Did Baby Boomers cause global warming? Eartha answers the burning question.
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.
September 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
Action is still needed for this:
Urge your LPC to 'Round It Up' + Thank them if they have suspended shutoffs
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.”
Sierra Club launches THRIVE agenda. The THRIVE (Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy) Agenda, a soon-to-be-introduced congressional resolution, is a plan to make bold progress toward greater climate, racial, and economic justice. It's the result of months of collaboration between dozens of grassroots groups. Learn about the 8 pillars of THRIVE and Ask your Congress member to cosponsor!
Marquita Bradshaw on her Tennessee primary victory: 'I could see the momentum.' "Marquita Bradshaw, an environmental justice advocate who has run her Senate campaign on a shoestring budget, won an upset victory in the state’s Democratic primary on Thursday, brushing aside a party-backed candidate who had significantly out-raised her"... "On the campaign trail, Ms. Bradshaw wrote and spoke frequently about environmental racism, drawing on her experience growing up near a Superfund site." Read full article by Elaina Plott - New York Times - Aug. 7, 2020.
Rally occurs at State Capitol after Gov. Lee signs bill enhancing protest punishments. "Hundreds marched toward the Tennessee State Capitol Saturday night after Gov. Lee signed House Bill 8005, essentially making overnight protests on state grounds a federal offense... According to the new bill, those camping illegally on state property between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM could face up to six years in prison on "class E" felony charges. This would also lead to a loss in voting rights." Lee signed the bill into law with no public announcement. Full article by WTVC - Aug. 23, 2020.
Kamala Harris is Biden’s VP pick. What does that mean for the climate? Senator Harris has introduced several climate-related legislative bills in her 4 years as a senator from California. Harris explains, "First, there’s the public health crisis caused by the coronavirus that has killed over 148,000 people. It disproportionately affects Black and brown people in part due to the high frequency of pre-existing conditions like asthma and high blood pressure. These can stem from decades of toxic pollution being dumped in communities of color and which place people at higher risk of complications. Meanwhile, there is the continuing crisis of systemic racism in America that people of color have known and experienced for generations. All of these things intersect, and we must center the fight for environmental justice in the broader conversation." Read more by Zoya Teirstein - Grist.org - Aug. 11, 2020.
The deep injustice of plastic pollution. "Across the nation, corporate polluters are building the majority of these polluting facilities in low income communities and communities of color—most of which are located in Texas and Louisiana, with a threat of expansion into Appalachia." Read more by Hillary Larson - Sierra Club - July 30, 2020.
As nation reckons with race, poll finds white Americans least engaged. "As the nation navigates its most consequential racial justice movement in a half-century, some people have responded to the calls for action to remedy the country's racist past and present by protesting in the streets or doing something as simple as reading a book about race. Buta new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that these people remain a minority." Read full report here (or 3-min listen) - NPR - Aug. 25, 2020.
"Marquita Bradshaw defeated four other Democrats, including an establishment-backed candidate who raised some $2 million." Records show that by March, Bradshaw had raised $8,400. Photo Credit: Max Gersh/The Commercial Appeal, via Associated Press.
COVID-19 News
Gov. Lee extends COVID-19 State of Emergency order. Executive Order No. 59 extends existing provisions through Sept. 30. EO 60 and 61 extend electronic meetings and remote notarization services. Read list of provisions - WBIR- Aug. 28, 2020. Read the official order here on TN.gov.
COVID-19 is transmitted through aerosols. We have enough evidence, now it is time to act. "Contrary to public health messaging, I, together with many other scientists, believe that a substantial share of COVID-19 cases are the result of transmission through aerosols. The evidence in favor of aerosols (airborne micro-droplets) is stronger than that for any other pathway, and officials need to be more aggressive in expressing this reality if we want to get the pandemic under control." Read full article by Jose-Luis Jimenez - Time - Aug. 25, 2020.
Coronavirus impact on plastic pollution. [Video] "Some bans on the use of plastic bags were quickly tossed out and suddenly personal protective gear was everywhere. Now many of those objects are showing up in fields, lakes, rivers, and oceans." Watch the CBS video (preceded by an ad) here.
