Call the Governor! Stop the I-94 expansion

TELL GOVERNOR EVERS TO STOP THE I-94 EXPANSION IN MILWAUKEE!

For more than a decade, environmental, social justice, and transportation equity groups have been fighting an expansion to I-94 in Milwaukee first proposed during the Walker administration. After years of citizen action, including a law suit, Scott Walker pulled the plug. 

Inexplicably, Governor Evers resurrected the project in 2020 and the fight is on again. Read the history of the I-94 expansion here.https://www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2020/07/stop-zombiehighway

Pushing back on the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) plans to expand the highway, a coalition of groups produced a "Fix at Six" alternative, prioritizing fixing the existing roadway, retaining the six lanes, and offering other ways to improve transportation in the area, including support for public transit.

Late last month, WisDOT announced that it still plans to expand the higway to eight lanes and increase the footprint of the project. This is not an acceptable answer. 

Expanding highways does NOT alleviate congestion. In fact, in many cases, congestion increases as more people try to drive on the roadway. 

The I-94 has already caused harm to communities of color by cutting through neighborhoods and business areas, increasing noise and air pollution, and making local transportation more difficult.

With a price tag of more than $1 billion, this project is too expensive, will not solve identified problems, and will make things worse for the people who live in the community. 

This is a concern for everyone in our state. A climate governor would not be proposing even more highway expansions. That money could be better spent on improving public transportation, especially regional and rural transportation, that will seriously address the climate crisis. 

Be aware that WisDOT is not being clear about its latest plan, which incorporates a few of the Fix at Six ideas but is NOT Fix at Six.

CALL GOVERNOR EVERS TODAY AND TELL HIM NO!

The Wisconsin Sierra Club, as part of the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation, has created a call script. We are asking everyone - especially climate and transit activists - to call the Governor's office on Wednesday and strongly urge him to stop the expansion of the highway and back the Fix at Six proposal that was produced by the people of the state.

When you are finished calling, please report your call the Sierra Club using the link below.

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Call Governor Evers' office about the I-94 expansion project in Milwaukee that his administration is pushing forward.

Phone number to call: (608) 266-1212

Sample script to use:

Hello, this is [NAME]. I am a Wisconsin resident in [CITY]. I'm calling because I was disappointed to see the Governor's Department of Transportation continue with the I-94 expansion in Milwaukee. 

I'm concerned about this project because [PICK ONE OR MORE POINTS BELOW]:

• Transportation is a leading cause of carbon emissions, and studies like Transportation 4 America's Congestion Con report demonstrate that adding lanes increases car use and traffic congestion. Continuing to invest in high-emitting infrastructure is not something that a climate champion would do. 
  
  
• Highway expansion projects have harmed Communities of Color and Low Income Communities. Federal Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called for tax dollars to be used to right the wrongs of racist infrastructure policy decisions. He said "we've also seen countless cases around the country where a piece of infrastructure cuts off a neighborhood or a community because of how it was built." I expect Governor Evers to align with the Biden administration in making racially just decisions on infrastructure in our state.
  
  
• [SHARE YOUR OWN CONCERN OR PERSONAL STORY]

I hope that Governor Evers will right this error by pushing for WISDOT to study a new alternative that actually addresses the concerns of the community and that repairs the highway in its current footprint, with 6 lanes and an interchange that is not overbuilt, and minimizes air and water pollution and negative impacts to community resources like Valley Park. Additionally, I hope that Governor Evers will prioritize transit, walking and biking funding moving forward.

After you've made your call, please fill out the form! And consider writing comments to submit to WisDOT by January 1.

 

Here's more information from the 2020 Wisconsin Sierra Club blog about the project:

The I-94 expansion project was and still is a bad idea for so many reasons:

1. It would worsen the climate crisis. The transportation sector is the largest contributor to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the US. Expanding highway infrastructure that caters to single passenger traffic will increase carbon emissions. This project is in direct conflict with the expressed goals of the Governor’s Climate Task Force.  Here’s the bottom line: climate-friendly governors do not expand highways.
   

2. It would negatively impact public health. Because highway expansion almost always increases the number of cars on the road, air pollution increases with these projects. Traffic pollution causes asthma, cardiovascular disease and dementia. Entertaining the idea of expanding a highway during a pandemic is inexcusable.
   

3. It would exacerbate racial injustice. Wisconsin’s decades-long focus on highway transportation investments has worsened the region’s racial and economic segregation. Not only are highways a physical barrier, but they also increase air pollution in the surrounding communities - which are Communities of Color.  In 2014, the federal government found that the Zoo Interchange caused “irreparable harm,” to minority communities. This project on the same corridor is no different. Members of low-income and minority communities often lack reliable transportation options. Yet, this project is being reconsidered even at a time of heightened awareness about structural racism in Wisconsin.

4. It would be costly. Spending money (an estimated $1 billion) on this project at the expense of fixing our local roads and repairing our existing road and transit infrastructure is a big price to pay for a mere 3.5 miles of interstate. Meanwhile, Wisconsin’s public transportation system and local road system are languishing due to lack of investment.
   
   

5. It would not fix congestion as proponents of the project suggest; in fact - highway expansions often make congestion worse shortly after construction is complete! This is because of induced demand -- essentially “if you build it, they will come.” Why should a damaging project move forward to make the very thing proponents of the project want to solve even worse?

December newsletter

 

DECEMBER 1 AT 6:30 p.m. CHAPTER AWARDS CELEBRATION     Join us on Thursday, December 1st for the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter Award Celebration! So much of the Sierra Club’s work is done by dedicated volunteers, recognizing our award recipients is one of the best parts of our year. This virtual ceremony will celebrate these environmental leaders from across the state. Two CRSC members are being honored! Board president Kathy Allen will receive the Merit Award and veteran board member Pat Wilson will receive the JJ and Pat Werner Award! Register at: www.sierraclub.org/wisconsin/blog/2022/11/2022-chapter-awards-winners. 

NO WINTER GATHERING         COVID and other serious illnesses are still causing problems in our community, so we will not have our annual winter gathering this year. We will try to schedule an in-person event as soon as conditions permit. In the meantime, please  enjoy every minute we have on this beautiful planet.

EDUCATION GRANT DEADLINE IS JANUARY 6     CRSC offers grants of up to $200 each for environmental education projects to schools or community organizations involving young people at the elementary and middle school level within the CRSC region: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

Applications may be completed online, emailed or mailed. The deadline for applications is January 6, 2023. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education or tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education.

Funding for our environmental grants is possible thanks to an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from Sierra Club memberships, and donations made by community members. To learn more about donating to help support environmental education, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com.

SALT!     The Wisconsin DNR’s Salt Wise initiative (www.wisaltwise.com) notes that we rely on salt to keep our roads safe in the winter and to soften water in our homes year-round but using more salt than is needed comes with a heavy price. In Wisconsin and much of the United States, chloride from salt is infiltrating into our lakes, streams and groundwater.

