Book Club reminder!

 Remember to sign up for the Coulee Region Sierra Club's Enviro Book Club at Goodreads.com. For January, we're reading The Overstory by Richard Powers. Read the powerful review by Barbara Kingsolver and join us!

You might also be interested in this article, "A Talk in the Woods: Barbara Kingsolver and Richard Powers," from Poets & Writers.

Planet or Plastic

Friends at Viroqua Plastic Free alerted us to this new issue of National Geographic Magazine. Most of the issue is devoted to plastic pollution and potential solutions. At the very least, we can Take the Pledge.

Interestingly, the BBC recently highlighted a short video on the nation of Vanuatu which has begun banning plastic bags and single use utensils. In just a year, their environment became much cleaner, but their ultimate victory over plastic pollution depends on others since they import so much of their food and other necessities.

In October, we learned that the Ocean Cleanup Project successfully completed a first pass of inventor Boyan Slat's device to tackle the vast plastic islands in our planet's oceans.

WISPIRG has a new initiative encouraging support for the RIGHT TO REPAIR things like electronics and cell phones which would reduce the amount of waste our communities must deal with. They are also collecting petition signatures to support a ban of single use plstic foam items.

If your New Year includes a pledge to do more to rid our planet of the scourge of plastic pollution, check out the Plastic Pollution Coalition, a growing global alliance of more than 1,000 organizations, businesses, and thought leaders in 60 countries working toward a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impact on humans, animals, waterways, the ocean, and the environment. 

At the very least, make sure you have a supply of reusable shopping bags and food containers (and use them!), a reusable water bottle, and a sustainable green food kit (reusable food storage container plus reusable utensils) to use when you eat out and have left overs OR when you are offered plastic plates and utensils.Find and use places that give the option of buying in bulk so you can use your own containers where allowed. Last but not least - make sure to mention NO PLASTIC PLEASE! at every store and restaurant you visit.  

January 2020 Newsletter

TUESDAY, January 28 at 7 p.m.  Water Quality in the Coulee Region with Karl Green, UW-Extension, Ho-Chunk Three Rivers House (8th & Main, La Crosse)     Water is life, and the threat to clean water one of the top concerns of Coulee Region residents. Whether it’s CAFO siting rules, blue green algae, flooding, phosphorous, PFAs, high capacity wells, or new water treatment standards, water issues require our understanding and constant attention.

On January 28, we’ll welcome Karl Green, Community Natural Resource and Economic Development Agent for La Crosse County, who will discuss our region‘s leading water quality issues, what’s being done, and what we can do to protect this precious resource.

Karl is a university professor, parent, outdoorsperson, and community collaborator involved with  several diverse groups, from La Crosse Promise to La Crosse Partners in Learning to the La Crosse Urban Stormwater Group.

Everyone is welcome to this event. You need not be a Sierra Club member to participate. We will also introduce our new board, hear your ideas and hopes for the new year, and discuss plans for 2020. Refreshments will be provided!

Start the new year with a pledge to CLIMATE ACTION!     In 1959, Dr. Edward Teller warned the American Petroleum Institute and U.S. government officials attending his speech that burning fossil fuels emitted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere causing the Earth’s climate to warm, polar ice caps to melt, and coastal cities to be inundated. That was 60 years ago.

Countless papers, speeches, books, articles, testimonies, and movies later, we are rocketing past sustainable limits - CO2 levels of 350 ppm (we just passed 415 ppm) and a global temperature rise of no more than 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels (we are at about 1 degree already).

Last month, the 25th UN conference on climate change ended in failure because powerful interests, rich from a fossil fuel system, will not yield, not even for their own children. Our planet is in grave peril. Some climate experts say CO2 emissions must peak in 2020, but we continue to burn fossil fuels for fun and profit at every opportunity.

Writing in The Correspondent, environment reporter Eric Holthaus calls on us to get political. “It’s not constructive to continue to pretend that polite compromise and incremental changes will save us.”

Every month, we will highlight ways we can, as individuals and members of communities, redouble our efforts to lower carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions. This month, consider assessing your family’s personal carbon footprint and make a plan to lower your emissions by at least 5 percent. This page will give you ideas and resources. Share your own ideas for our next newsletter. Email CRSierraClub@gmail.comcrsierraclub@gmail.com

Reminder: Enviro-Edu Grants!      The Coulee Region Sierra Club is offering grants of up
to $200 for environmental education projects involving young people at the elementary and middle school level. The application and more details are available at tinyurl.com/CRSCGrantInfo. The application deadline is JANUARY 5, 2020. Please spread the word about this opportunity available to those in Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon counties. If you have questions, please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com.

Board Elections     Thank you to everyone who voted and to those who volunteered to serve on the board in 2020! Thank you and congratulations to new board members Veronica Bauer and Ned Gaztke. Meet your board at our January meeting. Veronica and Ned will join current board members Kathy Allen, Nancy Hartje, Maureen Kinney, Avery Van Gaard, Cathy Van Maren, and Pat Wilson. Please email CRSierraClub@gmail.com if you have input, ideas, or suggestions.

Thank You!     Thank you to Barb and Don Frank for hosting our annual holiday social on December 17. The food was great, the conversation enlightening, and the energy for making 2020 a great year for our environment, inspiring.

Join Our New CRSC (Online) Book Club!     In 2020, we will try to connect our large Coulee Region nline through an environmental book club. The CRSC Enviro Book Club is now open for your participation at Goodreads.com. To join, make a Goodreads account (or use one you already have), and visit tinyurl.com/CRSCBookClub. We’ll do one book a month, but if that’s too much for you, skip one or two or go at your own pace. In addition
to connecting our club members, this will be a chance for us to share and find new favorites.

You are welcome to set up a time to meet in person with friends and other community members. In-person groups may meet at a library or restaurant where internet access
would allow you to use online comments as talking points and contribute your sub-group’s ideas to the online club.

