Two love birds in Big Bend National Park. Feature photo by Louise Bullock
Thank You & Good Luck, Michael Berg!
Political Director of the SC Missouri Chapter, Michael Berg is moving on after working for the Missouri Chapter for nearly 15 years. As Political Director, Michael’s commitment to strong environmental policies and robust grassroots organizing was unwavering. His coordination of election endorsements and lobbying was second to none.
“I have been honored to work with Michael for more than a decade,” said Gretchen Waddell Barwick, Missouri Chapter Director. “He is an excellent advocate for our communities and I’m excited to see his next adventure. I couldn’t have asked for a better colleague and friend to work alongside.”
From being the first full-time employee at the Chapter to building a robust political program, Michael’s impact will be felt by his colleagues for years to come.
"No one has done more to protect the environment in Jefferson City than Michal Berg,” said longtime friend and Sierra Club colleague Jenn DeRose. “His brilliance, tenacity, and humor made him a formidable opponent for polluters and big businesses across the state. We all owe him a huge debt for fighting for what's right, and winning, often with impossible odds stacked against him."
Thank you for everything you've done to protect Missouri's environment, Michael!
EMG Adopts Section of Centennial Greenway You can find many walkers, runners, bicyclists, dog walkers, and families along EMG's adopted trail section. What you won't find though is trash. That's thanks to the 18 volunteers who gathered on a Saturday morning for a trash clean up. EMG is participating in a pilot program of Great Rivers Greenway and has adopted a section of the Centennial Greenway for trash pick up. The section runs from Olivette Blvd to Shaw Park, going through University City, Ladue and Clayton. Our first clean up event was Saturday July 13 and before the morning was over we had gathered 5 – 6 large bags of trash.
Our next trash pick-up is scheduled for the beginning of October. To sign up go to EMG Outings page; Outings | Sierra Club. Join us and keep the clean-up going!
The Clean-up Crew along the Greenway. Photo by Debra Mauer.
Cool Off With Hacks to Beat the Heat From Earth911 It's important to stay cool since high heat can also threaten health. So what is the answer? Here are a few tips from ChooseTexasPower that you can easily use to beat the heat and tame the dog days of summer while laying off the air conditioning. READ MORE
Federally unprotected streams contribute most of the water to U.S. rivers From Science Now The first-of-its-kind analysis underscores the potential fallout of a Supreme Court ruling. FULL STORY
A look at heat records that have been broken around the world From AP News This year has already seen many heat records broken as the world grows hotter with more and more greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere. READ MORE
San Francisco’s New Tourist Attraction: Driverless Cars? From CNBC Waymo robotaxis are now open to all users in San Francisco, expanding the self-driving ride-hailing service, which has been available in the city to a limited number of riders. MORE INFO
How Specialty Recycling Companies Reduce Plastic Waste From Civil Eats With the lack of a national recycling standard and a confusing patchwork of local rules, specialty recyclers are stepping in to take whatever traditional recyclers reject. READ MORE
Onion harvesting with SC Volunteers, Rachel Greathouse (left) and Debi Pratt (right). Rachel is a sustainable small farmer in Missouri. Photo submitted by Debi Pratt.
Tower Grove Park Hike - August 6
The Tower Grove Park Hiking Event is a 3.4 mile (plus exploration mileage) hike around Tower Grove Park. This hike is considered easy and should be completed in less than two hours. The trail is shaded and recommended for July hiking. Most of the trail appears paved. SIGN UP
STL County Library - Lights Out During Fall Bird Migration - August 6 DarkSky Missouri and the St. Louis Audubon Society will discuss bird migration in the St. Louis area, and how a multi-state collaboration called Lights Out Heartland is encouraging businesses and homes to turn off lights to help birds travel. Presented by Lights Out Heartland, a project of DarkSky Missouri. Adults. Registration required. A recording of this virtual program will be posted to YouTube within three business days.
