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Dear Supporter,
Happy Almost Summer!
News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich
 May 16th “Meet and Greet” Event
We want to extend a big thank you to all the members and supporters who joined us for our “Meet and Greet” outreach event on May 16th at Bay Grape in Napa. We enjoyed a great evening with delicious food, excellent wine, and lively discussions on important issues affecting Napa County. (Photo: our student interns Maia, Liliana, Paulina, and Kate)
We also held complementary drawings for several copies of the highly acclaimed book, California Against the Sea, by Rosanna Xia.
A special shout-out to Amber Manfree, our recently elected County Superintendent, not only for coming to the event, but also for her invaluable facilitation during the brainstorming of issues session.
 Feedback from attendees affirmed that the event was not only an opportunity for meaningful face-to-face interactions but also a platform for addressing important topics in a relaxed atmosphere. Encouraged by this positive response, the Executive Committee is actively considering hosting another event, possibly in late September. (Photo: attendees mingle at Bay Grape event)
For a detailed account of the event, please read David Campbell’s article further below.
 Locomotion Bike Ride
Another memorable event we organized was our Loco-Motion bike ride in collaboration with the Napa Valley Vine Trail. Departing from Kennedy Park, we embarked on a scenic journey down to the American Canyon wetlands.
During a brief stop, Janelle Sellik, President of the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation, provided us with a valuable update on the Napa River Eco-Center.
While cycling along the route, our group encountered a distressed king snake ensnared in dense plastic netting. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, David Mahaffey and Scott Thomason (pictured above) sprang into action, meticulously freeing the snake from its entanglement.
Meanwhile, the rest of us ensured their safety by managing the traffic on the busy Devlin Road. After approximately half an hour of concerted effort, the snake was liberated and able to continue its journey unharmed.
While riding through the wetlands, we spotted around half a dozen different bird species. Hundreds of them were enjoying the high tide near Green Island. It was an amazing sight on an incredible day and ride.
 Earth Day in AmCan
Please read Scott’s article about our Earth Day event in American Canyon, where one of our student interns, Kate Bit (right), educated both children and adults on the effects of sea level rise and the importance of preserving the local wetlands.
 What Our Student Interns Are Doing
Our student interns—Paulina, Liliana, Kate, and Maia—have been making significant contributions recently. We are incredibly proud of their efforts to educate the community on the importance of environmental action.
Read more about their work below. (Photo: Paulina teaches a lesson about the environment)
 Ivy Invasion
There is an interesting article below by a former Excom member, Chris Sauer, about the harmful effects of one of our most dreaded invasive plants: English Ivy.
 Carbon Emissions: Driving Versus Flying
Lastly, have you ever wondered which emits more carbon into the atmosphere: flying or driving? See below for a comparison to determine the lesser of the two evils.
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Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be July 16, 2024 at 6:00PM. If you would like to attend, just click on the RSVP button below and I'll send you a Zoom invite a few days before the meeting. Thank you.