Let’s try it! We can adjust logistics as we go along if needed. Our January and February books are set, but we want your suggestions for March and beyond. Please use this form (tinyurl.com/CRSCBookNom) to suggest a club book. Next month, we’ll vote on March’s book. If your book is chosen, we’ll include your brief description in the newsletter. At the very least, we’ll end the year with twelve good books to read and share. We might even make some new online book club friends.

For January, Susan Colliton suggested The Overstory by Richard Powers. Good reading. See you online!

A Tale of Trees I doubt anyone could write a more inspired review of Richard Powers’ powerful, timely novel, The Overstory, than the one by Barbara Kingsolver for the New York Times Book Review. I certainly won’t attempt it. Instead, I will recommend Kingsolver’s review, and The Overstory, to those who haven’t yet taken the journey down the switch-back pathways of this remarkable, treelined novel. It is carved by Powers of the deepest heartwood -- ringed with resonance from human designed mythological symbols of prosperity to today’s human-driven environmental destruction. But trees are resilient beings, and fortunately smarter than we are in many respects. What better reading for the short, bare, cold days of winter than a novel about tall, green, growing things -- and the diverse, devoted human lives they direct and alter.

You’ll find Kingsolver’s review, “The Heroes of This Novel Are Centuries Old and 300 Feet Tall,” at www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/books/review/overstory-richard-powers.html. TheOverstory, winner of the 2018 National Book Award and 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, is available at your favorite book source. - Susan Colliton

Sustain: La Crosse     The Sustainability Institute at Western Technical College invites businesses and organizations of the 7 Rivers Region to apply for their Spring 2020 cohort-based program that will provide participants with, “the inspiration, tools, and network they need to better implement and amplify their unique social and environmental impacts.” The program begins in March. See sustaininstitute.com/sustain for more information.

Monroe County CCTF     In September, the Monroe County board voted unanimously to recognize the dangers of climate change and begin to seek ways to protect county resources and residents through a new Climate Change Task Force. To support the county’s efforts, a new citizen group has formed, POWER (Protect Our Water and Environmental
Resources) is providing awareness and education though public meetings. A November 29 POWER meeting drew more than 75 citizens who heard from a variety of speakers and groups. Participants at a December CCTF meeting learned about the Flood Center at the University of Iowa. We hope to include more updates about this important group and find ways to connect climate change groups in the Coulee Region so we can share energy
and ideas.

Kickapoo Reserve Events     The Kickapoo Valley Reserve near La Farge will host a
Winter Festival on Saturday, January 11 and guided ice formations hikes on January 18 and 25. The reserve is a unique example of the driftless area ecoregion managed under a joint agreement between the State of Wisconsin and the Ho-Chunk Nation. Learn more at
kvr.state.wi.us/events.

Report on Water Conference     Dave and Donna Swanson sent information about the
Discovery Farms Water Conference held in Wisconsin Dells on December 11. Discovery Farms is a Division of the University of Wisconsin Extension. The conference covered best farm practices for water protection, the Southwest Wisconsin water study, help for private well owners, and news about the Water Quality Task Force. The Task Force update included news that the Assembly will recommend funding increases for county conservation positions, a nitrate pilot program, and more. A vote on the bill is expected in spring. Read more at tinyurl.com/DellsWaterConf. Keep up on area issues through reporting by Gillian Pomplun in the Crawford County Independent, www.independentscout.com.

January Water Lobby Day     Wisconsin Conservation Voters will join with others to host a special Clean Water Lobby Day in Madison on Thursday, January 30 from noon to 5 p.m. in the Madison Concourse Hotel and the State Capitol. “The three major threats to our water quality are nitrate from ag pollution, the ‘forever chemicals’ called PFAs, and lead. ... We’re
headed back to the State Capitol to speak directly with lawmakers who hold the future of our water quality in their hands.” Learn more about the day and RSVP at conservationvoters.org/events/clean-water-lobby-day. UPDATE: There will be a bus from Eau Claire with stops in Black River Falls and Tomah. Donations will be accepted to help pay for the bus. After you sign up for lobby day, sign up for the bus at http://bit.ly/2tliMdJ

January Science Cafe - Water     The La Crosse Science Cafe will turn to water quality
with a presentation by Stuart Giblin, the Mississippi River Water Quality Specialist for the Wisconsin DNR. His talk, “Water Quality and the Mississippi River - Past, Present,and Future,” will be held at JavaVino, 2311 State Road, La Crosse on Saturday, January 11 at 6:00 p.m. Read more: www.facebook.com/LaCrosseScienceCafe. 

Position Available     The John Muir Chapter is looking for a campaign coordinator to work on campaigns, recruit and train volunteers, administer communications, and participate in equity, inclusion and justice initiatives. Read more about it at tinyurl.com/rugnytg.

Tuesday, Impeachment Rally & Holiday Gathering

In La Crosse: 5:30 p.m. in Cameron Park. A gathering to show support for a vote to impeach Donald Trump. Bring signs, flashlights, horns, whistles, flags, etc. Speakers are invited.

+ * + * + * + * + * + * + * + * + * + 

After the rally, join us at the Frank's home for food and enviro-talk. 

December newsletter

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 at 6 p.m.  Join us for great food, warm company, and interesting conversation at our annual HOLIDAY GATHERING at the home of Barb & Don Frank, N1965 Valley Rd, La Crosse (608-788-3914). Bring some appetizers or snacks to share.  YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A CLUB MEMBER! How to get there: From State Road & Losey, go east on Highway 33 for about one mile. At the stop lights, turn left (north) onto Wedgewood Drive West in Wedgewood Valley. Stay on Wedgewood Drive West to Valley Drive.The house is at the intersection of Wedgewood Drive West & Valley Drive.There will be a lighted sign! Carpool? If you’d like to seek or offer a ride, visit www.groupcarpool.com/t/gnfm0d. Email crsierraclub@gmail.com or call Pat: 608-788-8831 with questions. See you there!

