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Action Opportunities in Your Area! Read More in this eNewsletter.
► We're Hiring, full time: a Bay2030 Campaign Coordinator and a Senior Communication Specialist.
► New to Sierra Club? Attend our March 17th new members meeting
► San Jose: Attend the March 17th Coyote Creek Watershed Tour
► Sunnyvale: Raise your voice to protect nature in Sunnyvale's Moffett Park Specific Plan Survey
► Mountain View: Give your input in the City's Strategic Roadmap Survey
► Cupertino: Voice your support for local birds and a starry night sky
► Belmont: Lend your voice for the preservation of Belmont's Waterdog Open Space
► Join Our New Book Club: Restoring Nature
► Join a Loma Prieta Volunteer Team:
Environmental Legislative Action Team
Climate Action Plan Team
30x30 Committee
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A Special Package Is On Its Way To You
Did you know that only a sliver of your membership dues to Sierra Club National is returned to your Loma Prieta Chapter to support our local work for a healthy future?
However, 100% of your gift to your Chapter will be spent locally.
You should soon receive in the mail our only-twice-a-year invitation to join our caring community who directly give to our local environmental work, so please don’t miss it. If it’s more convenient for you, please click here to make your impact now.
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New to the Sierra Club? Attend Our New Members Meeting and Learn More About Opportunities for You to Get Involved!
March 17th, 6-7pm
Click here to RSVP
Meet fellow Sierra Club Volunteers and learn about the various opportunities to get involved in protecting and appreciating your local environment. |
Verdant Coyote Valley - Coyote Creek Watershed Tours
March 17th, 10am-11am
Click here to RSVP
Coyote Valley feels like a separate world from Silicon Valley when you look at its rolling hills and hike its miles of hills. This open space is not only home to unique plants surviving in its serpentine soil, but also endemic birds that exist only in California. We're taking a look at some of the truly unique life forms that can be found in this vital stretch of open space in south Santa Clara County.
On this tour of the Coyote Creek Watershed we're exploring these fascinating organisms at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve owned by the Open Space Authority, and at Tulare Hill held by the Land Trust Santa Clara Valley. Craige Edgerton from Green Foothills and Matthew Dodder of Santa Clara Valley Audubon will act as our docents in today's adventure. |
Above Image by Doc Searls: Redwood City Salt Ponds
Big Win for the Protection of the Redwood City Salt Ponds
Excerpt from the San Mateo Daily Journal:
"The EPA withdrew its appeal of a federal judge’s finding that the agency had mistakenly determined that the salt ponds were not part of the “waters of the United States.”"
Click here to read the full article.
"Waters of the United States" are subject to the federal protections of the clean water act. The fact that the EPA is no longer challenging this status for the Redwood City Salt Ponds is a big deal!
Your Loma Prieta Chapter played a role in pressuring the Biden Administration to make this decision. Along with 30 local Bay Area elected officials and 17 organizations, we signed a joint letter urging the Biden Administration to withdraw its appeal and enforce the clean water act.
Congresswoman Jackie Speier, along with Senator Diane Feinstein, Senator Alex Padilla, and seven members of the Bay Area Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the EPA urging them to drop their appeal. |
Above image of Moffett Park by NASA
Online Survey: Sunnyvale Residents, Raise Your Voice to Protect Nature in Sunnyvale's Moffett Park Specific Plan
The City of Sunnyvale is conducting a Community Priorities Survey about the Moffett Park Specific Plan.
Please take the survey and ask the City to prioritize natural areas for open space, such as wetlands, riparian corridors, and habitat areas. You can also ask for increasing the urban canopy and walkable and bike-friendly streets. Sunnyvyale should incorporate natural solutions to address the threat of sea level rise.
The city of Sunnyvale is updating its Specific Plan for the Moffett Park area, an approximately 1156-acre site bounded by State Route 237 and US Highway 101 to the south, Moffett Federal Airfield to the west, and Caribbean Drive.
Click here and scroll down to take the Community Priorities Survey.
Click here to learn more about your Loma Prieta Chapter's Bay2030 Campaign and our efforts to protect and restore the Bay. |
Above image by S.G.S: Mountain View's Shoreline Park
Online Survey: Mountain View Strategic Roadmap
The City of Mountain View is in the process of creating a Strategic Roadmap for the City's actions over the next 3 to 5 years.
