August 2024 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
August 28, 2024
Come and join us on the trail this summer!
In this issue: information on our Seeds of Democracy launch, an update on group and network reorganization, upcoming actions to move Duke beyond coal, the Annual Environmental and Spirituality Summit, and all our regular features - like photos from you, our readers - and much more!
Rebecca Dien-Johns
Chapter Coordinator.
Seeds of Democracy launch
As fall approaches the season of gathering and preparing for the winter legislative season is here. We are expecting many crucial environmental and energy issues we care about to come up in the 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Whether protecting Indiana waters, expanding conservation funding, or promoting an affordable clean energy transition - it takes all of us to make our voices heard!
Join us at our virtual meeting on Sep 25, 2024 at 7 PM Eastern Time to learn how you can participate in shaping Indiana's public policy.
At our August Chapter ExComm listening session, our Chapter voted to place our Dunelands Group into reorganization status. If you are a Sierra Club member in the Dunelands community (Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, and Starke counties in Northwest Indiana) and would be interested in serving on a reorganization committee, please contact robyn.skuya.boss@sierraclub.org by November 8. In a separate vote our ExComm removed the North East Indiana Network as a formal network of our Chapter. Sierra Club members in the North East Indiana Network region will continue to be represented by our Hoosier Chapter.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Chapter Director Robyn Skuya-Boss at robyn.skuya.boss@sierraclub.org.
Upcoming Activities with the Campaign to Move Duke Beyond Coal with Sierra Club
Your actions in the next few weeks are critical -- take action with us to keep the pressure on state agencies to stop Duke from getting more money for polluting coal, and to put pressure on Duke to plan to retire its uneconomic coal plants and rapidly scale-up renewable energy in its 20-Year Energy Plan.
Watch the Duke Rate Case Evidentiary Hearings on YouTube Livestream: Starting on August 29 from 9:30 - 4:00 EST the IURC (Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission) will convene several days of hearings where questions will be asked of Duke about the rate case. We are asking you to watch these proceedings on YouTube, as they occur. While there isn't a chance for the public to testify, these hearings are important and we want to be sure that the IURC knows that customers are watching this case closely. Even watching a portion of the time will make a difference. We will send you a sample invite + social media posts to share with your friends and we will follow-up with a detailed agenda once available to highlight the key moments to tune-in for.
Share your photo on social media to tell Duke: No More Coal! Show solidarity with youth leaders with Hoosier Power from Bloomington, by taking a selfie with a piece of paper saying “Duke:No More Coal!” this month. You can post from your own account, or Sierra Club can post for you. Read directions, and submit your photo at the link below.
We are thrilled to announce that Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter is partnering with the Annual Environment & Spirituality Summit this year! This special event, hosted by our friends at Faith in Place—the IL, IN, and WI affiliate of Interfaith Power and Light—takes place from September 22-24.
It offers a unique hybrid experience with all sessions available on Zoom and local keynote watch parties hosted in IL, IN, and WI. You can view the watch party locations here: Join a Watch Party!
Immerse yourself in five inspiring sessions that align with this year’s theme: Grounded & Engaged. Each session will feature a guest speaker exploring the connection between spirituality, the environment, and social justice. Learn more about our speakers, including Dr. Melanie Harris, Gopal Patel, Hilary Giovale, and Rabbi Ora Nitkin-Kaner here: Meet Our Summit Speakers . Lama Rod Owens will lead the keynote session on Sunday, September 22, titled "Embracing Earth, Embracing Self: EcoDharma and the Path to Liberation". Lama Rod, an international influencer with a Master of Divinity degree in Buddhist Studies from Harvard Divinity School, focuses his work on freedom, self-expression, radical self-care, and caring for the Earth. As he beautifully puts it, "The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe," reminding us that our compassion and care for the planet can grow from our personal healing.
We would love for you to join us for this transformative event!
Register for free at: bit.ly/aes-summit-2024.
Way Back Wednesday!
Megan Anderson (front row, wearing a gray scarf) with fellow activists including Larry Gibson (center) and Alexis Boxer (front row, yellow scarf and hat) in 2011.
Welcome to this occasional feature, where we look back and share photos from our past. This month, we are going back to 2011 with Beyond Coal Indiana's Megan Anderson.
In Memory of Larry Gibson, Keeper of the Mountains.
“They tell us we’re collateral damage. Well, I ain’t collateral damage. I am somebody. My name is Larry Gibson.”
Larry Gibson visited Indiana University Bloomington in 2011 (above), with the help of Sierra Club Organizer Alexis Boxer. Students were able to visit West Virginia and Kayford Mountain to connect with Larry and other activists in the region, bringing back many lessons about the fight away from coal to clean energy.
“I never wanted to become an activist, but I had to. If I hadn’t I would have been torn off this mountain a long time ago. There are thousands of people around the world who have heard me speak since I started this work, but honestly I wish to God no one knew my name. I wish I didn’t have to leave my home and talk to people about mountaintop removal. Last year I traveled eight months out of the year talking to people about this stuff. But I know I have to bring this message to the world and I’m gonna fight for justice in every way I can. We have to have an uprising. This isn’t an uprising that can be bought with money, but one that’s coming from the hearts of honest and hardworking people.”
Sierra Club staff and volunteer leaders are passionate about getting out there and spreading the word about issues that matter to Hoosiers!
Chapter Director Robyn Skuya-Boss and Heartlands Group Chair Jesse Kirkham both attended the recent Indiana Water Summit.
Jesse is pictured here with Keynote Speaker Christina Motilall, U.S. EPA Lead Public Affairs Specialist of the Office of Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights, whom he had a great conversation with.
Sierra Club volunteer leader Jesse Kirkham with Christina Motilall, U.S. EPA Lead Public Affairs Specialist of the Office of Environmental Justice & External Civil Rights, at the Indiana Water Summit.
Thank you Michael Goldberg for this wonderful heron photo!
"This was taken at Geist Reservoir. I live adjacent to the water and we have 1 acre, half of which is trees and marsh. Makes for amazing wildlife observations. I love it, and I'm always trying to document what I see. Save the wildlife, save the world."
Do you have a photograph of Indiana nature that you would like to share? We'd love to see it and perhaps feature it in a future newsletter!
Use the button below or email
rebecca.dien-johns@sierraclub.org
