Newsletter- February 2021 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
March 1, 2021
...plus our usual recommendations feature!
Hi Supporter,
Greetings friends! We hope you have stayed safe and warm this winter.
Here at the Hoosier Chapter, we have one eye on spring, the warmer weather, and the possibilities it brings.
Perhaps you’re also contemplating coming out of winter hibernation, and are looking for ways to get involved with your community? Why not consider volunteering with the Sierra Club! We have many opportunities for local volunteers. Whilst most of our activities are virtual right now, there are still lots of ways to get involved. Read on to find out more!
Also in this newsletter- actions you can take right now to help our environment in Indiana, info on the national Sierra Club elections, and of course our usual list of recommendations.
Get involved!
At the Sierra Club, our power comes from the grassroots. With over 3 million supporters nationally and over 66,000 in Indiana alone, we rely on our people power. Here are some activities volunteers have done in the past:
Organized around climate issues including organizing actions, testifying at hearings, fighting bad legislation such as attempts to slow or stop the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, tabling for community events, hosting environmental presentations and connecting with people locally.
Raised our voice on social media, through Letters to the Editor, and blog posts.
Organized invasive plant removal, litter clean-ups, and community garden pollinator planting
We are also starting regular volunteer orientation webinars, where you can learn about our work and volunteer opportunities.
Our next session will be on Sunday, April 18, at 5pm. Register here!
Joining environmental partners to rise for climate justice at the People's Climate March in 2018
Musicians lending their talent to our 2019 art show opening event
Reader's photographs
In this new section, we highlight a photograph taken by a reader in our beautiful state of Indiana.
This month: Sunset on a farmer’s field in New Palestine, by Hoosier Chapter Executive Committee member Michelle Carr.
Have you taken a photograph you'd like to share? Let us know!
National Sierra Club Elections are Underway - VOTE!
A Democratic Sierra Club Demands Grassroots Participation
The annual election for Sierra Club’s Board of Directors is now underway.
Those eligible to vote in the national Sierra Club election will receive in the mail (or by email if you chose the electronic delivery option) your national Sierra Club ballot in early March 2021. This will include information on candidates and where you can find additional information on Sierra Club’s website.
Your participation is critical for a strong Sierra Club!
This month, we want to lift up the following local campaigns:
Eleven-year old Leo Berry has created a petition to save Indiana's wetlands.
At the time of writing, almost 20,000 people have signed! Add your name here.
Stop the Mid-States Corridor!
A group of 'farmers, homeowners, business people, environmentalists, hikers, hunters, and concerned citizens of Southwest Indiana that do not support the building of the new terrain highway called the Mid-States Corridor' have created a website in opposition to this highway.
They are urging folks to find their legislator and send a message to stop the highway.
Read our director's midway update of the legislative session, including more actions you can take, below.
The Indiana legislature ended the first half of its 2021 session in the last week of February. Bills that received approval from their house of origin now move to the other chamber for review and approval, amendment, or rejection.
A lot of bad environmental bills didn't move forward. Particularly bills that would have increased the power of factory farms and other bills that would have further insulated polluters against lawsuits by those most impacted by their pollution didn't advance. But perhaps the worst environmental bill of all, SB 389, which would remove all protections from Indiana wetlands solely regulated by the state, glided through the Senate with little thought or discussion.
The chapter has also become concerned with HB 1367, which would allow predominantly white students to move out of the largely Black South Bend school district to a more rural, mostly white district. We were especially offended by the disrespect shown to Black legislators who spoke against the bill by white Republican lawmakers. We call on House Speaker Todd Huston to reprimand these lawmakers and make sure such disgraceful behavior doesn't happen in our Statehouse again.
Another piece of legislation with detrimental impacts on low-income and disabled people, students, and communities of color is SB 141, which would decrease funding for public transportation in Indianapolis. We urge our members to contact their representatives to oppose this bill.
- Bowden Quinn, Chapter Director, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter.
Thank you so much for reading and for your continued support of the chapter. Don't forget- we love to hear from you, so please do keep in contact! You can also follow us on social media with the links below.
With gratitude for everything that you do for the environment in Indiana,
PS Have you heard about the Winding Waters Group pollinator plant sale? This yearly event is a wonderful way to support a local Sierra Club group, and do a good deed for the planet... and your yard! Find out more on the Winding Waters Group Facebook page.
