Napa Sierra Club Newsletter September 2020

October 1, 2020

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.

It is with great sadness that we let you know that two of our members lost their homes in the LNU Lightning Complex Fire — Marc Pandone and Jim Wilson. Marc served as Chair of our Executive Committee (ExCom) and mentored me when I started on the Executive Committee. Jim Wilson led the Measure C campaign in 2018 and currently serves on the Sierra Club Northern California Forest Committee. Both of these homes were more than family residences — they were gathering places for the community; hubs for environmental advocacy set amid Napa’s oak woodlands—so their loss affects us all. Jim’s son has written a wonderful tribute to their home. Read the story here.

At our September Virtual Executive Committee Meeting we heard a fascinating presentation from Paul Asmuth who has started the St. Helena Redwood Forest project, growing coast redwoods on the spray field of the wastewater treatment plant. The forest is poised to expand to an additional ten acres and we’ll tell you more in a future newsletter.

– Chris Benz, ExCom Chair

Executive Committee Candidates

We are excited to introduce two new candidates for the Executive Committee: Samantha Smith and Roland Dumas. They will be running for the 2021-2022 term along with current members Patricia Damery and Chris Sauer. Members will find voting instructions in the October Redwood Needles Newsletter (both on-line and in print). Voting runs from October 1st through December 31.

Drive Electric Events

National Drive Electric Week, September 26-October 4, is a great time to learn all you need to know about electric vehicles--how fun they are to drive and how inexpensive to own. If you’re curious about how to green your ride—and if you qualify for any of the available rebates and incentives--check out the upcoming webinars.

Click here for more information.

Using the En-ROADS Climate Change Simulator is Fun and Easy

By Katie Stillwell

Katie Stillwell, our young intern with the Napa Sierra Club who is currently studying at the University of Redlands, wrote this article to better help members understand Climate Change advocacy issues.

This past summer, I inserted myself into a number of local environmental organizations to create my own internship after COVID struck. I first found the Napa Sierra Club which put me onto a number of other groups. One key takeaway was the En-ROADS Climate Change Solutions Simulator. It’s a climate policy resource developed by MIT scholars along with Climate Interactive and Ventana Systems. “En-Roads” stands for Energy-Rapid Overview and Decision-Support.

Click here to read Katie's entire article...

Air Quality Issues Loom Large in the Bay Area

By Samantha Smith

The pre-season fires that California and other Western states are experiencing this summer are a grim harbinger of further environmental destruction that is sure to continue as a result of climate change. What is now referred to as “fire season” has traditionally started in late September, and the last few years has brought unprecedented destruction to many communities and forests.

After several years of destructive fires, it is now clear that the real effects of climate change are happening right now.

Local Voting Issues

The Napa County League of Women Voters hosted candidate forums for all Napa County races. You can find the videos on their YouTube channel here.

Californians registered to vote will receive their ballot BY MAIL with a prepaid postage return envelope so they can vote safely. Ballots will be sent to registered voters on October 5. Be sure your address is correct in your voter registration, you can check that at the California Online Voter Registration website.

This is the most important election in our lifetimes -- make your voice heard and vote!

Napa Sierra Club Works with the Napa RCD in the Napa County Coastal Cleanup 2020

By Lainey Laband

On Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, several volunteers from the Napa Sierra Club worked with Ashley Kvitek of the Napa County Resource Conservation District on a project for the Napa County Coastal Cleanup 2020.

Click here to read Lainey's account of this fun, local event.

Art and Land Use

By Patricia Damery

Casey and I ran across the stone one late autumn day in 2016 as we were hiking the trails of Alston Park in Napa. We stopped in surprise, examining a haiku pasted to its side, “grass greens bright/long slow drizzle/ flowers prepare to POP.” We photographed the stone and continued down the trail. Just as we were about to forget it, we ran into a second stone, “dance dance/ dance dance/ little little/ snail snail.” And then a third: “high autumn days/ the morning glories open/ to whatever comes.”

Click here to read more of this inspiring essay by Patricia, one of our ExCom members.

Our Only Hope

By Lainey Laband

Nearing the end of 2020, we have seen how the continued use of fossil fuels impacts our planet and our people. Our local efforts to combat climate change, such as biking to work instead of driving a car, are helpful in many ways but will not make a significant enough impact in our efforts to prevent further damage.

Click here to read more on what our young intern has to say about the possibility of ending our fossil fuel dependency.

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.

Sierra Club Napa Group
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com