Often missed in the discussion is home water softening. According to the Salt Wise site, “Most wastewater treatment plants are not able to remove salt from wastewater, so every bag of salt that goes into your water softener passes through the treatment plant and into a local lake or stream. If you are on a private septic system, softener salt is infiltrating into groundwater. Increasing your softener’s efficiency protects our freshwater resources.”

Salt Awareness week is in late January, but we can always look for alternatives and best practices. For example, there are water softening systems that use no salt. And there are salt-free options for taming icy driveways and sidewalks. In the City of La Crosse, residents who participate in a “Salting Smart” survey can get a free salt cup to use with a city-provided sand/salt mix.

NO NTEC!     On Wednesday, November 16, several members of the Wisconsin Sierra Club gathered at headquarters of Dairyland Power Cooperative in La Crosse to highlight the problems with Dairyland’s plans to build a new power plant fueled by fracked gas, the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC).

Jadine Sonoda, campaign coordinator for the Wisconsin Chapter, noted that the plant would be uneconomical and not do enough to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Rather, the Sierra Club and others are urging Dairyland to invest in clean energy production from wind and solar as well as programs that will reduce energy need and investments in storage.

In addition to Jadine, CRSC board president Kathy Allen also spoke at the press event, and read comments from a CRSC member who is also a Dairyland Power customer.

Kathy also wrote a letter to the La Crosse Tribune editor, published on November 16, which included conclusions by Rocky Mountain Institute that 90 percent of proposed U.S,.gas plants, including NTEC, will ultimately cost more than if investments were made in renewables and efficiency.

In many cases, the cost of renewables is now lower than that of fossil fuels, with the gap expected to widen in coming years. Climate economists warn that fossil fuel investors and customers face growing financial risks from potential “stranded assets.” Economics and the climate crisis support an immediate shift to renewables.

According to Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the U.N. Environmental Programme. “This [UNEP Emissions  Gap Report 2022] report tells us in cold scientific terms  what nature has been telling us, all year, through deadly floods, storms and raging fires. We had our chance to
make incremental changes, but that time is over.”

STOP I-94 EXPANSION!     Recently, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that the state has selected an eight-lane expansion as the preferred alternative for their I-94 East-West project. This project will exacerbate climate change, racial disparities, and water pollution, and more.

For months, transportation, social justice, and environ-mental groups have strongly urged the DOT to choose a “Fix At Six” solution (http://fixatsix.org), which would be more equitable, less costly, and more climate conscious. Expanding highways to fix congestion only induces more traffic. To slow global heating, we must prioritize systems that require less fossil fuels. The cost of this project is projected to be more than $1 billion.

* Submit comments by January 17 (tinyurl.com/WISC-FixAt6)
* Attend the December 6 Volunteer Night (tinyurl.com/WISC-Vol1206)
* Participate in the December 7 Fix at Six call day (details will be posted at this blog when available.
* Sign the petition to support the Fix at Six solution (fixatsix.org/supporter)
* Join the Wisconsin Sierra Club Transportation Equity team (email cassie.steiner@sierraclub.org)

TREMPEALEAU SOLAR TOUR     Every year in October, the American Solar Energy Society sponsors community Solar Tours around the country to help people connect with those who have installed solar systems and learn how they can join the solar movement.

The Trempealeau Villagers’ Solar Tour was part of this national effort. Organized
by Lois Taylor, RN, MA, a wellness professional and long-time solar advocate,
the tour featured five homes and the Trempealeau Hotel. See
wellnessbranch.com/spotlight/solar_tour

Homeowners told about their own journeys to the sun. Attendees learned that even if you don’t have the perfect solar site, you can still benefit from installing solar panels. One homeowner noted that his system reduced his whole utility bill when solar production was high because Trempealeau Municipal Utility includes electricity along with water and sewer.  Lois’s installation included a pole-mounted system and panels on her garage. She talked about her system and also provided handouts about the coming incentives in the IRA and other programs and incentives.

The Inflation Reduction Act will expand tax credits for those who install solar through 2032. Unfortunately, you must have a tax liability in order to take advantage of the credit and, if the credit is more than your tax liability, you will not receive a refund for the difference. But, you may carry the unused credit to following years.

If you are considering solar, now is the time to get your  assessment and get on the list for an installation. Electricity costs will not be going down and every bit of solar that replaces coal or gas helps with the struggle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And, more solar installations will mean more places for others to tour next October!

MORE DECEMBER EVENTS    
12/ 6: Virtual Volunteer Night to stop I-94 expansion 6:30 p.m. online tinyurl.com/WISC-Vol94

12/ 6: Peter Allen - Creating Healthy Ecosystems 7:00 p.m. The Historic Fortney, 100 N. Main St., Viroqua  valleystewardshipnetwork.org

12/ 7: Call-In Day for FixAtSix (see details at cr-sierra.blogspot.com by December 5)
 
12/ 7: Saving money with planning and electrification 6:30 p.m. ONLINE or in person at the Vernon County Historical Society www.vced.energy

12/14: Author Joseph Bruchac reads from his book "A Year of Moons." 6:30 p.m. Pearl Street Books. tinyurl.com/PSB-Bruchac

12/15: Virtual Volunteer Night to protect Wisconsin wolves 6:30  p.m. tinyurl.com/WISC-VolWolves

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE     The Wisconsin DNR is developing a regional master plan for properties it manages in the “Western Coulees and Ridges Ecological Landscape,” which includes all or portions of all eight counties of the Coulee Region Group area. Public input is needed as part of the scoping phase.

Please use this opportunity to share your thoughts. What would you like to see for the management of habitats, species and other natural resources on over 167,800 acres of DNR property in the region, including parks, natural areas, wildlife areas, fishery areas, and other properties. See the list of properties at widnr.widen.net/s/ghnsct6b9s/fl_mp_wcr_full-property-list

The public input is open through December 23 for the Scoping Phase of the project. Learn more and  provide your input at tinyurl.com/DNRInputForm

REGIONAL CONSERVATION PLANNING     The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is organizing a group of conservation partners in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area to make a plan. Together, they’re determining the top priorities for protecting the region’s unique features and biodiversity.

They state that the unique landscape of the Driftless Area is one of the most biodiverse places in Wisconsin, featuring rare and unique natural communities that provide habitat for numerous wildlife species. With a grant from the Eddie Schwartz Conservation Fund of the Windward Fund, the Natural Resources Foundation is creating a collaborative conservation plan to preserver the Driftless Area’s biodiversity within its rarest habitats: barrens, oak savannas, prairies, and grasslands.

Other partners in the planning effort are Driftless Area Land Conservancy, Landmark Conservancy, Mississippi Valley Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, The Nature Conservancy, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Conservation measures identified to date include prescribed burns, invasive species control, conservation easements, financial incentives to landowners for conservation, and continued land management and restoration efforts. We hope coordinated efforts will increase conservation success in the Driftless Area.

