December newsletter

 

COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB

WINTER HOLIDAY POTLUCK

- - o - - o - - o - - o- - o - - o - - o - - o - -

 Sunday, December 10 from 4 to 6 p.m.

1925 Main Street, La Crosse

PLEASE RSVP so we can plan at

tinyurl.com/23CRSCWinterPotluck

 

Bring some food to share and/or a holiday dessert!

Beverages provided.

If you wish, bring your own foodware. 

Offer or seek a ride at tinyurl.com/23CRSCPotluckRide

WINTER TOGETHER     We’re lucky to have many opportunities to celebrate the winter beauty of the Coulee Region. Here are a few:

On December 2, Norskedalen will host its annual Old Fashioned Christmas. Learn how immigrants celebrated their holidays and then explore the beautiful grounds and trails. Learn more at www.norskedalen.org/

On Saturday, December 9, the Kickapoo Valley Reserve will host Al Cornell, writer & retired Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Technician, who will talk about his new book, A Year At A Beaver Pond. Learn more at http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Lecture-Series

In its 124th year, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC), December 14 to January 5, is a chance for everyone of any age or ability to appreciate and help the the amazing birds that sweeten our lives. The La Crosse/ La Crescent CBC will be held on Saturday, December 16. To participate contact Coulee Audubon member Dan Jackson at dejackson2256@gmail.com. Help is welcomed.. To learn how to participate no matter where you live, visit www.audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count

On December 15, the La Crosse Astronomical Society will host a group Dark Skies event at Ridge History Park near Middle Ridge (weather permitting) for the Geminids meteor showers. Learn more at www.lcaas.org

 

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS DEADLINE JANUARY 5!     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 5, 2024 For more information, visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education or tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education.

These grants are funded by an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from Sierra Club memberships, and donations made by community members. To donate or learn more about the grants, email CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693.

KUDOS!     Congratulations to Vernon County Energy District and Citizen Action Driftless Co-op! These Coulee Region groups shared the Good Citizen award at November’s annual Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter Awards ceremony!

Congratulations, too, to Jessica Schoonover, Director of the Shirley M. Wright Memorial Library in Trempealeau who received the Sustainability Institute’s Individual Inspiring Sustainabilty award for 2023, and to the City of La Crosse Climate Action Plan team for receiving the Group Inspiring Sustainability Award. Nominees included CRSC board member Pat Wilson.  

CARBON-FREE CHALLENGE     The City of La Crosse has partnered with Bright Action to help community members find actions they can take to help reduce carbon emissions as part of its Climate Action Plan.

If you live in the city, please join the Coulee Region Sierra Club community at tinyurl.com/CarbonFree-LaX to join us as we transition from promoting climate action to taking climate action. Soon, the action site will have community-specific information that will help you get more information as you choose your household actions. And throughout 2024, CRSC will highlight some of the most impactful steps we can take.

You don’t have to live in La Crosse to use Bright Action. Anyone may sign up and start a team or community group. You will find plenty of ideas to motivate you and others.

In addition, the UNEP ACT NOW! SPEAK UP! campaign urges everyone to be a climate action advocate. See what you can do at  www.unep.org/interactives/things-you-can-do-climate-emergency/

* Speak up to local leaders
* Start the conversation with family, friends, and colleagues
* Push corporations and governments to follow the Paris Agreement
* Empower yourself with the latest science and SPEAK UP!
* Get more ideas at their website

MORE DECEMBER EVENTS

12/ 2: Black Ash Plaited Basket (with kits) with LIandra Skenadore.1 p.m., People’s Food Co-op, 315 Fifth Ave. S. www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/black-ash-plaited-basket-with-kits

12/ 5: Burn prep with MVC. Boscobel Bluffs, 9 a.m. Email genesis@mississippivalleyconservancy.org for details.
 
12/ 6: The Miller Garden & Driftless Area BioBlitz at 7 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse.  

12/ 9: Beginning Chip Carving at 1 p.m. at People’s Food Co-op www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/beginning-chip-carving-december-9-2023

12/13: Prairie work day - Mississippi Valley Conservancy.  Email genesis@mississipp7ivalleyconservancy.org.

12/15: A Journey in Tracking with Nicholas WazeeGale at 6:30 p.m. at the People’s Food Co-op www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/a-journey-in-tracking

12/17: Citizen Action Third CD virtual candidate forum, 6 p.m. Register: https://secure.everyaction.com/t4n7Zaa_PE-JZpoN4Sx2ZQ2

12/21: Trash pick up - Mississippi River Conservancy. Email genesis@mississippivalleyconservancy.org

CRSC BOARD ELECTIONS   If you are a member of the Coulee Region Sierra Club, you should have received an email OR a postcard about board elections, who is running, and how and when to vote. If you need information about voting, please call 608-315-2693 or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com for details.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS

 

The Coulee Region Sierra Club 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 5, 2024. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education or sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education

These grants are funded by an annual grant from the Paul E. Stry Foundation, shared dues from Sierra Club memberships, and donations made by community members. 

To donate or learn more about the grants, email CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A SIERRA CLUB MEMBER TO APPLY FOR A GRANT!

