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Dear Supporter,
Happy Summer!
News from the Chair
by Nick Cheranich
 Save the Date: September 25th, 5:30-7:30pm, Outreach Event, "Sustainable Soiree with the Napa Sierra Club: Building Community for a Greener Future"
After our successful “Meet and Greet” event in May, we want to invite all members and supporters to join us once again for a gathering with “the Club.” This time, we will be in the Social Hall at Skyline Wilderness Park. These events not only educate us on important environmental issues facing our communities, but also allow us to enjoy ourselves with great food, wine, and company. Keep an eye out for an RSVP invite in the coming weeks. (Photo: Skyline Park, by Josiah Roe, courtesy of Visit NV)
On another note:
 American Canyon’s “Meet Me In the Street” Event
Two of our student interns, Kate Bit and Maia Medalle (right), represented the Napa Sierra Club at the recent “Meet Me In the Street” event in American Canyon. Their goal was to educate the public about the dangers of climate change. Scott Thomason and I were there to support them. The next event is Aug. 14. Read the article below for more details on how it went. (Photo: by Nick Cheranich)
Why Clover Flat  Landfill Needs to Be Decommissioned
At our last Conservation Committee meeting, we heard a presentation from Anne Wheaton and Geoff Ellsworth about the ongoing issues at the Clover Flat Landfill. They have kindly authored an article for us explaining why the landfill should be permanently decommissioned. (Photo: Aerial view of the landfill, by Anne Wheaton)
 The Future of Lake Berryessa: Super Resort or Nature-Based Recreation Area?
Carol Kunze explores the future of Lake Berryessa in her latest article. She asks Napa County residents if we should support the development of a Lake Tahoe-style resort area, or plan for a more accessible nature-based park that locals can enjoy. (Photo by gitatola)
 Understanding the U.S. Energy Needs
In an article below, I wanted to revisit an insightful way to understand where our energy comes from and how we use it, based on an annual flow chart from Lawrence Livermore Lab. From my observations of the chart, I offer some questions and possible solutions derived from the data.
 What Do Plastics and Snakes Have in Common?
During the Vine Trail Locomotion fundraising campaign, we led a bike ride from Napa to the American Canyon wetlands. Unexpectedly, we spent a significant amount of time freeing a king snake from discarded plastic netting. (Photo by Linda Brown)
 Setting Your Thermostat to 72 Degrees Is Not Okay. What Is the Sweet Spot?
With record-setting temperatures becoming more frequent, what is the best way to stay cool without contributing to further carbon emissions? (Photo: by Getty Images)
 Please Welcome Our Newest Student Intern, Natalie Carr.
Natalie lives in Napa and is a Junior at Justin-Siena High School. See her brief bio below.
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Our next Conservation Committee meeting will be September 10, 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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"Meet Me In the Street," and We'll Learn About Climate Change
Article by Kate Bit, photos by Nick Cheranich
As the rising generations will inevitably be the leaders of our future, raising awareness among the youth is crucial to slowing down the harmful progression of climate change. At American Canyon’s "Meet Me In The Street Event," I had the opportunity to work alongside the Napa Sierra Club to educate American Canyon’s youth on the critical state of vulnerability that our wildlife has been put under due to the effects of climate change. (Photo: student interns, Kate and Maia, at the Napa Sierra Club booth)
 “Meet Me In The Street” is a monthly event held from June to August for the community of American Canyon. As I’ve lived in American Canyon my entire life, I’ve acknowledged the insanely diverse range of ages and ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, I thought that “Meet Me In The Street” could be a valuable outlet to educate my community's youth and seek their personal insights on our current climate emergency.
I developed an interactive lesson that referred to how climate change disrupts animal migration, contributes to habitat loss, and causes conflict within the food web. Following the lesson, participating children had the opportunity to answer an intermediate trivia question with the chance to win a prize.