This online survey is a part of the City's efforts to gather community feedback into this process.
We invite all Mountain View residents to take this survey. The first question of the survey is an open opportunity for you to ask questions or give feedback.
Consider asking the City to prioritize re-wildling and for the City to integrate biodiversity into all City Planning and Public Works projects. We also hope you ask Mountain View to continue accelerating its climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. |
Above image by Beck Matsubara: an Anna's Hummingbird
Cupertino Residents, Protect Birds and Reduce Light Pollution in Cupertino
On March 16th, Cupertino City Council will vote on a pair of Bird-Safe Design and Dark Sky policies that would protect local and migratory birds from collisions with buildings and prevent unnecessary light pollution from disrupting the community.
Bird-safety is no small issue. Every year, about 1 billion birds die to collisions with buildings. Bird-safe building design is an important step to protect local and migratory bird populations.
Light pollution can disrupt the circadian rhythms of all living things, humans included. A February 2021 study found that artificial light at night was positively associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
What You Can Do:
You can email Cupertino City Council (citycouncil@cupertino.org) and express your love for birds and the night sky. It will only take 3 minutes of you time and your voice can have a big impact on the decision that Cupertino makes!
To see the agenda for Cupertino's City Council meeting click here. |
Abuse of Open Space and Nature out of Balance
Lend Your Voice for the Preservation of Belmont's Waterdog Open Space
Waterdog Lake Open Space, including the adjoining John Brooks Memorial Preserve and Hidden Canyon Open Space, has been a source of hiking and biking pleasure for decades. Collectively referred to as Waterdog, this natural jewel of Belmont is showing the effects of unnatural abuse. The booming sport of mountain biking, along with lax City management of access and maintenance, has left many trails damaged, widened or eroded. New unauthorized trails proliferate, further threatening wildlife habitat.
Now you can help return to balance. Belmont Parks and Rec is drafting a new Master Plan that will guide the future of Waterdog and other open spaces for the next 20 years. Your input is needed to ensure this plan prioritizes preservation, and puts in place concrete and meaningful policies to enshrine this priority.
For more photos and details, and to take action, visit this website: www.waterdogpreserve.org |
Free Zoom Environmental Storytelling with Linda Yemoto
Saturday, May 8, 10-11am PST
Enjoy a one hour nature-oriented storytelling program by Linda Yemoto via Zoom. She will happily share folktales and personal stories, all connected to the natural world. For over 30 years, Linda was a naturalist with the East Bay Regional Parks. Since the onset of COVID-19, she has been taking part in Zoom storytelling events that are drawing in people from, literally, all over the world.
This program is open to kids and the young at heart. It is sponsored by the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, the local face of the national Sierra Club. We offer local members and supporters the opportunity to get involved through outings for all ages and groups.
We hope you can join us! To attend the online storytelling on May 8 from 10-11 am PST. RSVP to mary.buxton@gmail.com for the zoom link. |
Join Our New Book Club: Restoring Nature
Do you enjoy exploring ideas on how we can heal our planet and tackle the climate crisis through using nature-based solutions? If so, then you will be interested in joining our new book group, Restoring Nature, organized by Gladwyn d’Souza, our chapter’s Conservation Chair
The first book that we will be reading is “The Reindeer Chronicles.” The author, Judith Schwartz, takes us on an amazing journey to blighted areas around the world where restoration work is underway.
It’s a mesmerizing read, one that delights, educates, and inspires.
We will share thoughts online as we’re reading the book and at monthly meetings via Zoom on the 3rd Saturday of each month (10 AM). The Zoom meeting on The Reindeer Chronicles will be on April 17th, Saturday, at 10 AM.
If you are ready to join us, just contact Gladwyn d’Souza at godsouza@mac.com |
Peninsula Clean Energy Now Providing 100% Emission-Free Power To All Customers
"Peninsula Clean Energy has begun providing 100 percent carbon-free electricity to all of its nearly 300,000 customers, which is well ahead of California’s 2045 zero-emission power generation mandate and a critical step in helping the agency achieve its ultimate goal of providing all customers 100 percent renewable power on a 24/7 basis."