November Newsletter

 

2023 CHAPTER AWARDS NOVEMBER 1     Every year, the Sierra Club - Wisconsin Chapter recognizes wonderful volunteers and community leaders for their dedication, passion, and leadership. Join us in celebrating our award-winners during an hour-long virtual ceremony. Join us ONLINE on Wednesday, November 1 at 6 p.m. to honor our volunteers and allies. For the link to join, call 608-315-2693 or visit  https://tinyurl.com/SCWI-23Awards

NOVEMBER 14 SIERRA CLUB BOOK CLUB    In his award-winning book, Eager, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb reveals that our modern idea of what a healthy landscape looks like and how it functions is wrong, distorted by the fur trade that once trapped out millions of beavers from North America’s lakes and rivers. The consequences of losing beavers were profound: streams eroded, wetlands dried up, and species from salmon to swans lost vital habitat. Today, a growing coalition of scientists, ranchers, and passionate citizens recognizes that ecosystems with beavers are far healthier, for humans and non-humans alike, than those without them. Eager is a powerful story about one of the world’s most influential species, how North America was colonized, how our landscapes have changed over the centuries, and how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, extinction, and the ravages of climate change. Join the discussion at 7 p.m., Nov. 14. Register at https://tinyurl.com/SCWIBvrBk

NOVEMBER 14 INSPIRING SUSTAINABILITY     Join the Sustainability Institute on November 14 between 6 and 8 p.m. at the La Crosse Distilling Company, 129 Vine Street, in recognizing and celebrating organizations and individuals who have inspired sustainable action within our community and beyond. Tickets are required for attendance. Ticket sales close at 8 p.m., November 9. A few donated tickets are available for students. Email email@sustaininstitute.com for details.  Buy tickets by November 9 at https://tinyurl.com/WISI23Awards  Complimentary Food is included with ticket purchase, and a cash bar is available with local beer options and cocktails for purchase. The Sustainability Institute is a non-profit founded in 2012 to celebrate and advance sus-tainability efforts within the driftless region. It sponsors the La Crosse Earth Fair and hosts other year-round programs.

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 5, 2024. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee/Education or tinyurl.com/CRSC-Education. Funding for our  environ-mental 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, email or call us.

CRSC BOARD ELECTIONS     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 four board members. Terms are two years and begin in January 2024. 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 any eligible candidate is welcome.

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 an emailed newsletter you’ll get a postcard with instructions. Voting will close on December 30.

SOLAR TOUR     Two Coulee Region group communities hosted solar tours during the October 6-8 National Solar Tour program sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society.

“The TREMPs” (Trempealeau Residential Energy Municipal Producers) hosted a self-guided tour of seven sites, including  one commercial and one community building, on Saturday, October 7. Tour maps were available online and at several community locations. This was the second year for a solar tour in Trempealeau.

In La Crosse, an open house and tour of the solar installation at Hamilton Elementary School hosted by Solar on La Crosse Schools on Friday, October 6 kicked off the weekend. Eight in-person sites, including an energy-efficient apartment complex and several homes, were listed on the wekend tour map, with several other sites, like a solar panel-topped parking ramp at  Gundersen Health and several City of La Crosse buildings, we listed as “info only” drive by opportunities.

Organizers are already making plans for a bigger, better 2024 Solar Tour. If you would like to host a tour in your community or help with an existing one, please email CRSIerraClub@gmail,com or call 608-315-2693.

CHAPTER ELECTION - VOTE NOW!      There are three open seats on the state chapter’s executive committee, and voting is going on now! To learn more and vote, look for an email from Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter sent on Oct. 6 with subject line: Help elect your state chapter leader-ship. Our club runs on grass roots power, and your vote is very important. Vote now!

ELECTRO EXPO IN VIROQUA    The Vernon County Energy District held an “Electo Expo” on Saturday, October 21. The event is part of the groups outreach and education about energy use, efficiency, and energy self-sufficiency. More than 70 people attended the afternoon event. Session topics included EVs, heat pumps for home heating/cooling, solar and battery storage, heat pump water heaters, and IRA incentives. They also had EV test drives. The keynote speaker was Nick Hylla, Executive Director of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

CRSC hosted a program featuring Alan Buss, VCED Board President, in March 2023. You can view it at https://youtu.be/lDXr2DbScIs or visit their webpage at https://vced.energy for more information

EV/HYBRID INSPECTION EVENT     On November 14 at 11 a.m., a tour of Western Technical College’s Automotive Techno-logy  Center, 2721 Larson Street, La Crosse, will be part of an “electrified powertrains” inspection event. Faculty member Adam Remke will lead the tour, talk about the WTC program, and provide an explanation of the inspection process. Those who have dropped off cars for inspection will receive a debrief and summary of findings.

Earlier in the day, second year Automotive Technician students will perform a Free Digital Multipoint Inspection of select electric, plug-in hybrid, or hybrid vehicles as part of a “live work” course. They will have already completed a five-week course related to these vehicles and will work under the supervision of instructors. Concerns found during the inspection, may be repaired through the “Trade Simulation Course” that follows.