Tennessee refuses to release information about COVID-19 cases in schools. "Tennessee will not publicly report the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases linked to schools despite Gov. Bill Lee's previous commitment to create such a plan, state officials said Tuesday." Read more by Meghan Mangrum - The Tennessean - Aug. 18, 2020.
Gov. Lee announces expanded small business relief; new relief programs for agriculture, tourism, and workforce development. "Gov. Bill Lee and the Financial Stimulus Accountability Group announced today new and expanded financial relief programs for small businesses, agribusinesses, displaced workers, and the tourism industry through the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The Tennessee Small Business Relief Program will expand to include additional industries adversely impacted by reductions in commercial activity in April." Announced Aug. 14, 2020.
"Chris Hight delivers meals to waiting buses that will then be distributed in nearby neighborhoods during the first day of school in Metro Nashville, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020." Photo credit: Larry McCormack - The Tennessean.
Environmental Updates
OPINION: Sportsmen betrayed by Blackburn’s vote against public lands. "She was the only member of Tennessee’s congressional delegation to vote against the Great American Outdoors Act, a bill envisioned and championed by the senior senator from Tennessee, Lamar Alexander, and supported by every other member of the Tennessee congressional delegation, and President Donald Trump. It became law on Aug. 4.” Read more by Caleb Hemmer, Guest Columnist - The Tennessean - Aug. 14, 2020.
Trump says he's firing TVA chairman over executive pay, outsourcing. "President Donald Trump said he’s firing the chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority over the compensation package of the public utility’s CEO and moves to outsource IT jobs. The Associated Press reports Trump told reporters at the White House he was removing the authority’s chair of the board and another member of the board, while threatening to remove other directors if they keep hiring foreign labor." Keep reading by Erik Schelzig - Tennessee Journal - Aug. 3, 2020.
Hitting close to home! EPA rule extends life of toxic coal ash ponds. "Trump extends the life of toxic coal ash pits in Tennessee and elsewhere... With those extensions, coal ash ponds that are supposed to stop receiving waste by 2021 can keep receiving sludge for two to seven more years." Read article by Rebecca Beitsch - The Hill - July 30, 2020.
Nashville gets realistic about plastic recycling. "Recycling has long been imperfect in Nashville. The city’s most recent waste audit, two years ago, found that about 30% of the materials going into the recycling stream were, in fact, just trash. And if too much non-recyclable material gets baled with the good stuff, the entire thing might be rejected by a manufacturer — and thrown out anyway. So Nashville is instructing residents to be more judicious when it comes to plastics, by recycling only plastic bottles, jars and jugs." Read or listen to story here by Emily Siner - WPLN News - Aug. 4, 2020.
Listen and Learn: Introducing the Mother Earth Podcast. "The Mother Earth Podcast was recently recognized by Feedspot as a Top 30 social-political podcast. We already have had some great guests on the show, including Bill Mckibben, youth phenom climate activist Jamie Margolin, and Green New Deal expert Dr. Saul Griffith."
Chimney Tops inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: Jed DeKalb.
A Taste of H.O.N.E.Y. Can Chase Away COVID Blues
By Marshall Adesman [edited]
Though schools in Northeast Tennessee may be held virtually for now, nature can still be enjoyed live and in person. Kingsport’s Warriors Path State Park has instituted a program called Hands-On Nature Education for Youth, or H.O.N.E.Y. It allows children and parents to enjoy hands-on nature learning outdoors with a Park Ranger, and have a chance to interact safely with other young nature students.
Three different sessions are offered each week, with sessions repeated throughout the week. As a COVID-19 precaution, everyone is required to wear a mask at all times. Preregistration for children is required. No more than twelve (12) children will be permitted to attend each session, though there is no limit to the number of parents and guardians who can participate. Be sure to come dressed for the weather, wear good walking shoes, and be prepared to get dirty! View the event schedule and register here.
Crawdads are cool! Photo credit: Marty Silver, Park Ranger and Naturalist at Warriors Path State Park.
