COVID-19 Update: Sierra Club has decided to extend the Sierra Club’s current Covid response plans through Feb. 28, 2022. See Sierra Club COVID Info Hub (requires Campfire login).
Tennessee News
Take Action! Send 2 Quick Emails to Support Important Bills. The Tennessee General Assembly is rapidly moving to close so they can get back out on the fundraising/campaign trail. The following two bills will be heard this week or the next and we really need you to reach out to your State Representative and Senator. 1) Send an email to save Tennessee's bees (SB2186/HB2256), and 2) Send an email to reduce plastic pollution in Tennessee and increase producer packaging responsibility (SB2067/HB2817).
TVA lags the nation in energy efficiency, new study shows. "New study shows [TVA's] energy conservation spending is less than 10% of U.S. average." Additionally, "the median family income in the Tennessee Valley is 30% below the U.S. average, meaning the share of income spent on power bills — known as the energy burden — tends to be higher." Read more by Dave Flessner - Times Free Press - Feb. 15, 2022.
TVA to pursue next generation of nuclear power near Oak Ridge. "TVA directors Thursday authorized spending up to $200 million to design, develop and license a small modular reactor to be built on the Clinch River in Roane County near Oak Ridge, Tennessee." Read more by Dave Flessner - Times Free Press - Feb. 10. 2022.
From uranium to dry cleaner chemicals, Tennessee has lots of legacy pollution. A $40M grant might erase some of it. "Gov. Bill Lee is proposing $40 million this year to clean up some of Tennessee’s Superfund sites, which are former facilities, dumps or mines that have leached dangerous levels of contamination into the environment. Tennessee has 29 Superfund sites — that produced everything from air conditioners to uranium used in the first atomic bomb — and 18 of them are on the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priority List." Read more by Caroline Eggers - WPLN - Feb. 11, 2022.
Don't blame Memphis power outages on old trees. Blame it on old infrastructure! "Crumbling infrastructure, not geriatric trees, makes cities like Memphis more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions – conditions like ice storms and heat waves – caused by climate change." Read more by Tonyaa Weathersbee - Memphis Commercial Appeal - Feb. 15, 2022.
Icy branches dangle in front of a waterfall at Lula Lake Land Trust on Lookout Mountain, February 2022. Photo credit: Allie Stafford / Edited by Todd Waterman.
Environmental Updates
Take Action!Stop Cumberland & Kingston Pipelines! TVA is exploring replacing coal plants with gas plants & pipelines. TVA's Board just delegated authority to make the decision for coal plant retirement and replacement generation to TVA’s CEO Jeff Lyash.Send your message now!
Cook Recreation Area Saved! Great news! After public pushback from neighbors and allies, the Corps of Engineers has stated that Cook Recreation Area at Percy Priest Lake will remain a public entity. Freddie Bell, the Nashville Operational Manager stated that they will no longer seek a public-private partnership lease agreement. Tim Weeks, an area Sierra Club member helped in the efforts to defeat the privatization of the federally owned and managed 200+ acres of pristine forests and shoreline in Davidson County. Thanks to all Sierra Club members who mobilized to fight for this unique natural area! Read Army Corps of Engineers' News Release here - Feb. 17, 2022.
Ecological Corridors Enable Animal and Plant Migration in Tennessee. "Preserving and reestablishing ecological corridors has become the predominant conservation strategy for conserving biological diversity.... The corridor movement grew out of the realization that isolated state and national parks and preserves, no matter how large, are not sufficient to maintain wildlife populations. We need to reestablish migration pathways so wildlife can move between core habitats for gene flow as well as in response to climate change." Watch for the next edition of the Tennes-Sierran for full article by Russ Manning, Harvey Broome Group (HBG) member. Russ is working on a book on ecological corridors and is posting his writing and photos on his website: northamericancorridors.com.
Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Regains Federal Endangered Species Protections. "Following a Feb. 10, 2022, court order, gray wolves in the contiguous 48 states and Mexico – with the exception of the Northern Rocky Mountain population – are now protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as threatened in Minnesota and endangered in the remaining states." Read more in Sierra Club press release - Feb. 10, 2022.
Gray wolf reclines on a rock. Photo credit: Scott Calleja CC BY_NC_ND 2.0.