If you would like your vehicle inspected or if you would just like to attend the tour and program, visit https://tinyurl.com/111423-WTCEVEvent

MORE NOVEMBER EVENTS

11/ 1: Enviro-Wednesdays - John Sullivan on Water Quality Monitoring in the La Crosse River Marsh 7 p.m. The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse

11/3-5: Jackson In Action Fall Hike at Skyline Golf Course. https://www.blackrivercountry.net/event/jackson-in-action-2023-fall-hike-series-3/

11/4 & 11: Jackson In Action Fall Hiker Fitness. Register for details. https://www.jacksoninaction.org/hikerfitness

11/ 4: Friends of the Blufflands work day from noon to 4 pm at Holland Sand Prairie near Holmen. For details see facebook.com/friendsoftheblufflands

11/ 6: The Lasting Trauma of Indian Policies in the United States on Indigenous Students. 11 am UWL Student Union. https://www.uwlax.edu/events/?e=29287

11/10: Mississippi Valley Conservancy Fall Fundraiser from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Raddison, La Crosse. https://www.mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/2023-fall-fundraiser

11/10: Science Cafe - Bird Nets & Blow Guns - Tales of Avian Research from the Bornean Jungles. 6 pm at JavaVino in La Crosse. https://facebook.com/events/328738293075371

11/12: Ridge Stories with Gary Jones at 1 p.m. Platteville Public Library. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Event/EV9014

11/15: Coulee Audubon meeting at The Nature Place in Myrick Park, La Crosse. 7 p.m.

11/16: In the Life of Western Monarchs - A Community Science Approach at noon central time. Online. https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TfoDvPeGQemJLEr34Ce5hg#/

11/18: Driftless Dialog - Protecting Our Night Skies from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar

11/28: Full Moon Walk at 6 p.m. at The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse. natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/november-full-moon-walk

World Owl Conference

 

WHERE THE CITY AND NATURE MEET.

The Driftless Area was spared by the most recent glaciers and as a result is characterized by steep forested hillsides, deep river valleys, and karst topography. Local habitats include eastern deciduous forest, marshes, and dry bluff prairies.

Denver Holt is the founder and president of the Owl Research Institute and Ninepipes Wildlife Research Center, a non-profit organization in Charlo, Montana dedicated to long-term field research. He has been studying owls for over 40 years, including 29 years working with Snowy Owls and 33 years with Long-eared Owls, among the many species he has investigated over the decades. He has published over 100 papers and technical documents about owls, including four species accounts for Birds of North America and served as the team leader for the Strigidae species accounts for The Handbook of the Birds of the World.

Denver’s keynote presentation will not focus on the sexy Snowy Owl, but rather the lesser understood Long-eared Owl. He and his team have found over 250 nests and banded over 2,000 individuals over the decades. This has allowed him to look at composition of winter roosts, mating systems, stress hormones, plumage differences between the sexes, and to document their declining numbers.

More information and registration here: https://www.worldowlconference.com/

October 6-8 Solar La Crosse Tour!

SOLAR LA CROSSE TOUR

 

This year, for the first time, the City of

La Crosse will participate in the

National Solar Tour!

Friday, 10/6 - Special Solar School Tour!

Saturday, 10/7: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and

 Sunday, 10/8: 1 to 4 p.m.

On-your-own tour of solar sites in La Crosse

Have you been considering solar but would like to learn more about the process? Are you unsure about how to get started or how to find installers?

This on-your-own tour of solar installations in La Crosse will help you get answers to your questions and talk to those who have already taken the step!

Friday, October 6 from 3 to 4 p.m.: Tour the solar installation at Hamilton

Elementary School, 1111 7th Street South and learn more about SOLS (Solar on La Crosse Schools).

There will be information about the project, speakers, treats, activities, and information about how we can support SOLS in its efforts to get solar sooner on district schools.

A tour of the installation will begin at 3:15 p.m. after introductory remarks by speakers, including Dr. Aaron Engel, Superintendent of the La Crosse School District. Learn more about Solar on La Crosse Schools here.

On Saturday, October 7 and Sunday, October 8, check out tour sites on your own.

Thank you for participating!
See you at next year's tour!

🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞 🌞

RESOURCES

View the National Solar Tour Brochure here. 

The City of La Crosse has several resources for those considering solar installations. Visit the Getting Started With Solar page for information, resources, links, and more. Its Climate Action Plan includes several ideas for what individuals, businesses, and non-profits can do to help the city realize its goal of reducing net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The Sierra Club's Ready for 100 program and Clean Energy Toolkit helped hundreds of U.S. communities, including the City and County of La Crosse, take solar action. The Wisconsin chapter's Clean and Renewable Energy work provides pathways for individuals to join together and push for more, faster, and more accessible renewable energy. It's Solar website offers stories and links for anyone interested in solar power.

The American Solar Energy Society offers webinars, resources, and iitiatives to help everyone learn about and go solar. Its new Tiny Watts program focuses on the phone charges, lights, and other small but powerful devices that can use solar right now. It's Solar Energy Workbook is a resource for "anyone from 8 to 80 to learn about solar and other renewables."

