► Meet our 2026 Guardians of Nature Benefit honorees.
► Learn about citizen science tracking plastic pellet pollution.
► Donate today to defend wildlands.
► Attend our Basic/Wilderness First Aid Course.
► Learn why both how and when we adapt to sea level rise matters.
► In honor of Henry David Thoreau's 209th birthday, find four fabulous quotes herein.
Meet our 2026 Guardians of Nature Honorees: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Board of Directors
We are excited to introduce the 2026 Guardians of Nature Honorees, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Board of Directors. Through the years, Midpen’s Board of Directors has remained an important partner in advancing shared conservation goals with the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, engaging in dialogue and consideration of the Chapter’s advocacy. These include the protection of sensitive wildlife species such as mountain lions, thoughtful management of electric bicycle use in ecologically sensitive areas, and the prioritization of wildlife connectivity through safe crossing solutions such as undercrossings near Alma Bridge Road to benefit vulnerable species like newts.
We invite you to join us in honoring the legacy of Midpen at our Benefit which will take place on Friday, September 25th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm, in Palo Alto.
You may also volunteer to make this event a success. Volunteers are needed to help with guest support and logistics. If you are interested please contact Justyna.
Together we will celebrate conservation, leadership, and a community of changemakers.
Hunting for Plastic Nurdles, Advocate using Citizen Science
Monday, July 13th 4:30 - 5:30 pm
Plastic pollution is a global environmental crisis, but everyone can play an important role in documenting and combating it.
Join us for a conversation with Jace Tunnell, Director of Community Engagement at Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University and founder of Nurdle Patrol, a citizen science initiative tracking plastic pellet pollution around the world.
This relaxed interview will be hosted by Susan Hinton, Chair of the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Plastic Pollution Prevention Committee and member of the Sierra Club Grassroots Network Single-Use Plastic Plus sub-team. Learn more and register for the conversaton.
“Goodness is the only investment that never fails.” H.D.T.
Let’s Preserve Their Home: Donate Today to Defend Wildlands
By now, you should have received our Summer Appeal inviting you to help protect the San Francisco Bay. As rising sea levels threaten our shoreline, your support strengthens your Chapter's efforts to protect the Bay, restore vital habitats, and advocate for science-based climate solutions that benefit all living beings.
Together, we can help ensure that the San Francisco Bay remains vibrant and resilient. Please find more about how we together can make a difference.
Basic/Wilderness First Aid Course
Saturday, August 8th Sunday, August 9th 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Peninsula Conservation Center
Certification provided by the National Association for Search and Rescue, is valid for two years, and is included in the course fee. Textbook NOT included. There are two training options. 1) Basic Wilderness First Aid: Saturday only; $50 for Sierra Club members; $60 for non-members. 2) Wilderness First Aid: both days; $80 for Sierra Club members; $100 for non-members. Register for the first aid course today.
There is no stopping sea level rise. It is the result of such large-scale processes that even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today and the climate stopped warming, it would take centuries for sea levels to stop rising, but we don’t have that kind of time. We must adapt. Yet, how and when we do so are among the most important choices we still control.
Sea level rise adaptation is a race against time. Space is one of the most important factors in determining which adaptation methods are feasible for any shoreline. As sea levels rise and floodwaters move further inland, our options become more constrained. Which is why it is crucial to begin planning for sea level rise as soon as possible since decisions we make now can either expand our adaptation options over time, or lock communities into approaches that are harder, more expensive, and less effective to change later.
This forward-thinking approach is especially important in land use policy. Every new building, road, parking structure, or other infrastructure placed in vulnerable shoreline areas can take space needed for adaptation strategies and increase the number of people and assets exposed to future flooding, ultimately raising the long-term public cost of protection.
Of course, in many places neighborhoods, roads, utilities, businesses, and public facilities are already in harm’s way. Although six and a half feet of sea level rise by 2100 may sound distant, damaging impacts are already occurring during king tides, storms, and high groundwater conditions. Learn more about why it matters how and why we adapt to sea level rise.
KneeDeep Times: "Unmasking Regionalism"
June 17, 2026: Jennifer Hetterly, the senior coordinator of the Bay Alive Campaign to protect the Bay from sea level rise — which is led by a partnership of the region’s three Sierra Club chapters — says her team’s next role is as a watchdog ensuring that local jurisdictions are following through on their development of sea level rise plans and adaptation projects. As part of that effort, the campaign is investing in local education. “We created a road show that we’re delivering to anybody that will hear us that in 15 minutes tells you about the sea level rise threat, the RSAP, and the process going forward for local communities as they start to plan,” Hetterly says. “We’re much more optimistic because of that regional coordination via the RSAP. That really does help provide focus.”" Read the full KneeDeep Times article.
