COVID-19 Update: Sierra Club has decided to extend the Sierra Club’s current Covid response plans through Feb. 28, 2022.Click here for full statement on Campfire.
Tennessee News
Frist and Backer: Fighting climate change should hit home for Tennesseans | Opinion. "Instead of trying to score political points on the issue, our goal is to energize and engage Tennessee communities to take pride in preserving the beauty and natural resources of the Volunteer State." Read more by Bill Frist and Benji Backer, Guest Columnists - Knoxville News Sentinel - Dec. 5, 2021.
Clearcutting plans in state wilderness area get legal approval despite local opposition. "A controversial plan by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officials to clearcut forest in a popular hunting, hiking and recreation area in order to create habitat for Northern bobwhite quail has gotten a legal go-ahead, despite opposition from residents and local leaders in White County, a bipartisan group of lawmakers and environmental groups." Read more by Anita Wadhwani - Tennessee Lookout - Dec. 6, 2021.
Nashville suspends recycling pickup services as trash collection woes sap Metro resources. "As of Tuesday, if Nashville residents want to recycle, they'll have to take their items to collection centers themselves. Temporarily halting curbside recycling service during the season that people produce the most trash — think extra cardboard boxes — is not something city officials take lightly. It's a stopgap move." Read more by Cassandra Stephenson - Nashville Tennessean - Dec. 21, 2021.
TVA is flush with cash. Why is it fleecing its customers? | Opinion. "Instead of financing trade groups that block efforts to address climate change, TVA could be a leader in renewable energy and real climate solutions." Read more by Marquita Bradshaw and Gaby Sarri-Tobar, Guest columnists - Tennessean - Dec. 15, 2021.
In 2015, April Jarocki and Bonnie Swinford (Sierra Club) helped found the Clearfork Water Monitoring Project to monitor groundwater and make sure it is not contaminated with pollutants. April Jarocki (pictured) collects samples during a bond release inspection in rural Claiborne County, Tennessee on Nov. 17, 2021. Photo: Austin Sauerbrei/SOCM. Learn more from 100 Days in Appalachia.
Environmental Updates
Tennessee environmental regulators relax pollutants standards for TVA on Kingston plant. "The state's environmental regulatory agency will allow the Tennessee Valley Authority to discharge more pollutants from its coal-fired Kingston power plant into the Clinch River under a modified permit approved this week." Read more by Anila Yoganathan - Knoxville News Sentinel - Dec. 2, 2021.
Three EPA Superfund sites funded in TN. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to fund new cleanup projects at 49 Superfund sites on the National Priorities List using funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Until this historic investment, many of these were part of a backlog of Superfund sites with new construction projects awaiting funding. More than 60 percent of the sites are in historically underserved communities. Some of these sites have been waiting for cleanup funds for over four years." Read more here.
Supreme Court turns to science to resolve groundwater dispute between Mississippi and Tennessee | Opinion. "In an era when most Supreme Court opinions are sharply divided, last week the high court unanimously rejected Mississippi’s claim against Tennessee in a long-running dispute over the groundwater that lies beneath both states in a common aquifer. The impacts of this case will extend far beyond Mississippi and Tennessee, as states compete with one another over limited water supplies." Read more by Christine A. Klein, Guest Columnist - Tennessean - Dec. 7, 2021.
TDEC Announces Water Infrastructure Investment Plan with funding from American Rescue Plan Act. The state’s Financial Stimulus Accountability Group has dedicated $1.35 billion to water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects. TDEC has issued its Water Infrastructure Investment Plan to outline the process. Read more here from TN.gov.
Before and after photo of cleanup of a superfund site: the middle ebayment of Swan River in Kingston. Photo: EPA.gov.
Health & Justice
Two industrial companies in Memphis identified in ProPublica analysis of high-risk emissions. "A new data-driven project from ProPublica has modeled years of air emissions data from the Environmental Protection Agency in order to identify hotspots in all 50 states that contain a higher risk level of cancer among residents. Two of those hotspots can be found in the Memphis area, in industrial areas that edge up to residential communities that, according to census data, are comprised mostly of Black residents." Read more by Micaela A Watts - Memphis Commercial Appeal - Nov. 29, 2021.
A knee on the neck may not kill people in South Memphis. But toxins in the air might. "For Justin Pearson, the Black Lives Matter chant, “I Can’t Breathe,” has always been about more than Black men like Eric Garner and George Floyd struggling to get enough air into their lungs as white police officers choke the life out of them. It’s been about Black communities, like the South Memphis one that he grew up in, risking breathing in oxygen that might kill them. Which is why a recent report which found that two Memphis companies are primarily responsible for spewing carcinogens into the air doesn’t surprise Pearson..." Read more byTonyaa Weathersbee - Memphis Commercial Appeal - Dec. 8, 2021.
