Conservation: Needed Changes are Underway
By Grace M. Marvin, Conservation Chair (g-marvin@comcast.net)
Climate Change: All the recent fire, water, and oil disasters we have had might well explain that most Americans are - at last - quite worried about climate change, more so among Democrats but also among a majority of Republicans. Nationally and statewide, many hope that much more progress can be made to address our planet’s climate imminent disaster -- beyond recently passed federal and state legislation. And, more personally, let’s hope that all cities and counties in our region are updating their climate action plans.
Water: Of course, water issues are related to climate change. Butte County is an example. We have had terrible water problems - such as numerous wells going dry - while current amounts of nut and fruit farming help to diminish water supplies. This situation makes the proposed transfer of vital decision-making to the Agricultural Groundwater Users of Butte County (AGUBC) suspect, since they would control the Vina Sub Basin, substantively and financially. Indeed, AGUBC is working to form a new District, namely, the Tuscan Water District, which would further their corporate-leaning, behind-the scenes control. AGUBC is not an open, democratic organization.
But there was some exceptionally good water news for northern California: According to Dan Bacher (Sacramento Bee 10/30/21): “On October 27, Fresno Superior Court Judge D. Tyler Tharpe rejected Westlands Water District’s proposed permanent federal water contract from the Central Valley Project (CVP) that would have allocated roughly double the amount of water that Los Angeles residents use in a year.” It seems that Westlands (largest federal irrigation district in our country) was evading and directly lying about a number of legal procedures, hoping they would not be caught! They would have been able to obtain 1.15 million acre feet of water that the Delta and our state sorely need for fisheries, rivers, farming, nature, and people.
Sierra Club Action: Even while numerous other environmental organizations and some tribal groups achieved this amazing victory against Westlands, I learned from longtime activist Ron Stork that the Sierra Club has a federal lawsuit against Westlands. Moreover, the California Conservation Committee plays a crucial role in educating us about energy, water, and other issues we need to address. If you have Wi-Fi access, I recommend going to www.sierraclub.org/california/cnrcc where you will find both national Sierra Club Policies, and also statewide environmental efforts by Sierra Club California (SCC) to influence legislation in Sacramento. There are also ideas about actions we can take (small and large). Issues the California club lists include Air Quality & Climate Disruption, Beyond Oil, Buy Clean, Coast & Ocean, Biomass Incineration, Energy, Forests, Habitat, & Wildlife.
Importance of DEI (Diversity, Ethnicity and Inclusion). As one of two Mother Lode Chapter delegates to Sierra Club California (SCC) , I can help elect delegates to the SCC Executive Committee. We, as voting delegates, have the opportunity to ask questions about candidates, e.g., what they have accomplished and what their personal conservation activism goals are. Given the different ages, genders, and ethnic identifications among them, it seems that many in the SCC are recognizing the need to break away from the image of the club as a whole, that it is dominated by white men who have not yet gotten the message that staff and volunteers of diverse types must be fully respected and not harassed by anyone! Moreover, members of groups that have been marginalized and young people, in general, need to be mentored and others simply appointed to important leadership positions in the club. We, personally, can encourage the club to meet the social justice goals of DEI on the national, state, and local levels. And for yours truly, it was wonderful to listen Executive Committee candidates promoting immediate and effective responses by the club to any hint of disrespect or discrimination.
Hearing about SCC candidates. Not only are the candidates diverse in ethnicity and age, but prospective members of the Executive team of the SCC have amazing volunteer backgrounds and interests Most have spent several years volunteering with the club, yet their interests vary - from finding alternatives to energy consuming transportation to advocacy regarding environmental justice issues. Other serious concerns included 1-companies and trucks polluting air in the poorest communities, 2-helping climate refugees, 3-living less consumptive/ wasteful lifestyles, 4-ongoing fracking in the state, 5-showing more respect for people of color and immigrants and more empathic awareness of the injustice they have faced.
At the end of the day (or the SCC election, at least), our state club will include ever more aware, hard-working, and diverse staff and volunteers. May we members support local, state, and national efforts to help our planet and our club.