Local Governments and Climate Action. April 23 at Noon (Online) featuring the City of La Crosse, Monroe County, and the La Crosse School District Register: tinyurl.com/25CRSCLocalClimate
According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, studies show that every $1 invested in climate resiliency can save up to $13 when a disaster occurs. As global warming and carbon emissions continue to rise, local governments are on the front lines of climate change consequences. We will hear representatives from three Coulee Region governmental bodies about their efforts to deal with climate change and prepare for the future. Mackenzie Mindel is a City of La Crosse Council Representative and Chair of its Climate Action Plan Steering Committee. Joe Ledvina is Director of Facilities for the La Crosse School District and a member of the district’s Climate Action Plan team. Bob Micheel, Monroe County Land Conservation Department Director, was co-leader of the county’s Climate Readiness and Rural Economic Assessment, and is now a member of its Climate Change Task Force.
With national climate action in question, now more than ever, local action is needed. How can community members encourage and support our communities, schools, and counties to take action now? Please register for the link at
https://tinyurl.com/25CRSCLocalClimate or call 608-315-2693 for dial-in information.
APRIL 18 - ACTION GATHERING Our small group of members and friends enjoyed another evening of taking climate action and socializing in March. Watch the local newspapers for our letters to the editor in support of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)! We hope you can join us for our next action gathering, focused on protecting public lands, on Friday, April 18, from 5:30-7:30 pm at the UU Fellowship, 401 West Avenue in La Crosse (enter at the back door). We'll have snacks, but bring your own beverage.
APRIL 26 - HIGHWAY CLEANUP Our first highway cleanup of 2025 will be on Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. Meet at the pumping station near the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette. Gloves, bags, and vests provided. Please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com or call 608-315-2693 with questions.
APRIL 27 - LA CROSSE EARTH FAIR CRSC will table at the La Crosse Earth Fair on Sunday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are looking for a few people to help table for one or two hours. You don’t need special knowledge or skills! We will set up the table and give you the information and materials needed to talk to our friends and neighbors about the club’s activities, goals, and advocacy! Please call us at 608-315-2693 or email CRSierraClub@gmail.com to help with this important outreach
APRIL 14 - CONSERVATION CONGRESS The Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invite the public to attend spring hearings on Monday, April 14 at 6 p.m. to learn about resource management through the annual Fish and Wildlife Spring Hearing
process. DNR staff and WCC delegates will be on hand at these spring hearings to discuss local issues of importance, answer questions from the public and open a dialogue between the public, the DNR and the WCC about areas
of interest and concern. The public is invited to provide feedback on a variety of fish, wildlife and other natural resources-related topics as part of the spring hearing process. If you cannot attend in person, you may provide input online from 7 p.m. April 14 through 6 p.m. April 16.
Coulee Region hearings:
• Crawford: PdC High School
• Grant: Youth & Ag Bldg, Lancaster
• Jackson: BRF Middle School
• La Crosse: Onalaska High School
• Monroe: Tomah High School
• Richland: County Courthouse, Richland Center
• Trempealeau: Arcadia High School
• Vernon: Viroqua High School
APRIL 9 - WATER AND ENVIRONMENT Join the Wisconsin Chapter Water Team from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. online to learn about the work of Reflo, a Milwaukee-based organization focused on green infrastructure and water management. Zoom in, bring your own lunch, and any questions you may have! Reflo will be talking specifically about their Green & Healthy
APRIL 22 EARTH FAIR Summit Environmental School on French Island in La Crosse will
host an Earth Day Celebration highlighting a variety of environmental and climate action
educational organizations in the area including Solar on La Crosse Schools (SOLS). SOLS is local grassroots group that grew out of Coulee Region Sierra Club efforts to urge the La Crosse School District to take climate action. SOLS’ very first project, in 2020, was fundraising for and installation of a solar+battery school kiosk at Summit. The group’s latest project is a newly-installed solar powered outdoor classroom there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the solar classroom will be held at 5 p.m. during Summit’s Earth Day celebration. Learn more at
VIROQUA EARTH FAIR Celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Viroqua Food Co-op, 609 N, Main Street. Vernon County Energy District Electric Car Show (9 to 11) Ethos Green Power Cooperative information, Wonderstate Coffee Samples, Earth Day Scavenger Hunt Earth Day Bingo and more https://www.viroquafood.coop/events/earth-day-2024
