Big Hit for
Lighten UP!
On the evening
of August 7,
Charlotte Sierra
Club sponsored
an event
designed to
garner support
and educate
people about the
city's new light
rail system. A
large crowd in
excess of 175
people braved
100 degree heat
and turned out
to tour one of
the new LYNX
trains,
graciously
provided to
Sierra by
Charlotte Area
Transit. An
automated
ticketing
machine was also
demonstrated.
The Sierra &
Wine event was
open to the
community and
Sierra members.
People attending
included
Charlotte
Observer Editor
Ed Williams and
former County
Commission
Chair, Tom Cox,
Catawba Center
for the
Environment
Director John
Wear, Queens
College
Environmental
Sciences Chair,
Reed Perkins,
and Sierra
Regional
Director, Glen
Besa. Prior to
the event, BEC
organizer,
Chatham Olive
promoted it via
an interview
broadcast hourly
on Charlotte's
News 14.
See all the
photos from
Lighten UP! in
Our Gallery.
Family Cook-Out
Fun
A big crowd
turned out for
our local food
cook-out to
close out July.
Grass fed
burgers, fresh
tomatoes, salads
by Mary Lou,
soups by
Beverly, deviled
eggs deluxe, and
kids, kids, kids
made for good
fun at Freedom
Park. A special
highlight was
devised by Meg
Houlihan who
gave each child
a Ralph Lauren
paint chip along
with a request
to find
something
natural that
matched the
color. "One
little girl had
a sage colored
chip and she
found a lichen
for a perfect
match," said Meg
who closed out
the evening with
a presentation
on the
importance of
getting kids out
of doors to
spend quality
time in nature.
Want to see
photos of the
picnic?
Visit our
Gallery and
view the "Family
Cookout" album.
|
Cool City
Score Board: US Cities:
500+ Charlotte: 0 |
At their May
29th meeting,
Charlotte's City
Council voted
unanimously to
implement the
Green House Gas
Reduction
Resolution that
the Council's
Environment
Committee had
crafted. This is
a good first
step toward
addressing GHG
emissions in
Charlotte.
While this
resolution does
commit the City
to undertake a
greenhouse gas
inventory, it
fails to set any
reduction target
or timeline for
achieving the
reduction and
therefore fails
to qualify the
City of
Charlotte for
Sierra Club's
"Cool City"
status.
We had hoped
that Council
would also vote
to join more
than 500 other
cities by
endorsing the US
Mayors Climate
Protection
Agreement. This
motion was
narrowly
defeated 6 to 5.
Council members
who voted
against were:
Don Lochman
Pat Mumford
Andy Dulin
John Lassiter
Patsy Kinsey
Michael Barnes
Many and sincere
thanks to all
Sierra members
and friends for
your ongoing
efforts to
inform and
educate our
elected
officials on the
facts of global
warming and the
critical
importance of
reducing green
house gasses.
While Council's
vote fell short
of the Cool
Cities goal, the
Resolution they
adopted is a
step in the
right direction.
With your help
our Sierra Club
will continue to
lead on this
vital issue and
we will keep you
informed as to
progress.
To see the
Charlotte
Observer's
article,
click here.
To review the
Video, hear our
supporters
speak, and see
Council's
discussion,
click here.
Under
Archived Videos
choose May
29th video
then jump to
Agenda item #
11, "Greenhouse
gas resolution."
The full clip
runs
approximately 45
minutes.
PUMP EM UP at
UNCC
Americans waste
4 million
gallons of gas
every day with
under inflated
tires. Are your
tires inflated
to proper
pressure? Is
your gas cap
working
properly? Be
sure to head out
to UNCC for the
Pump Em Up
Event.
When: Thursday
June 7th from
11:00-5:30
Where: Parking
Lot 23 by Duke
Centennial Hall
off Highway 29.
What: Free tire
pressure and gas
cap check. And a
FREE tire gage
for taking part.
National Trails
Day at Jesse
Brown's
Join our local
American Hiking
Society
Ambassador Bill
Gupton to learn
the latest about
day hiking
techniques,
hiking resources
and trail
conservation.
Info on local
greenways, day
hiking trails
and several long
distance trails,
including the
Appalachian
Trail and the
new Great
Eastern Trail.
Free "Day hike
Check List" and
other
literature.
When: Saturday,
June 16
from10:00-2:00
Where: Jesse
Brown's Outdoors
Sharon Corners
4732 Sharon Rd.
Charlotte 28210
What: National
Trails Day
Program
Volunteers
Needed: Sierra
will be tabling
at this event.
Join us to help
spread the word
about our great
Sierra Club
Outings. Call
Chatham at
704.374.1125 to
sign-up.
Kids's Day & the
Great American Campout Event
Sierra Club is
partnering with Mecklenburg Parks and Rec and the US
National Whitewater Center for this great ALL DAY family
event at the Whitewater Center. There are lots of
activities scheduled but you must sign up to participate
because space is
limited. To do this see the flyer below.
Volunteers
Needed: Sierra will be tabling at this event. Join us to
help spread the word about our great Sierra Club. Call
Chatham 704.374.1125 to sign-up.
When: Saturday,
June 23 from 9:00 on.
Where: US
National Whitewater Center (and no, it's not that hard
to find!) For directions, please visit:
http://www.usnwc.org/directions.asp
Click here to
view the Flyer
|
April 2007
Renstrom & Cox
Win
We are pleased
to report that
Charlotte's Lisa
Renstrom has
been re-elected
to Sierra Club's
National Board
of Directors. In
addition, Robbie
Cox, a former
Club President
has been elected
as well, giving
both Charlotte
and North
Carolina a
strong national
presence within
the Club. For
biographies on
these two
winners check
out our popular
State Chapter
blog.
You Can make
a Big
Difference!
It's time for
the NC Chapter's
Annual Appeal.
Remember that
all donations
stay right here
in NC for work
on NC issues.
Donate to the
North Carolina
Sierra Club
today . . .
2007 presents
the best
opportunity in a
generation to
craft a clean,
affordable
energy future
for North
Carolina - with
your help. Your
financial
investment in
the North
Carolina Sierra
Club's work
today will
provide the
additional and
critical
resources we
need to maximize
this time of
opportunity!
To learn more
please visit :
http://nc.sierraclub.org/contribute.asp
March 2006
 On March 7 and 8th, volunteers in Asheville and
Charlotte were treated to an amazing performance by
the veteran activist blues singer Bonnie Raitt in
exchange for tabling and talking to concert-goers
about the environment.
Boy, was it something to talk about:
When the Charlotte Sierra Club office was
contacted about finding volunteers, Conservation
Organizer Christa Wagner was happy to oblige, but
wondered if Ms.Raitt wouldn't also be willing to
acknowledge the Sierra Club from the stage?
We’re delighted (actually, star-struck is more
accurate) to report that Bonnie commended the Sierra
Club for our fight against the North Shore Road at
BOTH her concerts, explaining that she saw no need
in tearing up wilderness with a road.
Enthusiastic folks lined up before and after the
show to sign comment cards, bringing in
approximately 250 comments at both venues combined.
Special thanks to Western North Carolina Alliance
for their help.
You can still submit a comment before APRIL 1st.
Go to
http://www.northshoreroad.info/
|