This U.S. government website (https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/renewables/financing) has information and resources covering solar project financing for everyone from homeowners and landlords to business owners and governments. 

CO-SPONSORS

Coulee Region Sierra Club The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our millions of members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world.The Coulee Region Group is part of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Sierra Club. Our members come from eight western Wisconsin counties: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon. Please join us!

 

Climate Alliance for the Common Good Climate Alliance for the Common Good wants to help people learn about climate change and what we can do to address it. Empowered people have hope. We have the technology we need to win the fight against climate change.  We need to work together to create the political and social will to act as a community and through individual actions.

 

La Crosse Climate Action Plan The City of La Crosse Council passed a resolution in July 2019, pledging to reduce the city's community wide carbon emissions to zero by 2050. In 2022, the City engaged paleBLUEdot LLC to guide a year-long effort by a team of nearly 50 community members to create its first Climate Action Plan. The plan provides goals and actions steps to help the city reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent (from 2019 levels) by the year 2030. In January 2023, the plan was adopted by the City Council and is now being implemented.

Solar on La Crosse Schools (SOLS), is a grassroots group of students, families, teachers, and community members educating, advocating, and fundraising to make solar energy a reality sooner for the School District of La Crosse. The group is 100% volunteer-powered and all funds raised go, through the La Crosse Public Education Foundation, to putting clean energy on schools. 

Ethos Green Power Co-op   Ethos was founded as a single owner LLC in 2013, by our Visionary, Alicia Leinberger. From the beginning, her vision for success and sustainability had always been to one day transition Ethos to a worker-owned coop. In 2020 we accomplished that vision and re-incorporated as Ethos Green Power Cooperative. This means, when you hire us for your project, you've hired a team of invested owners, each with unique expertise and perspective. We believe this diverse structure creates a strong foundation from which we create value for you, and ultimately achieve our Core Focus.

October 1 ASK ME ABOUT MY EV

On Sunday, October 1, La Crosse area electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts will host an event to allow community members to get their questions answered about what driving and owning an electric vehicle is really like at the ASK ME ABOUT MY EV event from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the La Crosse City Hall Parking Lot, 400 La Crosse Street, La Crosse. The event is part of the 13th annual National Drive Electric Week (NDEW).

National Drive Electric Week, a coast-to-coast celebration of electric vehicles (EVs), will be held Sept. 22 through Oct. 1, 2023, and is expected to include more than 200 online and in-person events.

There are now more than three million EVs on the road in the United States, and a recent survey from Cox Automotive found consumers considering purchasing an EV for their next vehicle is at an all-time high. The increased interest in EVs makes NDEW events important to educating the public about the incredible benefits of owning an EV, from cost-savings on maintenance and fuel to improved air quality, convenience and performance.

The La Crosse event will include electric car and bike owners plus information about EVs, charging, tax credits, and more. This is expected to be the first of a series of fall “pop-up” EV outreach and information events in the La Crosse area. EV outreach and education is one of the City's climate action plan goals as it works to reduce community-wide carbon emissions.

Owners of plug-in electric cars and e-bikes, as well as those who are considering making the switch to electric vehicles (car or bike) or who just want to learn more, are welcome to sign up to show and talk about their vehicles. Participants and visitors may sign up at tinyurl.com/Fall23LaxEV or by calling or texting 608-315-2693.

https://www.facebook.com/events/994259485190262

Oktoberfest ends on September 30 this year.

Tuesday at 5 p.m. A Walk in the Refuge

REMINDER!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. A WALK IN THE REFUGE at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor Center, N5727 County Rd Z, Onalaska. Join Sierra Club friends and Refuge Visitor Services Specialist Katie Julian on a guided walk through the Brice Prairie Visitors Center trails. The trails, paved and gravel, wind through a prairie filled with life and color between the Center and Lake Onalaska. For more information about the center, see tinyurl.com/BricePrairieCtr

Bring your camera and enter the annual Share the Experience amateur photo contest for photos taken on public lands, including those managed by the U.S.  Fish and Wildlife Service! Learn more about the contest at www.sharetheexperience.org

To find the refuge, from highway 35 go west to Brice Prairie. The Center is on County Road Z just north of its intersection with County Road ZN.

 

 

 

September Newsletter

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 5:00 to 6:30 P.M. A WALK IN THE REFUGE at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge Visitor Center, N5727 County Rd Z, Onalaska. Join Sierra Club friends and Refuge Visitor Services Specialist Katie Julian on a guided walk through the Brice Prairie Visitors Center trails. The trails, paved and gravel, wind through a prairie filled with life and color between the Center and Lake Onalaska. For more information about the center, see tinyurl.com/BricePrairieCtr

Bring your camera and enter the annual Share the Experience amateur photo contest for photos taken on public lands, including those managed by the U.S.  Fish and Wildlife Service! Learn more about the contest at www.sharetheexperience.org

To find the refuge, from highway 35 go west to Brice Prairie. The Center is on County Road Z just north of its intersection with County Road ZN.

