Toiyabe Chapter June 2021 eNewsletter

A (Mostly) Successful Legislative Session

Hats off to the dozens of volunteers who made up the Sierra Club's Legislative Committee this year. During this session of the Nevada Legislature, volunteers testified on behalf of the Sierra Club on more than 40 pieces of legislation, and hundreds of citizens across the state took action on our legislative action alerts. This hard work helped passed many important bills (and kill some bad ones). And now, more citizens better understand the state legislative process and how to take participate in it. More people are empowered to engage with elected decision makers to enact stronger environmental legislation. Great work, everyone! Thank you!

Here are more details on the bills we supported and fought during the 2021 legislative session, and what we're doing to achieve legislative success in 2023.

---

NV Legislature Votes to Protect 30%
of Lands and Waters by 2030

In May, Nevada's Legislature became the first in the country to recommend the protection of 30% of Nevada's lands and waters by 2030 when they passed Assembly Joint Resolution 3. 

We have a moral and societal duty to stop the climate and extinction crises for future generations. Conserving more nature will make our communities healthier and safer, both now and in the future. We thank the Nevada Legislature for taking a strong step toward these goals by passing AJR3. Now we need Congress to heed this resolution by protecting more of Nevada’s public lands, such as the proposed Avi Kwa Ame National Monument and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

Read more about this important legislation.

Energy & Transportation Updates

Sierra Club's Beyond Coal and Clean Transportation For All campaigns are engaged in several events and activities designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions in our cities and transportation sectors.

Healthy Homes Community Forum, June 28 at 1pm. Did you know indoor air quality is often 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outdoors due to the appliances we use? What does this mean for public health, your family, and climate change? And what can we do to improve indoor air quality? RSVP today to learn more.

Clean Cars NV: Small Business Impacts Technical Session June 15th, and Stakeholder Workshop June 17th. Nevada is moving forward with the adoption of cleaner emissions standards for automobiles. These sessions will provide more information about what this means for business and residents in the state.

Nevada Rail Coalition. After successfully having our transportation team's recommendations included as part of the 2021 State Rail Plan, our team is now building a coalition of state agencies, non-profit partners, and private sector groups to support the Plan's implementation. 

Read the details of all of these here.

Zero Waste Summer Activities

There are numerous ways you can make a difference by reducing the amount of waste you create. Here are a few upcoming opportunities:

Watch The Story of Plastic, the film that Big Plastic doesn't want you to see. We still can't meet together, but you can watch the film at your convenience between June 20 and 27. RSVP here, and we'll send you a link to watch the film.

Story of Plastic Town Hall. After watching the film, join us and an esteemed panel for a virtual discussion of the film and suggestions on how we can each reduce waste in our lives. RSVP here.

 

 

 

And if you haven't yet, sign the Plastic Free July pledge today. 

---

Volunteer Networking Event, June 30

Join us to meet other like-minded individuals, learn from Toiyabe Chapter staff and volunteers about our committees and campaigns, and find a place to plug in! 

This month: A Wrap Up of Legislative Committee and Ramp Up of Political Committee activities. We'll discuss how we plan to use our momentum from the legislative session to build power toward 2022 elections, which will be pivotal for Nevada and the nation. Whether you're an old campaign hand or a policy/political neophyte, we need your energy to create the clean, free, and sustainable Nevada of the future. This will be a great team to join, learn together, and claim your democratic power. There will be many ways you can make a difference. This will be virutal.

Generous Donors Will Match Your Gift Up to $9,000

The Toiyabe Chapter is committed to tackling our climate crisis by reducing emissions in our cities and the transportation sector, which produce nearly half of the region’s carbon emissions.

Donate today to help, and generous donors will match your donations up to $9,000.

With your support, we will: 

• Advocate for sustainable development instead of sprawl;
• Help bring stronger car emissions standards to Nevada;
• Build a coalition to expand rail across Nevada;
• Fight for cleaner, more efficient buildings and vehicles across the region.

Southern Nevada Group
Summer Heat Returns. Sprawl Will Make it Worse.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for Las Vegas and other areas across the West this weekend and into next week. Because Las Vegas is the fastest-warming city in the United States, we can only expect these intense heat waves to continue.

Climate change isn't the only thing to blame. When we pave our neighborhoods with asphalt and concrete, these materials absorb the sun's rays, releasing the trapped heat locally during the day and at night, warming their environment more than would be the case with unpaved natural desert. This "urban heat island" will only get larger and hotter if the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act passes, because it will add an additional 62 square miles of development around Las Vegas. 

Eternally continuing our sprawl out into the desert is a gift to developers, not a path to a livable future in Southern Nevada. Tell Nevada's delegation to enact climate action, not more sprawl.

If you haven't yet, sign the petition today.

Speaker Series: Desert Denial

Curious about southern Nevada's challenges with sprawl and the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act (SNEDCA)? 

Join the Sierra Club Southern Nevada Group Monthly Members Program, Sprawl and SNEDCA edition, with special presenter Vinny Spotleson, Chair of the Sierra Club's Southern Nevada Group.

Come learn about the proposed sprawl and the impacts it will bring to Nevada and Mojave Desert. You'll also meet fellow environmental activists and the volunteers and members of the Sierra Club's Southern Nevada Group.

RSVP today.