- Nick Cheranich, ExCom Chair
napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com
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Napa Sierra Club's In-Person "Meet n Greet" Event
Article by David Campbell, Photos by Nick Cheranich
How can we have meaningful interactions with Napa County Sierra Club members and supporters? That is a question that has befuddled the members of the Executive Committee for years. And yet, the answer has always been right before our eyes and, in January, we finally had the “Ah ha” moment and decided to “go for it.” We would hold a “meet ‘n greet” after work get together. (Photo: our student interns literally met and greeted all the attendees)
From there, the idea took off; Elayna Trucker brought her event planning skills, Scott Thomason made a generous donation to offset the costs, and Nick Cheranich provided his strong leadership. Roland Dumas and I mostly watched as things developed, but we figured that was a valuable contribution too. (Photo: guests mingling, enjoying good food and drink)
 The event, an early evening wine and hors d’oeuvres gathering, was held at Bay Grape in Napa on May 16th, and it attracted over two dozen Sierra Club members and supporters who arrived with great ideas as to where the Club should focus its efforts. Additionally, we were joined by Dan Mayhew, the Chair of the Redwood Chapter of the Club and by Amber Manfree, the newly elected County Supervisor for District 4, and four of the young environmental interns who are sponsored by the Napa Group. (Photo: Dumas and Manfree discussing issues provided by attendees)
 We had a time devoted to mingling and tasting some wonderful wines from around the world, all produced from grapes grown using regenerative, eco-friendly, farming techniques (my favorite was the Chinon from Domaine Olga Raffault in France’s Loire Valley). Nick then took the lead and had each of the members of the group’s Executive Committee introduce themselves. This was followed by descriptions from each of the interns of the projects on which they are working. It is amazing what these bright young high school students are accomplishing! (Photo: Terry, Nancy, and Ellen discussing the enviornment)
 Nick and Elayna passed out “Post-its” to all the attendees and everyone was invited to affix a note to a chart indicating the broad areas of Sierra Club interest. Land use issues were those that most concerned the members, along with water issues and establishing a wildlife corridor. The attendees provided clear direction as to where the group’s efforts ought to be focused. (Photo: courtesy of On the Road Podcast)
Overall, the event was a great success. The ExCom members were able to mingle with Napa’s Sierra Club members, to begin to get to know them, and to hear where their priorities lay. We hope that this initiative will become a Club tradition in Napa so stay tuned for information on the next event!
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What the Student Interns Are Doing
Article and photos by Scott Thomason
Paulina Z. Enlightens Students About Environmental Awareness
Recently, Paulina Viera Zambrano conducted an informative session on environmental importance at Donaldson Way Elementary in American Canyon. Ms. Zambrano engaged a class of second and third graders, along with their teacher, Mrs. Jona Sandau, shedding light on the concept of the "environment," its significance to all living beings, and the ramifications of climate change on our lives. (Photo: Paulina teaching in the classroom)
Following her presentation, Ms. Zambrano fielded questions from the eager students who actively participated in the session.
"The children were highly engaged, demonstrating attentive listening and posing insightful questions," remarked Paulina. "I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and it was evident that the students did too," she added.
 Mrs. Sandau also expressed her admiration, stating, "Paulina delivered an exceptional presentation, and the students were fully immersed in the lesson. I'm delighted that they had the opportunity to be part of the Sierra Club's initiative to educate young minds about climate change and environmental protection."
One of the primary objectives of the intern program is to consistently deliver educational sessions to students across the Napa Unified School District each academic year. Currently, Napa County boasts four Sierra Club student interns, with two from American Canyon High School, and one each from Napa High and Vintage High. The aim for the 2024-2025 school year is to expand this number further. Watch an excerpt of Paulina's lesson on our YouTube channel, here.
Paulina was also asked to be a part of MCE's *Because of Youth Leadership Spotlight, and is featured on their website. You can access her wonderful interview here.
 Second Year Student Intern Liliana Karesh Has Been Extremely Busy.
As Co-President of Napa Schools for Climate Action, she helped pass an important Climate Resolution with the Napa Valley Unified School District in April.
She also was a part of MCE's *Because of Youth Leadership Spotlight and has an interview published on their website, here.
Also, MCE produced a great video of both she and Allison Bencsik, the other Co-President of Schools for Climate Action, describing how they are fighting for climate action. It can be found here.
 Earth Day in AmCan High School.
Napa Sierra Club student interns Kate Bit and Maia Medalle are pictured as they prepare for the American Canyon High School’s (ACHS) Earth Day activity held Monday, April 22 during lunch time.
Ms. Bit and Ms. Medalle, both sophomores at ACHS, are also student interns for the Redwood Chapter’s Napa Group. They spoke to students during lunch in the high school quad area about Sea Level Rise, the Sierra Club, and what students can do individually and collectively to help preserve the American Canyon Wetlands, so vital in protecting against sea level rise in the North Bay.