NATIONAL DRIVE ELECTRIC WEEK     National Drive Electric Week is September 22 through October 1. There will be at least two electric vehicle education and outreach events in the Coulee Region.

On Saturday, September 30, electric car owners will gather at the Prairie Cinema, 1205 Prairie Street, in Prairie du Chien between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to talk and learn about electric vehicles. Anybody and everybody who is curious about EVs is welcome to attend this free event. Electric Vehicle Association-Wisconsin Chapter will be there, too.

On Sunday, October 1, between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., electric car and ebike owners will gather in La Crosse to show off their vehicles, talk about EV ownership, and provide information about EV and charging incentives available.

The Sierra Club is one of the national sponsors of National Drive Electric Week. To learn more about these events, visit driveelectricweek.org

SUPPORT OUR TEAMS!     There’s still time to support Wisconsin Sierra Club Teams, volunteers from around the state who work on issues important to us all. Donations help us promote events and actions, connect with allies, and communicate with decision-makers. Donate by Sept. 8 at https://teamsierrawi.rallybound.org/Static/Team-List

CLEAN TECH, NOT NTEC!     We’re at a turning point when it comes to fossil fuels and climate change. The science is clear: we cannot keep funding dirty energy for the sake of our communities’ health, safety and planet. Excitingly, President Biden has committed to ending federal subsidies for fossil fuel energy resources, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering $9.7 billion to rural electric coops for their transition to clean energy.

This is great news, but at the same time, the USDA is still considering a subsidized loan worth hundreds of millions of dollars for Dairyland Power Co-op to build the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) fossil gas plant, which would be located in Superior, Wisconsin. This is a major contradiction in the face of crystal-clear science. Right now, the USDA is going through an environmental review process that will inform whether or not they approve Dairyland’s loan application, and you can weigh in!

Join us in sending a strong message to the USDA that uplifts our opposition to a new gas plant and its negative contributions to climate change, public health, and the local economy: https://addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/no-new-fracked-gas-plant-near-lake-superior/petition

 BOARD ELECTIONS     We are seeking candidates for the Coulee Region Sierra Club board. At least one seat is open for 2024. Elections will be in December. New terms begin in 2024. The board meets monthly and plans 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 pertinent 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!

SHOW YOUR SOLAR!     Every October, the American Solar Energy Society hosts the National Solar Tour. This is an opportunity for people to visit with those who have installed  solar at their homes or businesses and get more information about installers, benefits, and incentives.

If you have solar, consider signing up to be a stop on a local tour, or, if there is no local tour, consider signing up to host one.

There will be a Solar La Crosse Tour for the first time on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8, co-sponsored by the Coulee Region Sierra Club, the City of La Crosse, and the Climate Alliance for the Common Good. We are seeking tour stops; if you live in La Crosse and have a solar installation, please sign up at www.nationalsolartour.org/tourmap/solar-la-crosse-tour

There is also a solar tour in Trempealeau on Saturday, October 7 organized by the Trempealeau Renewable Energy Municipal Producers. Learn more at www.nationalsolartour.org/tourmap/tour-trempealeau-and-meet-the-tremps

2024 CALENDARS     It’s time to order your Sierra Club calendars! Wall calendars are $19 each and engagement calendars are $20. 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, clothing, gifts, and more may be found at store.sierraclub.org/storefront.aspx

WOLF HUNT HEARING     The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is taking public comments on the draft rules around a wolf hunt if wolves were to be delisted from the Endangered Species Act. RSVP to attend the hearing and we'll send you talking points, tips and tricks for testifying, and more background on the rule. RSVP at tinyurl.com/wiscwolfhearing

MORE SEPTEMBER EVENTS

9/ 2-4: Ho-Chunk Nation Powwow, Andrew Blackhawk Memorial Pow-Wow Grounds, Black River Falls. www.blackrivercountry.net/event/ho-chunk-nation-pow-wow/

9/ 6: Ground-nesting bees with researcher Danielle Hudson, 7 p.m. The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse
https://natureplacelacrosse.org/calendar/enviro-wednesdays-2-2023-09-06/

9/ 6, 13, 20, 27: Hiking for Fitness, 5:15 p.m. Black River Falls. www.jacksoninaction.org/hikerfitness

9/ 9: Cassville Mushroom Foray 9:30 a.m. Registration required: mississippivalleyconservancy.org/events/cassville-mushroom-foray-0 

9/ 9: Prairie Enthusiasts trip to Holland Sand Prairie  10 to noon, theprairieenthusiasts.org/events/

9/ 9: Friends of the Black River Paddle - Hatfield Whitewater Release. Noon. Please RSVP. www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-2023-paddle-events/2023-09-09/

9/16: 75th Birthday Party - Wildcat Mountain State Park 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Hikes, talks, contests, food, more. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/76146

9/16: Driftless Dialog - Not another DAM talk! 9:30 a.m. Kickapoo Valley Reserve. http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar

9/17: Intro to Birding,  7 a.m. Kickapoo Valley Reserve. http://kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar

9/19: Choose to Re-use: Making Sustainable Choices at Home with Natalie Heneghan, Habitat for Humanity. 2 p.m. Black River Falls Public Library, 222 Fillmore St.  www.blackrivercountry.net/event/choose-to-reuse-making-sustainable-choices-at-home/

9/22-24: Jackson in Action Fall Hiking Series at Wazee Lake. More info/register: www.jacksoninaction.org/fallhike

9/23: Astronomy Day at Riverside Park in La Crosse (near the cannon) Solar observing - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Night observing - 8 to 10 p.m. http://www.lcaas.org/

9/23: Become a BarBERRIAN - Invasive plant removal. 9 a.m. to noon. Wildcat Mountain State Park. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/71421

9/26: La Crosse Climate Action Plan ACTION Kick-Off, 10 to 11:30 a.m. La Crosse Center.

