Outing at Castlewood State Park. Photo by Matt Self.
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.
Apply to be a member of the Missouri Chapter Executive Committee! No matter who you are or where you call home, we all deserve to breathe fresh air, drink clean water, and live and work in a clean economy and a thriving community. Our Sierra Club Missouri Chapter members and volunteers are hard at work to make this a reality across our state. Guiding this work is our 13-member volunteer Executive Committee (ExCom). We're calling on you to nominate others (or yourself) to serve on our leadership committee!
Applications for Eastern Missouri Group Ex-Com are Open!
Similarly, we are accepting nominations for our 7-member Executive Committee of the Eastern Missouri Group. Members meet monthly to set priorities, approve budgetary items, and discuss important conservation issues across the Eastern Missouri Group area.
The global plastics treaty talks - here's what just happened From World Economic Forum UN has hosted a series of negotiations to deliver the world's first treaty to control plastic pollution. The most recent of these was held in August in Geneva. This phase was intended as the final round to land this legally binding and historic agreement. Unfortunately, the INC-5.2 failed to agree on stricter, enforceable rules to reduce plastic pollution. READ MORE
Donald Trump’s record-breaking race to wreck the planet From The Hill In just a few months, however, the second Trump administration has been trying its best to launch the most audacious assault on environmental protection law in the history of our nation. The habitually unlawful actions are far too many to list, but a few are worth mentioning. SEE THE LIST
Heatwaves are making people age faster, study suggests From The Guardian Repeated exposure to heatwaves is accelerating ageing in people, according to a study. The impact is broadly comparable with the damage smoking, alcohol use, poor diet or limited exercise can have on health, the researchers said. FULL STORY
Solar panels that fit on your balcony or deck are gaining traction in the US From ABC News Small-scale solar panels about the size of a door are poised to be plugged into more U.S. homes and apartments as homeowners and renters who want to harness the sun’s energy look for cheaper alternatives to rooftop installations. READ MORE
Laura and Matt Self led an outing at Castlewood on August 9th with a small group for a lovely evening hike along the Groetpeter Trail. "We talked about past and ongoing service projects that EMG members helped with. Although the temperature was relatively “mild" with a light breeze, we were all quite sweaty by the end!" Matt said. Photo by Matt Self.
Monthly EMG Ex-Com Meeting - September 9 Register today for the next Eastern Missouri Ex-Com meeting! The public is encouraged to attend and anyone interested in learning more about the EMG Executive Committee. SIGN UP HERE
River Soundings: Urban Watersheds - September 10 & 11
River Soundings is a conference for people who live near, work on, rely on, and love the Missouri River. This annual event includes panel discussions on issues related to big rivers and the Missouri River in particular. Each year, speakers and panelists who are experts from around the country gather to share and discuss challenges and success stories. Our goal is to bring together people from up and down the river to look for common goals and active strategies to get there. MORE INFO
Tour National Natural Landmark Onondaga Cave and Cathedral Cave - September 13 Descend into the depths of Onondaga Cave State Park and drop into a world of wonder: towering stalagmites, dripping stalactites, and active flowstones help make the cave a National Natural Landmark and illustrate why Missouri is often called “The Cave State.” We will take two guided tours into this underground wonderland. RSVP HERE
Float Trip on Ozark National Scenic Riverways - September 18 Join the Missouri Chapter Conservation Team for a float in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) near Jadwin, MO in partnership with the Ozark Riverways Foundation. Representatives from the National Park Service will be in attendance, as well as other ally organizations. This float trip will follow a restoration day at ONSR-- please also RSVP HERE.
Missouri Coalition for the Environment Annual Meeting & Awards Bruncheon - September 20 You will hear from MCE’s Board President, Executive Director, and other MCE staff, discuss planning for the year ahead, and provide networking for attendees to share their thoughts on issues and policies for MCE to engage in. MORE INFO
MO Sierra Space | MOSS - September 24
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. MORE INFO
Great Rivers Environmental Law Center's Annual Fundraiser - September 27 The Missouri Sierra Club works closely with Great Rivers Environmental Law Center and they are having their annual fundraiser on Saturday, September 27 at the St. Louis Zoom Lakeside Cafe at 6:30 pm. If you are interested in attending, more information can be found at Wild for Justice: Lewis C. Green Awards Celebration & Fundraiser.
Building Community Through Sustainability - October 29
Join the Eastern Missouri Group & Olivette Parks and Recreation for a presentation by Kate Pichon-Hellmann of the Olivette Sustainability Advocates. "Building Community Through Sustainability: A Grassroots Journey presented by Kate Pichon-Hellmann, founder of Olivette Sustainability Advocates. This presentation explores the creation and growth of Olivette Sustainability Advocates, a community group focused on environmental sustainability. It highlights the inspiration for creating the group, the practical steps taken to engage members and build partnerships, and the lessons learned along the way. MORE INFO
The Energy Justice Team is looking for you! - September 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. SIGN UP TO ATTEND
Become an Outings Leader - September 11 Join our monthly meeting with Outing Leaders to discuss upcoming hikes! RSVP HERE
Centennial Greenway Trash Pick Up - September 20 EMG adopted a section of the Centennial Greenway and we will be picking up trash along it on Saturday, September 20th from 9am-11am. We meet in the parking lot on the northeast corner of Delmar and McKnight in University City at 9am. Then we break into two groups. One group goes along the trail to Olive Blvd. and the other group goes to Shaw Park. The distance for each group is a total of two miles, out and back. Gloves, hand pickers and garbage sacks will be provided. Bring water and sunscreen. Sign-up here - Centennial Greenway Trash Pick Up
Recurring Stewardship Work at Don Robinson State Park - September 26 We’ll be working on various activities deemed important by the park superintendent. Participants can expect to possibly hike into the work site on a single-track trail that is rocky and rooty at times and can be slippery when wet. We’ll aim for 3-4 hours, but everyone can work as they see fit. MORE INFO
Trail Work at Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry - October 8-12 Twice a year Sierra Club does a multi-day trail maintenance stewardship in the amazing backcountry of Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry. In addition to making sure that trails are passable and adequately as well as accurately blazed, participants get a chance to hike and work in a back country that is beautiful and unique. Overnight accommodations available. Choose a day to join the work or stay the entire time. Join us! MORE INFO
Chicken-of-the-Woods along the Trace Creek section of the Ozark Trail. Photo by Louise Bullock.
