Due to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic situation, we are sensitive to our constituents during this challenging crisis…
Read more about reopening guidelines here.
Sierra Club COVID Info Hub.
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HBG and Chapter Meetings and Events
HBG ExCom meetings: In-person at Church of the Savior, 934 N Weisgarber Rd, Knoxville, TN 37909 (with Zoom option)
HBG Program meetings: In-person at Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919 (with Zoom option)
Tennessee Chapter ExCom Business meetings: Online (via Zoom)
November 2022 HBG Program
What: Bike- and Pedestrian-Friendly Driver Training by Zoe Scott, Advocacy Coordinator & Lindsey Kimble, Executive Director, Bike Walk Knoxville
When: Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville TN and virtual via Zoom.
Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link to get the Zoom link.
Bike Walk Knoxville is a non-profit that works to make the Knoxville region a better place to bike and walk for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Biking and walking are physical activities that can help control weight and reduce health risks. They also do not release greenhouse gasses, helping to lower carbon emissions.
Zoe and Lindsey will host an active hands-on training for vehicle drivers sharing the road with cyclists and pedestrians. The following items will be covered:
- Who walks? Who rides? Who rolls?
- Safety Features - Car vs. Bike vs. Pedestrian
- Legal or Not
- Sharing the Road
- Taking the Lane
- Infrastructure
- Common Collisions
- How to Be a Bike- and Pedestrian-Friendly Driver
Join us and learn how to make Knoxville safe for pedestrians and cyclists and improve air quality. This training will last about 70 minutes and has a pre- and post-survey for all in-person participants. The surveys will not be available for those on Zoom, so if you want to participate in that portion you are encouraged to attend at TVUUC.
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HBG and Local Issues & Business
Vote for TN Chapter and Harvey Broome Group Executive Committees
The November/December issue of the Tennes-Sierran newspaper includes the ballot for Tennessee Chapter and Harvey Broome Group Executive Committee 2023-24 members. Six candidates are up for the HBG election, including three incumbents and three new candidates. Please vote!
Tennessee General Assembly Election Endorsements
Adapted by Todd Waterman from a digitally-restored WWI Army recruiting poster by James Montgomery Flagg.
The Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club has endorsed four candidates for State House districts in the HBG area. Visit our endorsements webpage for more information. Election day is Tuesday, November 8th, and early voting is underway! Find your polling place, sample ballots and more at https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn
Love Hiking? Become an Outings Leader!
HBG will be conducting an Outings Leader Training (OLT) course on Sunday afternoon, Dec 11, 2022. It is one of two formal requirements for becoming an outings leader in the Sierra Club. The other requirement is to complete a Basic First Aid/CPR course conducted by local Red Cross and other agencies. The OLT course is free, and taught by Mac Post and Ron Shrieves. The First Aid course has a cost of $50 - $100, but Harvey Broome Group will pay part of that. Contact Mac (mpost3116@gmail.com) or Ron ( ronshrieves@gmail.com) for more information.
Save the Date: HBG's 50th Anniversary Celebration
What: Harvey Broome Group to Celebrate Its 50th Anniversary
When: Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 5:30 - 9:00 PM
Where: Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike, Knoxville TN and virtual via Zoom.
Please RSVP through this Campfire Event Link to get the Zoom link.
Please mark your calendar and plan to join the HBG Executive Committee in celebrating 50 years as a formal group of the Sierra Club! We will gather at 5:30pm in the Fellowship Hall at TVUUC for some socializing, followed by a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm. The potluck will be supplemented by some BBQ and a Vegan dish or two. Plan to bring your favorite dish or dessert to share!
There will be a continuous slide show of scenes from HBG outings, social events, political rallies, and other gatherings during the last 50 years, and a printed history of the HBG will be available. After dinner, we will be entertained with music by Maggie Longmire and friends, followed by short presentations by several long-time members of HBG about past adventures, successes, and failures. We will also do some speculation about the next 50 years of the HBG, and Maggie will sing us off into the night.
Because the size of our space is limited, attendance will be limited to 80 people, so if you want to attend this event, please sign up on Campfire and drop an email to Jerry Thornton (gatwildcat@aol.com) so we can keep track of who is planning to come. Please also let Jerry know what potluck dish, salad, or dessert you plan to bring, or ask what kind of food is still needed.
We hope to fill the Fellowship Hall on December 13th and make it a night for remembrance and a night to remember…and to look to the next 50 years of the Harvey Broome Group!