The devastation of the Gatlinburg wildfires offered hope, in a way, for scientists. "The 2016 Gatlinburg wildfire was deadliest in the eastern half of the U.S. since the Great Fires of 1947 in Maine and the worst in the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park... But the fire's aftermath is helping reveal how the forests in the storied national park have evolved to burn. And, maybe, even thrive because of fire." Read more by Vincent Gabrielle - Knoxville News Sentinel - Nov. 28, 2021.
Air pollution from a Virginia landfill is making residents sick. Officials won’t call it an emergency. "In the past year, the polluted air emitted from the landfill has spread and intensified. Residents have reported intense headaches, nausea, burning eyes and throats, nosebleeds, and other symptoms. A local Facebook group with over 3,000 members is overflowing with stories.." Read more by Sarah Wade - Southerly Magazine - Dec. 1. 2021.
Vigil in downtown Knoxville marks 13th anniversary of Kingston coal ash spill. Coal ash cleanup workers and their families were honored Wednesday at a vigil marking the anniversary of the 2008 disaster. The event featured prayer, fellowship, and a short ceremony. The Kingston coal ash spill was the largest such spill in U.S. history, releasing more than one billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry into the surrounding area. Since then, more than 50 coal ash clean-up workers have died, and many others are chronically ill, after not being given proper safety equipment and precautions throughout the clean-up efforts. See article by Anila Yoganathan: " Over 13 years, coal ash cleanup workers have endured to forge a legacy of public good" - Knoxville News Sentinel - Dec. 22, 2021.
On Dec. 22, 2021, mourners gathered to remember the lives lost and affected by the Kingston coal ash spill. Here, Rev. John Gill offers a prayer while the crowd holds LED candles. Janie Clark, whose husband died as a result of the spill, wore red gloves "to commemorate that blood has been shed, and lives have been lost, all unnecessarily." Photo: Todd Waterman.
A Question on Climate
By Todd Waterman, Harvey Broome Group
A few years back I went to a Friends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory slideshow by my always fascinating engineer friend Robert G. Kennedy III on the engineering and diplomatic challenges of building Tetra Tech geothermal power plants in places like Chile and Africa. There were earthquakes to contend with, red tides, sporadic internet, Gideons with AK-47s, and charging elephants. “No battle plan survives contact with the enemy,” he quoted Clausewitz.
I knew Robert knew a lot about a lot: renewable energy, environmental protection, microcomputing, interstellar travel, climate science. So, I had a question. “We’ve all seen the IPCC’s curves predicting how scary our future climate will be depending on how well we do at reducing CO2. But those predictions don’t factor in the rapid fall in price of renewables and storage. If they did, which prediction do you think would be most likely to come true?”
"You’re not going to like my answer,” Robert began. “First, those predictions keep getting worse as we find out more.” Then on the globe he’d brought, he spread his fingers across the top. “Second, up here in the Arctic, the tundra is thawing. And in the tundra is as much carbon as is in the atmosphere right now. As it thaws, microbes convert it to CO2, causing more warming, which causes more tundra to thaw. That’s not even to mention all the thawing methane, which for 20 years causes 85 times more warming than CO2, causing still more thawing.
"Those are feedback loops. And feedback loops always run to completion. If that happens, we’re screwed.”
Robert G. Kennedy poses at his hotel in Uganda with Gideon Security - not the same Gideon, he says, that provides hotel room Bibles. Photo: Robert G. Kennedy.
Events
Statewide environmental events listed in order of occurrence:
Friends of Bells Bend Clean-up Day. Start off your new year by beautifying your local park on Sunday Jan. 2 at 1:00-3:00 pm CT. To register, call (615) 862-4187 or email bellsbend@nashville.gov.
Explore with a Naturalist (Warner Park Nature Center- Nashville). Visit the Nature Center to explore nature in winter with a Naturalist! This outdoor exploration will focus on discovery, observation, and connecting with nature. All ages and families welcome! Saturday Jan. 8, 2022 at 10am- 2pm CT at Warner Park. Learn more here.
Campfire Roast and Potluck Party at Audubon Acres (Chattanooga). The annual Cherokee Sierra Club New Year Mixer at Audubon Acres Amphitheater. Dress warmly and bring a dish to share or cook over the fire. Smores ingredients and beverages provided. If possible, bring a chair for sitting around the fire. We'll be in the Visitor Center if inclement weather arises. Sun. January 9 at 4:00 - 8:00pm.
HBGProgram: North America's Wildlife Corridors. Author Russ Manning will discuss his ongoing exploration and research about preserving wildlife connectivity across North America. Work is underway to ensure ecological networks remain intact to preserve the continent’s biodiversity. With a book in preparation, Russ is posting excerpts from completed chapters on his website. Event held Tues. Jan. 11 at 7:00 pm EST. Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link.