9/28: Gardening in a Changing Climate with Melinda Myers, 2:30 p.m. at Black River Falls Public Libary OR online: https://youtu.be/8URCF0C4bxc

BE A POLL WORKER     The Wisconsin League of Women Voters is offering Poll Worker Training for people wishing to ensure safe, free, and fair elections in our state in 2024.

If you're looking for a way to make an impact in 2024, becoming a poll worker is one of the most vital roles you can play. A poll worker helps people vote safely and ensuries as many people as possible can cast their ballot. Poll workers are important because they:

• Create an accessible and inclusive environment where voters feel empowered and safe throughout the voting process.
• Serve their community. More poll workers mean more polling places. This keeps lines short and efficient for their neighbors.
• Play a vital role in upholding our democratic processes. And, they get hands-on insight into our safe, fair and free elections.

Visit powerthepolls.org/lwvwi and enter your information so your local clerk knows that you are interested in becoming a poll worker.

PROJECT 2025     Several news outlets, are reporting on the Heritage Foundation’s comprehensive plans for a Republican presidential win next year. The “battle plan” covers the first 180 days of the transition, with lists of pre-vetted individuals for administration positions and a “policy playbook” that includes every federal program and department.

The Guardian reports that the plan calls for

• Elimination of three Department of Energy agencies that are working on the energy transition;
• Blocking renewable energy from the grid
• Reducing the funding and scope of the Environmental Protection Agency;Vastly expanding gas infrastructure.

Inside Climate News quotes a former NOAA official and public policy expert who notes that, “Project 2025 marks a fundamental shift, where instead of federal agencies obliging their duty to public health and environmental protection, they instead work to help the industries they’ve been tasked with overseeing.”

Read more at tinyurl.com/ICN-Proj2025

August Newsletter

 

"There's a lot more in the pipeline, unless we reduce the greenhouse gas amounts. These superstorms are a taste of the storms of my grandchildren. We are headed wittingly into the new reality. We knew it was coming." - Dr. James Hansen, former NASA scientist, whio warned the U.S. Senate in 1988 about the climate crisis.

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The Coulee Region Group mourns the loss of Don Frank this past month. Don was one of the founders of the Coulee Region Group in 1972 and the second group president in 1973 – exactly 50 years ago. Don and his wife Barbara originally joined the Sierra Club to protect the Red River in Clarksville, TN, where Don was working for the Trane Company. They brought their passion for environmental causes back to La Crosse when Don returned to Trane here. Through the many years they have maintained their support for the Sierra Club, at the local, state, and national levels. Don will be greatly missed. Read more about Don here: https://tinyurl.com/DonFrank2023  

If you would like to honor Don's memory and commitment to the environment, please consider a donation to the Sierra Club's Wisconsin Chapter in Don's name. https://tinyurl.com/Donate-WI-SC

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CONTACT YOUR REC      Are you a member of a rural electric co-op? Dairyland Power Cooperative, the utility that provides the majority of electricity to local co-ops in Wisconsin, has the opportunity to apply for major grants and low-cost loans for clean energy through the New ERA program. This would reduce customer prices and have a positive impact on our environment.

Please reach out to your local co-op board asking them to support Dairyland’s application for a strong New ERA package! Email Jadine at jadine.sonoda@sierraclub.org to learn how to find your REC board members, how to contact them, and what information you can share. 

SUPPORT OUR TEAMS     Sierra Club - Wisconsin's volunteer teams are currently raising funds to support our work -- including our legislative and grassroots advocacy. Donate to one or more teams at https://tinyurl.com/WI-SC-Donate-Teams.

CHAPTER AWARD NOMINATIONS    The Wisconsin Chapter is accepting nominations of outstanding volunteers and partners for Chapter Awards. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the form details, just share a few sentences about why your nominee deserves to be celebrated! Submit your nomination at https://tinyurl.com/WIChapterAwards23 by August 15!

CRSC BOARD    If you are a CRSC member, you are eligible to run for the board. Board members meet monthly, online or in person, to discuss club and chapter business, including finances; programs, activities, and events; membership; education and outreach; and more. You do not need any special skills or credentials to be on the board. More information will be available next month. Please consider serving on the board!

CRSC board meetings are open and any member may attend and observe. The next board meeting will be held over Zoom on Tuesday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. If you would like access information, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693.

VERNON COUNTY ENERGY AND EVs     By Sam Skemp      The Vernon County Energy District (VCED) helped sponsor the Drive Electric Earth Day event on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Viroqua Food Co-op.