 Within a short three hours, I connected with various individuals ranging from elementary ages to adults and parents. I had begun by asking every child the same question, “Do you know what climate change, migration, or habitats are?” While a handful of children responded confidently and correctly, I was surprised to see how many had trouble matching the definition to the word(s). This exposed me to a new perspective on the faults of our education system as it’s their responsibility to teach our youth, the leaders of our future, about the immensely relevant and significant issues of our world. This reflection of our current education system led me to remember the value of the Climate Restoration Resolution that I, alongside various members of Napa Schools for Climate Action, worked towards establishing within NVUSD schools to further enhance the climate curriculum. (Photo: Kate informs community members)
Our climate’s issues are exceedingly overlooked by national leaders, political figures, and society itself. It’s our responsibility to educate the rising generations who will, unavoidably, be our future leaders and decision-makers. Outreaching and connecting to individuals of all age ranges at “Meet Me In The Street” reminded me of my purpose within the climate advocacy movement, the community that I strive to change for the better, and the value of one’s voice, despite conventional age barriers.
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Why It's Time to Decommission the Clover Flat Landfill in Napa County
Article and photos by Anne Wheaton and Geoff Ellsworth
In the steep and rugged hills atop Napa Valley's headwaters sits a 60-year-old landfill with a checkered past and a litany of environmental violations, fires, employee complaints, lawsuits and neighbors relentlessly pleading with regulators and Napa County officials to be heard. Clover Flat Landfill, owned for the past 60 years by the local Pestoni Family, seemed impervious to scrutiny by elected officials as they have held no-bid government contracts for over six decades.
Article highlights:
- No-bid contracts were done for over 60 years for Clover Flat Landfill & Upper Valley Disposal with a litany of environmental violations, water pollution, fires and a company found to be in breach of contract.
- Active investigations by the FBI/US Justice Department, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Fish & Wildlife, EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control, and the Local Enforcement Agency CalRecycle.
- Racial, social justice issues with dozens of current and former Latino employees filing complaints against Upper Valley Disposal Service and Clover Flat Landfill for unsafe working conditions, discrimination, poor business practices, and environmental violations.
- Violations lodged by every oversight agency: CalFire, Fish & Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Napa County Planning & Building, Air Quality Control Board, CalRecycle, and OSHA.
- A few actions you can take:
- Sign the Change.org petition:
- Submit letters that call for decommissioning Clover Flat Landfill to the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency (UVWMA)
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Please Welcome Natalie Carr as Our Newest Student Intern
Article and photo by Natalie Carr
Hello. My name is Natalie Carr, and I am going to be a Junior at Justin-Siena High School. I am a co-president of Justin-Siena's Environmental Club, and have recently become a student intern with the Napa Sierra Club.
I have been passionate about the environment ever since I learned about climate change in elementary school, and I felt a stronger drive to make a difference after having lost my home in the 2017 wildfires. Throughout middle school and high school, I initiated and was involved in various school-related environmental activities, and now I am ready to work on a broader local level. In joining the Sierra Club, I hope to make more of a local impact, and collaborate with the other interns and adults to make a positive impact on the environment.
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Give Me Some Energy! Understanding the Energy Needs of the US: Where It Comes From, Where It Goes, and What Needs to Change
Article by Nick Cheranich, graphics by Lawrence Livermore Lab
Key Observations:
- About 84% of our energy needs come from fuels, such as Petroleum, Coal, and Natural Gas, that emit greenhouse gasses
- About 16% of our energy needs come from renewable, non-greenhouse gas emitting energy. Half of that comes from Nuclear energy. Practically all of these renewable energy sources goes to the making of electricity
- About 38% of our energy needs go to generating electricity
- About 61% of our energy needs go to non-electric consumption, such as the Transportation, Industrial, and Commercial sectors
- Two-thirds of all energy used is wasted (aka: Energy Rejected), in the form of heat and other by-products
- There are many ways we can reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions
Understanding Energy
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.
In the US, we use roughly 100 quadrillion Btu’s of energy per year (which is about 18% of the global energy used. China uses about 70% more energy than the US (about 174 quadrillion Btu's). Germany uses about 90% less than the US (about 11 quadrillion Btu's).
As you look at the chart above, it “reads” left to right. (If you are an audio/visual learner, here is a good video that explains how to read the chart.) On the left, you have all the energy resources from which our energy needs come.
