ིᖭ༏ᖫྀ Read Volunteer Leader Jennifer's new Summer Insect Series blog: Fireflies will save us if we save them 😷 Wildfire smoke safety awareness 📚 Join our virtual Book Club 🗓️ Sierra Club events and outings near you ... All our regular features, and more!
Happy reading,
Rebecca Dien-Johns Chapter Digital Strategist
P.S. Don't forget to scroll down to see our full list of upcoming activities!
ིᖭ༏ᖫྀ Fireflies Will Save Us If We Save Them
A common eastern firefly on an American pokeweed plant in Indianapolis. Photo: Rebecca Dien-Johns
Fireflies are summer in Indiana. There are over 140 species in North America, with Indiana claiming more than 40 of these, a larger number than any surrounding state. Perhaps you can name 40 vegetables or 40 tree species or even 40 US states off the top of your head. But can you name even one firefly species? I could not, so I looked it up. The Say’s firefly, or angled candle firefly, is the Indiana state insect designated in 2018, and has a broad range from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and from the East Coast to Arizona. The most common firefly in Indiana is the Common Eastern firefly (please tell me you can remember that one!). Perhaps the rarest is the cypress firefly, only discovered by western science in the last decade, and found occasionally in pockets of undisturbed marshland where bald cypress generally grow. Beanblossom Bottoms, in Beanblossom Indiana, is home to the cypress firefly.
Tonight, on a steamy July evening that happens to be World Firefly Day (July 5), more fireflies are glowing than my eyes can count, like an optical illusion, endless sparks of magic all around me.
Whilst the air seems to be clearing for now, many of us in Indiana have been facing poor air quality from wildfire smoke recently.
We recommend checking with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, local weather reports, and local health departments to stay on top of the latest developments.
Here are some ways you can stay safer:
Check airnow.gov for information using your zip code. This will give you an Air Quality Index (AQI) number. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 or below represents good air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality.
Where air quality is compromised, stay indoors with windows closed where possible. HEPA air purifiers can help with indoor air quality. If you have AC, fitting a new filter and setting the AC to recirculate air is recommended.
Poor air quality often comes with high temperatures. If you do not have AC in your home, check local libraries, malls, and other buildings which serve as cooling centers, which could offer a respite from both.
If you need to go outdoors, high-quality respirators such as KN95 or N95 masks can help filter harmful particles. If you need help acquiring masks, there may be a Mask Bloc near you which can help: maskbloc.org
When you're in a vehicle, keep windows closed and set the air conditioner to recirculate mode.
Keep hydrated, and avoid outdoor activities which place extra pressure on your heart and lungs.
How you can help:
Check in on family, friends, and neighbors who may be at higher risk. This includes folks with health conditions, older people, young children and teens, and unhoused folks.
Donate to foodbanks and other mutual aid resources (such as maskblocs, linked above) which may be feeling extra strain.
If you have resources to spare - such as masks, fans, filters etc - consider offering these on your local neighborhood groups.
Avoid unnecessary car journeys, lawn mowing, and other activities which add to poor air quality locally.
Did you know? The Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter follows an outdoor events air quality guide which advises volunteers and staff to cancel Chapter events when the AQI is 150+, as well as including other safety measures to prioritize the wellbeing of participants and leaders. If you register for a hike or other outdoor event with us, we will reach out if there are changes or cancellations, and you can always contact us if you have concerns.
📚 Join the Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter Book Club!
Our August selection is Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis by Samantha Montano.
Part memoir, part expert analysis, Disasterology is a passionate and personal account of a country in crisis—one unprepared to deal with the disasters of today and those looming in our future.
All are welcome at Book Club and as always a gentle reminder that it is totally okay to show up to Book Club having read all of the book, some of the book, thought about reading the book, or looking for a pitch to sell you on reading the book. ALL are welcome!
The goal of this space is to facilitate conversation and there is not a quiz at the end or an objective beyond learning more about issues we care about and cultivating community with one another. We look forward to the opportunity to connect, share about, and reflect on the issues, themes, and excerpts that resonated with you in the book.
Colleen Curtin Outreach Coordinator
Spotted!
Sierra Club staff and volunteer leaders are passionate about getting out there and spreading the word about issues that matter to Hoosiers!
Hikers on the trail in Stoutsburg, IN. Photo: Robyn Skuya-Boss
The Stoutsburg Savanna Nature Preserve is a beautiful restored black oak sand savanna that provides a glimpse into the natural landscapes of Indiana's Dune and Prairie region. Hikers joined Chapter Director, Robyn Skuya-Boss and Beyond Coal Senior Campaign Organizer, Megan Anderson for a 1.5 mile easy trail hike at the Stoutsburg Savanna Nature Preserve on July 8.
Folks gathering in the lot before heading out on the trail in Morgan Monroe State Forest. Photo: Robyn Skuya-Boss
We had a great group of folks for new Outings Leader Eli's qualifying outing at the Morgan Monroe State Forest on July 18, which was a Summer Tree ID Hike. Register in advance for the Winter Tree ID Hike, which takes place on December 19.
Greg, Julie, and Amanda at a Roe v. Wade rally in 2022. Photo: Marilyn Bauchat
This month we're going back to July 2022, when Volunteer Leaders Marilyn, Greg, Julie, and Amanda (then Chapter Director, now a Deputy Regional Field Director) tabled for Sierra Club at a rally for Roe v Wade in Indianapolis.
I'm cheating a little bit this month as we don't have a reader photo, so I'm sharing mine!
I took this photo of a pollen-rich bumblebee on a coneflower in Indianapolis, taken in July 2026. It was a very large bee so you can really see all the detail, which I love!
Do you have a photograph of Indiana nature — past or present, micro or macro — that you would like to share?
We'd love to see it and perhaps feature it in a future newsletter.
Wed, Jul 22, 2026; 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM (Eastern) Heartlands Group Monthly Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Thu, Jul 23, 2026; 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (Eastern) Canvass Training - Vanderburgh Co. Evansville, IN
Thu, Jul 30, 2026; 6:30 PM - 7:45 PM (Eastern) Air Permit Info Session - Boone Co. Lebanon, IN
Sat, Aug 1, 2026; 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Hike with Indiana Beyond Coal at Turkey Run State Park Marshall, IN
Wed, Aug 5, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Eastern) Pontoon Weed Wrangle at Pate Hollow Bloomington, IN
Wed, Aug 5, 2026; 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM (Eastern) Hoosier Hikers Council presents: Trail Building at Yellow Birch Ravine (Winding Waters Group meeting) Columbus, IN
Wed, Aug 5, 2026; 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern) Heartlands Group Monthly Meeting Indianapolis, IN
Sat, Aug 8, 2026; 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Find Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter at the Pike Farmers Market Indianapolis, IN
Tue, Aug 11, 2026; 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern) Hoosier Chapter Book Club: Disasterology by Samantha Montano (Virtual)
Wed, Aug 12, 2026; 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Eastern) Hoosier Chapter Outreach Team Monthly Meeting (Virtual)
MC-IRIS/Hoosier National Forest & Sierra Club Weed Wrangles in the next month: Sun, Aug 2, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Aug 4, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Sun, Aug 9, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) Tue, Aug 11, 2026; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern) (Info and registration at sc.org/hcevents)
Tue, Aug 18, 2026; 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM (Eastern) Electrification - The Path to Net Zero - Care For Our Common Home panel discussion and EV demonstration Columbus, IN
Thu, Aug 20, 2026; 6 PM - 7:30 PM (Eastern) Carmel Solar 101 - Carmel Green Initiative & Solar United Neighbors community event Carmel, IN