CLIMATE STRIKE CONTINUES!  Local citizens will join the continuing worldwide climate strike on Friday, Nov. 29 and Friday, December 6. Deep  concern about the the climate crisis continues as new studies show countries must pledge even stronger, faster action to avert an unrecoverable catastrophe.

On Nov. 29, "Black Friday," the focus was runaway consumerism and pledging personal action. Demonstrators will display signs to boycott excessive buying and support students’ ongoing Fridays for Future campaign. Everyone concerned about climate change can pledge a personal action such as joining Buy Nothing Day, writing a letter for local fossil fuel
divestment, or other suggested actions shown at the event page at tiny.cc/laxclimatestrike2.

On Friday, Dec. 6, residents will urge U.S. elected officials to pay attention to the climate crisis during the global climate summit in Madrid (COP25). Students will lead follow-up actions highlighting their petition to US Rep Ron Kind, delivered with more than 300 constituents' signatures on September 23. The petition urges Kind to support and co-sponsor five bills that take strong climate action.

For more information visit the Facebook page and the event page.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE SOON!  Annual Coulee Region Sierra Club Environmental Education grant applications are due on January 5, 2020! These grants are provided to schools and programs working with children through middle school to start a new project or help maintain an ongoing program that helps children connect with, protect, and advocate for the natural world. Thanks to a grant our club receives from the Paul Stry Foundation, we are able to make this money available in the
Coulee Region Group area: Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties. For more information and links to the application, please visit tinyurl.com/CRSCGrantInfo

BOARD CANDIDATES' STATEMENTS     
Veronica Bauer I am a UW La Crosse student studying biology and environmental studies, projected to graduate in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Science. Through my environmental studies capstone, I have been working alongside a local activist on community and student awareness projects which include published articles in the Coulee Region Sierra Club newsletter and the creation of a student blog for living sustainably. I have also had the privilege of working for WisCorps as a Community Engagement AmeriCorps intern where I further developed valuable professional skills such as cultivation, irrigation, and harvesting techniques, community outreach, and educational program development. I am part of a UWL club called Students for Sustainability that aims to bring sustainability to campus and provide service for the La Crosse community. I am very passionate about reducing waste, conserving freshwater resources, keeping the community healthy and engaged, promotion of personal and community gardens, and addressing the impacts of corporate agribusiness. I believe I would make a great contribution to the board.

Ned Gatzke I was present for the first Earth Day in 1970. As a recent college graduate I had recognized that I had an environmental conscience that needed to be focused and incorporated into living action. To facilitate this objective I joined the Sierra Club in 1974.
I have lived in rural Monroe County for 44 years, interacting with a small woodland and prairie landscape. During this time, I have recognized and support the work of other organizations in the region focused on environmental protection, in addition to standing up,
when necessary, to advocate for constructive environmental considerations in local public policy decision making. I have also come to recognize that positive environmental policy is dependent on the larger public policy process that takes place in our local and state legislative bodies. In that context, the people we elect to represent us matters. Consequently, I have been an active participant with Wisconsin Conservation Voters/Voices and currently serve on the board of directors. My travels throughout North America have also provided a larger perspective of "how things work" and environmental issues for people living in other places.


HIGHWAY CLEANUP REPORT  By Pat Wilson Sam Skemp and Pat Wilson braved the
cold rain for a while during the Coulee Region Group’s October trash pickup on River Valley Drive, but ultimately postponed the completion of the effort to November. On November 9, Kathy Allen, Maureen Kinney, David Bange, and Pat and Bobbie Wilson completed the effort.
We had to pick trash out of the early November snow, and I’m sure we missed some. Now, we can rest until April when we host another cleaning of our adopted roadway. 

CITY OF LA CROSSE READY FOR 100 PROGRESS   A new solar siting ordinance in the City of La Crosse will pave the way for more and easier solar installations. And, thanks in part to citizen advocacy, the La Crosse City Council will begin updating its 2009 Sustainability
Plan and assessing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, as they work to achieve their R4100 (Ready For 100) goal of zero carbon emissions and 100% renewable energy community-wide by 2050 or sooner. 

PETITIONERS WANT CLEAN POWER   A group of community members delivered over 1,000 petitions to Dairyland Power Cooperative at their headquarters in La Crosse on November 20, calling on them to abandon plans for a fracked gas plant in Superior Wisconsin. Dairyland Power Co-op and Minnesota Power have applied for permission to build a new $700 million fracked gas power plant in Superior, the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC). Environmentalists and climate activists have concerns about water usage, proximity to Lake Superior, the impact on the climate, and the cost.

“We’re delivering 1,130 petitions to Dairyland Power Coop asking them not to build a new fracked gas plant.  We believe they should be investing in renewable energy, not more dirty fossil fuels. We’re in the middle of a climate crisis and that is not what we need,” said Avery Van Gaard, Coulee Region Sierra Club board member.

A recent analysis by the Sierra Club showed that the project would cost ratepayers more for electricity than comparable clean energy portfolios (CEP).  The analysis showed that CEPs would provide the same energy, peak capacity, and ramping characteristics as the proposed gas plants, but at a lower cost, saving ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars.

EVERS SIGNS TRESPASS BILL   Despite strong opposition by a coalition of environmental, climate, and civil rights groups and advocates, Governor Evers has signed a bill to criminalize peaceful protests of fossil fuel infrastructure.

"Governor Evers had the opportunity to demonstrate leadership on climate change, and he opted not to. ,,. It's disappointing that the governor was unwilling to do so and instead supported this bill that helps the fossil fuel industry continue to lock us into a climate catastrophe," Elizabeth Ward of Sierra Club-Wisconsin said.