Ms. Bit and Ms. Medalle were joined by the Napa Resource Conservation District in answering questions from students about Earth Day. The event was hosted by the high school’s Environmental Club.
 Lastly, a brief update from Eva Payelo (left), our student intern from three years ago, entitled, My Journey.
My journey of discovering my love for the environment was a very fun and explorative one. However, the place where I was able to let that passion shine through the most was with the Sierra Club Group as an intern.
I began my internship during my sophomore year of high school. While there, I volunteered for environmentally-based events, worked on several projects, and continued working on my podcast, which was centered around facts about the environment and how we, as a community, can be more sustainable.
Overall, I learned how to be a good leader, how vital strength in numbers is, and how to advocate for what I believe in. Even though I am no longer an intern, the work I did alongside the others at the Sierra Club Group and all the knowledge I acquired during that time has continued into the present. I am now a graduating senior on my way to UC Davis to study Molecular and Microbiology. And the Sierra Club Group is one of the many factors that helped me get there.
I am looking forward to the future, for my own and the next generation of youth, and what they have to offer regarding the fight for sustainability.
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Earth Day 2024 in the American Canyon Wetlands
Article by Scott Thomason; Photos by Nick Cheranich
 The Redwood Chapter’s Napa Group joined other environmental organizations to celebrate Earth Day in American Canyon on Sunday, April 21st. The Napa Group was headed by Kate Bit--a Sierra Club Napa Group student intern--Nick Cheranich, the Napa Group ExCom Chair and its newsletter editor, and Scott Thomason, Treasurer of the Napa Group. (Photo: Cheranich, Bit, and Thomason manning the brand new Napa Sierra Club tent)
The event was hosted by the City of American Canyon and the American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation. “Earth Day was a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” stated Cheranich. "It was great to have so many environmental groups showcasing their individual expertise and getting adults and children involved in celebrating this hugely important, annual event,” Cheranich continued.
The Napa Group’s theme was Sea Level Rise and its importance to the Napa River wetlands. Ms. Bit (right), a Sophomore at American Canyon High School demonstrated to participants how a watershed works and discussed its importance in carbon sequestration and in protecting homes in American Canyon from rising seas. [To see a short video of Ms. Bit's presentation, click here.] She also added various ways in which people could advocate for the watershed’s protection, such as not polluting around them, and speaking/writing to their local politicians. Article continues here.
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Invasion! Why English Ivy Is a Danger to Trees
Article by Chris Sauer
 English Ivy found its way to America with the British immigrants way back when and subsequently hitched its way to our Coast in the westward migration! Not being native to our coastal environments, it has no natural enemies (i.e., animals, insects, fungi, diseases) here to keep it in check. As a result, it has gone completely wild! Ivy has found its favorite growing grounds to be close to the earth and in the shade. Like all green plants, it needs sun to be able to carry on photosynthesis which is the process of separating carbon from C02 in the air. It then uses that carbon to support more growth! Ivy vines have evolved to have the ability to climb vertical surfaces in search of sunlight.
If Ivy is growing in the shade of a tree, the logical vertical surface to climb is the tree’s trunk. A patch of Ivy can send multiple vines up a tree where they can proliferate and virtually cover the entire tree to the point that the tree’s leaves are completely blanketed from sunlight. If the tree is unable to photosynthesize, it will then weaken and be susceptible to various diseases and could likely die from the ivy infestation.
Ivy vines can grow nearly as large as the tree trunk itself and are easily heavy enough to break large branches. Ivy can become thick enough to act as a sail and be blown over in a strong wind. Ivy has become a threat to many of our California native trees, most notably along our Napa River trail.
Removing woody vines growing on trees should take first priority when tackling invasive vines. Be sure to positively identify every vine, because not all vines growing on trees are bad. Avoid cutting native vines, especially poison ivy or you’ll get a nasty rash! When you sever a vine on a tree, everything above that point will die, so there is no need to remove everything growing on the tree. Instead, focus on removing everything from chest height down. This allows you to see very clearly if you missed any vines.
