We are interconnected: "If air pollution is the bullet, systemic racism loaded the gun."
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.
August Newsletter
Editor's Note: We cannot move forward as an organization or as individuals without acknowledging past harms, committing to anti-racist action in the present, and envisioning a future where justice and equity can be truly achieved. In a series of posts, the Sierra Club will be examining its 128 year organizational history and concrete steps to becoming an actively anti-racist organization. Read executive director Michael Brune's post ' Pulling Down Our Monuments.'
Action Alerts
Here are 2 actions you can take from home:
Tell Your Senator to pass the bipartisan RECLAIM Act
The bipartisan RECLAIM Act will provide $1 billion to spur job creation and local business investment through projects to clean up abandoned coal mines, restore wildlife habitat, and redevelop former mining sites for new economic opportunities, like agriculture and recreational tourism.
Now that the RECLAIM Act has passed the House of Representatives, it's the Senate's turn to pass this legislation to invest in healthy and resilient communities for everyone.
Thank your LPC if they have suspended shutoffs & Urge them to 'Round It Up'
To see if your power company suspended shutoffs, look them up on this chart and contact them to say thank you or ask them to suspend shutoffs. Also urge them to develop an opt-out “Round It Up” program before a new state law restricts their ability to do so at the end of 2020. By allowing customers to round up their electric bill to the next dollar, thousands of dollars can be raised to support disadvantaged communities. It would cost customers less than $12 per year.
Sample script for call: “This is [your name] calling as your customer to thank you for suspending shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. I appreciate you putting customers first in this emergency, and encourage you also to adopt an opt-out Round It Up program before the end of the year in order to continue helping your most vulnerable customers.”
Environmental Justice COVID-19 Act would help investigate and address the disproportionate effects COVID-19 has had on Black communities. Our nation is in the midst of a public health crisis brought on by a failed response to COVID-19. Making matters worse, an independent study has found that Black people are more than twice as likely to die from the virus than white people. This is unacceptable. Tell your lawmakers to support this critical bill to tackle environmental justice during COVID.
With Liberty, Justice & Wildness for All. A plea to my country. "JamesBaldwin said that 'to be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.' I think Mr. Baldwin wanted more for this country than its history and behavior showed. I want the same, and without the pain. I want better for everyone. I want better for nature because we’re all linked whether we admit it or not." Full article by J. Drew Lanham - Sierra Magazine - July 19, 2020.
I Can't Breathe: What air pollution and police violence have in common. "A pair of studies from the University of Michigan and the University of Montana published in 2015 in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that the high concentration of polluting industries in Black and Latino communities was the deliberate consequence of racist policies. 'We looked at whether counties that historically have higher levels of air pollution have a higher mortality rate for COVID-19,' said Francesca Dominici, a professor of biostatistics at Harvard University. 'We found a statistically significant association.'" Read full article by Kendra Pierre-Louis - Sierra Magazine - July 15, 2020.
"Even in nonpandemic times, air pollution is deadly. Each year, it kills more than 100,000 people in the United States and 5 million worldwide... But mortality from air pollution is not evenly distributed: 'Communities of color, and in particular poor communities of color, are more likely to live in places with poor air quality than their white, wealthier counterparts,' said Rachel Morello-Frosch, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management and the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley." From I Can't Breathe by Kendra Pierre-Louis - Sierra Magazine - July 15, 2020.
COVID-19 News
Open meetings advocates fear governor’s order provides excuse to limit public access. The Sierra Club’s Scott Banbury calls the governor’s decision to extend an electronic meeting order for local governments “horrible” amid the COVID-19 pandemic... Dropped phone calls, poor audio and, in some instances, failure of local governments to follow the most basic open meetings requirements are too common. “This is kind of an assault on our freedom of speech,” Banbury says. Full article by Sam Stockard - Daily Memphian - July 7, 2020.
State of TN launches 'Face It' ad campaign to promote masks to fight COVID-19. Rather than order a mask mandate, Gov. Bill Lee is relying on Tennesseans to take personal responsibility. The Governor's office announced the launch of a multi-million dollar public service announcement campaign that urges all Tennesseans to wear a mask. TN is one of only 17 states that has no statewide mandate. The campaign launched July 24, 2020.
Tennessee teachers call for schools to start online amid ongoing coronavirus spikes. "Nashville's teachers union, the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association, is demanding that students and teachers not go physically back into classrooms until each county has gone at least 14 days without new confirmed COVID-19 cases. 'Our state officials have failed us. Local communities have been left to their own devices to decide reopening plans that are inconsistent and unsafe.'" Read more by Meghan Mangrum - Tennessean - July 25, 2020.
30 ways to leave home without actually leaving the couch, from virtual zoo exhibits to museum gallery tours.Take a digital walk through Disney World's Magic Kingdom, view art from Picasso, Dalí, and Vincent van Gogh, or relax by watching the sunset off the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland — all while staying at home. Consider it a virtual field trip for yourself or kids!
"An overflow room with spaced seating during the school board meeting which discussed the reopening of Knox County school amid the coronavirus pandemic in the Andrew Johnson Building in Downtown Knoxville on July 15, 2020." Photo credit: Catilyn Jordan - News Sentinel.
