HBG February Program

What: Tennessee’s Woodlands: Restoring a Lost World, by Katherine Medlock, The Nature Conservancy

When: Tuesday, Feb 11, 2020 @ 7 PM

Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville TN

When Francis Baily traveled through the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee in 1796, he wrote, “It is a fine large plain, or natural meadow, containing many hundred of acres, and covered throughout its whole extent with a tall, rich grass, surrounded on every side by neighboring mountains”. Today, forests in Tennessee are vastly different than those encountered by Baily.  But not just in the ways that most might think. We are just beginning to understand the role of historic woodlands and grasslands, where trees were sparse and instead prairie grasses and wildflowers thrived in the sun.  These habitats were maintained by frequent fires that pruned back all but the most fire-tolerant tree species.   Due to fire suppression over the past century, our fire-adapted forests such as shortleaf pine-oak forests are missing fire, which was the defining key ecosystem driver that profoundly shaped these habitats.  The scale of impact is staggering.  Of the 14 million acres of forest in Tennessee, science predicts that approximately 9 million acres (64%) of these forests are adapted to fire, with fire expected to occur every 1 to 15 years.  However, there are reasons to be optimistic.  Hope lies within the emerging potential to restore tens of thousands of acres of fire-adapted forests.  The talk will focus on recent and ongoing work by The Nature Conservancy to utilize science and partnership to restore Tennessee’s woodlands.



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HBG Outings

Sat 1/18/20  Day Hike. Middle Creek and Slave Falls Loops, Big South Fork NRRA.


Hiking the Big South Fork in winter (hopefully, we'll have some snow!)

Sat 2/1/20  Day Hike. Spruce Flats Falls-Lumber Ridge, GSMNP.

Sat 2/22/20    Day Hike. Pogue Creek Canyon Shuttle Hike.

Hikers in the Pogue Creek Canyon

check the HBG outings page for future events.

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Newsflash

** Note to readers: A democracy with informed citizens requires the professionalism that we have historically expected of credible news sources. Most “local" newspapers today are asking folks who access their online news stories to purchase a subscription to their paper. This is understandable generally, and reminds us that we should do our part to pay for the resources that result in publication of local news. Those of us who use summaries of published print news, as we do, are no exception, and we ask the same of our readers. However, we also believe that a person who only wants to see an occasional article published in a newspaper should not be required to subscribe. So if you believe that you are in the latter category - only an occasional reader, you may be able to read an article without a subscription if you "browse anonymously" or clear your browser cache before activating a link to an article. This may help you avoid many "pay walls" at these news sources (some sources restrict access even with anonymous settings). Another approach is to search for alternate source on the particular news item. But we recommend that our readers who find themselves accessing an online news source on a regular basis subscribe to an online version of the paper, which is generally much cheaper than a  than a print version.

Alexander gets more pressure from TDEC over cutting grants for TDEC activities in Oak Ridge. "The letter, sent Nov. 5, criticized the 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which Alexander sponsored. The bill is currently on the Senate Legislative Calendar, according to the website https://congress.gov. 'The appropriations language from Sept. 12, 2019 puts the state’s ability to perform its role, the rate of clean-up progress and our mission in Oak Ridge at risk,' Salyers wrote to Alexander.” Dec 13 article by Ben Pounds in the OAKRIDGER.

Environmental group predicts stiff increases in TVA rates over coming years. Specifically, the study by Synapse Energy Economics focuses on TVA’s biggest customer, Memphis, Light, Gas and Water, predicting cost increases out to the year 2031. Coal ash cleanup, at an estimated $2.4 billion, is a factor. Dec 13 article by Dave Flessner in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
 
"What Will It Take to Clean Up the Electric Grid?" The article uses the Energy Policy Simulator to analyze options, and discusses requirements and obstacles to achieving a goal of cleaning up the U.S. electricity grid by 2030. Dec 16 opinion "overview" piece by Justin Gillis and Sonia Aggarwal, in the New York Times.

Another opinion that TVA's Long-term contracts may inhibit use of renewable energy. TVA appears to be "resting" on its historical reliance on hydro and nuclear as a justification for soft-pedaling renewables in its long-term plans. See the Dec 16 article by James Bruggers in Inside Climate News.