Click here to read the full article.
Take advantage of the $2,500 Electric Heat Pump Water Rebate Now Available from PCE
Not in Peninsula Clean Energy territory? Silicon Valley Clean Energy also provides a $2,000 rebate! |
Come Join our Climate Action Leadership Team!
Volunteer to influence climate policy in your city or town. Those new to advocacy are welcome; Our team will mentor you to help you become an effective local environmental advocate. Your voice is powerful!
Discuss climate strategies in our weekly meetings and collaborate with other volunteers to influence cities and counties to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Email Dashiell.Leeds@SierraClub.org if you are interested in joining. |
Are You Interested in Strong Environmental Legislation?
Join Our New ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE ACTION Committee
We are forming the first Environmental Legislative Action (ELA) committee in our chapter.
Activities include the following:
• Meet with legislators to discuss bills and ask for votes
• Research priority bills from Sierra Club CA's endorsed bills list
• Organize chapter members' participation
• Collaborate with other environmental organizations
• Public Relations: Write articles on endorsed bills
Time commitment varies:
--2 one-hour meetings a month initially.
--Approximately 1 hour a week for research, talking to people, & preparing materials/presentations.
Contact: Sue Chow at sue2042@gmail.com
Looking forward to your participation! |
Help Stop the Extinction Crisis!
Given the extinction crisis it’s clear that species need habitat. 30x30 started out as a bill in CA that would preserve 30% of the biosphere by 2030. It has since gone nationwide and international! The 30 x 30 goals address everything the Sierra Club stands for and we need lots of volunteers to make this happen in your city.
For more on 30x30 and to comment, click here.
Please join this exciting effort by emailing Mary Buxton mary.buxton@gmail.com |
Coyote Valley. Photo credit: Derek Neumann
Help Us Tell Our Story: Donate Your Photos
Photos can speak louder than words. Help us powerfully tell our story by donating your photos. We will use them in our publications like The Annual Summary, on invitations, and our Chapter note cards.
If you’d like to share with us your high-resolution photos of local nature, with or without people, please contact our Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman, Justyna.guterman@sierraclub.org |
Silicon Valley Clean Energy has Launched an eHub to Help You Electrify Your Home, Car and Appliances
Save money and reduce your emissions with eHub, Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s free, one-stop-shop for transitioning to electric living. With SVCE, you already receive clean electricity, eHub gives you the power to use that energy to power your home, car and appliances. Browse efficient, electric appliances with the Appliances Assistant, compare electric vehicles with the EV Assistant and explore additional clean energy options with the Solar+Battery Assistant.
Click here to visit eHub today |
Give a little luck to your Loma Prieta Chapter and donate your vehicle!
It’s easy to give and the pick-up is free—just call 844-6-SIERRA or 844-674-3772 or give online at https://careasy.org/nonprofit/Sierra-Club-Foundation-Loma-Prieta-Chapter |
Social Media Channels for the Loma Prieta Chapter
facebook: Chapter, 20s – 30s, Sierra Singles
YouTube; Twitter; Instagram; Spotify
MeetUp: Chapter conservation and education meetings (2667 members),
Hiking events (5031 members), Singleaires outing section (1775 members),
Day Hiking section (1646 members), Guadalupe Regional Group (553 members), Peak Climbing (467 members), Gay & Lesbian Sierrans (403 members),
Black Mountain Hiking section (392 members), 20s - 30s (150 members),
Family Explorers (95 members)
Social media volunteers needed. Chapter Director James.Eggers@sierraclub.org |
Got Mail? Too much Sierra Club mail? You can take control; it's easy!
If you feel overwhelmed you can easily manage what you receive. See the simple tutorial |
| Above: Pinnacles National Park, 2016.03.15, 11 mile hike by Chapter Chair and Chapter Director. |
“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong,
we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
Foreword to A Sand County Almanac ~ Aldo Leopold |
Health and safety to all,
and Happy Trails to you. |
James Eggers, Director
Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter
Photo below: Director in Yosemite with Chapter's Day Hiking Section, 2019 May 19 |
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Thank you to our 2020 Guardians of Nature Benefit Sponsors
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| As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet. |
| The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice. |
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