Health & Justice
Five Core Values. In the fall of 2021, the Sierra Club Board of Directors formally adopted five Core Values: Anti-Racism, Balance, Collaboration, Justice, and Transformation. "Our mission statement remains the same, and many of the 'things we value' in the world—public lands, time outside in nature, clean air, clean water, and wildlife —continue to be priorities for the Sierra Club to protect. What these organizational core values commit us to is how we will interact with each other, how we show up in relationships with our strategic partners, and the approach we take as we advance our established mission." Learn more here (PDF).
Recycling programs ending, and landfills expanding- help change this! From Dan Firth: "Are you disappointed with what has happened to your recycling and composting options? Are you concerned with the impact on your community from the landfills and would you like a greater say in their future? Would you like to see producers of packaging take more responsibility for their packaging in Tennessee? If you answer yes to any of these questions, come join the TN Chapter’s Solid Waste and Mining Committee as we work on these issues and more by completing this short survey."
EJScreen 2.0: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated and redesigned EJScreen, the Agency's publicly available, award-winning environmental justice (EJ) screening and mapping tool. The redesigned tool provides expanded insight into potential EJ concerns in overburdened communities and features new indicators on environmental burdens, socioeconomic factors, climate change, health, and critical service gaps."
7 Signs that the Mainstream Has a Beef with Beef. "Eating more plants and fewer animals is not only good for your health, it’s good for the planet... While as many as six percent of US consumers say they’re vegan—a six-fold increase compared to one percent in 2014—a plant-based lifestyle doesn’t necessarily require the “zero to hero” approach. In the US, 98% of people who buy plant-based meat also purchase conventional meat." Read more by Katie O'Reilly - Sierra Magazine - Jan. 25, 2022.
What happened to the Build Back Better Act? This historic, transformative bill is stalled in the Senate. We successfully secured “yes” votes from nearly all Democrats in the House of Representatives and 48 Democratic senators, but did not get the full support of Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (WV) or Kyrsten Sinema (AZ). Since every single Republican senator is against the Build Back Better Act, it wasn't enough to pass the legislation. Congress is going back to the drawing board, redrafting a bill for climate, jobs and justice which will eventually have a new name. Luckily, many of the investments, including the $500 billion in climate action, are largely agreed upon. Sierra Club is pushing for the Senate to take action in the next few weeks to seal a deal on climate, jobs and justice by the March 1 State of the Union.
A small creek flows under a bridge through a wildlife corridor. Photo by Russ Manning (edited by Todd Waterman).
Tennessee Chapter News
Chapter ExCom Endorses Candidates
The Tennessee Chapter recommends a vote for Cheyenne Skye Branscum (OK) [Board nominated candidate] and Kathryn Bartholomew (NY), Michael Dorsey (MI), Maya Khosla (CA) and Aaron Mair (NY) [petition nominated candidates] in the upcoming election for the Sierra Club’s Board of Directors.
The national Sierra Club Board of Directors consists of 15 members, with five Board members being elected each year for three year terms. This election is held each spring. A committee created by the Board nominates some candidates, and other candidates can be nominated by a petition process.
Sierra Club members may vote either online or by mail. Each candidate provides a statement about themselves and their views on the issues on the official election ballot. You can visit the Sierra Club Election site for additional information about candidates. Ballots must be received no later than noon EST Election Day, April 27, 2022. In a typical year less than 10% of eligible members vote in the Board elections. A minimum of 5% is required for the elections to be valid. Our grassroots structure is strengthened when our participation is high. That means your participation is needed in the voting process. The Chapter encourages you to vote!
Early Morning Thoughts from the New Chair
On a cold January morning, Dr. Cris Corley reflects on being chosen as new Chapter Chair
Waking up a little after four this morning to a frigid 19 degrees, the forecast of clear skies meant a beautiful sunrise was likely over the Cumberland River. This time of the year, convection fog is common due to the warmer waters being released below Cordell Hull and Centerhill dams. The early morning twilight recharges me to conquer another day.
The Corleys have always been early risers, a family trait passed down over numerous generations. The genetic predisposition was beneficial to my early ancestors that settled in the Caney Fork river valley in 1802. They worked from sunrise to sunset in the unsettled eastern Middle Tennessee highlands. Having survived the Revolutionary War, two brothers loaded up their wagons with family possessions and a war land grant in hand, crossing the Smokies, heading west to the promised land. They found clean air in an untouched green paradise, located on a crystal clear creek with pure spring water flowing out of Corley Cave.
