September Newsletter

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 at 7 p.m. "Sustainability Indicators for the City and County of La Crosse" with Anders Olson, Sustainability Analytics co-sponsored by UWL Environmental Studies 3314 Student Union, UWL  In 2009 the La Crosse County Board and La Crosse Common Council adopted the City of La Crosse & La Crosse County Strategic Plan for Sustainability. The plan identified several sustainability indicators which would be monitored on a regular basis including governmental energy, fuel, and water use; paper and green product purchasing; transportation; solid waste and more. Anders Olson,
Sustainability Analytics of La Crosse, will discusss the outcomes of the most recent, 2017, indicators report. (Read the report at https://tinyurl.com/17suslaxrpt). We’ll also hear updates on other Sierra Club programs. Everyone is welcome. You don’t need to be a member to attend. 

This meeting is co-sponored by UWL’s Environmental Studies Department and will be in Room 3314 of the UWL Student Union. Park RIGHT NEXT TO THE UNION in Lot 12 (Cleary Center lot - East Ave & La Crosse St) or in the ramp (levels 1-3) where you will pay 25 cents per quarter hour until 7 pm (after 7 pm no charge for short term parking). The
#4 bus stops near the union hourly (cityoflacrosse.org/mtu) and the Union is accessible by foot and bicycle. The Student Union is #35 on the campus map at www.uwlax.edu/map and you can view floor plans of the building at tinyurl.com/uwlaxfloorplans. If you need more information or directions, please email crsierraclub@gmail.com

Sierra Club Endorses Candidates  Before each election, our volunteer-powered Political
Committee evaluates candidates’ voting records and commitments to conservation. The Political Committee program may include federal, state, and local government races, as well as ballot measures, and shall be conducted in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with the Club's electoral compliance guidelines.

The John Muir Chapter has endorsed Tony Evers for Governor, Tammy Baldwin for US Senate, and six candidates for Congress including Ron Kind who currently represents the Coulee Region group district. Additionally, the Chapter has endorsed candidates in state Senate and Assembly races. The full list of endorsements is in the news release: https://tinyurl.com/18jmcendorsements

The fall election will be Tuesday, November 6, but voters in many municipalities will be able to vote absentee in person at their clerk’s office as soon as ballots are ready. In La Crosse, “early voting” will begin on Monday, October 15. More about voting, registering, finding your polling place, etc. is at https://elections.wi.gov/voters. 

September 2 - Open Streets   Join the Coulee Region Sierra Club and other local organizations and businesses at the 2nd annual Open Streets event, Sunday, September 2 from noon to 5 p.m. Several blocks of downtown streets will be closed to cars leaving space for art, music, crafts, sales, activities, food, play, dancing, yoga, demonstrations, pets, conversations, and fun. Find the CRSC table on Main Street in front of Burns Park. More details at https://tinyurl.com/18oslax

September 8 - Climate Rally   Rise for Climate is a global day of action to end the era of
fossil fuels. Join the CRSC and other local and regional organizations and leaders at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 8 in Riverside Park near the big fountain. This event is one of thouands being held around the world to demand our local leaders commit to building a fossil free world that puts people and justice before profits. No more stalling, no more delays: it’s time for a fast and fair transition to 100% renewable energy for all. Read more
about it at https://riseforclimate.org

Coulee Region Sierra Club Environmental Education Grants   Two schools received environmental education grants in January. Here are reports about what was accomplished with the grant money. Applications for 2019 grants will be available in December.
First of all, thank you so very much for the grant money, The students and I learned and visually experienced so much. The students were so excited to receive the butterfly eggs in the mail. Little did they know that was just the beginning. Soon after we transferred the eggs to the little cups with the provided food the eggs grew into fat caterpillars, the students loved to lay on the floor and watch. Soon they became boring (to the eye) larvae, but then it happened one by one - the butterflies emerged. We had 26 out of the 33 hatch. Pre-K and 7th grade students planted butterfly bushes and prepared outdoor food. Then release day came! We hope to have eggs on our plants next year to start the cycle over. Thank you, Cheri Oglesby, Pre-K Teacher St. Rose, Cuba City, WI