Environmental Updates
Environmental, social justice groups pushing for change to KUB Board makeup. Spurred on with a slogan of "ACT on KUB,” a primary election ballot initiative for the August 6 contest is being led by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy along with Appalachian Voices and One Knox Legacy Coalition, among others. KUB has objected to the action, which seeks to replace two of the seven board members with a low-income representative and another representing environmental interests. City Council must approve before the initiative can be put on the ballot. *Interested parties who wish to support this initiative should contact HBG’s Kent Minault at kminault@gmail.com. Read article by Tyler Whetstone - Knoxville News Sentinel - June 30, 2020.
Sierra Club says MLGW-TVA report distorts renewable energy use. "The Sierra Club says the draft of a plan that will help guide a decision on whether Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division stays with the Tennessee Valley Authority has “significant flaws and distorting assumptions” when it comes to renewable energy sources.“It nonetheless paints a very clear picture,” the Sierra Club response by attorney Zachary Fabish reads. “Memphis’s future is best served by a generation portfolio consisting to the greatest extent possible of clean renewable energy.” Read more by Bill Dries - Daily Memphian - July 6, 2020.
Kroger, Walmart, Target rally for plastic bag replacement. "A coalition of retailers that includes Kroger, Walgreens, CVS Health, Walmart and Target is working to find and test viable alternatives to the single-use plastic bag. The Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners has earmarked more than $15 million to launch its 'Beyond the Bag' program, and is soliciting design ideas from around the globe." Full article by Nicole Norfleet - Star Tribune - July 21, 2020.
Gov. Bill Lee sides with TDEC/TVA in Anderson County's dispute with TVA over toxic coal ash residual at Bull Run. The issue is whether to allow TVA to leave over 5 million tons of toxic waste at the Bull Run site when the plant closes in 2023. Gov. Lee trusts in TDEC judgement, and, according to the cited article, TDEC “... is allowing TVA to investigate itself and insists Anderson County leaders have no authority over the utility’s coal ash dumps." Knoxville News Sentinel article by Jamie Satterfield - July 11, 2020.
Bull Run Neighbors called for boycott of TVA's July 23 open house. Since the open house offered no opportunity for real-time, publicly-heard comments, questions, or answers, the Bull Run Neighbors community organizing group now plans to host its own Zoom meeting on the Bull Run site’s future, tentatively on Thursday, August 13 at 7 PM, hopefully with TVA's full participation. The Zoom will allow everyone to question and discuss publicly TVA's virtual placards and public relations materials - and also its plans to leave in place millions of tons of already-leaking, toxic coal ash unless sufficiently pressured or required to remove it by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). Join the Zoom meeting here.
Corina Newsome and the Black Birders Movement. The wildlife conservationist, whose field site, in Georgia, is down the road from where Ahmaud Arbery was killed, helped organize #BlackBirdersWeek after a white woman called the cops on a black birdwatcher in Central Park. Read full article by Carolyn Kormann - The New Yorker - June 22, 2020.
Corina Newsome is a 27 year old graduate student in ornithology who studies threats to seaside sparrows that nest on the shore of southern Georgia. Illustration by João Fazenda for The New Yorker.
Events
Important Note: All in-person Sierra Club activities between now and August 31 are canceled. Campfire has an official COVID-19 page with regularly updated information about the Sierra Club response for staff and volunteers. There is also an external-facing Sierra Club COVID-19 response page. We anticipate that cancellations may extend beyond August 31, depending on conditions. Stay tuned for updates.
Citizens' Climate Southeast/Appalachia Conference: The conference will be held virtually August 22. "This conference, which covers two regions, is an opportunity to actively get involved in moving our country toward climate solutions. Come join us to create the political will for a livable world while being empowered to have breakthroughs in your personal and political power." Register here.
Conservation Conversations is Harpeth Conservancy’s new virtual outreach series. Events occur on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 6-7 pm Central and explore a range of topics related to local rivers. Experts and Harpeth Conservancy representatives will present about the topic. The August 26 topic is: Fertilizers and Soil/Yard Preparations and Nutrient Pollution. Register here.
Free Energy Efficiency Workshops. Chattanooga nonprofit green|spaces is offering free one hour workshops to teach simple, low cost ways to save energy and lower your monthly utility bill. They are currently held virtually. See their Facebook page for scheduled events.
Tennessee Chapter Fall Retreat: Tentatively scheduled for October 23-25, 2020 at Pickett CCC Memorial State Park. Stay tuned for updates about cancellation status.
Tennessee Environmental Conference: This conference has been rescheduled for October 12-14 in Kingsport, TN.
Tennessee Statewide Primary Election Dates Primary: August 6, 2020 Early Voting: Fri. July 17 – Sat. Aug. 1st Absentee Ballot Request Deadline: Thurs. July 30
At around 66%, Tennessee has one of the lowest voter registration rates of any state. And because of restrictions on in-person activities due to COVID-19, the TN Chapter can't organize voter registration drives this year, so it's more important than ever to cast your vote.