MLK Day is Monday, January 17th! This federal holiday is observed on the 3rd Monday of January, near MLK's birthday (January 15). Check out your local community events to commemorate the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the ongoing struggle for a just and equitable society. Listen, learn, and take action!
Fundraiser for Tornado Victims in Dresden, TN. Sierra Club and Sunrise Movement organizer Rick Herron’s father, Roy, created this campaign for his West Tennessee hometown, which was hit hard by the recent tornado. They have two donors who have pledged to cover administrative costs, so 100% of every donation goes directly to those in desperate need. Donate here.
Cherokee Group January Program. Lisa Luck, Program Manager for the Putnam County Solid Waste Department, will be joining us to talk about recycling. Explore some of the factors shaping the future of recycling and learn how you can be part of determining a positive outcome. Virtual event held Jan. 24 at 7:00 pm EST.
Sediments Conference. "The 11th annual Sediments Conference series is a forum for sharing research results, practical experiences, and opportunities associated with investigating, remediating, and restoring the environmental and economic vitality of waterways." Event held at Nashville Omni Hotel on Jan. 24-27.Learn more here.
Outdoor Storytime for little ones ages 0-5. Sponsored by the Chattanooga Library, this 30-minute storytime is for children ages 0-5 and their grownups. Enjoy the beautiful outdoors and a story every Friday at 11 AM at Southside Community Park, starting January 28. Learn more here.
Special Features
Dear Eartha: Advice from an Eco-Guru
Dear Reader, Welcome to another year of activism and agitation, of environmental justice and “after ecstasy, the laundry,” of Extinction Rebellion, Greta Thunberg, and COP27, of hiking, biking, walking, protecting, and blessing this blue planet we call home.
There’s a cool t-shirt slogan I saw recently: You Matter, Until You Multiply Yourself Times the Speed of Light Squared, Then You Energy!” At a recent meeting with the Tennessee River Writers, my writing cadre and regular hope-suppliers, our leader gave us the prompt “What matters now?” My fellow writer friend, Clare Bratten, wrote a powerful piece that stuck with me. From her piece I hatched an idea for this column, and I’d love your participation. Here’s my idea:
I'd like to launch with this January 2022 column an invitation for you to send me, Eartha, your answer to the question: “What matters now?” I’m interested in your honest feeling as we enter a new and potentially fractious year with many ongoing crises. You don’t have to be someone who thinks of themselves as a writer, so don’t let that hold you back!
Please send your brief passage of about 100 words to the Sierra E-News Editor [Enews.sierratn@gmail.com]. You can still submit your environmental queries to me and I’ll happily answer, but I will also include your thoughts about “What Matters Now?” Below are a couple examples for inspiration to get you started.
“What Matters Now?” by Clare Brattan: On my mind now is the survival of the natural world. And how the personal vanity and nationalist ego of our leaders and their craven need to keep a grip on power and money will make it hard for us to save our planet from entering the sixth great extinction. It appears that human beings are indeed super predators and without disciplining our base instinct to exploit or use whatever we can, species are dying, ice caps are melting, oceans turn acid with floating debris of plastic waste. If we do extinguish our species, maybe the earth can breathe again.
"What Matters Now?” by Susan Johnston: My wife and I recently huddled in our bathroom – the safest room in our Nashville condo – and watched on our computers as tornadoes swept through the area. How many disasters this year? How many to come in 2022? We always count the deaths among our own species, but what of the other ones as well? What matters to me is that we humans take responsibility for what we have done to our beautiful planet and to the other creatures who share it.
Thanks to Clare and Susan for sharing. Here’s to a year of true change, movement, and what really matters to the people who live close to the action. May our voices be raised and heard… because we matter and we energy! Can’t wait to hear from YOU this year. Remember, the question is: What Matters Now?
Happy 2022 – Let’s Make Change! 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: Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
Saw palmetto is pictured in Ein Gedi Botanical Garden, Israel. Photo credit: user:matanya, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Saw palmetto is a small palm that can reach a maximum height of 8 feet with a spread of 10 feet. It grows rather slowly and has an upright spreading habit.
Despite being native to coastal parts of the Southeast US, it can thrive in more northern parts of the South under the right conditions. At Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Nashville, their saw palmetto specimen not only overwinters, but stays evergreen year-round thanks to the microclimate created by a rock wall and hardscaping surrounding the plant.
Saw palmetto berries are a surprisingly lucrative business, and an illegal industry has developed across the southeast. "Berry pickers" are stealing saw palmetto berries from public and private lands to sell them. A 2019 report estimated the value of that year's berry crop to be in the tens of millions. Saw palmetto extract is peddled as a natural remedy for prostate enlargement, hair loss, libido reduction, and more.
Berries aside, saw palmetto makes an impressive accent plant and can grow well in containers. Prefers full sun.
Paperless Delivery
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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. Submit your suggestion here!
The views expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sierra Club.
Who We Are
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.
