and join us beginning at 6:30 PM. We will start eating at 7:00 PM. Program begins 7:30 PM.