Dear Supporter,
Greetings to all our members. As the new Chair of the Executive Committee, I wanted to provide you with an update on what has been happening with our Group.
The first thing, obviously, is the welcoming of the new Biden/Harris Administration. It seems that this new administration is going to make climate action and other environmental issues very high priorities. It will be crucial however, that if any these policies are to be long-lived, they must be passed as legislation by Congress. Continuing to voice our concerns to these politicians is doubly important now.
We are very happy and proud to have our two new Student Volunteers joining our Internship Program for 2021. They are Emily Bit, a Junior from American Canyon High School, and Alisa Karesh, a Junior from Napa High. Both of these young women are co-Presidents of the Napa Valley Unified School District's Schools for Climate Action Committee. They will be doing several projects with the Napa Sierra Club and will be writing about them in future newsletters. Please see their bios below.
 Photo: Chris Sauer
Our Executive Committee members have been very busy working on several important issues within Napa County. Chris Sauer, who is a member of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan Advisory Committee, is pushing hard for the conservation of our water systems, especially with the region's sustained drought conditions. His article appears below. We are also looking into possible projects with the Flood Control District to help expand flood protection within Napa.
Other projects we are exploring include helping to lower wine industry climate pollutants and working on various Climate Action issues with other local groups such as Napa Climate Now and Schools for Climate Action. Also, we were able to use some of the Group's funds to help Yountville with integrating their new ordinance which allows electric leaf blower-only usage. See Chris Benz' article below.
Lastly, we encourage you to join us at our Conservation Committee meetings. This is not only a great opportunity to learn about local environmental issues, but it is also a chance to voice your concerns on local issues that are important to you. The next meeting is March 16, at 6:30pm. Email us for a Zoom invitation. Thank you.
– Nick Cheranich, ExCom Chair
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Student Intern: Alisa Karesh
Hello! My name is Alisa Karesh, and I am a Junior at Napa High School; I am one of this year's Napa Sierra Club interns! A little bit about my background: I was born in Moscow, Russia, and moved to Napa when I was ten years old. At the time, my main interest was in art and mathematics, but in middle school, I began to develop an interest in environmental science. This interest amplified when I decided to take AP Environmental Science at Napa High School during my Sophomore year.
I then began joining various programs to explore and learn more outside of the classroom. These programs include Napa Youth Stewardship Council and EnviroLeaders Program at Sonoma Ecology Center during the Summer and Fall 2020 terms. In order to get more involved with climate activism, I also participated in the NVUSD Climate Stabilization Committee during the early Spring of 2020, and then joined Napa Schools for Climate Action in April and became the Co-President later in the year. I am very thankful for all the opportunities that I have had the privilege to take part in, and am excited to be part of the Napa Sierra Club this year!
Please visit our Napa Schools for Climate Action website.
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Student Intern: Emily Bit
Hello everyone! My name is Emily Bit, I am a current junior at American Canyon High (class of 2022) and one of the Napa Sierra Club student interns for 2021! My concern and interest in the environment first began when I was in elementary school, learning about the air pollution caused by major gasoline companies.
In my freshman year of high school, a devastating wildfire burned an entire city to the ground, along with it, two of my friends’ homes and all of their possessions. It was this incident that truly opened my eyes to the scary reality of climate change.
From this point on, I've dedicated my time and efforts to climate education and activism both within Napa County and globally. In the community, I can be found leading the Environmental and Garden club on my campus as the club President, working with other like-minded students as the Co-President of Napa Schools for Climate Action, on the Youth Stewardship Council with the Napa County RCD, volunteering for the Napa County Bicycle Coalition in my free time, and much more. Globally, I'm a member of the Youth Climate Action Coalition and a leader of the Bay Area chapter.
I'm super excited and honored for the opportunity to begin this adventure with the Napa Sierra Club, I cannot wait to see what's in store.
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Understanding the Incredible Energy Needs of the U.S.
Story by Nick Cheranich
One of the most useful ways to really understand how we use energy and to know where that energy comes from is by using this flow chart (known as a “Sankey Diagram”) produced annually by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
In this article, I will explain the chart and point out some very interesting facts. I will also suggest some questions to consider, so that we may look deeply at what's at stake for our future and the future of our children.
Click here for the full story
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Why We Love Skyline Park
Skyline is a state owned, county leased, and community managed 900+ acre park that has several sub-communities that operate within the park. It has horseback riding, frisbee golf, archery, camping, a native plant garden, and has extensive hiking and mountain biking trails, which are shared with horseback riders. It is a gem of Napa Valley.
With over 25 miles of hiking trails and picnic benches at various points throughout the park, Skyline Park is ideal for a family outing or a date picnic.
Click here for the full story
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Yountville Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban
Story by Chris Benz, photo courtesy of Pexels
Yountville enacted a Napa County first last October when the Town Council adopted a ban on gasoline-powered leaf blowers that will take effect on July 1, 2021. The Napa Sierra Club is helping this effort by providing $2,000 in funding for bilingual outreach to Yountville residents, businesses and yard care companies.
Over 100 California jurisdictions have some sort of ban on leaf blowers, but Yountville’s is the first in Napa County. The ban came about due to the efforts of five Yountville residents led by Doyaline Marchbanks who were concerned about the public health impacts from leaf blower noise, dust, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Click to read the full story
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Napa County’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Story and Photos by Chris Sauer
As we all know, water is a precious resource, especially during these times of drought. Chris Sauer, who is on the County's Groundwater Sustainability Plan committee, explains what's at stake for the future of Napa's water sustainability.
Click to read the full story
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