Napa River Restoration Funding, Acorns to Oaks Program, People's Collective for Change and more
As people across the country protest in defense of Black lives, the Sierra Club recognizes the need to dismantle systemic racism in the United States and within our own organization. We must reckon with how white supremacy -- both past and present -- has shaped our institutions and do the critical anti-racism work necessary to repair the harm done. The environmental movement does not exist in a vacuum, and it is our responsibility to use our power to help abolish systemic racism, which is destroying lives, communities, and the planet.
Dear Members,
Hoping this newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. At our virtual Napa Group meeting on July 21, we were fortunate to have Jeff Morris, Executive Director of the Redwood Chapter zoom with us concerning funding available for projects to make the SF Bay and its tributaries more resilient to climate change and sea level rise. Since the Napa River is the Bay’s second largest tributary after the Sacramento River, this critical funding could help restore our river and its creeks. Vice Chair Chris Sauer will be heading up our efforts on this issue going forward.
Executive Committee member Patricia Damery led a discussion on groundwater concerns with help from Chris Sauer, who sits on the Groundwater Sustainability Advisory Committee in Napa. We also heard from member Jim Wilson about the revitalized Sierra Club Northern California Forest Committee which will work on fire resilience and forest restoration projects.
If you are interested in working on environmental and justice issues with the Sierra Club, please contact Nick Cheranich at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com, or join us at our next Executive Committee meeting on September 15.
Saying Goodbye to Volunteers
Napa Group Chair Xulio Soriano stepped down in March to devote more time to his work with La Union Indigena which serves our indigenous and Latin American immigrant communities. We are grateful for his guidance on outreach to Napa’s Latinx communities. Under Xulio’s direction, we adopted a policy that all Napa Group events will be available in Spanish and English.
We are also saying goodbye to Pam Jackson, our e-newsletter editor for the past five years. Pam used her artistic vision, progressive passion, and editorial know-how to produce a compelling, community-focused newsletter. Now she will have more time to devote to her extensive native plant garden and volunteer work to help flip the Senate and White House in 2020.
Story by Katie Stilwell, Student Intern, Photo by Peter Blanchard
There is so much talk about combating deforestation in the Napa Valley so as to protect wildlife and to help solve the Climate Emergency. By keeping our oak forests intact, we can do this through carbon sequestration (the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide).
Together We Can: The People's Collective for Change
Story and Photo by Lainey Laband, Student Intern
What does it mean to be a Napa native? To the Peoples Collective for Change, a local organization that formed in late May in response to the continual murder and mistreatment of black people and other minorities in America, it means to be kind and accepting, and willing to work hard for your community.
By Katie Stilwell, Student Intern, Photo Courtesy of Pexels
People have gotten good at throwing things away. With a fast-paced economy, it’s easy to dispose of things quickly. Knowing this, I’ve started looking at how I can help. I’m working on completing the cycle of recycling. We have some bad habits to break.
Not sure what to do about the Climate Crisis? For starters, try the website (RegenerationNapa.org ) to help you first calculate your carbon footprint, and then reduce your carbon emissions. Make or join a team. Earn points and compete with friends. Above all, see how YOU can make a difference NOW. Need help? Use this video tutorial to guide you. Enjoy!
The Great Outdoors
Story and Photo by Lainey Laband, Student Intern
In this unstable time in which we live, getting out to our favorite parks in Napa is a must. As our young intern Lainey Laband observes, “Being outside in nature is beneficial to me because it brings me clarity. It gives me a chance to set aside the things in my life that may be causing me stress, and take a second to breathe, enjoy, and practice gratitude.”
Napa Sierra Club supports slow growth within local cities and works for the protection of wildlife habitats, agricultural lands, and watersheds while accommodating affordable housing and transportation for the local work force. To get involved or attend our quarterly meetings, please reply to this newsletter or email napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com.
The COVID-19 crisis has not passed and continues to disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, and Latinx people and other communities of color. The pandemic has revealed how the communities hardest hit are often the same communities that suffer from high levels of pollution and poor access to healthcare. The fight for environmental justice cannot be separated from the fight for racial justice.
