Loma Prieta Chapter's eNewsletter: October, Volume 2
October 28, 2023
YOU Can Make a Difference; Read How in This eNewsletter
► Read our joint comment letters on Dark Skies and the Stanford Community Plan Update.
► Apply to join our team as Community Outreach Assistant.
► Learn how young adult volunteers are promoting our Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns, then sign up to volunteer with us yourself.
► Register to take one of our Wilderness First Aid courses.
► Watch videos paying tribute to our 2023 Guardians of Nature honoree, Florence LaRiviere.
► Take a hike! See the comprehensive list of activities available with your chapter into early October.
2023 Guardians of Nature Recap
On Friday, October 6th, our Loma Prieta Chapter community honored Florence LaRiviere, our 2023 Guardians of Nature Honoree, while raising vital funds for our Chapter's advocacy efforts. We're overjoyed to share that more than 200 guests joined us, helping to raise a remarkable total of more than $80,000! Read more about the event.
Joint Comments on Oct 24 Meeting Agenda Item 6 (Dark Skies Discussion)
Together, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society and the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter submitted a letter to Mayor Meadows and Los Altos City Councilmembers regarding dark skies. "In the past few years we have focused on one of the most harmful disruptors to the environment and to human health: light pollution. We are pleased to see Item 6 on your 10/24 agenda (Dark Skies Discussion) and hope the City of Los Altos proceeds to develop a dark sky ordinance and augment it with policies and standards for bird safe design of buildings and structures in Los Altos." The letter goes on to offer observations, suggestions, and questions. Read the full comment letter.
Join our Team as Community Outreach Assistant!
The Loma Prieta Chapter's Bay Alive Campaign works at the local and regional levels, using a lens of equity and justice, to protect and restore the San Francisco Bay and enhance community and regional resilience to sea level rise.
The Community Outreach Assistant will be responsible for planning, coordinating and implementing Bay-centric educational materials, activities, and outings to build awareness and support for the Bay Alive Campaign. Learn more and apply.
Great ROI on this Volunteer Investment!
This Bay Alive poster was created by two young adult volunteers with obvious design capabilities, Ellie Frymire and Ana Illanes. It was on display at Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter's 2023 Guardians of Nature Benefit held on October 6th in Palo Alto. Attendees passed it on the way into the Benefit and it was projected on screen behind one of the presenters. Read the full article.
Basic/Wilderness First Aid Courses
Saturday, December 9 Sunday, December 10 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Peninsula Conservation Center
Certification provided by the National Association for Search and Rescue, is valid for two years, and is included in the course fee. Textbook NOT included. There are two training options. 1) Basic Wilderness First Aid: Saturday only; $50 for Sierra Club members; $60 for non-members. 2) Wilderness First Aid: both days; $80 for Sierra Club members; $100 for non-members. Register today!
Tribute to Florence LaRiviere, 2023 Guardians of Nature Honoree
On Friday, October 6th, 2023, the Loma Prieta Chapter had the distinct privilege of honoring Florence LaRiviere for her remarkable half-century of dedicated advocacy for the San Francisco Bay wetlands. Her tireless efforts paved the way for the creation of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which stands as the largest urban wildlife refuge in the nation. Watch the video.
Joint Comments on Stanford Community Plan Update (Item #9, 10/17/23 Agenda)
Together, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter, the California Native Plant Society Santa Clara Valley Chapter, and Green Foothills submitted a letter to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in support of the Stanford Community Plan Update. "We have previously supported the preparation of an update to the Stanford Community Plan (please see attached letter dated February 7, 2020). We believed then, as we do now, that an update was needed in order to encompass mitigations for environmental impacts, and to extend the supermajority vote requirement to modify the Academic Growth Boundary for 99 years in order to protect open space in the foothills beyond 2025, when current protections expire." Read the full comment letter.
This legislation, introduced by Sen. John Laird, gives the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) new powers to establish sea level rise planning standards for cities. Cities must now submit shoreline resilience plans meeting these standards to BCDC for approval. BCDC is developing guidelines now. Our Bay Alive Campaign is working to ensure that 1) they emphasize nature-based shoreline defenses (like tidal marsh restoration) to combat rising sea levels while enhancing the Bay's ecosystem and 2) they give under-recognized frontline communities a powerful voice in decision making and equitable access to resources. This practical approach can safeguard our vulnerable living shorelines and communities by protecting high value natural assets, directing development away from high-risk areas, and supporting communities facing disproportionate burdens from sea level rise impacts.
If you care about the Bay, and want to join us in this important work, click here - don't forget to "opt in" to receive alerts.
