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Clean Energy Future Day of Action in Lansing is September 26. The tragic wildfire on Maui and the recent smoke from Canadian wildfires serve as reminders that climate change is already having a serious impact. If changes aren't made, our air, water and the Great Lakes themselves are at risk. To top it off, energy bills are too high and Michigan families are feeling the impact of frequent blackouts while big utilities are reporting massive profits. It’s time to take action.
That’s why on September 26, the Michigan Chapter and Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs (MEMJ) will host a day of legislator engagement and a climate rally and festival featuring dynamic guest speakers, live music and great food in Lansing. Learn more and register at the button below.
Dr. John Hartig (l), courtesy photo. Rouge River Revived book cover.
Rouge River Revived: How People are Bringing Their River Back to Life
The Sierra Club Southeast Michigan Group hosts a Zoom presentation by
Dr. John Hartig
Thursday, September 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Registration is required for this meeting
Dr. Hartig, a visiting scholar at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor, will give a presentation based on his book Rouge River Revived. The Rouge River is a mostly urbanized watershed of about 500 square miles populated by nearly 1.4 million people. After pollution from the Ford complex and neighboring factories literally caused the river to catch fire in 1969, community groups launched a herculean effort to restore and protect the watershed. Today, the Rouge stands as one of the most successful examples of urban river revival in the country.
Funding a Future for All. The federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is the most ambitious climate action legislation in U.S. history. One year in, the IRA is putting America on a path toward a clean energy future by funding support for a wide range of critical community based investments. Join a coalition of grassroots leaders along with Congresswoman Hillary Scholten and state and local leaders to learn how we can use federal funds to tackle climate change, fight environmental injustice, and create equity in Grand Rapids.
Saturday, September 16
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Plymouth United Church of Christ
4010 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508
Distributed renewable energy sources will helpMichigan reduce devastating power outages like those experienced in the past few weeks. East Lansing's Community Solar array, photo by Anne Woiwode.
Michigan Needs Changes for Electric Grid Resiliency. In recent years, Michigan has experienced serious problems with its grid. Thousands of people lose power on a regular basis and it takes days for the major utilities to get the power restored. As the weather gets worse, these types of events are expected to happen with greater frequency and over a wider area. In addition, the increasing use of personal generators is expected to make air quality worse. This article is Part I of a multipart series that discusses some of the possible solutions. Read more here.
Michigan Sierra Club staff, clockwise from top left: Senior Energy Issues Organizer Jan O'Connell; Forest Ecologist Marvin Roberson; Deputy Legislative and Political Director Tim Minotas; Administrative Assistant Cecilia Garcia-Linz; Chapter Director Elayne Elliott; Legislative and Political Director Christy McGillivray; Great Lakes Program Organizer Erma Leaphart-Gouch. Not shown: West Michigan Organizer Tamara Horne; Communications Coordinator Sarah Tresedder; Michigan Field Manager Andrew Sarpolis; Detroit Outdoors Program Director Garrett Dempsey.
Celebrate Labor Day by Honoring Michigan Sierra Club Staff! Over the past fifty years we have had the benefit of talented, dedicated staff in Michigan who have worked hard to advance the priorities of this member-led organization. Your generous donations today help the Michigan Chapter ensure that these outstanding staff members are able to continue their hard work and commitment to protecting the Great Lakes State! 100% of the donations made by clicking the button below stay in Michigan to support our excellent staff and further Sierra Club's work.
Muskegon's Beachwood Park offers both dunes (l) and woods for a lovely walk. Photos by Tamara Horne.
Walk Muskegon's Beachwood Loop, September 20. Meet up and walk the Beachwood Loop with Sierra Club Michigan. The 1.6-mile path is mostly paved and boardwalk, which will take about an hour to walk. Park at the free lot at Beachwood Park and gather at the Free Library/blue bench near the entrance. Contact Tamara Horne with any questions at tamara.horne@sierraclub.org.
When: September 20 at 5:30 p.m. In case of rain, we'll meet on September 27 instead.
Where:Beachwood Park, parking lot entrance. 3157 Dune St, Muskegon, MI 49441
Michigan's smallest and biggest migrating birds: a ruby-throated hummingbird feasts on a cardinal flower (l), photo by Anne Woiwode, and a Sandhill crane (r), photo by John Metzler.
Explore and Enjoy:Plan to Witness Michigan’s Autumn Migrations. Fall migration is one of nature’s magnificent gifts to Michiganders. From monarch butterflies to songbirds and raptors, plan now to track amazing migrations this fall by going here. Read about these amazing creatures here.