For more information, see www.wisconservation.org/driftless-area-conservation-planning

GRANT WILL HELP PRESERVE PRAIRIE     Hixon Forest’s Lookout Prairie will receive a boost thanks to a $2,000 grant from the C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund of the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, with $2,000 of matching funding from the City of La Crosse. The funding supports the efforts of Friends of the Blufflands to preserve and protect this remnant bluff prairie.

According to Friends of the Blufflands Board President Pat Wilson, “With this grant and the City’s matching funds, Friends has been able to hire a professional contractor to continue the restoration of this prairie ecosystem with its globally unique flora and fauna.” The contractor will eliminate invasive trees and plants.

Lookout Prairie is one of several remnant hill prairies in Hixon Forest and the surrounding bluffs. Removing trees and brush and then maintaining the open prairie with prescribed burns helps preserve this important habitat for the many native species of plants and animals.

The majority of the threatened species and species of special concern in Hixon Forest reside in the prairie habitat. The prairies are estimated to support over 1,000 insect species.

Friends of the Blufflands works in cooperation with the City of La Crosse, Mississippi Valley Conservancy, The Prairie Enthusiasts and other area conservation groups to restore and maintain natural resources for the benefit of all area residents and nature lovers. Friends of the Blufflands is a member of the regional Bluffland Coalition.  

COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB BOARD ELECTION AND BALLOT

Thank you for participating in the democratic process of electing your local Sierra Club representatives!  Just enter your member number and then vote for up to four candidates, to begin two-year terms in January 2023 The candidate bios are below. Please complete one ballot per member (both members in a Joint membership may cast ballots). You will receive a link to the online ballot and your member number in an email OR via postcard. Your member number is required so your membership can be verified by the Election Committee. Please vote either with the online ballot OR by printing, completing, and mailing the ballot show below.

** All ballots must be received by midnight December 30, 2022. **
If you choose to use the ballot shown below, please mail it by December 20 to
1815 Cameron Ave. La Crosse, WI  54601

Dorothy Lenard - Dorothy recently retired from her role as an Administrator for the School of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Math at Viterbo University. She has a degree from Michigan Technological University in Forest Hydrology and a Master’s in Servant Leadership from Viterbo. She and her husband Rich grew up in a small bay town on Lake Michigan surrounded mostly by State land. Yes, she loves and misses the lake effect snowfalls and outdoor saunas in the winter. Having lived in all regions of the United States, they eventually chose the Driftless area to settle down in and raise their three children. She has been active in numerous community activities and boards. Her passion is studying the environment, especially water protection. While on the La Crosse City Council, she worked with others to pass in 2009 the City of La Crosse and County of La Crosse Strategic Plan for Sustainability. In the summer, her family has a huge community garden in their yard where their specialties are garlic and perennials. Preparing and sharing sustainable food with family and friends is her favorite hobby.

Carol Miller - Carol is a professor of sociology at UW-La Crosse.  She teaches Sociology of Gender, Rural and Urban Sociology, Policy & Society and other courses on global issues while conducting research on globalization, poverty, food insecurity and agritourism in Wisconsin. Carol has assisted local organizations like CouleeCap and Habitat for Humanity with data analysis projects and has been a member of the Holmen Area Historical Society for 24+ years, often serving on their Executive Committee. She also volunteers with the cats at Coulee Region Humane Society and has been a member of Sierra Club for seven years.

Avery Van Gaard - Avery was born and raised in La Crosse, as well as rural Vernon County. She is a crew lead at Coulee Region Ecoscapes, a local landscaping business that centers planting native plants, installing rain gardens, and other ecologically beneficial practices. She has served on the board of the Coulee Region Sierra Club group for several years and was previously a representative of the group to the Executive Committee. When she is not working, Avery has assisted in the group's campaigns and events - from the 2017 Water Quality Forum to the current "Ready for 100" campaign. 

Members may vote by printing the ballot in the emailed newsletter OR the newsletter available at SierraClub.org/Wisconsin/Coulee/Newsletters OR by writing the names of up to three people (these three candidates and/or one or more write-ins) on a card along with your member number and mailing it to to the address shown above.

Film in Gays Mills

 

Plastic program

 

November newsletter

 

VOTE     For clean air and water. For the Inflation Reduction Act and all climate action planned for the coming years. For the work to stop plastic pollution and mass extinctions. For protection of the coral reefs and the Arctic. For protections for workers from dangerous pesticides and for communities from oil spills, oil bomb trains, and PFAS. For science-based policies. For professional, non-partisan public servants. For independent judges. For compassion and care for the Earth and its creatures. For US!

If you still have an absentee ballot, DO NOT MAIL IT. You are able to drop it off at your municipal clerk’s office on November 8. If you plan to vote in person, be prepared to wait. Dress for the weather. Take your MASK and take your voter ID. if you have questions about what is an acceptable ID, see bringit.wi.gov.

The Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter has endorsed candidates. See sierraclub.org/wisconsin/immediate-release-sierra-club-announces-2022-wisconsin-endorsements

GET OUT THE VOTE VOLUNTEER NIGHT    November 2 at 6:30 p.m.

TCMC INFORMATION - NOVEMBER 1     A public information session will be held on Tuesday, November 1 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. about the planned second Amtrak line from the Twin Cities to Milwaukee and Chicago (TCMC). The initiative will improve rail crossings and other infrastructure allowing passenger trains to bypass freight, making schedules more reliable. The second line is expected to start in about a year. For more information about the project and how to participate, visit https://www.dot.state.mn.us/news/2022/10/24-d6-rail-project.html

VOTE IN CHAPTER ELECTION     This year ,four individuals have been nominated to run for three open at-large seats for the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter Executive Committee. Those elected will start their three-year term in January 2023.

Vote online or by mail using the ballot in the Wisconsin Sierran newsletter. The voting email was sent on September 30 with subject: “Help elect our chapter leadership-Executive Committee ballot enclosed.” Email wisconsin.chapter@sierraclub.org for help.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS     CRSC is offering  grants of up to $200 each for environmental education projects to schools or community organizations involving young people at the elementary and middle school level within the CRSC region: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

Applications may be completed online, emailed or mailed. The deadline for applications is January 6, 2023. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education or tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education.

Funding for our environmental grants is possible thanks to an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from Sierra Club member-ships, and donations made by community members. To learn more about donating to help support environmental education, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com.

CRSC BOARD NOMINATIONS     The Coulee Region Sierra Club will hold elections for its board of directors in December. The board meets monthly to plan events, coordinate with the state Sierra Club, and network with local and regional partners and allies on Sierra Club issues.

We will elect three board members. Terms are two years and begin in January 2023. Please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com with your name, contact information, and a brief paragraph describing your experience and interests and why you would like to be on the board no later than November 15. If you don’t do email, please call 608-315-2693.