"Goldman Sachs Announces It Will Stop Financing Arctic Oil." "On Monday, Goldman Sachs announced that it will not finance new oil drilling or exploration projects in the Arctic, becoming the first US bank to make such a commitment. The bank’s revised environmental policy framework, which was made public Sunday, also includes a ban on financing for new thermal coal mines worldwide.” Environmental groups have successfully espoused such policies among a number of banks. Dec 16, by Chloe Zilliac in Sierra Magazine.

Trump Administration backs off of pre-Trump proposed ban on dangerous pesticide. "Tons of the pesticide are still being sprayed across millions of acres of United States farmland every year, nearly five years after the Environmental Protection Agency determined that it should be banned.”  Dec 17 opinion piece by New York Times Editorial Board.
Read the related article Jan 3 article by Nadia Ramlagan in Public News Service on criticism of EPA pesticides policy.

For an extensive summary of Trump’s record on climate change, see the Dec 19 Inside Climate News piece, by Stacy Feldman and Marianne Lavelle.

In case you hadn’t noticed - it’s official: 2019 was the last year of the Earth’s warmest decade since records have been kept. Read the Dec 19 piece by Bob Berwyn, in Inside Climate News.

Surprise (NOT), another major industry group included among Climate Deniers. This time, it’s the freight railroad business, dominated by BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, and CSX. "A team at Brown University has found that over the past 30 years, BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, and CSX have given a collective $28 million to a number of pro-coal political groups working to deny climate science." Robinson Meyer wrote this Dec 13 piece for The Atlantic.

Memorial to the Kingston coal ash cleanup workers — with 44 who have died and hundreds who have serious health issues since the 2008 disaster. Read the Dec 23 WATE news report.

Activists memorializing the loss of 44 workers in the 2008 Kingston coal ash spill.

Read the related Dec 24 piece by Jamie Satterfiled in Knoxville News Sentinel.

Also related, a Dec 22 article by Tatiana Schlossberg at bloomberg.com on EPA's "under-regulated" response to the coal ash waste issue. The subtitle is: "Eleven years after one of its worst disasters, the coal industry still hasn’t cleaned up its act."

"Dirty Air and Water Is Killing US."  A new study by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution finds that pollution accounted for some 8 million of the world's deaths in 2017 (15 percent of total deaths). Climate change is exacerbating the problems of pollution. The Dec 31 article by Michelle Chen in The Progressive contains an overview of major findings.

Related item about emissions testing of Tennessee vehicles. Jan 9, by Lola Motley, in the Tennessean.

Read the full 54-page report at “Pollution and Health Metrics,"

Vanderbilt University leads by eliminating the use of all single-use plastic water and soda bottles on campus, including in dining facilities and vending machines. Dec 31 article by Steve Cohen in the Commercial Appeal.

"The Democracy Rebellion: A Reporter's Notebook with Hedrick Smith." Check out this PBS program online from Nashville Public Radio: "Journalist Hedrick Smith travels the country looking for positive stories of democratic reform and finds them in six states where grassroots activists are fighting to equal the playing field.” Aired on Jan 6, available online.

Reversing the "Insect Apocalypse.” Pesticides, fertilizers and air pollution have take a toll - it’s time to reverse course. Jan 6 article by Patrick Greenfield in The Guardian.

Trump would exclude climate change considerations in infrastructure projects. Additionally, administration proposals would also narrow the range of projects that require environmental review. Jan 3 article by Lisa Friedman, in the New York Times.

Coal isn't the only culprit: US Fracking Boom will yield  30% Rise in Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2025. "Planet-heating pollution from the U.S. oil, gas, and petrochemical industries could rise about 30% by 2025 compared with 2018 because of additional drilling and 157 new or expanded projects "fueled by the fracking boom," an environmental watchdog group warned Wednesday." Jan 8 article by Jessica Corbett, for Common Dreams.