Tell BCDC to Prioritize a Healthy Bay!
The Bay’s vital ecosystems and shoreline communities face disastrous impacts from sea level rise. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) will play a major role in defining the regional response to this threat and our Bay Alive Campaign is determined to engage every step of the way.
BCDC's Shoreline Vision Survey is live now. They need to know we care deeply about the preservation of the Bay, including the ecosystems, creatures, and communities who rely on its health.
Congresswoman Lofgren's Tribute to Florence LaRiviere
Watch the video of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's warm tribute to Florence LaRiviere, our 2023 Guardians of Nature honoree. Congresswoman Lofgren recalls Florence's dedication to working on the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Congresswoman Lofgren advised the 1974 legislation as an advisor to Congressman Don Edward, which now bears his name as the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. See more about the spectacular event, and watch for more videos in future eNewsletters.
Environmental Justice, Equity, & Indigenous Rights in a Capitalist Democracy
What is environmental justice? What do indigenous rights and social equity have to do with the environment? How can capitalism be reformed or regulated so that our planet can be saved? Why is democracy important to a healthy planet? All of these are important questions that we need to confront. Register today!
Revised Reclamation Plan to Continue Streambed Mining in the San Benito River
Should San Benito County approve a revised reclamation plan to continue streambed mining in the San Benito River?
The San Benito River, which runs along the west side of Hollister and meets the Pajaro River just north of San Juan Bautista, has historically been mined in areas with high-quality sand and gravel deposits. In particular, in-stream mining occurred from 1959 to 1989 in a 4500’ reach of the river north of Nash Road and just west of Hollister. In 1989, the County ordered mining to cease due to a legal dispute over the scope of vested rights under the 1977 Hillsdale Rock Company Reclamation Plan. Read the full article.
Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman November 11, 2023
"Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts."
Protect the Planet with Your (Future) Webmanagement Skills!
This is very important work that needs someone looking for a new opportunity to greatly advance local environmental protection. Loma Prieta Chapter volunteers are doing fantastic work! However, they need help publicizing their work, to attract more volunteers. We are seeking volunteers who are willing to learn and use basic webmanagement skills, then post volunteers' content to update webpages.
"In 1889 John Muir meets Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. The pair ventures to Yosemite Valley where they are confronted with predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries. While Muir is devastated, Johnson decides that he and Muir need to fight. The pact they form marks a watershed moment, leading to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launching an environmental battle that captivates the nation and ushers in the beginning of the American environmental movement." Learn more.
In the Community
Cleanups (Oct. 29th and Nov. 4th), and a BioBlitz (Nov. 11th) from our friends at Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful.
Get ready to explore the spectacular coast of the San Francisco Peninsula! View your Coastal Hikes Guide now from our friends at POST.
One of the best ways to safeguard a thriving and just future is by ensuring that your Loma Prieta Chapter remains a champion for the environment of Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Benito Counties. Naming us as a beneficiary in your bequest will provide meaningful and enduring resources that will allow continued local and powerful environmental activism.
Please contact our Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman for the specific language for your estate planning and/or read more here. For additional information about planning a bequest please contact Julia Curtis, (800) 932-4270.
The Loma Prieta Chapter was founded in 1933.
What important events happened in Oct/Nov of that year?
Oct 17, Albert Einstein arrived in the US as a refuge from Nazi Germany.
What other important events happned in Oct/Nov?
Nov. 5th, 1855, birth of Eugene Debs
Photographers, see the great images in our Chapter Annual Summaries and help protect local nature with your images! Share with us your high-resolution photos of local nature, with or without people, to inspire local residents to support Loma Prieta Chapter work. Please contact Chapter Development Coordinator Justyna Guterman.
History fans, your Loma Prieta Chapter has been on the front lines of many progressive movements so our rich inspirational history needs to be documented. If this interests you, please contact your Chapter Director, BA History.
Music fans, the Loma Prieta Chapter was the first in the Sierra Club to establish a Spotify Channel. Ours is for music SINCE 2000 that advocates for the environment. Please send suggestions to your Chapter Director.
How can local cities and residents use nature-basedadaptations to sea level rise? Watch recordings of our webinar series with SF Bay experts and please share with your local elected officials.
2023.10.07, (left to right) Loma Prieta Chapter Director, Sierra Club National Deputy Director Ana Yanez Correa, and Loma Prieta Chapter Communication Specialist Wils Cain. See outings on our Chapter Calendar.
"Years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and
I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth.
I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and
while there is a criminal element, I am of it, and
while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."