Qualifications include Sierra Club membership and past work or interest in outdoor activities and/or environ-mental issues. The board is especially interested in adding members who live outside of the La Crosse area, but anyone is welcome to nominate.

The chapter is helping with our elections. Voting will be online or by paper ballot. The December newsletter will have candidate statements, the ballot, and instructions for voting by mail or online. If you don’t get a newsletter, you’ll get a postcard with instructions. Voting will close on December 27 with results announced in January.

IRA Q&A     After scheduling issues were finally resolved, we were able to hear from Sydney Scott, a staff member from U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office about the Inflation Reduction Act and what it will mean for saving energy and money and reducing carbon emissions. We were not able to record the event for the public, but here are some of the highlights Ms. Scott mentioned during the half hour session.

First, it’s a huge bill, more than 700 pages, that covers everything from updating the Superfund for toxic site clean up, to energy efficiency programs, to water pollution monitoring, planting trees to expand green spaces, special programs for tribal governments, and tax credits for producers and consumers to drastically expand green systems from electric vehicles to heat pumps.

Now that the bill has passed, it will be sent to agencies to create regulatory guidance over the next several months including the IRS and the Department of Energy.

See this site for an overview: www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/15/by-the-numbers-the-inflation-reduction-act/

The Treasury Department is seeking public comments on implementing the tax incentives in the bill. Learn more here: home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0993 and comment by November 4.

The best way to stay informed about the bill is to sign up for updates at CleanEnergy.gov where you can also find more details about specific parts.

Ms. Scott agreed that those planning to take advantage of the tax credits and rebates offered to transition to clean energy can be prepared by doing the shopping and comparing now. If you plan to get an EV, start looking now. If you think you will use the incentives to seal and weatherize your home and replace your HVAC system with a heat pump, get an energy audit through Focus on Energy now.

If you have specific questions, please email Ms. Scott at Sydney_Scott@baldwin.senate.gov

Next month, we will include a report from Focus on Energy, our state’s energy efficiency and renewable energy agency, about how the IRA may affect programs and incentives they offer for 2023.

TRANSPORTATION ACADEMY     1000 Friends of Wisconsin will host a 10-week Community Transportation Academy starting in mid-February 2023 in La Crosse and online.  The program will help bridge the gap between community advocates and planning entities.

Over ten weeks, participants will learn about the fundamentals of transportation planning, hear from guest speakers with local and national expertise, and have the opportunity to propose a solution to a local transportation problem. Community members will come away from the Academy with skills and knowledge to advocate for safe and accessible transportation networks that work for everyone. The first Community Transportation Academy will be held in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in Winter/Spring 2023, taught by Community Programs Director Susan Gaeddert.

Register (free) by December 1 at 1kfriends.org/community-transportation-academy

NO NEW FOSSIL GAS FACILITIES     The Wisconsin Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal team is planning a press event at noon on Wednesday, November 16  near the offices of Dairyland Power Cooperative (DPC). The event will draw attention to the dangers of fracked gas as emissions keep rising. and the need to move directly to renewable energy. The Club has long been talking about the climate pollution Dairyland’s Nemadji Trail Energy Center plan will cause. DPC has ignored these concerns, but The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently called on them to submit plans that are aligned with President Biden’s commitments on climate change. If you wish to attend or speak at the event, please email us or call 608-315-2693.

GREEN BURIAL IN VIROQUA     The Vernon County Cemetery Association has approved reserving part of its land for green burials. Green burials are better for the environment and less expensive for families. For a green or natural burial, unembalmed individuals are wrapped in a shroud or biodegradable casket and placed in a safe but relatively shallow grave to support the transition process.

The group is currently fundraising for and educating about the process and plans. Learn more at Threshold Care Circle/Driftless Green Burial Alliance at www.thresholdcarecircle.org

MORE NOVEMBER EVENTS
11/ 1: Sierra Club Book Club at 7 p.m. online tinyurl.com/WISC-WolfBook

11/ 2: Climate Responsible Finance Webinar - Better Banks and Credit Cards at 3 p.m. online thirdact.org/events/better-banks-and-credit-cards/
 
11/ 2: Sierra Club Virtual Volunteer Night. 7 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57796

11/ 4: Mississippi Valley Conservancy “Save the Driftless” fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. Radisson Hotel, La Crosse. www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/save-driftless-fall-fundraiser

11/4-6: Jackson in Action Fall Hike Series at Skyline Golf Course www.blackrivercountry.net/event/jackson-in-action-2022-fall-hike-series/2022-11-04/

11/10: Wisconsin Sierra Club Equity Team Annual Feedback Session at 5:30  p.m. Online. tinyurl.com/wisc-equityfeedback

11/16: Hairspray, Dusters, Refrigerants - oh My! at 6:30 p.m. online. tinyurl.com/WISC-cfchfc

11/16: Coulee Audubon meeting - chimney swifts at 7  p.m.  couleeaudubon.org/html/events.html

12/ 1: Wisconsin Chapter annual awards at 6:30 p.m. online tinyurl.com/wisc-chapterawards2022

Find Wisconsin Sierra Club paddling events at tinyurl.com/WISCWater 

KUDOS  Congratulations to CRSC board member Cathy Van Maren who received the 2022 Individual Inspiring Sustainability Award at the Sustainability Institute ceremony on October 25. The La Crosse Public Library received the Institutional Award.

 

 

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October newsletter

 

IRA PROGRAM RESCHEDULED:  Our September program about the Inflation Reduction Act had to be canceled because of last minute schedule conflicts. But, we have a new meeting scheduled, with Sidney Scott, a staff member from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office, at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 13. Please register by October 10 at tinyurl.com/CRSCIRAQuestions. If you registered for the September meeting, the zoom link is the same. Submit a question when you register or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com. The White House has created an interactive site to provide more information about the bill at tinyurl.com/IRAExplained.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE'S DAY   You are invited to recognize Indigenous People’s Day on Tuesday, October 11 by joining an online Sierra Club screening of the film, Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust. After the film, hear from a panel that includes Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ann Kineko, producer Jin Yoo-Kim, Lone Pine Tribal Historic Preservation Officer Kathy Bancroft, and Sierra Club Senior Director of National Energy Campaigns Monica Embrey. Filmed over five years, the poetic portrait follows an intergenerational defense of land, history, and culture. Learn more about the film and register to attend at tinyurl.com/SCFilm-101122.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD     Congratulations to RoseMary Greany, a senior at La Crosse Logan High School, winner of our first annual High School Environmental Stewardship Award.  At a September 21 ceremony at the La Crosse Public Library, Greany received a check for $300 and a certificate from CRSC Board President Kathy Allen and Treasurer Nancy Hartje.