This bill has its origins in the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and is being pushed around the country by the American Petroleum Institute. More than 20 states have passed similar legislation. South Dakota’s trespass law has been blocked by a federal judge, the result of a lawsuit brought by the SD ACLU.

The ACLU of Wisconsin voiced concerns that the bill’s vague and ambiguous language would have a chilling effect on expressive activity and lead to self-censorship among climate activists fearful of criminal penalties.

Read more at: nofelonytrespassbill.org

'TIS THE SEASON: WALLET-FRIENDLY GIFTS & ECO-FRIENDLY WRAPPING   by Veronica Bauer   By Veronica Bauer     Oh, it’s the most wonderful time of the year once again. The season of holiday gift giving and festivities has descended upon us. I know from experience that there will be many holiday sales and specials coming our way to tempt us, yet how can we enjoy the season and time spent with loved ones while our wallets suffer and landfills feast? I know that the allure of giving extravagant gifts and using decorative wrapping is difficult to resist, but there are ways around it that are both eco-friendly and wallet-friendly. I will provide you with alternative options that will benefit both you and the environment.

The Chamber of Commerce says that last year, U.S. households spent an average of $1,536 during the holidays. Overall holiday retail sales surpassed $1 trillion in 2018. Sadly, 14.2% of Americans say they have had to sell some of their possessions to pay for gifts.

I do not believe we should spend a lot of our money — or sell our belongings — for gifts that friends and family may not even like. So, what can we do to change that? I don’t know about you, but I think that personal, hand-made, and/or thrifted items are the way to go. These types of gifts say, “I love you. I care about you,” without ripping a hole in our budgets. Here are some ideas:

• Plants such as aloe, spider plants, succulents that sprout more plants. You can propagate them in thrifted or reused containers, add a ribbon with an attached note, and viola! You have your gift!
• Herbs are also a great gift for those who enjoy cooking!
• Paintings/drawings
• Homemade snow globes
• Thrifted clothing outfits
• A favorite food dish: What could be better than getting your favorite food as a gift?
• “Coupons”: Specified favors on decorated cards that the gift receiver can use whenever they want for however many times you specify. Examples: doing the dishes, getting a massage, going for a walk or doing another fun activity together, making dinner, etc.
• DIY Chunky Knit Blanket (see  www.lilyardor.com/diy-chunky-knit-blanket)
• DIY Baskets/Kits/Sets: Themes that are based on what your loved one enjoys such as food, drinks, bath/beauty, movies, crafts, etc.
• Pictures with painted, decorated, or custom frames/holders

There are many other DIY possibilities. Your loved ones will love any of these gifts because they will appreciate

the time and effort that you have put in to making it for them.

The other topic to address is gift wrapping. Gift wrapping is a huge part of the holiday culture and is also a huge contributor to waste in landfills. Americans spend an estimated $2.6 billion on wrapping paper every year at an average of $4.99 per roll which leads to nearly four million tons of waste gift wrapping and shopping bags each holiday season.

What can we do about it? There are many alternatives that are more practical and eco-friendly. Here is a list of gift wrapping ideas that will help you transition away from standard wrapping paper:

• Use fabric or cloth.
• Make t-shirts into tote bags that they can reuse (see youtu.be/_O33Wq_uz6Y).
  Wrap a gift using thrifted or gently-used scarves, blankets, thin towels, or washcloths.
• Repurpose paper bags, newspapers, magazines, cardboard boxes (i.e. used cereal boxes you can decorate).
• Use yarn or string with a custom note to add a finishing touch.
• Use a bigger gift to enclose a smaller gift. 
• For smaller gifts, you can use an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll and fold in the two ends.

If you absolutely need to use wrapping paper, be sure to look for a sustainable brand that uses recycled paper without containing any dyes or lamination which make it difficult to recycle.

The overall message I have for you during this holiday season is use what you already have, repurpose as much as possible, and buy sensibly. I hope this information has helped you to expand on your ideas. Happy gifting!

Veronica Bauer is a Biology major and Environmental Studies minor at UW-La Crosse. This semester, she is working with CRSC to educate about sustainability issues online and through our newsletter.

Veronica will give a capstone presentation on her Environmental Service Learning experience to the public on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 3:10 p.m. in room 3201 Centennial Hall on the UW-La Crosse campus. Other Environmental Studies students will present between 2:15 and 4:00 p.m. on Dec. 3, 5, and 10 in 3201 Centennial.   

COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB YEAR IN REVIEW    by Pat Wilson  The Coulee Region Sierra Club was active during 2019 both in environmental advocacy and providing opportunities for members to experience the outdoors. The Ready for 100 campaign was the major effort of 2019 and we made good progress. In 2020, we’ll continue our efforts on Ready for 100, clean water, and public transit, while taking up November election advocacy as a new task. Along the way, we’ll continue to seek ways to involve more members in activities and increase our effectiveness outside of La Crosse County.

Sustainability, Clean Energy, Ready for 100
January – The Coulee Region Group held a Community Climate Resolution Discussion in La Crosse to envision the climate future we want and discuss ways to make change happen. There was a follow-up meeting in February 
to work on next steps.
February – We sponsored an online Community Energy Survey to gauge the opinions of La Crosse County residents about renewable energy.

March – We participated in the Climate Action Festival where we advocated for the Ready for 100 campaign. We also created an online petition for La Crosse city and county residents to request that passage of Ready for 100 resolutions in their community.

April – We held an “Imagining Carbon Free” public forum to discuss what carbon-free means for our community’s infrastructure, planning, buildings, neighborhoods, and transportation.
AND  We tabled and collected Ready for 100 signatures at La Crosse’s Earth Fair.

May - We co-sponsored a Green New Deal Town Hall in support of the Green New Deal Tour organized by the Sunrise Movement.