Make sure your registration is up-to-date and encourage unregistered voters to register so they can vote in the General Election Nov. 3rd. The deadline to register to vote for the Nov. 3rd is Monday, October 5, 2020.
Last Call (Really) for Nominations: Chapter At-Large Excom
Submit nominations by July 31
Any Sierra Club member wishing to be considered as a Nomination Committee candidate should indicate their intent by July 31, 2020. Email Charlie High at cahigh1722@aol.com or snail mail at 1722 Sweetbriar Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212.
The ExCom's duties include: Chapter budget and strategic direction, deciding conservation positions, raising money, appointing officers and committee chairs, event planning, & approving political or legal endorsements. Any Chapter member in good standing is eligible for nomination. TN Sierra members will vote on candidates in the November/December edition of the Tennes-Sierran bi-monthly newspaper. Candidates receiving the top votes will start their 2-year terms in January 2020.
Lanham writes in 'With Liberty, Justice & Wildness for All': "The daily assaults are exhausting, and so I try to find solace by seeking wildness. I can go to nearby places: forests and mountains, streams and salt marshes, to be alone and away from so much of the tension. In those places where I (usually) don’t have to fear human beings or being tracked as prey by the police, I can be closer to the me you guarantee in the Constitution that, for the longest time, only valued me at 60 percent of full human." Photo credit: J. Drew Lanham.
Special Features
Dear Eartha: Advice from an Eco-Guru
Dear Eartha,
As our country confronts its racist past in the midst of a pandemic, the Sierra Club’s beloved founder John Muir is revealed as a racist who, along with Planned Parenthood icon Margaret Sanger, praised a eugenics movement which advocated the genetic control of certain populations of humans. I’m heartbroken by the destruction of our “monuments” who represent those essential beliefs we still hold to be true. How do we manage the loss of venerated icons? —Grieving Once-Admired Heroes
Dear Grieving,
I share your heartbreak. John Muir has long been one of my heroes for his environmental advocacy and writings. I’ve often quoted his advice to those exploring a glacier: always be sure your way back will still be solid ice! Now the conversation has opened up to questioning whether destroying the Ahwahnee tribe in the Yosemite Valley was the only answer to creating a national park.
What I focus on is the need to move forward in alliance with those Muir and others sought to exclude. As Michael Brune writes: “Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color continue to endure the traumatic burden of fighting for their right to a healthy environment while simultaneously fighting for freedom from discrimination and police violence.” I see Brune owning our past and allying with our future, to engage in the “preserving wilderness” fight on a wider battlefield, one without racist monuments, figureheads, or heroes.
Our goal in working together for equal access to national parks, healthy food, clean transportation, and so much more, for all people has just become clearer and stronger.
Statues to glorified fallen generals—many erected by racist organizations—represent the deepest discrimination forced upon human beings. We’re now seeking to change all forms of slavery: farmworker wages, the inequality of Congress fighting over an unemployment package for the most vulnerable Americans while Jeff Bezos reels in 13 billion dollars in one day, the global effects of a warming planet as vulnerable people living in poverty rises—now, more than ever, we are all in this together.
Grief, dear Grieving, is about love, isn’t it? We’ll move on and keep loving the truth – and acting accordingly. Perhaps the message now is we must be the heroes of this new revolutionary story.
Stay safe on this and every glacier,
Eartha
Dear Eartha is penned by Rita Bullinger. Got an environmental query for Eartha? Submit your question to "Dear Eartha" via Enews.SierraTN@gmail.com
Species Spotlight
This month's featured species is
Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
The Ruby-throated hummingbird is 3-4 inches long. Weighing in at a whopping 0.1 g, these little birds have a life span of 5-9 years. Photo credit: James Hurt.
This hummingbird is the only species to breed in the eastern U.S. The males have a red throat; females do not.
Females can hatch several broods a year, usually two at a time. The eggs are white and pea-sized.
Hummingbirds flap their wings 53 times per second, and can fly upside down or backwards. Their legs are extremely short, so walking and hopping are not efficient.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds double their body mass by eating insects and nectar before making the grueling journey to Mexico or Central America for winter. The nonstop flight over the gulf is 500 miles and can take 20 hours!
Volunteer Opportunities
Lobby Program Fundraiser
The Sierra Club TN Chapter needs someone to take over fundraising for the Sierra Club Defenders of Tennessee, our lobbying program for the Tennessee State Legislature. We have a lobbyist who represents us, and his salary needs to be funded. The work can all be done from home. If you are interested in the position, please contact Sherry Loller at sherryloller@hotmail.com or 615-889-2968.
Paperless Delivery
Are you a Sierra member who has been receiving our bi-monthly print publication, the Tennes-Sierran? You can now opt out of getting a paper copy of the newspaper and instead receive it digitally as an email attachment. To request paperless delivery, open this form to make your request.
Contact Us
Do you have a program or speaker idea for your Group? An issue you're particularly passionate about? Do you have a story idea for the Tennes-Sierran or the e-newsletter? Let us know! Look through our past programs for inspiration.
We are the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, the world’s oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization. With over 3.8 million members and supporters, the Sierra Club has the resources to empower people and to influence public policy through community activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation.
Our mission is to Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet.
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.
Thank you for supporting Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter!