Federally Funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
This federal program provides federally funded assistance in managing costs associated with: home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and energy-related minor home repairs.
Read about other local events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.
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Events and Actions
Clean Up TVA Petition – Tell Senator Schumer and Senate EPW Committee: We Need ALL TVA Board Nominees Confirmed ASAP!
“Unless the Senate takes action soon, our nation's largest federal utility will only have three directors on its nine member board. This could leave the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity to more than ten million people, lacking the oversight of a functioning board.
“President Biden and Congress play an important role in ensuring TVA is regulated by the board. Since April of last year, President Biden has named 6 new board members – 5 of which have since moved out of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) committee. However, Beth Geer - perhaps one of the strongest nominees on climate and clean energy - remains in committee. Without her, the TVA board may not have the votes to meaningfully address issues facing TVA ratepayers, from high energy burdens, volatile prices, and even the buildout of new fossil fuel infrastructure that threaten their health and safety.
“We are quickly running out of time to confirm new board members who can put TVA back on track and stand up for the people of the Tennessee Valley. Join us in urging Majority Leader Schumer and the Senate EPW committee to immediately confirm the full slate of new TVA board members.”
Submit your comment here
Help Inform Development of the First Version of the Environmental Justice Scorecard for the Federal Government
After hearing from environmental justice leaders, community-based organizations, allied groups, and members of the public from across the country, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have extended the public comment period on the first version of the Environmental Justice Scorecard. The current 60-day public comment period will be extended for 30 days from October 3, 2022 until November 3, 2022. A notice of this extension will appear in the Federal Register.
The public can continue to submit comments on the vision, framework, and outcomes of the Environmental Justice Scorecard until Thursday, November 3, 2022.
Submit your comment here
An Afternoon on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture
Friday, November 4th
1 PM
Toyota Auditorium at the University of Tennessee
1640 Cumberland Ave, Knoxville, TN 37996
The afternoon will begin with a showing of Kiss the Ground, a full-length documentary, narrated by Woody Harrelson, that sheds light on a “new, old approach” to farming called regenerative agriculture, a practice with the extraordinary ability to balance our climate and feed the world.
The film will be followed up with a presentation by Finian Makepeace, co-founder and Policy Director & Lead Educator of Kiss the Ground. His dedication to Kiss the Ground’s mission of “awakening people to the possibilities of regeneration” has motivated him to develop training programs, workshops and talks designed to empower people around the world to become confident advocates for this growing moment.
Mayor Indya Kincannon will give remarks following the film and the keynote speaker. The afternoon will finish with a panel discussion with representatives from UT Agriculture, Forestry and ORNL Climate Scientists.
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Throughout the afternoon, exhibit tables will be available from Trees Knoxville, Kiss the Ground, Knox Co Master Gardeners and Beardsley Community Farm.
This event is co-sponsored with the Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment and the Howard H.Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy.
More information
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Environmental Newsflash
*** Note to readers about accessing these articles. Gift links provide a link that allows access for a single time, even if you have reached your limit.
World close to ‘irreversible’ climate breakdown, warn major studies: Key UN reports published in last two days warn urgent and collective action needed – as oil firms report astronomical profits. Damian Carrington, The Guardian, October 27.
“Collective action is needed by the world’s nations more now than at any point since the second world war to avoid climate tipping points, Prof. Johan Rockström said, but geopolitical tensions are at a high.
“Research by Rockström and colleagues, published in September, found five dangerous climate tipping points may already have been passed due to the global heating caused by humanity to date, including the collapse of Greenland’s ice cap, with another five possible with 1.5C of heating.
“Climate experts agree that every action that limits global heating reduces the suffering endured by people from climate impacts. ‘The 1.5C target is now near impossible, but every fraction of a degree will equate to massive avoided damages for generations to come,’ said Prof Dave Reay, at the University of Edinburgh, UK.
‘Röckstrom said: ‘Despite the fact that the situation is depressing and very challenging, I would strongly advise everyone to act in business or policy or society or science. The deeper we fall into the dark abyss of risk, the more we have to make efforts to climb out of that hole. It’s not as if we don’t know what to do – it’s rather that we’re not doing what is necessary.’ ”
“WASHINGTON, DC -- Fifty years ago today -- on October 18, 1972 -- Congress passed the Clean Water Act with extraordinary bipartisan support, and in the decades since, the Act has served as our most fundamental tool for protecting our nation’s waters and the communities that rely on them. Polling shows that the Clean Water Act remains one of the most popular and respected pieces of legislation in US history.
