Dear Angeles Central Group Member,
In this newsletter, before we focus on green LA—from transforming concrete schoolyards, to preserving 30% of open space by 2030, to honoring LA's historic Cornelius Johnson oak tree, whose sapling came from the 1939 Olympics (hosted by what was then Nazi Germany)—we highlight some of the Sierra Club's recent successes.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tues August 13 Environmentalist Book Club, 7-8pm at Village Well Books & Coffee 9900 Culver Blvd, Culver City; discussion on Robin Wall Kimmerer's (Potawatomi) Braiding Sweetgrass; RSVP here
November 2-4 Family Camping - more info coming soon!
For more information on getting involved with the Sierra Club Central Group, please email barbarajhensleigh@gmail.com.
YOUR WINNING SIERRA CLUB
The Sierra Club recently had a spate of good—let’s say fantastic—successes, as a result of very hard work by volunteers and staff at many different levels, from lobbying to petition signing and more. This is a shout out to you who had faith in us to change the world, to our great volunteers who take the laboring oar, and to the amazing staff who often guide us to victory:
June 27, 2024 – A Win for Mass Transit. The California High-Speed Rail Authority Board of Directors has approved the final environmental clearance for the route between downtown San Francisco and downtown Los Angeles. You will be sitting by the dock of the (San Francisco) Bay in about a little over 2 hours and 40 minutes.
June 26, 2024 – Big oil goes down in defeat. The oil giants have officially pulled their referendum in California, and so Senate Bill 11137 (SB1137), the bill we won in 2022 to end neighborhood drilling, goes into effect now! The Sierra Club worked day and night with other environmental organizations to successfully enact SB1137, which bars any new oil drilling within 3200 feet of homes, schools, parks, and other places where people live, work and play, as well as imposes other limits on neighborhood drilling. In response, the oil industry spent nearly $61 million to place a deceitful referendum on the ballot for this fall, hoping to roll back the success of SB1137. To avoid a resounding defeat, the industry has now pulled the referendum from the ballot. This is a huge win for the environment, for the Sierra Club, and for community organizations who have been battling this environmental justice issue for a decade.
June 7, 2024 – Breathing Clean Air is a Human Right. The Southern California Air Quality Management District, with a strong push by Sierra Club volunteers, staff and frontline organizations, finally did the right thing. It voted to impose millions of dollars of fees on the heaviest polluters, undoing its prior program that had made those polluters immune from penalties.
May 2, 2024 – Expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument by 105,000 acres. President Biden signed a Proclamation that added 105,000 acres to the already existing 346,177 acres. This expansion of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument will protect cultural, scientific, and historic objects, while expanding access to outdoor recreation on our shared land. Sierra Club volunteers and staff have worked for years for this day!
LIVING SCHOOLYARDS
By Amanda Stemen
One of the things that stood out most when I first moved to the Los Angeles area, as both an educator and an outdoor recreation professional, was the lack of green on public school campuses. Growing up in Michigan, and then working in Atlanta, GA, I was used to nature being right out the door. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one with concerns. In response to the large number of schoolyards made of asphalt and concrete—and their resulting negative impact on health, equity, and climate resilience—the LA Living Schoolyards Coalition (LSYC) was founded in 2019.