Drive Electric Earth Day is an annual campaign for sharing information about driving electric vehicles (EVs) and for encouraging people to buy them. The event included EV test drives along with other Earth Day activities.

Vernon County Energy District is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission of promoting local energy production and ownership (solar, wind, and hydro), encouraging energy conservation, and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

To learn more about VCED and how to become a member, go to their website: www.VCED.energy.

PHOTO CONTEST     Friends of the Refuge Headwaters is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mississippi River Refuge by hosting a photo contest. All photos must be taken at or of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

The deadline for submissions is October 27, 2023 with judging completed by January 1, 2024. Winning photos will become part of an exhibit displayed at public events throughout the Refuge in 2024. Cash prizes will be given for top entries. For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/RefugePhotoInfo

EVENT VOLUNTEERS     Seeking helpers for September National Drive Electric Week event(s) in La Crosse area and to help organize early October “Know Your Solarhood” tours in the La Crosse and Onalaska areas. If you would like to help organize, contact potential participants, help with publicity, etc. please email CRSierraCluba@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693.

ROUTE ZERO IN LA CROSSE     On July 27, Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and La Crosse Municipal Transit Director Adam Lorentz joined other community leaders for a press conference to rally public support for a transition to a zero-emission transportation future, including calling for the strongest possible federal clean car standards.

Major federal investments have been made in charging infrastructure, battery manufacturing, and consumer tax incentives. These efforts are propelling the shift to zero-emission vehicles. The Environmental Protection Agency’s draft safeguards for the next round of clean car standards for (model years 2027-2032) lay the groundwork for an estimated 67% of all new car sales to be EVs by 2032.

Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski highlighted the signi-ficant impact on sustainable development and local economies. The City of La Crosse has been ahead of the curve on recognizing the benefits of zero emission vehicles and preparing for an EV future.

Watch the event at tinyurl.com/LaXRoute0 

SUMMER READING     Several new books are out or due out that talk about taking climate action.

The Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions by Greta Thunberg. “In The Climate Book, Greta Thunberg has gathered the wisdom of over one hundred experts – geophysicists, oceanographers and meteorologists; engineers, economists and mathematicians; historians, philosophers and indigenous leaders – to equip us all with the knowledge we need to combat climate disaster.”

The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet by Jeff Goodell, a New York Times best-selling author and 2020 Guggenheim Fellow who has been reporting on climate issues for more than two decades for Rolling Stone Magazine. “An explosive, completely new understanding of heat, the lethal force which threatens every living cell on Earth. ... a deeply-reported examination of the impact that temperature rise will have on our lives and on our planet, offering a vital new perspective on where we are headed, how we can prepare, and what is at stake if we fail to act.”

Our Fragile Moment: How Lessons from Earth's Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis by Michael E. Mann, due out in September. “In this sweeping work of science and history, the renowned climate scientist and author of The New Climate War shows us the conditions on Earth that allowed humans not only to exist but thrive, and how they are imperiled if we veer off course.”

MORE AUGUST EVENTS

8/ 3: Bats at the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge Outdoor Wonder Learning Center at 7 p.m. https://explorelacrosse.com/event/bats-at-the-refuge/

8/ 4: Shakespeare in Wildcat Mountain State Park at 5:30 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/76411

8/ 5: Love the Land Party, Dance, and Fundraiser for Crawford Stewardship Project at Lions Park, Soldiers Grove from 6 p.m. to midnight. www.facebook.com/events/6255718281193759

8/ 5: Native Plants & Insects at 10 a.m.,The Nature Place, Myrick Park, La Crosse strive2thrivecr.org/event/native-plants-insects/

8/ 5: Geology Hike at Wildcat Mountain State Park 10 a.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/78076

8/ 6: Shakespeare in Perrot State Park at 1 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/76421

8/ 8: Drop in on Bears at the Castle Mound Shelter in the Black River Falls State Forest from 1 to 3 p.m. tinyurl.com/BRFBears

8/12: Friends of the Black River Paddle at Hatfield Whitewater Release. Please RSVP www.friendsoftheblackriver.org/category/paddles/

8/12-20: Jackson County Bike Week Challenge JacksonInAction.org/jcbikeweek

8/12:  Astronomy & Star-Gazing at Wildcat Mountain State Park Ampitheater,  8 to 11 p.m. dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/73071

8/19: Prairie Pollinators Walk at the La Crosse Bluff-lands North, Cty FA Trailhead, La Crosse at 10 a.m. explorelacrosse.com/event/guided-pollinator-walk-offered-at-la-crosse-blufflands-prairie/

8/23: International Crane Foundation - Learn about Cranes 6:30 p.m. Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge Outdoor Wonder Learning Center
explorelacrosse.com/event/international-crane-foundation/

8/23: Bluff Bash 6 to 9 p.m. Upper Hixon Forest Parking Lot

8/23: All Things Slithery at Brockway Park in BRF at 9:30 a.m. www.blackrivercountry.net/event/all-things-slithery/

8/24: Monroe County Invasive Species Working Group Field Day from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Wisconsin Cranberry Research Station, W8510 County Road O, BRF. tinyurl.com/MonroeCtyInvasives

8/26: Friends of the Black River River Clean-Up and Paddle from 8 a.m. to noon at Al Young Park tinyurl.com/FOBR823Paddles

July newsletter

 

 

JULY HIGHWAY CLEAN-UP    Help us keep the CRSC stretch of River Valley Drive free
of litter! Meet at the pumping station near the intersection of RV Drive and Gillette St. at 6 p.m. on MONDAY, July 17. We will provide vests, gloves, and bags. Email  CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693 with questions.