July - After the La Crosse Common Council passed a resolution committing the community of La Crosse to transitioning to 100% renewable energy and zero percent carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner, the Coulee Region Group held a press conference with Mayor Kabat and Council Member Barb Janssen on this milestone.

November - We delivered petitions to Dairyland Power opposing a new fracked gas power plant in Superior. 

Transportation
February – Members of the Coulee Region Group met with State Senator Jennifer Shilling to advocate for alternative transportation and local road maintenance funding in the proposed transportation budget.

June – We had a booth at the Open Streets Initiative in La Crosse, advocating for better pedestrian, bicycle, and public transit infrastructure.

July –We partnered with La Crosse Area Transit Advocates and the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation to host a Love Our Transit open house at the Transit Center in La Crosse.

April, July, November – We did a highway cleanup on our adopted highway, River Valley Drive in La Crosse.

Water Quality
March – The Coulee Region Group participated in the DNR’s public hearing on water discharge permitting for Babcock Genetics in La Crosse county.  It was a small victory that the DNR actually held the hearing, after it was requested by the Coulee Region Group and others.  Unfortunately, the DNR ultimately issued the permit.

June – CRSC members spoke at the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality hearing in La Crosse, supporting the need for stricter regulations to protect Wisconsin’s water.

September – Our members spoke at the ATCP-51 CAFO/livestock siting rule updates public hearing in La Crosse

Politics
March - Members of the Coulee Region Group Board went to Madison to participate in Conservation Lobby Day

November – Members lobbied state government  to stop the Criminal Trespass law.

Environmental Education
January - We continued our environmental grant program, awarding a grant to Innovations STEM Academy in Sparta, grades six through eight, to do monthly water testing and share some of their results with elementary students.

February – We hosted a public program, “The Greener Life: Learn to Live More Sustainably,” with Chandra (CS) Sherin, the La Crosse author of “Recipe for a Greener Life.” We also tabled at the Progresstival in La Crosse.

March – We tabled at La Crosse’s Climate Action Fair.
April – We provided information about our club and its initiatives including clean water, transportation equity, and the problem with plastic at the La Crosse Earth Fair.

May – We had a booth at the Driftless Outdoors Show.

June - We tabled at the Open Streets Block Party.

August – We sponsored a tour of La Crosse County Sustainability Coordinator Nick Nichols’ home to see how he lives the sustainable life 24/7.

September – We presented  a program about CLIMATE CHANGE:  Heading for Extinction (and what to do about it) - an Extinction Rebellion video and discussion in La Crosse

Green Spaces and Outdoor Recreation
March – The Coulee Region Group hosted local hikers, Sue Knopf and David Bange who talked about hiking areas in Southwestern Wisconsin

May – CRSC board chair, Pat Wilson, led a Wisconsin LOVES Parks hike at Wyalusing State Park, to advocate for restoration of funding for our state parks.

July – The Coulee Region Group co-sponsored a family-oriented canoe/kayak camping trip on the Black River.

Advocacy and Government Relations
The Coulee Region Group board chair Pat Wilson sits on the La Crosse Park Department Environmental Leadership Forum. CRSC Board member Cathy Van Maren is an appointed member of the Sustainable La Crosse Commission, the City of La Crosse MTU Board, and the La Crosse Area Planning Commission’s advisory Committee on Transit and Active Transportation.

Looking Forward  
Local and global environmental challenges will continue into 2020.  We will continue to work on Ready for 100, transportation system improvements, groundwater protection, environmental education, and getting people outdoors.  Please let us know if you want to work on any of these issues! 

COMING IN 2020!   Mark your calendar for January 28, the date of our next program (to be announced). year, we’re rolling out a monthly Coulee Region Sierra Club online book group, too. And we plan to drastically reduce the number of mailed newsletters which cost money, resources, and time. If you haven’t yet, tell us to stop mailing you paper newsletters (crsierraclub@ gmail.com) and read them at sierraclub.org/wisconsin/coulee.

SIERRA CLUB 2020 CALENDARS!   Again this year, your purchase of Sierra Club calendars will benefit our club and environmental programs and protection activities. The cost is $14.95 for the wall calendar and $15.95 for the engagement book. Get your calendar at our December 17 party or order from Maureen Kinney: 608-784-9324/608-784-5678 or email maureen@johnsflaherty.com. SIERRA CLUB NOTE AND HOLIDAY CARDS and other gifts are available online at store.sierraclub.org/calendars--cards-c28.aspx

 ***************************

VOTE FOR 2020 COULEE REGION SIERRA CLUB BOARD!   We would like to thank board members George Nygaard and Jake Schnepper for their service to our club. Three other board members’ terms are expiring: Kathy Allen, Cathy Van Maren, and Pat Wilson. Please vote for up to FIVE board members for 2020. Write your ballot on a piece of paper and either bring it to the December 17 party OR mail it to Coulee Region Sierra Club, 620 23rd Street South, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 postmarked by Dec. 17, 2019.

Please email crsierraclub@gmail.com or call Pat at 608-788-8831 with questions. 

VOTE FOR UP TO FIVE.
 

Kathy Allen  ... Veronica Bauer ... Ned Gatzke ... Cathy Van Maren ... Pat Wilson

You may also write in one or more names (up to five total) if you wish.

***************************

THANK YOU, Kathy Allen, Veronica Bauer, Susan Colliton, Maureen Kinney, Wendy Stark, Dave & Donna Swanson, Cathy Van Maren and Pat Wilson for helping write, proofread, edit, copy, collate, staple, label, and mail our newsletter!