The Largest Coal Ash Cleanup in America. The Southern Environmental Law Center wins one for North Carolina (and it’s repercussions will be likely felt in other states). 80 million tons of coal ash to be excavated. Read the Jan 2 Water Keeper Alliance press release.

Unlined coal ash sites in Tennessee (circled in yellow). For a “zoomable” map, see the link in the note below.

See if you’re near a coal ash contamination site. According to industry’s own data, more than 95% of the coal ash ponds in the United States are unlined. Some of these are in Tennessee. Visit the online Earth Justice map.

A treasure to the people of Plains (Georgia). Jimmy Carter's contribution to a "green" future for his home town of Plains, GA.
Article on the Hearty Soul Health Network website.

Just how and how much has EPA enforcement declined under Trump? "There have been steep drops in civil and criminal enforcement, and across environmental programs under major environmental laws like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and in nearly all regions of the U.S."  Also, ". . . under the Trump administration is that under the guise of cooperative federalism, staff are getting the message from management to leave states alone, rather than act as strong backup to their efforts.” Jan 9, by Emily Costello in The Conversation.

Read about other local events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.

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Please vote in Tennessee statewide elections!

Tennessee Statewide election dates
March 3, 2020: Presidential Primary
August 6, 2020: Primary
November 3, 2020: General election

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.  
Are you registered to vote in the spring 2020 primary and general elections? Are your friends and Relatives? If not you/they can do it online at  https://ovr.govote.tn.gov.

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UT News and Events

What Dung Beetles Tell Us About Climate Change. Kimberly Sheldon, assistant professor in the UT Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will kick off the spring 2020 Science Forum lecture series with “What Dung Beetles Tell Us About Climate Change” Friday, January 24. Click here for more information. 

UT promotes environmental protection and sustainability:

• The UT Recycling Free Store - a community-based resource meant to help UT students reduce their environmental impact and save money.
• UT Knoxville was recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in April 2018.
• A 2030 goal to convert UT into a Zero Waste institution by diverting at least 90% of all waste from the landfill through reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting practices.
• My Tiny Trash in offices to promote waste awareness, encourage environmental stewardship, increase recycling rates, and decrease landfill waste on campus. Traditional trashcans are replaced with three-quart Tiny Trash containers attached to a larger recycling bin.

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Other Events

Knox Climate Actions has the latest information and events related to climate activism.

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HBG/Chapter Events

The Harvey Broome group held its annual planning meeting on Saturday, January 12 at the home of Will Skelton.

From left to right: Jan Berry, Tom Ponder, Joan Tomlinson, Bob Perlack, Joanne Logan, Will Skelton, Alice Thornton, Axel Ringer, Jerry Thornton, Kent Minault, Ron Shrieves, Todd Waterman.

The Chapter needs volunteers for Conservation Education Day (CED) Conservation Education Day (CED) is your chance to join other environmentalists in meeting with your state legislators in Nashville face to face to promote the passage of bills which protect our water, air and lands, and to block those which would do it harm. There will be lobbying training and “ask” education in Nashville on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 18th, plus information and discussion on Sierra Club listservs about pending relevant bills. Meetings will be held Wed. Feb. 19th between 8 am and 4 pm, and we will try to schedule them to fit your travel schedule. For more information, or to help organize Conservation Education Day, contact Bill Moll at whmoll@aol.com or (404) 401-7899.

January 24th through 26th
Cedars of Lebanon State Park

Winter retreat

Fri, Jan 24, 2020  4:00 PM  (Local Time) - Sun, Jan 26, 2020  2:00 PM  (Local Time)

Join the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club as we host the Winter Retreat. Meet old friends or make new ones. Sierra members and their friends from around the state will be there. Please come and share the experience. Bring your friends.

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Can't donate now? Sign up for Kroger Community Rewards. Kroger donates a portion of what you spend to the Harvey Broome Group as long as you designate HBG as your preferred charity.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Kroger Community Rewards web page
2. Register (or Sign In if you already have an account.)
3. Enroll in Community Rewards (or Edit if you're already enrolled.)
4. Enter HBG's Community Rewards Number 27874.

That's it. Swipe your Kroger Card when you shop and know that you're helping protect your environment.

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Who We Are