The award was established to promote environmental stewardship through enduring, fair, and equitable action among high school youth, and to recognize the achievements of a student who demonstrates leadership, action, and environmental stewardship, and who understands the importance of civic engagement in protecting our environment.

Ms. Greany is an environmental entrepreneur, turning a passion for crochet into a business that produces “slow fashion” items from recycled yarn and other materials. She is a member of Logan High’s Interact Club, a Rotary International service club for youth whose projects have included river clean-ups and tree-planting initiatives. She volunteers for the food pantry at First Free Church that helps keep food from our landfill. And, she is pursuing a Global Education Achievement Certificate with an emphasis on climate consciousness.

Funding for the grants comes from a grant the club receives annually from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, from calendar sales, and from individual donations. More details about these grants and awards can be found at sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/education

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS     For spring 2022, CRSC will offer grants of up to $200 each for environmental education projects to schools or community organizations involving young people at the elementary and middle school level within the CRSC region: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

Applications may be completed online, emailed or mailed. The deadline for applications will be early January 2023. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education

Funding for CRSC environmental education programs is possible thanks to an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from Sierra Club memberships, and donations made by community members. Email us at CRSierraClub@gmail.com to learn how to donate.

The Coulee Region Sierra Club will hold elections for three seats on its board of directors in December. The board meets monthly to plan events, coordinate with the state Sierra Club, and network with local and regional partners and allies on Sierra Club issues.

If you would like to nominate someone, including yourself, please email the name and contact information for the nominee along with a paragraph describing the nominee’s qualifications for the board to CRSierraClub@gmail.com by November 19, 2022.

Qualifications include Sierra Club membership and past work or interest in outdoor activities and/or environmental issues. The board is especially interested
in adding members who live outside of the La Crosse area, but anyone is welcome to nominate. If you have questions, please email or call 608-315-2693.

CRSC BOARD NOMINATIONS     The Coulee Region Sierra Club will hold elections for three seats on its board of directors in December. The board meets monthly to plan events, coordinate with the state Sierra Club, and network with local and regional partners and allies on Sierra Club issues. If you would like to nominate someone, including yourself, please email the name and contact information for the nominee along with a paragraph describing the nominee’s qualifications for the board to CRSierraClub@gmail.com by November 19, 2022.

Qualifications include Sierra Club membership and past work or interest in outdoor activities and/or environmental issues. The board is especially interested in adding members who live outside of the La Crosse area, but anyone is welcome to nominate. If you have questions, please email or call 608-315-2693.  

ASK ME ABOUT MY EV     More than a dozen electric cars and their owners joined e-bike owners and the La Crosse MTU electric bus at the National Driver Electric Week (NDEW) event, Ask Me About My EV, on Sunday, September 25 at Copeland Park in La Crosse. The Sierra Club is one of four national sponsors of NDEW which helps those interested in switching from fossil fuel vehicles learn about them from neighbors with personal experience.

The La Crosse event included a mix of newer and older EVs and e-bikes from traditional styles to family cargo bikes. Solar installers, Xcel Energy, and the Sierra Club were also on hand to provide information about incentives and benefits of fuel-switching.

If you would like to talk to an EV owner to get answers to questions, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com and we will try to connect you with someone in your community or area.

On October 1, there is an NDEW event in Prairie du Chien from noon to 4 p.m. at the Prairie Cinema. For more information about electric vehicles, events, incentives and more, please visit driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3392.  

2023 SIERRA CLUB CALENDARS     It’s time to order your Sierra Club calendars! Wall calendars are $15 each and engagement calendars are $16. Calendar sales help us fund our education grants and awards! If you are interested, please text or call Maureen Kinney, 608-787-9442 or email Maureen@JohnsFlaherty.com For more Sierra Club items and gifts, please visit  store.sierraclub.org/storefront.aspx

KUDOS!   Congratulations to CRSC board member and past president, Pat Wilson! Pat received a Water Hero Award from the Wisconsin River Alliance at their September River Rat Chat in Trempealeau. Pat and Friends of the La Crosse River Marsh board member John Sullivan were recognized for their work protecting waters in Southwest Wisconsin.

CRSC members, Cathy Van Maren and Pat Wilson, are nominees for the 2022 Sustainability Institute’s Inspiring Sustainability Award. Award recipients will be announced at an in-person event on October 25 at the La Crosse Distilling Company. For more details about all nominees, and to purchase tickets for the event, visit tinyurl.com/SI-ISA2022

FALL HIGHWAY CLEAN UP    Calling all CRSC members wishing to help clean up our adopted portion of River Valley Drive! Meet up at the La Crosse Pumping Station just northwest of the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette Street (Highway B) at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, October 10 to get gloves, vests, and bags. Bring your camera! Not only is this section of roadway near the beautiful marsh but you might find something interesting during the clean up. Call Pat with questions: 608-788-8831.

VOTE    The state chapter’s 2021-22 Legislative Scorecard is at tinyurl.com/WISC2122Scorecard.If you plan to vote with an absentee ballot in the November 8 election, please be sure to fill out the envelope completely: sign and date it as the voter and have your witness sign and enter her/his full address. Return your ballot in person or mail it no later than November 1. Visit myvote.wi.gov for more information about your ballot and voting.

MORE OCTOBER EVENTS

10/ 8: Moonlight Hike at Wildcat Mountain State Park. 7 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57796

10/11: Midwest Environmental Advocates Bill Iwen Environmental Justice Awards program. 7 p.m. Online. midwestadvocates.org/2022-environmental-justice-awards

10/12: Sierra Club virtual volunteer night at 6:30 p.m. tinyurl.com/WISC-1012vol

10/14-16: Jackson in Action Fall Hike at Wazee Lake in Brockway. www.jacksoninaction.org/fallhike

10/15: Driftless Dialogue - Walk With Me, The Echos of My Ancestors 11 a.m. Kickapoo Valley Reserve, La Farge. tinyurl.com/kvr-ancestorstalk

10/15: Evening Sky Prairie Walk.Tunnelville Cliffs State Natural Area. 7 p.m. tinyurl.com/mvc-tunnelvilleskywalk

10/22: Black River Trail Classic. Black River State Forest. nurun.co/brtc/

11/ 1: Sierra Club Virtual Book Club: Once There Were Wolves. 7 p.m. tinyurl.com/WISC-WolfBook

Find Wisconsin Sierra Club paddling events at tinyurl.com/WISCWater

September newsletter

 

THE IRA PASSED! NOW WHAT?  The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 includes more than 100 programs that will invest about $369 billion in climate action, clean energy jobs, and environmental justice. Collectively, these unprecedented investments will put us on a path to cutting climate pollution by 40 percent by 2030 while creating over 9 million family-sustaining jobs over the next decade and advancing racial, economic, and environmental justice. The act also includes funding to track its labor, equity, and environmental standards and impacts to enable oversight and accountability.

How can you, your community, non-profit, or business take advantage of the incentives? When will they be available, and who will administer them? Will they be tax credits or rebates? Will work done in 2022 count?

On Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:30 a.m., CRSC will host a one hour Zoom session with Rachel Harvey, a staff member in U.S. Rep. Ron Kind’s office who will provide more information about the IRA and answer your questions. Please register by September 14 at tinyurl.com/CRSC-IRAQuestions. Space is limited.

NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK is September 24 through October 2. There will be at least two electric vehicle education and outreach events in the Coulee Region.

On Sunday, September 25, electric car and bike owners will gather at the Copeland Park large open shelter to show, talk about and and answer questions about buying and owning and electric vehicle. Tablers will include RENEW Wisconsin, City of La Crosse, and more! Register at https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3360

On Saturday, October 1, there’s a chance to learn more about EVs--from home charging to planning a road trip--at the Prairie Cinema in Prairie du Chien. Register at https://driveelectricweek.org/event?eventid=3392

BLUFF BASH  The Coulee Region Sierra Club joined a host of La Crosse area environmental and outdoor groups at the City of La Crosse Bluff Bash on Thursday, August 25. Activities included a family-friendly hike, live music, a hike to Zoerb Prairie led by Friends of the Blufflands, and roasting marshmallows for s’mores.

CRSC board president Kathy Allen tabled for our group, and we got to use our new display board which looks better than the old cardboard displays and should last longer, too.

If you know of an event where CRSC could table and/or if you are interested in helping us table at events, please email us at CRSierraClub@gmail.com. 

TEACHING SUSTAINABILITY  Nine years ago, Mike Lawrence, a teacher at La Crosse’s School of Technology and the Arts (SOTA I) charter school, needed a way to connect with a couple of students who were having difficulties. He decided to bike with them to school. The ride started at the Hogan Administrative Center, and ended at Hamilton Early Learning Center/SOTA I, on 7th and Johnson. It was great.

So, Mike decided to make it a regular thing. Nine years, later, the Bike Brigade - Donut Fridays crew has swelled to dozens of students and parents. And they added a stop at Mayo Health Center for donuts, which students buy with their own money and take to the classroom. They even have their own checkout line! The kids love it.

“When you have students asking during the summer about when the Bike Brigade will start up again, you know it’s a success.”

To support the Friday rides, Mike is always looking for useable bikes and child-size helmets for students who don’t have their own. Last year, he received a grant from Beer By Bike Brigade in La Crosse and he is always on the lookout for new grant opportunities.

The Bike Brigade is just one part of the everyday sustainable living ideas Mike includes in his classroom. Students also learn to ride the city bus, using public transit to get to a special annual learning event at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. And, they go on walks in the neighborhood, too.

Mike’s latest project is growing lettuce in a self-contained hydroponic “Flex Farm” that includes space for dozens of plants and a central LED grow light. He hopes to start with lettuce and add strawberries and other vegetables as they learn to use the system sold by Fork Farms, a global leader in developing  systems to expand the availability of fresh food in all communities. Looking further ahead, Mike hopes to get the whole district involved in growing food indoors for school meals.

Contact Mike at MLawrenc@LaCrosseSD.org.

BOARD ELECTIONS  We are seeking candidates for the Coulee Region Sierra Club board. Elections will be held in December and new terms begin in January 2023. Board members meet monthly and plan club activities and events.

If you are interested in serving your club, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com OR call or text 608-315-2693 with your name and a statement about why you are interested in being on the board and your similar experience. We encourage club members living outside the La Crosse area to self-nominate, but everyone is welcome to run.

We will publish candidates’ statements in our November newsletter which will be mailed, along with information about voting by mail and online in December.

If you might like to run but need more information, please email, call or text us!

SIERRA CLUB CALENDARS  It’s time to order your Sierra Club calendars! Wall calendars are $15 each and engagement calendars are $16. Calendar sales help us fund our education grants and awards!

If you are interested, please text or call Maureen Kinney, 608-787-9442 or email Maureen@JohnsFlaherty.com

Other Sierra Club items including prints, note cards, books, and more may be found at store.sierraclub.org/storefront.aspx

MORE SEPTEMBER EVENTS
9/3: Wildlife in Your Backyard at Perrot State Park 7 pm. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/61701

9/3: Universe in Perrot State Park 7:30 pm. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/61696

9/3-5: Ho-Chunk Nation Labor Day Pow-Wow in Black River Falls.  www.blackrivercountry.net/event/ho-chunk-nation-2022-labor-day-pow-wow/

9/3 & 10: Bluff to Bluff Trolley Tour. explorelacrosse.com/bluff-to-bluff-experience/

9/ 4: Raptor 101. 5 p.m. Perrot State Park dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/61706

9/ 6: Sierra Club Book Club. 7 p.m. tinyurl.com/WISC-922Book

9/ 7: Pedestrian Saftey webinar. Noon tinyurl.com/WISC-PedSafety

9/ 8: Harvest Moon Stargazing Party. Readstown. 8 pm   secondnatureatreadscreek.com/events

9/10: Cassville mushroom foray 10 am www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/cassville-mushroom-foray

9/10: Friends of Black River Paddling in Hatfield. 12:30 pm  tinyurl.com/FOBR-SeptPaddling

9/14: Sierra Club virtual volunteer night at 6:30 p.m.
tinyurl.com/WISC-922Vol

9/17: River Alliance of Wisconsin River Rat Chat & Paddle Trempealeau Hotel. 10 a.m. chat, 12:30 paddle. wisconsinrivers.org/get-involved/events-home/

9/17: Exploring the Night Sky at Perrot State Park 6:30 pm dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/61821

9/22: Keeping Wildlife Out of the Garden. Readstown. 6 p.m. secondnatureatreadscreek.com/events

9/25: Insects! Oh My! 1 pm Myrick Park Center. strive2thrivecr.org/event/insects/

9/25: Fungi! Oh My! 3 pm Myrick Park Center. strive2thrivecr.org/event/fungi/

Find Wisconsin Sierra Club paddling events at tinyurl.com/WISCWater

Find events at Kickapoo Valley Reserve at kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar

August Newsletter

PLEASE VOTE     Primary elections for the November ballot will be held on Tuesday, August 9. In many municipalities, voters may cast absentee ballots in person at their clerk’s office. Absentee ballot drop boxes are no longer allowed. If you vote absentee from home, please be sure to complete the envelope completely and have your witness sign and fill in their complete address. Mail your ballot by August 1 or return it in person. Learn more about your ballot and options at myvote.wi.gov. Learn about candidates at Vote411.org, and watch a 3rd CD candidate forum hosted by Citizen Action of Wisconsin at www.facebook.com/CitizenActionWI/videos/1139623576596120/

BLUFF BASH     The Coulee Region Sierra Club will table at the Bluff Bash, a celebration of the blufflands hosted by the City of La Crosse Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department on Wednesday, August 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. 

