Whether your interest is conservation, policy, trail maintenance, activism or enjoying our outings, everyone with a love for the outdoors is welcome here. We appreciate you being a part of the Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) of the Missouri Sierra Club.
THIS WEEKEND! EMG Annual Holiday Party and Potluck - December 6 Celebrate the season at the annual EMG Holiday Party! The holiday party is a potluck. Please bring a favorite dish to share. Microwave and refrigeration available. Crock pots for hot dishes suggested. Please note, there is no stove or oven. To help reduce our impact, please bring your reusable cup to enjoy the provided coffee and tea. If you would like to bring another beverage to share, please do! Please note that wine, beer, and champagne are the only alcoholic beverages allowed at the venue.This year the event will be from 6pm-9pm in the Becker Room at The Ethical Society, You can sign up by clicking the button below or on Campfire or contact Barb Wall at 314 691-6715.
OPINION: Data Center Advocacy By Henry Robertson, EMG Energy Chair
I think I can say we’re all concerned about the explosion of data centers with their enormous appetite for electricity and water, their noise, and the air pollution from their backup diesel generators.
Community opposition is one way to stop them; it worked in St. Charles County, but others will be built. When they are, we need to insist that they be powered with renewable energy and that there be proper guidelines for locating them and protecting our water supplies and local air quality.
Utility bills are going through the roof. We have to demand that when the utilities build power plants and transmission lines for data centers, we captive customers don’t get stuck paying on behalf of giant tech companies.
If you’re willing to be heard, please join me. Contact the Missouri office, sierraclub.org/missouri or 314-644-1011; or you can contact me directly at henryr874@gmail.com or 314-402-1756.
Enjoying the sunset view in St. Louis County’s Queeny Park. Photo by Louise Bullock.
Letter From Sierra Club Executive Director Loren Blackford on Recent NYT Coverage "I know many of you are reeling right now, inundated with questions from friends and supporters who read the New York Times article. Some find the article to be a vindication, a wake-up call, or a learning opportunity..." READ MORE
Trump BLM pick’s calls to sell off public land, expand drilling and mines From Cronkite News Former New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce has a long record of supporting the sale of public land, opposing protection of national monuments and pushing to expand oil and gas extraction. Environmental groups say, that makes him unfit to lead the agency responsible for one-tenth of the nation’s land. READ MORE
Trump administration moves to roll back limits on deadly soot pollution From Al Jazeera The Trump administration’s latest bid to weaken environmental standards comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed a court motion arguing that former President Joe Biden’s administration exceeded its authority when it tightened air quality standards in 2024. READ MORE
At COP30, California Governor Newsom blasts Trump for 'dumb' US climate policy From Reuters Trump has falsely dismissed the issue of climate change as a "hoax" and battled to boost global use of polluting fossil fuels. Washington has conspicuously snubbed the COP30 summit. California, in contrast, has among the world's most ambitious climate change policies, including a goal to decarbonize its economy by 2045 and ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. READ MORE
Outings Report By Lisa Dahlgren Trail of Tears State Park received Sierra Club volunteers from all over the state to help complete a trail re-route in the part of the park designated as a wild area on November 14th and 15th. Our Sierra Club crew successfully built over two tenths of a mile of new trail on significant slope. The entirety of the new trail (about half a mile) will be opened early in 2026.
Photo by Lisa Dahlgren
Winter Hike at Broemmelsiek Park - December 6 Join Outings Leader Laurie for a moderate hike through the scenic trails of Broemmelsiek Park in Saint Charles County! Come see what this beautiful park has to offer in winter, when crowds are low and the bare trees leave an unobstructed view of the landscape. RSVP HERE
EMG Annual Holiday Party and Potluck - December 6 Celebrate the season at the annual EMG Holiday Party! The holiday party is a potluck. Please bring a favorite dish to share. Microwave and refrigeration available. Crock pots for hot dishes suggested. Please note, there is no stove or oven. To help reduce our impact, please bring your reusable cup to enjoy the provided coffee and tea. If you would like to bring another beverage to share, please do! Please note that wine, beer, and champagne are the only alcoholic beverages allowed at the venue.This year the event will be from 6pm-9pm in the Becker Room at The Ethical Society, You can sign up on Campfire or contact Barb Wall at 314 691-6715. RSVP HERE
Quarterly Outings Meeting - December 8 Join this virtual meeting to hear and learn about upcoming outings. All are welcome! SIGN UP HERE
MO Sierra Space | MOSS - December 10 Join the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter new & returning members, supporters, volunteers, allies, and staff to intentionally connect from across the state to: 1) build community amongst ourselves as teammates in Sierra Club’s mission, vision, values, and norms; 2) share updates on campaigns, victories, or other goings on in the state; 3) provide actionable steps to support grassroots organizing efforts for MO communities and environment. RSVP HERE
From Fields to the Gulf: How Agriculture Shapes the Mississippi River (virtual) - December 11 What’s really flowing down the Mississippi? From Midwestern farm fields to the Gulf, the story of water, agriculture, and the River’s health affects us all. Join One Mississippi and theLeague of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Regionfor a lunch-hour conversation with Dr. Chris Jones, author of The Swine Republic, as we explore how modern agriculture impacts the River—and what it will take to turn the tide. MORE INFO
GO Green Justice Team Monthly Meeting - December 17
Join us on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 5:30-6:30pm as we fight for clean, affordable, renewable energy for our communities. MORE INFO
OneSTL Climate Action Summit - January 29-30 Join OneSTL on January 29-30, 2026 at Washington University for two days of exciting sessions and roundtable discussions. Click the link below to register now, or visit the event website. MORE INFO
Celebrate the season at the annual EMG Holiday Party! Please bring a favorite dish to share. RSVP today!
Castlewood Service Project - December 5 We will be assisting in the general care and upkeep of the park under the direction of park staff. The specifics of our tasks depend on what they determine is the parks greatest need at the time. Some of these tasks are maintaining and repairing trails, closing social trails, and picking up trash. RSVP HERE
Trail work at Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry - December 10-12 Twice a year Sierra Club does a multi-day trail maintenance stewardship in the amazing backcountry of Roger Pryor Pioneer Forest. With the trails requiring additional work, in 2025 we have volunteered a third stewardship session in December. While rebuilding dilapidated trails, participants get a chance to hike and work in a back country that is beautiful and unique. MORE INFO
Trail Maintenance at Don Robinson State Park - December 19 To assist with keeping the trails open, we will be removing fallen trees and brush from Sandstone Canyon trail. Sierra Club will be providing all tools. Moderate difficulty. MORE INFO
Centennial Greenway Trash Pick Up - January 24 Our section of the Greenway extends from Olive Blvd to Shaw Park and we will break into two groups. One group will walk 1-mile north to Olive Blvd and the other will walk 1-mile south to Shaw Park. You will find that you’ll have fun being social with other trash haters during this event. SIGN UP
2026 Sierra Club Outings Leader Training - January 31 Do you like to hike, paddle, or join service projects? This is your chance to help out Sierra Club while doing something that you like to do! We REALLY need more Outings Leaders and this is a GREAT way to help. This interesting course will provide you with the knowledge and skill set to lead an outing. MORE INFO
