OUR NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in the
Environmental Science, Policy, and Management Program and is currently an associate lecturer in the Environmental Studies Program at UWL. She has lived and conducted research in Wrangell-St.Elias Park for the last decade. This area was and is home to the
Ahtna, Upper Tanana, Eyak, and Tlingit people. US Army exploration and mapping of the area which identified gold and copper deposits led to a mining rush that lasted for nearly forty years. In 1971, passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act led to a study of future use of the area. President Jimmy Carter declared the area a National Monument
in 1978 and in 1980, it became the largest national park in the country.
The meeting will also include updates on recent state and local Sierra Club activities and refreshments. Everyone is welcome to attend. You need not be a Sierra Club member.
THIRD ANNUAL CLIMATE ACTION FESTIVAL
WHO: Those who want to fight climate change
WHEN: Saturday, March 3
WHERE: First Congregational Church, Losey & Main
Hosted by Coulee Region Climate Alliance, the Third Annual Climate Action Festival will give you hands on immediate ways you can reduce your carbon footprint while learning how local groups are working to make positive changes to lifestyles, transportation, food, waste, and advocacy. Groups include Coulee Region Sierra Club, Hillview Urban Agricultural Center, Full Circle Supply, and the Bike Federation of Wisconsin. Each organization will have information and suggested actions available.
Workshops, beginning at 1:30, will include information about sustainable landscaping, the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 program, living sustainably, alternate transportation options, and easy DIY home weatherization. Light refreshments will also be available.
The event is FREE and open to all. There will also be a drawing for prizes - including the books Drawdown and Climate Changed. For more information: tinyurl.com/LAXCAF2018 or tinyurl.com/laxcaf2018nofb .
Coulee Region Group board member Avery Van Gaard kicked off the remarks with a reminder that we are facing an increasingly dire future if greenhouse gas emissions are not cut drastically. Noting that emissions are highest from the US transportation sector, Avery tied current strong standards to important climate efforts. She also mentioned John Muir Chapter and Coulee Region group work on transportation equity issues. While everyone saves money with strong standards, the effects are greater for low- and middle-income families.
Sustainable La Crosse Commission chair Mike Giese and La Crosse County Health Department director Jen Rombalski talked about the economic and health impacts of clean car standards.
Mayor Tim Kabat, who recently joined hundreds of other United States mayors calling on Donald Trump to keep the national Clean Power Plan, discussed the effects La Crosse and its citizens are seeing from global warming including flooding and infrastructure damages.
Environmental Education Grants: Thanks to an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation to the Coulee Region Sierra Club, we are able to offer environmental education grants to Coulee Region educators. For 2018, two programs have been chosen to receive funds: the Sparta School Forest and the St. Rose Catholic School in Cuba City. We look forward to reading about their school projects in the fall. Grant applications are usually available early in December for the following spring term with information districuted through the CESA office and Coulee Region Sierra Club online sites.
Coulee Region Teams: CRSC members have started two specific teams to work on issues of particular interest in our area. The Ready for 100 Team will work on supporting La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat in his Ready for 100 commitment to transition the city from fossil fuels to renewable energy by a specific date and provide support, resources, and guidance for other Coulee Region group members wishing to encourage their community to sign the R4100 pledge.
The Coulee Region group Water Team connects with the John Muir Chapter team on water quality issues including Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and other pollution issues that threaten the health and welfare of citizens and wildlife.
If you would like to join either group, please email us at crsierraclub at gmail dot com.
Local Energy Future conference on March 2 in Dodgeville: On Friday, March 2, several groups, including the Coulee Region Sierra Club, will sponsor a conference about working toward a local energy future. The Dodgeville event begins at 1 p.m. and includes workshops, panel discussions, networking and education about local solutions to meet energy needs, flaws in the high voltage power line permitting process, and environmental and health impacts of transmission expansion. Programming will allow utility customers to understand utilities’ capital expansion emphasis that competes with cheaper, more sustainable solutions. The conference is scheduled to allow lawmakers to attend.Please contact your state representatives and ask them to attend or view the event as it is live streamed. For a flyer and detailed schedule, please visit http://tinyurl.com/stopchc32conf
Frances Moore Lappe in La Crosse March 5: On Monday evening, March 5, Frances Moore Lappe will speak at Viterbo University’s Fine Arts Center. Sponsored by La Crosse United to Amend, Lappe will speak about “Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning, and
Connection for the America We Want.” This event is free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception and book signing in the lobby. More details may be found at http://tinyurl.com/fmlinlax3518
Resources for Sustainability: Businesses, non profits, adnd individuals wishing to reduce their carbon footprints may find help from local and state organizations.
March 7 is the deadline for the MPower program sponsored by the Sustainability Institute. at Western Technical College. The MPower program guides and supports businesses in assessing their current practices and making changes that save money and energy. For more details, see http://sustaininstitute.com/mpower/
The Solar for Good program, sponsored by RENEW Wisconsin provides advice, support, partnerships, and grants for non-profits and faith communities who want to install solar panels on their facilities. More details at https://www.renewwisconsin.org/solarforgood/
Focus on Energy provides rebates and free stuff for residential households in participating utilities’ territories. Homeowners may, for example, order $40 worth of free energy saving items. Find more at https://focusonenergy.com/residential
UW-Extension has published the Solar Energy Financing Guide for Municipalities, Tribal Governments, Schools and ohers. Read it at http://erc.cals.wisc.edu/wp-content/blogs.dir/14/files/2017/04/SolarEnergyFinancing.pdf
Use Google’s Project Sunroof site (google.com/get/sunroof) to check your address for solar potential. You may also enter a zip code to see how much solar power is sitting untapped right in the middle of your community and work with us to encourage local leaders to tap it!
VOTE! On Tuesday, April 3, Wisconsin voters will choose a new Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. This is a very important election for those concerned about everything from industrial agriculture to air and water quality to wetlands protection to motorized vehicles on state park trails.
In many Wisconsin municipalities, the “absentee in person” option allows voters to cast absentee ballots in their clerk’s office beginning Monday, March 19 This is useful for those who have a heavy schedule or may find it hard to travel to their polling place on election day. Contact your municipal clerk for details and hours.
You may register or update registration online (or start the process) up to 20 days before an election. You may register in your clerk’s office most other times and at the polls on election day. More details about registration, voting, clerk’s hours, absentee in person voting and more may be found at myvote.wi.gov.
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