Since we have a base of about 100 “Quads,” we can conveniently refer to percentages instead of Btu’s. As you can see on the lower left, the US uses about 37 quadrillion Btu’s of Petroleum, out of the total of about 100 quadrillion. So, about 37% of our total energy needs come from Petroleum. By contrast, Solar Energy represents just under 2% of our total energy needs. Article continues here. |
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Reimagining Lake Berryessa: Balancing Nature and Development
Article by Carol Kunze
 In the early 1960s, Napa County entered into an agreement to develop and manage recreation facilities at Lake Berryessa, adhering to the 1959 Public Use Plan. However, instead of creating public amenities, the county allowed the concessions to transform into private trailer parks. This decision marked the beginning of a contentious history of mismanagement and conflicting visions for the lake's use. In 2009, the last of the trailer park concessions expired, paving the way for a new plan that emphasized public access and natural recreation. Despite these efforts, the transition has been fraught with challenges, and the promise of a nature-focused haven at Lake Berryessa remains unfulfilled. Today, Napa County faces a pivotal decision: whether to embrace large-scale urban recreation developments or to honor the original vision of a natural, community-centered retreat. (Photo by Gidatola)
 Napa County signed an agreement in 1962 to develop and manage recreation facilities at Lake Berryessa in compliance with the 1959 Public Use Plan. Instead, Napa allowed the concessions to become private trailer parks. (Photo by BoatUS)
The last of the trailer park concession contracts finally expired in 2009. The new plan for the Lake (1) did not allow private trailers, (2) designated a couple more small quiet areas (5 mph) for paddlers, and (3) included a hiking-biking trail around the Lake, expected to be some 130 miles, which would link into other trails in the area in the management plan. Article continues here.
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Saving a King Snake from Plastics
Article by Linda Brown and Scott Thomason, photos by Linda Brown
 Little did the Napa Sierra Club Group know that when several of its members decided to do a group bike ride as part of the Vine Trail Locomotion Fundraiser recently, it would literally come to the rescue of a California King snake, saving its life in the process, while experiencing first-hand the dangers to wildlife of discarded plastics in our environment.
It all started on a beautiful Sunday morning in May when a group of bicyclists gathered at Kennedy Park to ride to American Canyon and back as part of the annual Vine Trail Locomotion fundraising event. The ride highlighted this section of the SF Bay Trail and future Vine Trail, and also reinforced the importance of bicycles as a way of travel that reduces our carbon footprint, always a laudatory goal in this time of climate change.
 Riders included Vine Trail board member Ellen Udoff, Napa Sierra Club Group Chair, Nick Cheranich, Napa Climate NOW! cofounder Linda Brown, longtime Napa Valley winemaker David Mahaffey, me (the Treasurer of the Napa Sierra Club Executive Committee), and others.
“Our annual LocoMotion event raises awareness and money regarding the Vine Trail, which will eventually stretch 47 miles, all the way from Calistoga to the Vallejo Ferry Terminal,” said Udoff. “The trail caters to cyclists, pedestrians and other forms of active transportation, creating healthy recreation and transportation options for our community.”
As we snaked along (no pun intended) the very busy Devlin Road on our way to American Canyon’s Wetlands, I was riding at the rear, while Cheranich was leading our entourage. Before reaching the Amazon Distribution Center, I saw our group stopped on the shoulder, and Mahaffey was standing by the side of the road holding a large piece of plastic netting commonly used in vineyards. Article continues here.
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Stop Setting Your Thermostat to 72 Degrees - Use a Fan
Article by Adam Clark Estes, Courtesy of Vox
Let’s settle the heated debate over your AC, once and for all.
Setting your thermostat just a single digit higher can help you save 6 percent on your cooling costs, according to the EPA. (Photo: Getty Images)
Micah Pollak had no idea the trouble he was getting himself into when he shared his preferred thermostat settings on social media. “I just discovered most of our friends set their AC at 68-73F during the summer,” Micah, who is an economist at Indiana University, posted on Threads in late June. “We keep ours at 77-78F. Are we monsters!?” Nearly a thousand replies later, the consensus was that, yes, Micah’s family are monsters, probably some type of lizard.
Although he didn’t realize it, Micah has been following a set of numbers from the Environmental Protection Agency that tends to spark an internet freakout every summer, often after a local news station does a segment on how to reduce your energy consumption and lower your utility bills. The recommendations include keeping your thermostat at 78º when you’re at home during the day, 82º at night, and 85º when you’re away during the warm months. Article continues here.
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Want to Join a "Club?" Wondering What Your Legacy Might Be? Consider Volunteering with Us
 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, at least, 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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