The Living Schoolyards Coalition consists of nonprofit organizations, educators, and community members, including the Sierra Club, who create and advocate for equitable school environments that support physical and mental health, social and emotional well-being, safe outdoor education, access to nature, and climate resilience for Los Angeles County’s public-school students and communities. This is accomplished through community-led efforts to transform schoolyards across the district into beautiful, green spaces that reflect the unique needs of the students, families, and communities they serve. Keep reading
Sierra Club's 30x30 hike at Elephant Hill / Photo by Kelsey Judo
30 X 30
By Barbara Hensleigh
The 30x30 initiative, recognized by the United Nations, the United States and California, proposes to preserve 30% of open space by 2030. The Sierra Club’s 30x30 goals are summed up beautifully in one of its campaign documents: “We envision a world where all people have access to nature, clean air and clean water, where humans respect their interconnectedness to the living environment and treat each other, the earth and all species with humility, care and respect... Working together with communities, we will help secure lasting protections for public lands, waters and wildlife and promote the rights of nature. We will help address the climate and biodiversity crises by keeping fossil fuels in the ground and by better managing forests, deserts and soils to naturally absorb more carbon. We will help protect at least 30 percent of lands and waters by the year 2030, salvaging enough habitat to forestall the extinction crisis and helping to combat the climate crisis. We will work to ensure our communities benefit from time outside and better connections to nature and to our neighbors, fostering healthier individuals and a healthier and more just society overall.”
For Los Angeles, this means a lot. For one thing, 30x30 is not just about the preservation of open space to meet the stated goals, for we need to fight past injustices. Due to redlining and racism, some places like South Los Angeles have little open space. South LA, however, is replete with contaminated land due to heavy industry there. Thus, in addition to preserving open space and the biodiversity in it, 30x30 is also about creating open space through remediation.
Cleaning up contaminated grounds has an “if you build it they will come” philosophy. When land is clean, it is a magnet for birds and wildlife who can rebuild a biodiverse ecosystem. And more than just animals can thrive there—many studies show the beneficial health effects to communities with access to nature.
But in addition to preservation and remediation, our LA’s 30x30 campaign also provides the opportunity to return lands, such as Paradise Hill in East Los Angeles, to our indigenous brothers and sisters.
On a nondescript block in Los Angeles' Koreatown stands a tree with an extraordinary legacy. This tree, known as the Cornelius Johnson Oak, is a living monument to one of the most significant events in sports history—the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The tree was planted by Cornelius Johnson, an African American athlete who won a gold medal in high jump against the backdrop of the politically charged atmosphere of those 1936 Games.
The 1936 Olympics were hosted by Nazi Germany. Under the shadow of Adolf Hitler's oppressive regime and racist ideologies, Johnson, along with Jesse Owens and 17 other competing African American athletes, defied these prejudices, showcasing remarkable talent and sportsmanship.
As part of their award, all 1936 gold-medal winners received oak saplings, 130 symbolic gifts intended to be planted back in their home countries.
CONGRATULATIONS to the following Central Group award winners!
Robyn Bytheway -
Innovation in Activism Award
Given to a volunteer within the Angeles Chapter who brings a unique idea to life or challenges the status quo to bring new ways of thinking and operating in support of the environment or sustainability Conservation Service Certificate
Recognition for noteworthy conservation service rendered to the Angeles Chapter
Amanda Stemen -
Phil Bernays Public Involvement and Education Award
Given to a volunteer who develops projects or programs that engage or educate the public in ways that are meaningful, informative, effective, creative, and innovative
Barbara Hensleigh -
Sierra Club Ambassador Award
Given to an individual within the Angeles Chapter who embodies the Sierra Club’s three volunteer pillars: conservation, outings, and political work
Photo by Bo Hakala
PLEASE HELP
MAKE OUR SOCAL COMMUNITIES
SAFE
FROM OIL DRILLING
The question of the summer is almost always: “So, have you got any big plans?” Our answer is a resounding, “We sure do! And we want you to join us!” We’re not only hiking up mountains this summer, we are conquering one of the biggest mountains of the moment: stopping oil drilling in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
The Angeles Chapter’s summer fundraising appeal focuses on engaging, educating, and empowering thousands of people in Los Angeles and Orange counties, to help stop dirty polluters like Signal Hill Petroleum (SHP).
Our goal this summer is to raise at least $20,000 by July 31—with every dollar being put to work immediately, before any potential consequences take hold.
The Central Group is the heart of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, representing the areas from West Hollywood through East LA, and Griffith Park through South LA, and several Gateway Cities.
Photo by Bo Hakala