EMG Outings Leaders Meeting - August 8 Monthly Outing Committee Meeting for the Eastern Missouri Group. RSVP HERE
August EMG Executive Committee Meeting - August 13 The Executive Committee of the Eastern Missouri Group meets monthly to review group activities and business. These meetings are open to the public, in person or via Zoom. Zoom links will be sent out to registered participants a few days before the meeting. RSVP
Phenology Walk - August 16 Adam Rembert, LREC Supervisor of Ecological Restoration, will lead us on this phenological tour of what is in bloom after a brief introduction to the history and work of LREC. Space is very limited! SIGN UP TODAY
Summer Paddling on the Current River - August 24 We’ll float a moderate 9-mile section of the Current River from Pulltite to Round Spring. Everyone will meet at 9:30 AM at Carr’s Canoe Rentals to check in and review the day's plan. Participants are welcome to bring their own canoe/kayak or to rent from the concessionaire. MORE INFO
MOSS Gathering - August 28 Missouri Sierra Space (MOSS) will now be holding monthly gatherings through Zoom for all Missouri Sierra Club groups. The purposes are to build community with Sierra Club members across Missouri, share updates from each Sierra Club group, and discuss action steps to enjoy and protect Missouri. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 28, at 7:00 PM.
Kress Farm Garden Preserve - August 31 The Preserve, protected by the Ozark Regional Land Trust against future development, features gardens, fields, forests, wildlife habitats, streams and scenic bluffs where visitors may tour the gardens, hike the trails, study nature and wildlife and enjoy monthly classes and special events. MORE INFO
MOBOT Japanese Festival - Labor Day Weekend
For more than 40 years, the Missouri Botanical Garden has produced the annual Japanese Festival in conjunction with the Japanese Activities Committee, a coalition of several Japanese-American organizations that provide art, dance, food and entertainment for thousands of visitors each year. TICKETS
EMG Outings are Welcome to All! Sierra Club Outings are open to the public. A dollar per person donation is requested. Firearms are not allowed on outings. Participants must sign a liability release. Outings Leaders are volunteers. Carpooling is encouraged but not the responsibility of the Leader. For more information, Click Here.
Scene at Queeny Park, St. Louis County. Photo by Louise Bullock.
Lemonade Stand at St. Charles Festival of the Little Hills - August 16, 17, 18 The Sierra Club will be back at Festival of the Little Hills! The Downtown St. Charles Festival is one of the largest in the area, drawing artists and crafters from across the Midwest. We are excited to sell our famous fresh-squeezed lemonade to support our Eastern Missouri Group! This will be a great and fun opportunity to connect with EMG volunteers in person and the greater St. Louis Metro community! HELP OUT
Calling all amateur photographers Contribute to the SC Newsletters with a photo! Email your best nature photos to emg.missouri.sierraclub@gmail.com and we might feature you in our next newsletter. We're always looking for photos from our members! By submitting a photo, you agree to allow EMG Sierra Club to use your photo for promotional purposes only.
The EMG Conservation Committee wants you If you are ready to engage in outreach, education, research and action on the variety of conservation topics in our region contact Caroline Puffalt, Conservation Committee Chair, at cpufalt@sbcglobal.net.
Join the Energy Justice Action Team The Sierra Club Missouri Chapter is organizing an Energy Justice Action Team for grassroots response to utility and energy justice as we fight for clean, renewable energy. Join us at sc.org/ejteam
Volunteer hours available at Sierra Club office Are you looking for an easy way to support our group and the Missouri Chapter? We are always accepting volunteers to come into our office to have some coffee, water, or tea and support us with writing thank you notes, data entry, and welcoming new members. Reach out to Chapter Coordinator Ashton Kuehnel (ashton.kuehnel@sierraclub.org) to get involved.
Outings Committee looking for leaders This is a very active and exciting group within the Sierra Club and a great way to meet new people! When you become an Outings Leader, you will receive free leader training, first aid and CPR courses. We can use YOUR help! Contact Dave Campbell, Outings Committee Co-Chair, at davecampbell9009@gmail.com or 217-553-9009.
Searching for Website Volunteers As an organization managed by volunteers, so is our website! Are you interested in helping us update and manage our website? After completing a 1 hour online training, you can help build our group's digital prescence! Reach out to Chapter Coordinator Ashton Kuehnel (ashton.kuehnel@sierraclub.org) to get involved.
Save the Date! EMG Holiday Party
Mark your calendar to celebrate the season at the annual EMG Holiday Party on Saturday, December 7. We will continue the tradition of the holiday party being a potluck and details can be found here. If you have questions, please contact Barb Wall at barb_wall@sbcglobal.net or (314) 691-6715.