Baylands Specific Plan Project Final Environmental Impact Report
"We appreciate the substantial effort that has gone into this lengthy and complex environmental review process and acknowledge several useful clarifications and revisions made in response to public comments. Nevertheless, we remain concerned that critical decisions have been deferred to future approvals without sufficiently clear standards, decision triggers, adaptive management requirements, or accountability mechanisms. This is a once-in-a-generation redevelopment proposal on a highly constrained and contaminated shoreline site expected to experience substantial sea level rise and groundwater change over the lifetime of the project. Because of the scale and duration of the proposed development, unresolved uncertainties should not simply be deferred. They should be addressed through enforceable conditions, adaptive management requirements, and transparent future oversight."
Sea Level Rise Webinar Series
Learn how nature can help fight sea level rise with cost-effective and sustainable solutions. Watch recordings of our webinar series with SF Bay experts and please share with your local elected officials.
“Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.” H.D.T.
Executive Committee Candidates
Are you a potential candidate for the Loma Prieta Chapter Executive Committee?
Executive Committee members develop and facilitate execution of an overall strategy to grow and engage our membership and strengthen the chapter and provide support to our chapter’s local entities to carry out the Club's mission of exploring, enjoying, and protecting the planet. Members should be willing to assist our chapter in various leadership areas, spend a minimum of 5 - 10 hours a month on chapter business, and typically take on additional duties such as
serving on other chapter level committees covering membership, communications, fundraising, finance, conservation, politics and as liaisons to chapter internal entities, other Club chapters, and to the state and national Club organizations. Learn more about applying to serve on our Executive Committee.
Where the Giants Still Stand: Old‑Growth Redwoods of the Loma Prieta
Walk through the Santa Cruz Mountains, and you can feel it instantly: the shift in the air, the hush in the understory, the sense that something ancient is watching.
The presence of old-growth redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains is what remains of a vast forest that once stretched unbroken in the range from Big Sur to what is now the Presidio in San Francisco. Those that still stand are survivors of relentless logging in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and they stand tall, embodying beauty, resilience, and ancient history. Ranging in age between 300
and 1,800 years, some are survivors of whatever reshaped the forest long before Europeans arrived on the West Coast. All have witnessed centuries of change and upheaval. Read more about the old-growth redwoods.
COMMENT LETTERS
Scoping Comments in Response to Notice of Preparation for 1515 Half Road
"According to the NOP, the project proposes to develop 376 residences, plus recreational areas including pickleball courts. The project would remove 28 trees protected under the County’s tree protection ordinance. Infrastructure improvements include a new detention pond, a public water system, and a community onsite wastewater treatment system (effluent pump station, sludge bagging, two 200,000-gallon water tanks, and supply wells), and approximately 2.74 acres of leach fields. The Mariani Ranch project does not have adequate water or wastewater facilities to serve the project and therefore is not entitled to the protections of the builder’s remedy."
"The Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter's Sustainable Land Use Committee (SLU) advocates on land use issues in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. SLU offers the comments below as an overview of some key issues that we believe need to be addressed in the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update (CZCU). We appreciate the White Papers as a strong starting point for the Comprehensive Zoning Code Update (CZCU)."
"“We particularly commend the inclusion of a Biodiversity Anchor in every park. […] Importantly, neither plan requires every plant in every park, and every tree in the Urban Forest, to be native. […] Biodiversity anchors are a powerful and achievable concept. This matters because biodiversity is not simply a measure of how many plant species are present. Biodiversity depends on the ecological relationships among plants, insects, birds, pollinators, and other wildlife that together form a functioning ecosystem. The Plan currently includes several sub-definitions under the “Native Species” definition, including Regionally-native species, California-native species, Near-native species, and Non-native species. To clarify the definitions and to ensure that biodiversity anchors deliver the ecological benefits envisioned by the City, we recommend […]”
Tree Removal Streamlining Guidelines for High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
"As the City of San José considers streamlining tree removal permits in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, we recommend retaining discretionary review for removals involving trees or sites that provide significant ecological, riparian, slope stabilization, habitat, or canopy benefits. Large, healthy trees are often among the most fire-resilient components of the landscape and can help reduce wildfire intensity by providing shade, retaining soil moisture, and slowing wind speeds."
San Jose Spotlight: Advocates Worry San Jose Will Fast Track Data Centers
June 13, 2026: "Dash Leeds, conservation coordinator for the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, said the city is racing toward developing data centers before seeking meaningful input from residents.