PLASTIC FREE JULY.  Plastics, mostly single-use, proliferate our daily existence, environment, and ecosystems. Tiny microplastic particles are found in the air we breathe and the water we drink, exposing us to a multitude of toxic substances. And the production of these products are polluting our communities, often Black, Brown, and low-income. We must act to regulate plastics at all levels—from production, to transportation, to use, to disposal. The era of single-use plastics in our everyday lives is one that needs to be relegated to the past—and quickly.

Our current methods of extracting natural resources, turning them into products and packaging used for ever shorter periods of time, and then discarding them is not sustainable! This "use & throw" culture contributes significantly to a wide variety of negative impacts such as forest and open space destruction, ocean pollution, litter, water and air pollution, and climate

Our government can act to help solve this crisis by passing the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, which was first introduced in 2021. This ambitious bill will tackle single-use plastic waste and production. Learn more about the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act and how you can support it at www.sierraclub.org/act-for-our-climate-environment-health-supporting-break-free-plastic-pollution-act

SAVE MONEY WITH RENEWABLES    The Inflation Reduction Act lowers energy costs for consumers and small businesses while creating good-paying jobs as America’s clean energy economy and manufacturing sectors grow. Learn how you or your family can save on utility bills, get support to purchase electric vehicles and energy-saving appliances, and access the economic opportunities of the clean energy future at www.whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy

From making home weatherization and efficiency upgrades, to installing new electric appliances, to purchasing an electric vehicle or rooftop solar system – learn how the Inflation Reduction Act will help cover the costs and save you money each month on your bills.

The list of incentives to save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and save money is extensive, covering transportation, heating and air conditioning (not just heat pumps), appliances, sealing and insulating, upgrading electrical service and more. Now is the time to act.

CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI REFUGE!  Friends of the Refuge Headwaters is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Mississippi River Refuge by hosting a photo contest. All photos must be taken at or of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

The deadline for submissions is October 27, 2023 with judging completed by January 1, 2024. Winning photos will become part of an exhibit displayed at public events throughout the Refuge in 2024. Cash prizes will be given for top entries. For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/RefugePhotoInfo

JULY BOOK CLUB    Join us on July 11 at 7 p.m. for an online discussion of  "Bitter" by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi. This young adult novel explores both the importance and cost of social revolution--and how youth lead the way. When you register, you will automatically receive an email that includes the link to join the call. tinyurl.com/WISC-Bitter

MORE JULY EVENTS

7/ 1: Friends of the Black River Paddle at Lunda Park Pond 4 to 6 pm www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-2023-paddle-events/

7/ 1: Wildlife in Your Back Yard at Perrot State Park Nature Center, 7 to 8 pm dnr.wisconsin.gov/events/78901

7/ 4, 11, 18, 25: Frog Walk Tuesdays at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. 7:30 to 8 pm kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar/

7/ 8: Friends of the Black River Paddle Hatfield to Halls Creek at noon www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-2023-paddle-events/

7/ 8: Plant ID Hike at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. 9 am to noon kvr.state.wi.us/Events/Calendar/

7/15: Bugs in the Garden  10 am  The Nature Place at Myrick Park  strive2thrivecr.org/event/bugs-in-the-garden-2/

7/15: Friends of the Black River Paddle Lake Wazee Beginners 11 am www.blackrivercountry.net/event/friends-of-the-black-river-2023-paddle-events/

7/22: Nocturnal Insects 7:30 pm Villa St. Joseph – Franciscan Sisters W2658 WI-33  strive2thrivecr.org/event/nocturnal-insects/

EVENT VOLUNTEERS    Seeking helpers for September National Drive Electric Week event(s) in La Crosse area and to help organize early October “Know Your Solarhood” tours in the La Crosse and Onalaska areas. If you would like to help organize, contact potential participants, help with publicity, etc. please email CRSierraCluba@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693.

 

Grants for Grazing

North Crawford's grazing program receives a boost

During the initial stages of developing the North Crawford Community Pastures Program, CSP and our employee, Joseph Childs, decided to chip in for the labor and materials cost so that the school district would not be saddled with additional expenses.  However, since the program has been approved, we have been able to obtain grants from Food, Faith and Farming Network as well as Wisconsin Rural Coalition totaling $3,500.  These resources are being used to offset labor costs, purchasing fencing and water materials, as well as put on an open house event for the program including a lunch and an opportunity for grazing professionals and educators to speak to the public.  This event will take place on June 17, 2023 @ 10:30 at North Crawford Schools.