KARST EXPLORATION     Crawford Stewardship Project will host a Karst Explora-tion program on Friday, August 20 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Landmark Center in Viroqua. The program includes  an educational program and a field trip to see examples of karst sites. This is a family-friendly event. Please dress for the weather. Voluntary donations gladly accepted.

PLASTIC-FREE JUNETEENTH     Taking action to combat the plastic crisis takes many forms. Individuals may choose to use a metal water bottle or reusable shopping bag. We may join groups, like the Sierra Club, that advocate for change.

Shaundel Spivey, founder and current chair of Black Leaders Acquiring Collective Knowledge (B.L.A.C.K.) in La Crosse, found another way.

As one of the lead organizers for the annual La Crosse Juneteenth event, Shaundel heard planning committee members ask about reducing single-use plastic use. As discussions continued, it became clear that plastic, from processing to use and waste, is a continuing environmental justice issue. Oil and plastic facilities are often located in communities of color where contamination of air and water affects the health and wealth of residents. Plastic wrapped food and beverages, often more expensive than other products, may be the only options for those living in food deserts. Plastic waste in our oceans threatens millions of coastal communities that rely on seafood. Studies show racial and ethnic disparities in endocrine disrupting chemicals found in plastics and women’s reproductive health outcomes.

Shaundel noted that a lack of information about the impacts of plastic initially led to some divisiveness during the planning process. Plastic is so ubiquitous in our lives, it may be hard to imagine alternatives or understand why alternatives are needed. Plastic is so normal that its connection to our dire climate crisis is rarely discussed. Eventually, though, the group came together with government, non-profits, businesses, and donors joining in. “When you put the ask out to the community, folks show up,” he reported.

As the La Crosse Juneteenth committee moved forward with planning a low or no-plastic event, the scope of the challenges became apparent. But, community support, including from the city, volunteers, vendors, and even the waste management company, helped make a model for future events. The main components of the 2022 plastic-aware Juneteenth event in La Crosse included:

•  The program featured a speaker, Dr. Adam Driscoll, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice, to educate about plastic and environmental racism;
•  Did not sell bottled water in plastic bottles;
•  Asked participants to bring their own beverage containers;
•  Sold metal water bottles at cost;
•  Asked tablers to set up water stations and have water, some donated by Culligan, available in bulk containers around the event grounds;
•  Sold beverages in recyclable aluminum cans or from bulk containers;
•  Had paper cups available by all beverage stations;
•  Asked food vendors to use paper containers rather than plastic and foam foodware;
•  Used event-procured compostable wood utensils;
•  Placed dedicated recycling and compost containers;
•  Displayed printed educational information around the event grounds.

The Juneteenth event also included other sustainable features, from a staffed bike parking corral to encouragement for participants to ride the city bus.

While there was not a formal evaluation, Shaundel feels that the event went well and was a good learning opportunity. There is not a good source of information for finding and procuring suitable substitutes. Some paper and compostable foodware has other problems, including contamination issues (see the Center for Environmental Health’s database at ceh.org/?s=Foodware) And, almost everything comes wrapped in plastic!

Shaundel and the Juneteenth committee planted the seed in the community and there’s a possibility that the city will further develop resources and guidance for other groups wishing to reduce single-use plastic at their events. For more information about La Crosse Juneteenth, planning a plastic-free event, or B.L.A.C.K., contact him through their website: www.blacklax.org and to learn more about the issue in general, visit CR-Sierra.blogspot.com/p/plastic-facts.html.

As for Juneteenth 2023, be sure to bring your reusable water bottle!

PLASTIC-FREE JULY PROGRAM     CRSC hosted a virtual film screening of The Story of Plastic to recognize Plastic Free July and an online discussion on Tuesday, July 19 with guests Annika Mersmann, a founder of Viroqua Plastic Free, and Brett Nadrich, U.S. Communications Officer for the international group, Break Free From Plastic. View the program on our CRSC Facebook page: facebook.com/CRSIerraClub. Learn more about how to take action on plastic problems at cr-sierra.blogspot.com/p/plastic-facts.html. 

PLASTIC AND RACISM     In her November 2021 Sierra Club article, “The Deep Injustice of Plastic Pollution,” Sierra Club Senior Campaigner Hillary Larson, writes, “Across the nation, corporate polluters are building the majority of these polluting  [petrochemical manufacturing] facilities in low-income communities and communities of color, ... residents who live in proximity to chemical manufacturing are burdened with a high level of exposure to toxic chemicals in their air, water, and soil. These chemicals include cancer-causing benzene, ethylene dibromide, and formaldehyde.”

In his June 2020 article for Sierra magazine, “Racism is Killing the Planet,” Hop Hopkins, Sierra Club Director of Organizational Transformation, notes, “You can’t have climate change without sacrifice zones, and you can’t have sacrifice zones without disposable people, and you can’t have disposable people without racism.”

Per PlasticOceans.org, “In a conclusive environ-mental justice report, published in late March, the UN Environment Program (UNEP) has declared that plastic pollution affects marginalized groups to a much more significant extent than it does other populations.

“By analyzing plastic pollution as well as various processes inherent to plastic production, such as deforestation and fracking, the study — titled Neglected: Environmental Justice Impacts of Plastic Pollution — found that ‘the impacts of plastics on marginalized populations are severe.’ Moreover, it exhibited that, ‘these impacts exist at all stages of the production cycle, from extracting raw materials and manufacturing, through to consumption and disposal.’”

MORE AUGUST EVENTS    
8/ 5-7: 38th Annual Heroes Ride for The High Ground thehighgroundheroesride.com/join-the-ride/

8/ 6: INaturalist at Wildcat Mountain State Park. 10 a.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/59126

8/10: Firebreak construction at Tunnelville Cliffs. 9 a.m. tinyurl.com/TunnelvilleFirebreak

8/13 & 27: Friends of the Black River paddling events tinyurl.com/FOBR-Aug-Paddling

8/10: Firebreak construction at Tunnelville Cliffs. 9 a.m. tinyurl.com/TunnelvilleFirebreak

8/14: Pollinator Plants at Myrick Park 12:30 to 2 p.m. strive2thrivecr.org/event/pollinator-plants

8/18: Firebreak construction at Boscobel Bluffs. 10 a.m. tinyurl.com/BoscobelFirebreak

8/20: Stargazing at Wildcat Mountain State Park. 8 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57766

8/28: Mississippi Valley Conservancy 25th Anniversary Party at Myrick Park in La Crosse. 1-5 p.m. tinyurl.com/MVC25THParty

8/27: Pollinator Prairie Hike at Wildcat Mountain State Park. 6 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57791

Find events at Kickapoo Valley Reserve at kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar

AUGUST 23 HIGHWAY CLEANUP     Oops! We forgot to schedule a highway clean up in July! Please join us on Tuesday, August 23 at 6 p.m. to help clean up our adopted road - River Valley Drive. We’ll meet at the pumping station just northwest of the intersection of Gillette Street and River Valley Drive. There, you will get gloves, bags, and vests. We’ll pick up trash along the roadway and then, meet up at Rudy’s Drive-In on La Crosse Street for some post cleanup refreshments! If you have questions, please call Pat at 608-788-8831

BLACK RIVER CANOE TRIP     The July 16-17 annual Black River family canoe camping trip was a great success.  We covered 21 miles on the river with a night spent camping on a sandbar and days spent swimming, exploring, and playing in the sand. The weather and water levels were ideal this year. The eight kids on the trip ranged from 18 months to 13 years old, two of them paddling their own kayaks. This is an ideal way to introduce folks from around the state to the water resources and recreational opportunities in our area. Among the fascinating participants were a woman from Russia whose job is preservation of Siberian Tigers in the wild and a woman who is the project manager of Trout Unlimited's Driftless Area Restoration Project. Thank you to Justin and Beth Piggush for leading the trip.