November Newsletter

ACTION ALERT: FELONY TRESPASS BILL     By Al Gedicks The Felony Trespass Bill (AB426/SB386) has already passed the Wisconsin Assembly on a voice vote and is on a fast track headed for the Wisconsin Senate. The bill would make it a felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine, to trespass on property owned, leased, or operated by fossil fuel companies. Some Wisconsin legislators who otherwise vote in favor of the environment and freedom of expression have bought the argument of the American Petroleum Institute that the bill is necessary to protect energy workers.

Threatening energy workers is already against the law. These heightened penalties are designed to suppress protests against the construction of oil and gas pipelines by those concerned about pipelines’ harm to the environment, indigenous land, and landowner rights.

I have asked Senator Shilling (D-La Crosse) to demand a roll call vote when the bill comes before the Senate next week. Her legislative assistant told me this morning (Oct. 29) that the Senator has not yet decided if she will call for a roll call vote. Without a roll call vote, there is no accountability for legislators who choose to give energy companies the power to stifle peaceful, non-violent protests through threats of felony convictions.

Please call or email Senator Shilling and tell her that she needs to demand a roll call vote on the felony trespass bill (SB386) so voters know who is willing to suppress freedom of speech and peaceful assembly for the energy industry. Senator Shilling’s office: 608-266-5490 or 800-385-3385. Email: Sen.Shilling@legis.wisconsin.gov.

Al Gedicks is executive secretary of the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council. Read the letter to the State senators from a coalition of state groups including the John Muir Chapter Sierra Club at tinyurl.com/SB386-letter.

LOCAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY INITIATIVE By Kathy Allen    In early October, several Coulee Region Sierra Club members attended a launch event to learn more about Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s new Driftless Region Organizing Cooperative. Citizen Action has worked on progressive issues around the state including health care, fair elections, CAFO moratoriums, and a living wage. They are now forming a co-op in the Coulee Region, and
the first issue the co-op will tackle is climate change. 

According to a 2017 report by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is improving home energy efficiency. Because of this, Citizen Action will focus on making energy efficiency improvements more affordable and accessible for all southwest Wisconsin residents.The co-op will also work with banks, utilities, and elected officials to make residential solar more affordable. Such efforts could help La Crosse and other communities meet the “Ready for 100” goals of transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2050 or sooner.

To learn more about the new co-op, visit www.citizenactionwifund.org/energy or contact Ben
Wilson, the southwest Wisconsin co-op organizer, at ben.wilson@citizenactionwi.org or 608-386-2847.

Kathy Allen is a member of the Coulee Region Sierra Club board. She leads the local Ready for 100 team.

NOVEMBER 9 HIGHWAY CLEANUP   Weather dampened our planned cleanup in October so we’ve rescheduled for Saturday, November 9 at 9:00 a.m. Meet at the municipal water pumping station just northwest of the intersection of River Valley Drive and Gillette Street (County B). Gloves, safety vests, and bags provided. We usually spend 1.5 to 2 hours working in teams. The more the merrier! If you have questions, please contact Pat at 608-788-8831.

COLD WEATHER PRODUCE - LOCAL RESOURCES By Veronica Bauer     It is difficult to know exactly where our food comes from and how it is cared for, especially when it is so important in keeping communities healthy and safe. I don’t know about you, but I am often very concerned about whether the produce I buy is contaminated by foodborne pathogens, fertilizers, pesticides, or other harmful contaminants. I want to know with confidence that my food is grown, maintained, and distributed in a safe and sustainable way. To avoid stress when it comes to acquiring fresh food, a great solution is to grow your own. Sometimes though, we do not have direct access to a home garden or cannot grow because of the winter months. I can relate to this because I am a student living in an off-campus apartment where I do not have direct access to a garden. That is why I turn to my three favorite food resources for assistance in learning about growing food and acquiring fresh produce.

The Myrick Park Community Garden, found next to the Myrick Park Center along the La Crosse River Marsh, is very near and dear to me and I did not know it existed before this past summer. I was one of three Community Enrichment AmeriCorps interns at the garden for the summer. The garden is a demonstration garden, so it is smaller than typical community gardens. Throughout the summer, we planted, maintained, and harvested the garden. We grew many vegetables and fruits including tomatoes, potatoes, sweet peppers, corn, broccoli, radishes, kale, squash, carrots, various herbs, strawberries, and much more. My internship lasted from May to the end of August, but I still visit through late October and early November because some sweet peppers, radishes, eggplants, brussel sprouts, and kale are still growing. While I was working at the garden this summer, I was disappointed to see that not as many people as I thought came to the garden to harvest. Don’t get me wrong, I liked having a lot of fresh produce to myself, but I would have much rather shared what I had grown with community members. Next summer if you happen to find yourself in front of the Myrick Park Community Garden, please feel free to harvest some vegetables, as long as you only take what you need (leave some food for others) and you respect the garden and the people working in it. During the winter months, the garden is not up and running.

The Cameron Park Winter  Farmer’s Market at the Myrick Park Center is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting on November 3rd and ending December 22nd. This time of the year is perfect for stocking up on storage vegetables such as squash, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic. Be sure not to miss out on this great opportunity!

Another favorite place when it comes to produce is the La Crosse YMCA Food Forest. It contains roughly 100 different species native to the region, establishing a high level of biodiversity. Jarad Barkheim from Coulee Region Ecoscapes, who helped to establish, design, and care for the Food Forest, said that hundreds of pounds of local, nutrient-rich produce are harvested from the Food Forest each growing season. This produce is available for community members to harvest, as long as you know what you are harvesting, you do not harm the plants, and you leave something for others to harvest. Currently, there are still some things available at the Food Forest including popcorn, rose hips, wild onions, and medicinal herbs such as echinacea, purple coneflower roots, and horseradish. During the colder months activity at the Food Forest becomes pretty chill, no pun intended. However there are free classes offered to the community during the winter.