With the “progress of man” came an interstate Highway (I-40) that runs nearby, carrying fossil-fuel guzzlers that brought noxious fumes. The Caney Fork was dammed in the late 1940’s and continues to produce clean, hydroelectric power. With the rapid urbanization of Middle Tennessee, more electricity was needed, thus a large coal plant was built downstream on the Cumberland River in 1959. The Corleys were slowly losing the tranquility of their paradise.
Being an eighth generation Tennessean in pursuit of happiness, I continue to rise early and cherish each and every sunrise. From my early childhood, my parents and older brother instilled in me the vital importance of being responsible for my own actions and most importantly protecting the planet.
I sincerely appreciate the Tennessee Chapter Executive Committee’s vote of confidence in my chairing the Chapter. Our mission statement implores us to “explore and protect.” Fortunately, I have inherited a well-oiled machine maintained by our past Chair, Mac Post. Continuing our mission with tranquility will be my primary responsibility. Together, we must encourage new memberships, including family and friends. The bigger our army, the more battles we can fight. Please become an early riser— enjoy Tennessee’s beautiful sunrises!
Happy trails, Cris Corley, Chapter Chair
The sun rises over Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: Ken Lane, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Chapter Fundraising Corner
By Mac Post
The annual March Appeal fundraising letter will be appearing in many Chapter member mailboxes in early March. This is our second-largest fundraiser (the Defenders Fund is the largest and supports our Chapter lobbyist) so please consider a generous donation to support our work for Tennessee’s environment. To save expense we send this letter only to members who have contributed something, beyond their membership dues, in the past 3 years. If you didn’t get a letter and want to make a contribution, please use the handy online donation button at the top right of the Chapter website.
Events
Statewide environmental events listed in order of occurrence:
Presidential State of the Union address on Tuesday, March 1st. President Biden's first State of the Union address to Congress is on March 1. In the next few weeks, Congressional Democrats will work to pass his Build Back Better bill, which would bolster investment in social programs, climate policy, and voting-rights legislation.
Tennessee Conservation Education Day on March 2nd (Training on March 1st). Conservation Education Day is a lobby day in Nashville jointly sponsored by the Sierra Club, Tennessee Conservation Voters, Tennessee Environmental Council, Harpeth River Conservancy, and Tennessee Interfaith Power and Light. We will meet with our legislative representatives in their Nashville offices in the Cordell Hull Building to communicate our interests in bills before the House and Senate. We will have a training session at 6:00 PM on Tues. March 1, covering our issues and how to lobby your representatives. Join our new Facebook group, Tennessee Conservation Education Day , to keep up with activities and contact Bill Moll for more info at whmoll@aol.com.
UTLibrariesWilma Dykeman Stokely Lecture: Kathleen Dean Moore in conversation with WOUT journalist Chrissy Keuper on March 3rd. “Kathleen Dean Moore is a writer, moral philosopher, and environmental thought-leader, devoted to the defense of the lovely, reeling world. Moore published two books in Spring 2021. Earth's Wild Music: Celebrating and Defending the Songs of the Natural World is a love song to a vanishing world of birdsong, wolf call, and whale bellow. Bearing Witness: The Human-Rights Impacts of Fracking and Climate Change is a devastating indictment of fracking. For many years, Moore was a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Oregon State University. But her sense of the moral urgency of climate action led her to leave the university for a full-time career as a writer and public speaker.” Register here for virtual event on Thurs. March 3 at 7:00 PM ET.
HOD Colloquium Series 2022: Homelessness, Housing & Environmental Justice. "Homelessness can be seen as an urgent case of environmental injustice. How have scholars examined the intersections of environmental justice, homelessness, and housing security?" Join panelists Eric Bonds, MyDzung Chu & Jennifer Mokos as they discuss the connections between these issues. Friday March 4th, 12:00-1:30 PM CT. Visit the link here to join the virtual event sponsored by Vanderbilt University.
HBG Program: Pioneering a Continental-Scale Ecological Library, by Margaret Cumberland, NEON Field Ecologist. Margaret Cumberland is a Field Ecologist for the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) Program operating out of Domain 07’s field office in Oak Ridge, TN. The area in Domain 07 covers East Tennessee and SW Virginia. Cumberland will provide a brief overview of NEON, discuss how NEON operates in our region, and provide personal anecdotes and interesting findings over Domain 07’s seven years of sampling. Tues. March 8, 2022, 7:00-8:30 PM ET. Virtual event- Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link.