On May 10, 265 5th graders from Meadowview Elementary School in Sparta visited the Sparta School Forest for a day of environmental learning. Students were divided into groups and visited several learning stations throughout the day. Thank you for helping fund our transportation request to get us to this amazing outdoor learning center. Stations included: wood craft - Mr. Cook and
students use a saw buck and single-person cross cut saw to “put up” wood for the wood pile. This station is located next to the Aldo Leopold Shack—an exact replica of the one located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Students learned about Aldo, Phenology, and took part in simple wood craft. At other stations, students practiced nature crafts, drawing, and writing. Sparta High School Nature Club
participants helped lead some of the learning stations. Because of your donation, four busloads of kids made it to the woods!! Another group, Junior English, came the next day and were able to do so because of your generous gift!! As an educator and the coordinator of the Sparta School Forest, I thank you for providing our students with this wonderful opportunity! Respectfully from the woods, Joe Cook, Sustainability Coordinator Sparta Area School District  

Please help your club   We’re looking for helpers to make sure our club is connected. If you would like to help by posting about local environmental events and issues at our blog, submitting information for our monthly newsletter, please send your information to crsierraclub@gmail.com subject: NEWS. Also, please consider running for the board this fall. More details will be available in our November newsletter. Please help your club! We are also seeking someone to be our group’s
representative to the John Muir chapter executive committee. Our current rep is not able to continue because of other commitments. The executive committee works on strategic planning for the chapter and communication with the state’s groups and the national Sierra Club. Meetings are held six times per year (there’s an online option). The CR board will review applications until this volunteer position is filled. Read about current members at this link https://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/
contact. If you are interested in serving on this important committee, please email crsierraclub@gmail.com for more information or call Pat at 608 788-8831. If you would like to join the state water or transportation teams, please email for details.

Black River Canoe Camping   The July 14-15 kid-focused Black River canoe camping trip turned out to be a delightful trip, with a great group of active, adventurous kids and adults! The warm weather inspired lots of water play and swimming. We climbed a waterfall. We saw live clams, an immature eagle, a water snake, lots of frogs, butterflies and more. Oh yes, and we experienced our share of mosquitoes and flies. The water was a bit lower than desired, but we were lucky that the predicted storms never materialized.

September 11 - Foxconn Town Hall   Wisconsin Legislative Democrats are hosting a series of
Town Hall meetings around the state to discuss the economic and environmental issues arising from the state’s Foxconn deal. One of the Town Hall meetings will be held at Onalaska High School from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11. For more information, please contact the office of State Senator, Jennifer Shilling at 608 266-5490 or Sen.Shilling@legis.wi.gov.

Ready for 100   This fall, the Coulee Region Sierra Club Ready for 100 team will kick off an initiative to pass a Ready for 100 ordinance in the City of La Crosse by the end of the year. The mayor has already signed as a Ready for 100 Mayor. The City, through its partnership with the county on theLa Crosse Sustainability Commission has already acknowledged the importance of reducing our carbon footprint, and, through its 25 by 25 (see tinyurl.com/lax25x25) pledge, commited to reducing fossil fuel consumption and increasing energy derived from renewable sources. A Ready for 100 resolution, is the next logical as the full consequences of catastrophic global warming are becoming the new normal. Follow developments at cr-sierra.blogspot.com, to learn how you can
help move this important initiative forward in the coming weeks.

Chrysalis Farm Tour   Ten Coulee Region Group members experienced what it’s like to live in an earth friendly way and show a true love of the land, when they toured Marcia Halligan and Steven
Adams’ Chrysalis Farm on August 28. Marcia gave us a tour of the small organic farm she and Steven have lived on since 1985. Their beautiful and efficient house uses whole tree construction with wood and stone coming primarily from their farm. They use straw bales for insulation in walls and roof for energy efficiency, and have photovoltaic panels to generate electricity. They farmed
with horses until one of the horses died recently. With the horse gone and with floods from their fork of the Kickapoo River flooding their land more often, they’re cutting back on farming, though they still have a garden where they grow heirloom vegetables. Marcia and Steven were gracious hosts, and Marcia ended the visit by reading some excerpts from her book about life on the farm, “Hidden in the 13th Moon.” Those who carpooled from La Crosse were fortunate to be able to ride in Kathy Allen’s Chevy Bolt all-electric car. It’s a very quiet car of the future.

Solar for Good   Solar for Good, a project of RENEW Wisconsin, provides assistance and grants to non profits who install new solar systems. One 2018 recipient, Kevala Retreat in Norwalk (https://tinyurl.com/kevsol18), will host an open house on Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. to celebrate the completion of their installation which produces more than twice as much electricity as the center uses. Applications for 2019 Solar for Good grants will open on October 1. See renewwisconsin.org/solarforgood for details.





Seeking volunteer who could help produce the online-only newsletter in October and provide newsletter back up as needed. Email crsierraclub@gmail.com.