Stephanie Shaw, the YMCA Nutrition Educator Coordinator gave me the following list of free, community-open events/classes coming in the colder months:
•  November 14  from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the YMCA: Making and Preserving Bone Broth
•  November 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Myrick Park Center: Making Thanksgiving Side Dishes
•  December 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Myrick Park Center: Making Lefse
•  December 14 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the YMCA: Making Lefse
•  January 8 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the YMCA: Mediterranean Diet class
•  January 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the YMCA: Low-Carb Diet class
•  January 29 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the YMCA: Plant-Based Diet class
•  March 7 (time TBD): Food Forest 101 class

If you want to find out more event information, you can also search the Community Food Forest at the Y on Facebook.

Another place I would recommend checking out is the Kane Street Garden. It has been operating for 21 years alongside the Hunger Task Force. It is an “all together” community garden where anyone can volunteer and take home produce. During the summer, 30,000 pounds of organic produce is grown each year and in addition to growing food, workshops for all ages are available so everyone has an opportunity to learn how to maintain an organic garden. They are always accepting volunteers to help with the garden, so if you are able to, volunteer for an hour or more. During the colder months, garden coordinator Todd Huffman said that they will plant and harvest spinach in November, December, and up until mid-January. Picking times will be posted on the Kane Street Garden Facebook page within the next couple weeks.

One last option I would like to mention are Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares. After my internship ended in August and the produce in the Myrick Park Garden began to dwindle, a friend and I decided to split a CSA share through Small Family Farm (www.smallfamilycsa.com) based in La Farge, from when school started to mid-October. I have recently purchased a Fall share that I will receive on October 30th and November 13th which will include a large package of storage vegetables such as onions, garlic, winter squash, beets, carrots, etc. The only later share they have after the Fall Share is the Thanksgiving Box which will be delivered to you two days before Thanksgiving. That box include pie pumpkins, winter squashes, potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots and more. A couple of other CSAs that deliver to La Crosse are Driftless Organics (www.driftlessorganics.com) in Soldier’s Grove and Harmony Valley Farm (harmonyvalleyfarm.com) in Viroqua. Both CSAs have shares that deliver through December and the boxes also contain storage crops.

The YMCA Food Forest, the Kane Street Garden, the Myrick Park Community Garden and Center, and your local CSAs are just a few great examples of ways you can receive locally grown produce. If these locations do not work for you or you do not live in the La Crosse area, you can search for places within your community. Enhance the health of yourself, your family, and your community by supporting your local produce resources.

Veronica Bauer is a Biology Major and Environmental Studies minor at UW-La Crosse. This semester, Veronica is working on educating about sustainability issues online and through the Sierra Club newsletter.

Growing your own or buying local food - mostly fruits and vegetables - in season, from a local source with minimal chemical inputs, food miles, processing, cold storage, and packaging helps reduce your carbon footprint. Organic soils store more carbon than soils on conventional farms (see tinyurl.com/CInOgSoil).

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS   The Coulee Region Sierra Club offers grants of up to $200 for environmental education projects for elementary and middle school age children or community organizations  in Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

Projects must:
* Provide hands-on experience for students to learn about and explore our environment.
* Do something to promote a world that allows all life forms to live and prosper.
* Show students that they can make a difference in their envirionment, urban or rural.
* Be completed within the 2019-2020 school year.
* Provide a written report of outcomes.

Projects may:
* Consist of environmental displays or creative works.
* Benefit land, water, air, plants, animals, and/or birds.
* Be a new project or ongoing activity.

Applications are DUE BY January 5. See tinyurl.com/CRSCPrintApp for a print-and-mail application or apply online at tinyurl.com/CRSC-GrantApp. Email Maureen, maureen@johnsflaherty.com, with questions.

COULEE REGION GROUP BOARD ELECTIONS  We are seeking candidates to run for the Coulee Region Group board of directors! Board members will try to attend monthly meetings - in person or by phone or computer - and work to forward the goals of our club in the community. It would be fantastic if we could add some board members from counties outside La Crosse. Each area in our group has important issues and concerns (and potential programs and outings) and we would like to make sure all important matters are included in our program and event planning.

We will put a ballot in the December newsletter. If you are interested in serving on the board, please complete the online form at tinyurl.com/crscboardform or call Pat at 608-788-8831 with your name, contact info, county of residence, and a brief description of your experience and interests demonstrating why you would like to serve on the board. Please complete your nomination form by November 25. 

SIERRA CLUB 2020 CALENDARS   Again this year, your purchase of Sierra Club calendars will benefit our club and environmental programs and protection activities. The calendars cost $14.95 for the wall  calendar and $15.95 for the engagement book.

Get your calendar at our December gathering or order from Maureen Kinney: 608-784-9324/608-784-5678 or email maureen@johnsflaherty.com.

SIERRA CLUB NOTE AND HOLIDAY CARDS are available at store.sierraclub.org/calendars--cards-c28.aspx

SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE   On November 5, the Sustainability Institute at Western Technical College in La Crosse will host a Community Resiliency Symposium - Stories and Successes of our Local Watersheds. The program includes breakfast, a keynote address, stories of success, and a panel discussion. Learn more and get a link to the registration form at their site: sustaininstitute.com/education

Sustain La Crosse is a cohort-based program offered through the Sustainability Institute at Western Technical College designed to provide participant businesses and other enterprises in the 7 Rivers Region support in implementing sustainable initiatives. Module blocks start in spring 2020. The program is now accepting applications available at their site: sustaininstitute.com/sustain.

NEW CLIMATE PODCAST    By Kathy Allen       It seems like the climate crisis may finally be a key issue in the 2020 elections largely thanks to pressure from young people across the country. A new weekly podcast called “Climate 2020” is keeping voters informed and up to date on climate issues and what the candidates are saying about climate.