'We are concerned that these standards, if left up to the city, could merely streamline the data center approval process without creating robust protections,” Leeds told San José Spotlight. “The city should restore the trust it has broken by pausing its data center rush and allowing the community to write the standards that should be meant to protect us.' " Read the full San Jose Spotlight article.
A massive threat looms over one of our most cherished natural treasures. San Bruno Mountain is not just any mountain, it is a sanctuary for endangered butterflies, a haven for rare plants, and a refuge of unparalleled ecological significance. The proposed project threatens to unravel the delicate balance of this natural treasure, and we urge you to take action to protect it.
The City of Brisbane is considering a plan to build a massive 1.3 million-square-foot warehouse, 100 feet tall, right in the heart of San Bruno Mountain, at the historic Guadalupe Quarry.
This industrial facility would bring hundreds of workers (1,500!) and an incredible amount of traffic through our city and into the heart of sensitive habitat. Sign the petition today.
One of the best ways to safeguard a thriving and just future is by ensuring that your Loma Prieta Chapter remains a champion for the environment of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Benito Counties. Naming us as a beneficiary in your bequest will provide meaningful and enduring resources that will allow continued local and powerful environmental activism.
Please contact our Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman for the specific language for your estate planning and/or read more here. For additional information about planning a bequest please contact Julia Curtis, (800) 932-4270.
“What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?” H.D.T.
In the News
Protecting Infant and Children’s Brains from Plastics and Associated Chemicals
A broad group of experts in medicine, environmental health, and environmental justice from prominent universities, medical schools, and public institutions has published a summary communication in the journal Environmental International emphasizing that “the presence and impact of toxic chemical additives to plastics, and potentially microplastics themselves, on children’s brains and bodies, constitute a significant public health concern.” Although scientists typically are cautious in drawing broad conclusions, the authors describe the strength of the evidence, stating that “as scientists, health professionals, and other experts who have devoted decades to understanding toxic threats to the development of children’s brains” they support urgent global action to reduce exposure to chemicals and microplastics. Recommendations include banning classes of toxic chemicals, phasing out production of the most toxic plastic polymers and preventing recycling mechanisms such as “advanced recycling,” “chemical recycling,” or other “waste to energy schemes” that result in releases of dangerous pollutants.
Plastic-associated Chemicals In Your Food and Care Products: Good News, Bad News
Two separate but related studies report troubling and encouraging findings about plastic-associated chemicals (PACs). The bad news is that high levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, particularly phthalates and bisphenols, continue to be found in common grocery-store foods and personal care products. The good news is that carefully avoiding these products can significantly reduce the amount of such chemicals in the body, as measured by participants’ urinary excretion.
More specifically, Consumer Reports found that, despite evidence of potential health risks, “bisphenols and phthalates remain widespread in our food.” At the same time, an Australian study published in Nature Medicine reported that, under controlled conditions, 211 participants substantially reduced their bodily levels of PACs in just seven days. One important caveat, however, is that the researchers found it necessary to control the entire food supply chain—from “paddock to plate”—to achieve these reductions.
Foam plastic breaks down more slowly in water and even more slowly in seawater rich in organic matter
Researchers at Northwestern University have identified mechanisms slowing the breakdown of polystyrene, a foam plastic widely used in packaging, disposable cups, and insulation. Though sunlight is known to break down polystyrene, conditions in rivers, lakes, and oceans can significantly slow the process. Dissolved salts and organic particles reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the plastic, and can neutralize reactive molecules or hinder microbial activity that otherwise might speed degradation. These findings help explain why polystyrene and other plastics can linger in our waterways and oceans for decades.
Your connection: Join our Plastic Pollution Prevention Committee as we educate ourselves and others on how to identify and address the growing list of harms inflicted on the environment and public health by prolific and unnecessary plastic production.
Photographers, see the great images in our Chapter Annual Summaries and help protect local nature with your images! Share with us your high-resolution photos of local nature, with or without people, to inspire local residents to support Loma Prieta Chapter work. Please contact Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman.
Historic June
July 6, 1933, less than three weeks after the Loma Prieta Chapter was founded, the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago. July 9, 1970: creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) July 10th, 1856: Nicola Tesla's B'day July 12th 1817: Henry David Thoreau's B'day.
2026.06.27, Chapter Director joined Day Hikers, Sunol to Rose Peak: 19.2 miles, 4100 ft gain. “A taste for the beautiful is most cultivated out of doors.” H.D.T.