MAY 6 CONSERVATION LOBBY DAY At the beginning of every legislative session, Wisconsin Conservation Voters brings voters together from around the state to meet with their legislators and tell them about their clean water, clean energy, and healthy democracy priorities.In 2025, there are new opportunities to get our conservation priorities passed in the State Legislature and the state budget thanks to new legislative maps. Lobby Day participants will receive training and information to make their meetings with their own representatives as impactful as possible.Learn more and RSVP at https://conservationvoters.org/events/cld-2025. If you would like to try carpooling to this event, please visit https://www.groupcarpool.com/t/w897fi
ECOLUTION 2025 - APRIL 22, 5 p.m. - Rivoli Theater Join the La Crosse Film Academy, La Crosse Adventure Film Festival, Sustainability Institute, and the Rivoli Theatre and Pizzeria for a special Earth Day film screening with special appearances by community partners who are championing environmental education and the health of our local ecosystems, https://tinyurl.com/EcolutionLaX25
LA CROSSE SCHOOL DISTRICT CLIMATE ACTION PLAN In February, the School District of La Crosse released its Climate Action Plan, the result of a nearly year-long effort by a committee that included several Sierra Club members! Our group chair, Kathy Allen, spoke at the school board meeting where the plan was presented:
"I was part of a coalition that began encouraging the district to step up its climate and clean energy efforts back in November of 2021. After a couple years of off-and-on discussion, I was thrilled when Superintendent Engel met with representatives from our coalition in the summer of 2023 to share that the district was ready to work on a climate action plan. I accepted an invitation to serve on the planning committee, and we got started in early 2024.
“Our committee includes district administrators, teachers and other staff, and community organization representatives. Many members are also parents of current, former, or future students in the district. Our task - to complete a climate action plan that suits the School District of La Crosse - was challenging at times, because very few districts have completed plans so far, and most that have are in large cities, like Chicago and Denver. But from the beginning, the process was very collaborative, with all committee members contributing their unique knowledge and experience.
“We discussed every significant decision and made sure we had the best available information before coming to a group consensus. We ultimately opted to use the Denver School District's climate action plan as a model for our own, but chose and then adapted only the goals from that plan that would be achievable and beneficial for our district.
“The resulting plan that we're presenting here tonight is something that I am proud to have been a part of and fully support, and I hope it will have your support as well. The actions included will benefit not only our environment, which provides all the resources humanity needs to survive and thrive, but also the health of the students and wider community, along with saving the district money in the long-term, which can be put back into classrooms and student services. It builds upon improvements the district has already made over the years to save energy and money. I'm sure we will realize over time that the plan is not perfect and will need adjustments, but that's okay, it's intended to be a working document. The plan provides an excellent starting point, and will show students that we care about the future their education is preparing them for."
REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS! City of La Crosse homeowners and landlords (duplex only) may be eligible for a free Focus on Energy home energy assessment and free or low-cost home energy improvements through a City of La Crosse partnership with Green Home-owners United. To have an expert help you find out if you’re eligible for the grant, call or text Jack at Green Homeowners United: (608) 616-0470 and mention “La Crosse energy assessment” or visit https://www.greenhomewi.com/lax
APRIL 25 - WATER QUALITY MONITORING TRAINING Crawford Stewardship Project's Water Monitoring Program is looking for volunteers to monitor streams & springs of concern in Crawford County once a month from May - October. An online training is offered for those who are interested in helping. It will include Introduction to the Water Action Volunteers (WDNR & University of WI Extension) and CSP's Water Quality Monitoring Programs, a review of Level 1 parameters (dissolved oxygen, temperature, biotic index, pH and habitat assessment), and specifics about the sites that will be monitored. Attendees will have the option to choose a site from among our sites of concern to monitor, based on availability and proximity. RSVP by April 21 at https://tinyurl.com/CSPWaterQuality0425
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD - HIGH SCHOOL STEWARDSHIP AWARD! The Coulee Region Sierra Club offers an annual $300 Stewardship Award to area juniors and seniors that live in the Coulee Region. This award honors high school student for their work engaging in environmental awareness and activity. Your help building awareness of this annual award is greatly appreciated. Please print and post the flyer in your community (schools, libraries, public billboards). Distribute the information by forwarding this page to your social contacts, parent groups, community organizations. Tell your friends, family members, colleagues, co-workers about this opportunity.