Events
Important Note: Sierra Club has made the difficult decision to extend our current COVID-19 response until February 28, 2021. All in-person Sierra Club activities between now and Feb. 28th are canceled. Meetings and events will continue to be held virtually. 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.
Tennessee Chapter Fall Retreat: Canceled due to extension of Sierra's COVID-19 policy through Feb. 28th.
Coffee and Conversations Webinar Series. This 6-part series runs through October 1, with remaining topics covering Food Systems, Jobs, and Education. The series focuses on the elements of a livable community and how state and local leaders are working to support the ability for all Tennesseans to live to their fullest potentials. Webinars are free, but registration is required. View recordings of past sessions or 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 Environmental Conference: This conference has been rescheduled for October 12-14 in Kingsport, TN.
General Election Dates Election: November 3 Deadline to register: October 5 Absentee Ballot request deadline: October 27 Early Voting: Oct. 19 – Oct. 29
We are approaching one of the most critical election cycles EVER. Climate change is one of the REALLY BIG issues at stake. The officials we elect next will be the ones to carry out our response, and potentially appoint Supreme Court judges. It is crucial that we vote in high numbers. Make sure your registration is up-to-date and encourage unregistered voters to register so they can vote in the General Election November 3rd!
Also, take a minute to protect mail-in voting by defending the Postal Service! Join the SierraRise campaign and write to your senators here.
Special Features
Dear Eartha: Advice from an Eco-Guru
Dear Eartha,
I wonder if you could shed some light on how hot the planet actually is. I sometimes hear young people blame Baby Boomers for global warming. Are Boomers really the cause, and will younger generations be able to save it? —No Blame Just the Facts, Please
Dear No Blame,
Love your questions, and my short answer to both is: not by themselves. The New York Times has reported that the general global warming trend continues. July 2020 tied for second-hottest July on record for the globe, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information. “What’s more, the Northern Hemisphere saw its hottest July ever, surpassing its previous record high set in 2019.”
Some say that Baby Boomers coulda-shoulda done more, 30 years ago, when the Silent Generation occupied Congress. When NASA official James Hansen testified in June 1988 to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that “the greenhouse effect” was here, not much was done. George H. W. Bush was sworn in as President the following January, and even though he said he’d fight “the greenhouse effect with the White House effect,” any substantive policy was shelved, according to Business Insider magazine. In 2001, his son George W. Bush pulled the United States out of the international Kyoto Protocol treaty.
When Greta Thunberg skipped her lessons to teach the world a lesson, and invited the planet’s young people to join her, the older generation was meant to be shamed into finally doing something. But, of course, that’s one fragment of a much wider story. One survey of 4,000 UK adults found that “people aged over 55 were ahead in almost every environmental activity they monitored, but those aged between 16 to 24 were the worst offenders.”
So, No Blame, it's complicated. Bill McKibben explains that changing the status quo is hard, but “in the case of climate change, it’s doubly hard, since you have to deal with the entire world.” But if we’ve learned anything from history, we’ve learned young people ignite social change. In some ways that’s their job. Sadly, it looks like they will be strapped with a huge bill, and playing the blame game won’t really help. We’re in this together and had better join forces. In fact, I think we have. Let’s continue that trajectory.
Yours, 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
Phlox paniculata
Fall phlox in bloom. Photo credit: Robert H. Mohlenbrock, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database. Midwest wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species (1989).
Fall phlox blooms in clusters of pink-purple flowers in late summer.
Native to eastern North America, found in woods, thickets, and meadows. Phlox paniculata enjoys moist soil and at least 6 hours of sun per day.
Prime mover: Phlox has been used as a medicinal herb, especially as a laxative.
The word phlox has roots in ancient Greek, meaning "flame." It is used in the Bible's New Testament 7 times, sometimes to describe "eyes like a flame of fire" (Book of Revelation).
Volunteer Opportunities
Defenders Program Volunteer
We need someone to take over fundraising for the Sierra Club Defenders of Tennessee, our lobbying program for the Tennessee State Legislature. Our lobbyist represents our environmental interests, and his salary needs to be funded. The work is seasonal, light, and can all be done from home. If you have some facility for writing and are interested in the position, please contact Sherry Loller for more information 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!