The first five episodes have covered topics such as the September climate strikes, Trump’s connections to fossil fuels, a campaign to get banks to divest from fossil fuel companies, and the lack of climate questions in the most recent debate. Each episode is about 30 minutes.

The podcast is hosted by Years of Living Dangerously award-winning documentary producer David Gelber and ClimateNexus Founding Director Jeff Nesbit.

Find more information and a link to episodes at climate2020podcast.com.

BATTLING PLASTIC By Veronica Bauer     If you look around at the streets you drive on or the sidewalks you walk on, you will probably see some sort of plastic lying on the ground. If you look in the waterways of your community, you will most likely see plastic floating on the surface. Some of the plastics you may not even be able to see because they have been broken down into microplastics. Unfortunately, I see this almost every day in La Crosse, whether I am walking to classes at the University or biking downtown. La Crosse is not the only guilty city; I see it in every city and every highway I pass through. The plastic crisis is only getting worse, and we all need to do something about it.

Plastic never goes away: it piles up in the environment and spoils our groundwater, poisons the food chain, contributes to carbon emissions, increases oil consumption, threatens wildlife, affects human health, and costs billions of dollars to abate. Yet, according to UN Environment, today “we produce about 300 million tons of plastic waste every year. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.” (www.unenvironment.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/)

So, what can we do? Recycling is a great idea for combatting plastic waste and pollution, however it not very effective. A video by Greenpeace International called “Three lies big brands are selling you about plastic,” talks about how recycling is not a solution to our plastic waste problem. (youtu.be/RxDz-HFXs28)  According to National Geographic, less than one-fifth of all plastic is recycled globally, even though overall plastic production rates are increasing. (www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/05/plastics-facts-infographics-ocean-pollution/)

We need more recycling awareness and mindfulness. Some options that governments can provide to their citizens would be to run public awareness campaigns, offer recycling incentives, introduce plastic tax levies, or ban certain plastic products. The source(s) of plastic production should be the target for legislative change and should be held responsible for the plastic crisis and its consequences. However, the unfortunate reality is that the pressure has been placed on the consumer.

Consumers have the potential to make change happen. Even though you may think you are one person doing one action, these actions can add up. You can influence others to adopt a plastic-free way of life. Your action will have a domino effect. When everyone makes the transition, everything else follows. What consumers demand, companies will want to provide. If we want less plastic, we can get less plastic. Make your voice heard.

The main focus at the individual level is reuse and refill. Instead of using plastic and paper bags offered at various stores, bring your own cloth bag. You can purchase one or make your own. There are many video tutorials online. Instead of using plastic straws and plastic utensils, choose/purchase reusable options.

I personally have started reducing my individual waste. To start, I got myself an Aspero retractable metal straw and a bamboo spork with a cork case that I got from an eco-friendly store in downtown La Crosse called Full Circle Supply. I can attach both to my keychain so I can take them with me anywhere. Reduce plastic food packaging by buying in bulk and using your own reusable containers. I bring all of my jars to the People’s Food Co-op in La Crosse and fill them up with grains, beans, herbs, teas, oils, etc. Instead of using single-use coffee cups, bring your own reusable coffee container, whether it be a coffee mug, ceramic cup, or jar. Instead of buying beverages in plastic bottles, bring your own refillable bottle. Instead of continuously buying new shampoo, conditioner, bath soap, or any other toiletry bottles, take your own containers to fill from bulk containers. Full Circle Supply in downtown La Crosse is where I refill my bottles.

These are just a few important ways that you can reduce your plastic impact. If you want more specific ways to help reduce your plastic use, there are many websites that will tell you how to reach your goals. There are also a couple of community organizations that you can join that focus on combating plastic. One is the Plastic Initiative and another is called Viroqua Plastic Free.

I talked with Annika Mersmann from Viroqua Plastic Free about the purpose of this relatively new organization. The group plans to raise awareness of plastic pollution, plastic health issues, and solutions to the plastic crisis, offer education on the scope of plastic use and available alternatives, offer education on the local interface with the global plastic situation, offer guidance on plastic-free living, and work with local businesses, schools, and community groups for cooperative solutions. To join their cause or learn more about them and the steps they are taking, visit www.viroquaplasticfree.org or their Facebook page. Ms. Mersmann suggested these videos: “The Story of Stuff” (youtu.be/urFZ5o0az_4) and the trailer for an upcoming movie, The Story of Plastic (www.storyofplastic.org), both of which are very enlightening regarding the growing concerns of plastic pollution.

There are many ways that we can combat plastic, on the individual, manufacturer or legislative level. Combining our efforts and passing on the message can help to improve the lives of everyone and everything on the planet.
 

 


 

ALEC inspired bills penalize pipeline protest

The recent passage of Assembly Bill 426, which would provide felony penalties for protests near oil and gas pipelines and other "energy provider" sites is alarming. The bill now moves to the Wisconsin Senate as SB 326. A hearing on the Senate bill was held on October 22. This is one of many such attempts around the country to prop up the fossil fuel industry and tamp down protests.

According to the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law, under the ALEC-inspired legislation, "... trespass onto the property of any 'company that operates a gas, oil, petroleum, refined petroleum product, renewable fuel, water, or chemical generation, storage, transportation, or delivery system' would be a Class H felony, punishable by six years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Accordingly, protests in a range of locations could be covered, whether on land containing a pipeline or the corporate headquarters of an oil company."

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is suing to force Enbridge to remove its pipeline from tribal land (the easement expired in 2013), but this new law would potentially conflict with hunting and fishing treaty rights and criminalize treaty-guaranteed rights and tribal sovereignty. A diverse coalition of groups, including the Sierra Club and tribal governments oppose the legislation.

A similar bill enacted in Sorth Dakota has been successfully challenged by the ACLU with the state agreeing to not enforce and to compensate plaintiffs' attorney fees.

Read about the bill and contact your state senator and Governor Evers.