Great Smokies Eco-Adventure. "Experience the Smokies like never before! DLiA is partnering with A Walk in the Woods to bring you this exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure that will include guided hikes and nature walks, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, great local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies." Registration closes on March 15!Visit the website to sign up.
Special Features
Dear Eartha: Advice from an Eco-Guru
Dear Eartha, You seem to be a believer in activism. During this prolonged pandemic, which California is now calling an Endemic, my friends and I feel more, not less, stressed out and introverted. I want to be proactive and positive, but feel mostly overwhelmed, worn out, and rather lost, if truth be told. What’s your advice for the would-be activist stuck in this hallway between boosted and unmasked entirely? —Looking for Answers
Dear Looking, What a great ask! I, too, feel a need for some liberation during this dreary winter of our discontent. Where’s Shakespeare when you need him? “Dive, thoughts, down to my soul,” wrote the Bard. And so, let’s look within.
There are many ways to change the planet besides marching in the street. To be an activist, I say, is to follow your soul’s clues. Where does the pleasure of the planet saver lean? When overwhelmed, stressed, and lost, look within, and listen. Here are some of my suggestions from experience:
Start plotting and planning your garden, for spring is almost upon us. Growing our own food and flowers, tending the earth, smelling the rich fragrance of loam, hands in the dirt is honoring Mother Earth – and making beauty for those passersby who may not have the time or means to plant.
Compost. If you have a bit of earth, or access to an urban business such as Compost Nashville or New Terra Compost in Chattanooga, begin saving your organic garbage. Composting reduces food waste that would otherwise bloat landfills, plus it creates soil for better gardens.
Get involved with your local Sierra Club. Attend webinars, read, and educate yourself. Share what you learn. Activism starts with information which becomes knowledge and wisdom– and sometimes change!
Make art. It could be art that educates your neighbors and community about the planet and her plight. Or it could just bring beauty into our daily existence, like homemade cards to loved ones! Since we are all artists to some degree, we can use creativity to reduce stress, anger, and fear. Subscribing to “Draw Together with Wendy Mac” is my current fun art adventure.
Read science fiction writers who describe the planet as a sacred, ancient place worth loving, knowing, and saving. I’m currently reading Shaman by Kim Stanley Robinson and am immersed in a connection to the earth and her majesty in ways that change my daily experience and pleasure in nature’s grandeur.
Host a jam-making event in your kitchen, then sell the jam as a fundraiser for your local environmental or city group, such as Trees Knoxville, whose mission is to grow their urban tree canopy.
Be with people, now more than ever, and talk about new innovations, electric vehicles, great books and podcasts, a world without war, and net-zero carbon emissions.
If you have extra funds, donate to organizations working to educate those in power and change bad policies. Build alliances across organizations.
Think globally and act locally. This is perhaps the best way to save the planet, one city council meeting at a time. Do not hesitate to contact your local councilperson, state legislator, or US representative and senators. Dismiss that niggling voice that erroneously convinces you that your one email, letter, phone call, or appearance can’t possibly matter. It matters. You matter. Show up in any way that you can.
Finally, take a hike or a kayak stroll into the quiet peace of nature’s center. Visit one of our many local and state parks. Usually such a trip is free and will soothe that restless knob of disquiet and discontent.
All things pass, dear Looking, and this pandemic endemic time will too. Be at peace. Breathe. Be. Actively de-activate to activate again…and again!
Yours in the non-struggle, 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:
Halberd-leaved Violet (Viola hastata)
Viola hastata in bloom in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo credit: Will Kuhn, Director of Science, Discover Life in America.
The Halberd-leaved violet is a perennial wildflower that is native to the eastern US and grows well in woodland conditions.
The word 'halberd' refers to an ancient sword. So the common name 'Halberd-leaved violet' references the sword-shaped, variegated leaves. It's sometimes called the Spearleaf violet for the same reason. It is said that no two leaves are exactly alike.
Its yellow flowers bloom from March-May. Each bloom has 5 petals with purplish nectar lines on the lower petal. It has a purple tinge on the backside.
Halberd-leaved violet makes good groundcover and attracts a variety of pollinators.
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. 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.