“Over the ensuing decades, corporate polluters, the industry, and their allies in Congress have disregarded this public support and have attempted to gut the Clean Water Act through anti-clean water legislation, most recently with the Supreme Court Sackett v. EPA case challenging which waters are protected under the Act. Concurrently, the Sierra Club has continued to fight to maintain and strengthen protections for our waters across the country.
“In response, Sierra Club Clean Water Director Beth Roach issued the following statement:
“ ‘Access to clean, safe, reliable water is a fundamental human right for every person in this country, regardless of where they live or the color of their skin. For the past 50 years, the Clean Water Act has provided the foundation for vast improvements in the health and well-being of our communities and the waters they rely on. Yet during that time, polluters and the industry have again and again tried to chip away and gut those protections in the name of profit, and communities -- particularly lower-income and communities of color -- continue to bear the brunt of our nation’s water pollution and water crises.’
“ ‘Water is one of our most critical resources, and the health of our communities and our climate depend on protecting and strengthening the Clean Water Act so that every person in every community has reliable access to safe, clean water. Protecting our waters should always be a national priority, and the Sierra Club is committed to continuing the fight for clean water for all.’ ”
Morgan summarizes several of the most important legal cases the Sierra Club has backed in support of the Clean Water Act and looks ahead to future fights.
“ ‘This election, we cannot take things for granted. The future of the planet is on the ballot this November. Democracy is on the ballot. Implementation of the IRA [Inflation Reduction Act], reproductive rights, the judicial branch’s independence, and judges’ appointments are all on the ballot,’ said Sierra Club President Ramon Cruz.”
“ ‘Multiple individuals expressed concerns with the deteriorated plant condition at (Bull Run) with several indicating safety concerns from the conditions,’ the [TVA Office of the Inspector General (OIG)] report stated.
“Workers were not being provided the respirators for which they had been fitted in many instances.
“Workers aren’t the only ones raising concerns about Bull Run in the run-up to the plant’s closure. Citizens who live near the plant are demanding an update from TVA and its state regulator, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, on what the utility intends to do about its leaky coal ash dumps.
"Statewide Organization for Community Empowerment organizer Adam Hughes, members of the community group Bull Run Neighbors, the Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club and the Citizens Climate Lobby have signed onto the letter [to TDEC]."
The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges [Version 2]: Utilities are trying to greenwash their dirty plans. It’s time to hold them accountable. Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign, Beyond Coal website, October 3.
Beyond Coal has updated its Dirty Truth report (below). TVA scores near the bottom: under “Is Your Utility Part of the Problem?,” select “Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)” from the search bar’s drop-down list.
TVA again gets an “F”, scoring just slightly above zero, putting it at or near the top of Sierra Club’s lists, “The Worst Utilities Keeping Coal Online Past 2030” and “The Worst Utilities by Planned Gas Capacity.”
“When we search for evidence of life on other planets, we look for the building blocks of life. We look for water. Without water life on Earth ceases to exist. But for some reason, we seem to overlook and take it for granted in much of America, including here in Tennessee. Our waterways provide Tennesseans with drinking water and places to boat, swim and fish.
“As of 2020, over half (55.4%) of the waterways in Tennessee were classified as impaired by the Tennessee Division of Water Resources. That is up from 32.4% only a decade earlier.
“Over half of our lakes, rivers, and streams either can’t support aquatic life or our citizens can no longer fish and/or swim in them because we have let them become so contaminated. To me, this is unacceptable, and I hope it is for you as well.”
“To talk climate change, former governors Bredesen and Haslam turned to two fellow Tennesseans: former Vice President Al Gore and Jeff Lyash, the president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the nation’s largest public utility.”
The "You Might Be Right" podcast promotes civil discourse on political issues in Tennessee.
Read about other events in Tennessee in our Chapter e-newsletters.
*** 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. You can click on the gift link, which assumes that you plan to "gift" the journal or magazine or newspaper to someone, or you can "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 print version.
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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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Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization -- with more than two million members and supporters. Our successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. More recently, we've made history by leading the charge to move away from the dirty fossil fuels that cause climate disruption and toward a clean energy economy.
The Harvey Broome Group (HBG) is one of four Sierra Club Groups within the Tennessee Chapter. HBG is based in Knoxville and serves 18 surrounding counties. HBG's namesake, Harvey Broome, was a Knoxvillian who was a founding member of the Wilderness Society and played a key role in the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Visit our website
Join HBG
Donate (click the Donate button on the HBG home page)
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