ROTH FEEDER PIG UPDATE     More than 70 people spoke or wrote against issuing a siting permit to the Roth Feeder Pig II CAFO before the Crawford County Board on July 24, according to SWNews4U.com. One person, the owner of the facility, spoke in favor. Read the article about the meeting at tinyurl.com/SWNews-RothFP2

Now that the Wisconsin DNR has approved the permit, it is up to the Crawford County Land Conservation Committee and Land Conservation Department to approve or not approve a siting permit. The  deadline for comments is August 4. Find more information at www.crawfordcountywi.org/land-conservation-home.html

SUPPORT SCHOOL CLIMATE ACTION     Local climate activists are pressing the La Crosse School District to create a climate action plan and commit to using 100% clean renewable energy by 2050 or sooner. Other schools in Wisconsin have taken these steps. It will ensure district plans do not increase carbon emissions or work against the city’s goals of reducing community emissions. If you live in the School District of La Crosse and have not yet signed the petition, please do so now at tinyurl.com/LaXSchools-ActOnClimate. 

DRIVE/RIDE ELECTRIC EVENTS     National Drive Electric Week is coming. From September 23 through October 2, there will be dozens of electric vehicle events around the country to help people learn about electric vehicle ownership from their friends and neighbors. The event is sponsored by Plug-In America, the Electric Vehicle Association, Sierra Club, and EV Hybrid Noire. There will be at least three NDEW events in the Coulee Region. See ndew.org for details. 

Need a back up newsletter editor for occasional help when the editor is not available. Email CRSierraClub@gmail.com

 

Now through July 19: The Story of Plastic

 

Plastic is flooding our Earth and is a danger to health; land, sea, and air creatures, the environment, and our climate. During PLASTIC FREE JULY, learn more about the issues and what we can do by watching the award-winning film, The Story of Plastic, online between now and July 19. Then join us on Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. for a Zoom conversation about what we can do reduce plastic use and pollution in our communities. 

Register at tinyurl.com/CRSCPlasticFilm to receive the links.

Learn more about plastic problems at our Plastic Facts page.

July Newsletter

During Plastic Free July, the Coulee Region Sierra Club and other local organizations are hosting an online screening of The Story of Plastic, an Emmy Award-winning documentary by The Story of Stuff Project.

CRSC screened this film when it first came out in 2019, but the issue is still with us and the Sierra Club and several other national environmental groups have specific plastic initiatives as the industry promises big increases in plastic production in coming years.

Sign up at the link for access to the film on Vimeo  and to the local film discussion on Tuesday, July 19 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. tinyurl.com/CRSCPlasticFilm

APPLY BY AUGUST 1 for the $300 CRSC Environmental Stewardship Award for high school students. Learn more: tinyurl.com/CRSC-Students 

 

The annual Black River Family Canoe Camp will be held July 16-17! This kid-focused trip on the Black River brings young families, adults with kids, and the young at heart together to play, explore, hike, cook out, and sleep in tents on a sand bar. Preregistration and screening are required. Participants must provide all their own water craft and gear, food, clothing, drinking water, etc. Learn more about it and how to register at tinyurl.com/2022-BRFamCanoe

Plastic Free July Ideas     How can YOU make a difference during Plastic Free July? Here are some suggestions from My Plastic Free Life (myplasticfreelife.com/plasticfreeguide)

Carry and give out reusable shopping bags. Bonus points if they are made from already used fabric like old t-shirts!

Give up bottled water and other beverages sold in plastic containers. Give friends steel water bottles. Ask others to stop using and vending plastic bottles.

Carry your own reusable foodware for potlucks and dining out. Give homemade picnic kits as gifts. Ask event organizers and restaurants to use reusables. 

Look for alternatives for food wrapped in plastic. Make and bring your own meals. Prefer unwrapped vegetables. Shop at farmers’ markets for unwrapped foods.

Give up frozen meals. Almost all are wrapped in plastic.

Return plastic berry, tomato, and fruit containers to the vendors to be reused.

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Next month, we will highlight La Crosse’s Juneteenth event and how planners and organizers worked to incorporate sustainable, reduced plastic policies and practices. 

MORE JULY EVENTS

July 2: Meet Me on the Bluff with Park Naturalist. 9 a.m. Perrot State Park. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/59836

July 2: Deep Time Hike - Geology of the Driftless. 10 a.m. Wildcat Mountain State Park. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57756

July 2: Wildlife in Your Backyard. 7 p.m. Perrot State Park dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/59846

July 3: How Animals Communicate. 10 a.m. Perrot State Park. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/59851

July 4: Mitchel Red Cloud Pow-Wow. Black River Falls. tinyurl.com/BRFPowWow

July 9: Storyteller Terry Visger. 7 p.m. Wildcat Mountain State Park. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/57761

July 9, 16: Friends of the Black River paddling events tinyurl.com/frndsobrpaddling

July 14: Habitat Restoration at Cassville Bluffs. 10 a.m. tinyurl.com/MVC-071422

July 16: Guided Tour of La Crosse Blufflands. 10 a.m. Cty FA. mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events

July 19: Prairie Wildflower Hike 6:30 a.m. Black River Falls area. tinyurl.com/fobr-hiking

July 22: Night Sky Viewing with La Crosse Astronomical Society at Wildcat Mountain State Park. www.lcaas.org

July 23: Moth Mania with Ted Wilson, Viterbo University. 7 to 9 p.m. on Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration land on St. Joseph Ridge. strive2thrivecr.org/event/nocturnal-pollinators-insects-moths

July 22: Night Sky Viewing with La Crosse Astronomical Society at Perrot State Park. www.lcaas.org

July 24: Bugs in the Garden with Nick Nichols. 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. WisCorps Garden at Myrick Park. strive2thrivecr.org/event/bugs-in-the-garden

July 30: Habitat Restoration at Boscobel Bluffs. 9:30 a.m. mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events