Newsletter- January 2022 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
January 28, 2022
Happy new year from your local chapter!
Happy new year! We hope you all had a wonderful and safe holiday season. Here at Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter, we are excited for the work we will do together in 2022.
In this newsletter, we are very pleased to introduce you to some new leaders on our Executive Committee. You can also read about what this legislative session holds, and our new Director's Dish event. We have a guest blog from Solarize Indiana, an introduction to our team member Rebecca, news on upcoming events, and of course our usual readers' photos, and recommendations! We'd also like to draw attention to a relief fund for our neighbors in Kentucky who are still living with the impacts of the devastating tornadoes in December.
Introducing our new Executive Committee members
After a competitive election with amazing participation from our members, we are really excited to be welcoming four brand new Executive Committee members to our chapter!
Congratulations to Paul Fuchs, Roxanna Caldwell, David G. Henry, and William Schenher. Look out for biographies of these new leaders in the next newsletter!
We are also very pleased to be welcoming back Julie Lowe, Richard Hill, and Jean Webb who were all reelected to the Executive Committee.
Thank you so much to all our candidates, and to everyone who participated in the election.
We are excited to get to work!
Rebecca Dien-Johns Chapter Coordinator.
Throughout the year, Executive Committee members put in many volunteer hours to protect and improve our water, air, land, and wildlife, and to help shape and achieve our goals as a chapter. We are so grateful for their work!
Legislative Update
On Wednesday, an email should have hit your inbox with lots of updates on the current legislative session in Indiana, and actions you can take. If you didn't see it, search your inbox for the subject line URGENT: Take Climate Action in the Indiana Legislature.
We also have the complete list of bills we are following on our website!
Supporting our neighbors in Kentucky
Our neighbors in Kentucky are still facing the aftermath of December's tornadoes. Sierra Club members and supporters have asked how we can best assist those most deeply impacted. The images of the destruction are still hard to process a month later, and the loss of lives has left communities reeling as they try to rebuild into the new year.
A statement from one of the volunteer leaders in one of the impacted areas: The sight of the physical destruction of buildings and homes is surreal. The needs of our community are overwhelming, but the response has been gratifying. As the holidays have passed and the news media has moved on, there will still be many long term needs. Housing is and will continue to be one critical need. We have lost a significant amount of our housing stock, and this is not something that we can replenish overnight. Bowling Green already had a tight housing market, so it is my concern that some residents will have to move away or live in substandard housing. Another concern is the emotional health of those who were impacted. After all, we are in the third year of the pandemic and people are already stressed. I hope that donors will continually invest in organizations that are addressing these long term issues.
With thanks to Sarah Reeves, Chapter Coordinator of the Sierra Club Kentucky Chapter, for this information.
Join Us for a "Director's Dish"
Do you enjoy food? Do you enjoy interacting with other environmentally-minded folx? Do you want to learn more about what the Hoosier Chapter is up to?
Then join our Chapter Director for the first in a series of virtual social gatherings on February 4th at 7:00 pm! The Director's Dish will be a regular opportunity for supporters to discuss current issues and happenings across the state. Bring questions, get to know other supporters, and stay tuned for a recipe for an actual "dish" you can prepare at home and enjoy while we meet virtually!
Back in our April 2021 newsletter, we introduced you to Amanda Shepherd (Chapter Director) and Cory Ray (Legislative Coordinator).
I thought it was past time to introduce myself properly!
I was born and raised in north Wales, growing up in a place called Penmaenmawr, which translates into English as Head of the Great Stone. It is a small town, nestled in the foothills of that great stone mountain next to the sea... Read more here.
Rebecca Dien-Johns Chapter Coordinator
I love exploring the Midwest with my family, especially parks and places of historical interest. This photo was taken at the Glacial Grooves site at Kelleys Island, Ohio, last summer.
Upcoming Events
Carmel Green Initiative Seminar
Carmel Green Initiative is hosting a seminar called Environmental Opportunities, on February 10th at 6:30pm via Zoom.
Tim Maloney, Senior Policy Director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, will provide an overview of environmental-related developments in the 2022 Indiana legislative session and how you can actively take part.
Native Plant Sale 2022 Our annual Sierra Club Winding Waters Group Native Plant Sale is here! For more information, check our Facebook page.
AirPark Pollinator Path Fundraising Kickoff
Wed, Feb 2, 2022; 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
The local Winding Waters Group of Sierra Club, in parallel with its annual native plant sale launch, is excited to announce a partnership with the Columbus Pollinator Committee. In this virtual Zoom presentation, Eric Riddle will describe the creation of a new native plant meadow adjacent to the Columbus Community Gardens and the plan to create a Pollinator Path connecting the new meadow to Blackwell Park in 2022. Once the trail is established, Indiana Wildlife Federation plans to certify the trail as one of the first "Indiana Sustainable Trails" in the state. The trail will follow the Columbus People Trail that crosses the Ivy Tech Campus. Thank you to the Bartholomew County Public Library for their partnership in this event.
Our Southwest Indiana Network is hosting the following meetings on Zoom:
Anne Butsch will be presenting on native plants on February 8.
Shawn Dickerson is the Evansville City Arborist and will be presenting on Evansville Urban Forestry on March 8.
Contact Niles Rosenquist at nilesrosenquist@gmail.com for more information.
Sunrise Bloomington Demand Divestment
Join Sunrise Bloomington at their Divestment Rally to demand a sustainable future for IU, on February 8, 12pm-1.30pm. Find out more information on their Facebook page.
Readers' Photos
Thank you to Roger Reese for sharing these beautiful photos this month! He says-
"For those who may be tiring of winter, here are some pictures from last summer of some insects in the order odonata, dragonflies and damselflies. Some of these insects can be quite colorful often with a metallic look.
Some dragonflies have nearly invisible wings, such as the green one, while others have wings with bold markings. Wetlands, ponds and small streams are important for their lifecycle
Just looking at these pictures has made me feel warmer on this cool cloudy day here."
Do you have a photograph of Indiana nature that you would like to share?
We'd love to see it and perhaps feature it in a future newsletter!
Use the button below or email rebecca.dien-johns@sierraclub.org
What have you been reading, listening to, or watching lately? We'd love to hear from you. Use the button below or email rebecca.dien-johns@sierraclub.org