Depending on how old the vine is, you will need to use hand pruners, or a pruning saw to cut the vines. When using a pruning saw, be careful not to saw into the tree itself. Cut a vine at chest height and pull/peel the vine down past the base of the tree. If the vine is thick, cut it down to the base of the tree. You can then either leave the stump (cut-and-leave) or treat the stump (cut-and-treat) with a high concentration (between 20-50%) glyphosate solution to prevent regrowth. If you treat the stump, exercise extreme caution. Do not get herbicide anywhere but on the stump or it could impact the health of your tree. |
Carbon Emissions from Flying or Driving: Which Is Worse?
Article by a Member of CA Sierra Club's Climate Committee
Have you ever wondered which mode of transportation emits more carbon into the atmosphere: flying or driving? Here's a closer look at the implications of each.
Flying
A round-trip flight for one person between San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and London Heathrow (LHR) on a full Boeing 737 emits approximately 3.5 tons of CO2 in economy class and about 5.2 tons in business class, according to MyClimate.org.
Driving
For driving, a good metric for CO2 emissions is 20 pounds of CO2 per gallon of gas burned. While the chemical emission is about 10% less, it’s approximately 30% more when considering the entire process from oil extraction to delivery at the gas station. Thus, to emit 3.5 tons (7000 pounds) of CO2 by driving would require burning 350 gallons of gas. If a car gets 30 miles per gallon, that's 10,500 miles—about twice the distance from San Francisco to London. Therefore, flying can be up to twice as efficient per mile as driving in terms of CO2 emissions.
Context and Implications
This comparison does not favor either mode of transportation. To limit global temperature rise to 2°C, we need a rapid reduction in emissions. Unfortunately, the likelihood of achieving this appears slim. Consequently, climate change might self-regulate emissions by negatively impacting GDP through increasing disasters and catastrophes. A temperature rise of 3-5°C could trigger such economic downturns.
A recent study suggests that the economic damages from climate change are six times greater than previously estimated, with each 1°C rise in temperature potentially reducing global GDP by 12%. The study and a co-author's description can be found (link). The paper, titled "The Macroeconomic Impact of Climate Change: Global vs. Local Temperature," argues that the Social Cost of Carbon should be set at approximately $1,056 per ton of CO2, significantly higher than the current $40 per ton under California’s Cap-and-Trade laws.
*Note:* The term "social cost of carbon" actually refers to the social cost of CO2, representing the economic damage caused by an additional ton of atmospheric CO2. Chemically, one ton of carbon produces about 3.67 tons of CO2 when combined with oxygen. This detail is often overlooked but is crucial for understanding the true impact.
Our results imply a Social Cost of Carbon of $1,056 per ton of carbon dioxide. This clarification ensures accurate communication of the economic damages associated with CO2 emissions.
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Wondering What Your Legacy Might Be? Consider Volunteering with the Napa Sierra Club
 A sense of legacy might be defined as the impulse to care for those who come after us.
As you know, the Napa Sierra Club Group has a mission to conserve natural ecosystems and work for sustainability in land and water usage, and to reduce the carbon release into the air. We take on projects that we think are significant to Napa that may be helped by local action.
We are trying to take care of our environment for those who come after us.
Being a "Checkbook Environmentalist" is not enough.
We are still looking for people to join our Conservation or Executive Committees. We're looking for those people who have knowledge and experience relevant to our mission and skills in research, presenting, organizing, and/or educating our neighbors. Or, people who are willing to learn.
Is that you? Or do you know someone like that? We have openings on our team. Looking for motivated volunteers. Prepare for your legacy now.
Join us at our next Conservation Committee meeting to ask questions and/or see how we roll (RSVP for the meeting, here). For further information, email us, in care of Nick Cheranich, at napavalleysierraclub@gmail.com. Thank you!
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