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Vision Initiative HVG is seeking your input on the direction of the group

Outings Update A look at recent member outings with photos from the trips

Destinations Camp Woodbury on Nordman Lake

THOUGHTS FROM THE

CHAIR HVG Executive

Committee Chair Dan

Ezekiel with the latest news from the group

COMMUNICATIONS HVG Executive

Committee Vice-Chair Jaime Magiera

on HVG’s new communications

initiative

CONSERVATION COMMITTEE UPDATE

HVG Conservation Committee Chair

Stephen C. Brown on the group’s efforts to

educate and advocate on local conservation

issues

Newsletter of the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group

The Lookout

THE NEW FACE OF CLIMATE ACTIVISM: OUR YOUTH

NOTES FROM THE NEXT GENERATION: Naina Agrawal-Hardin on the intersectional aspects of Climate Change

Spring-Summer 2019

Thoughts from the Chair

I’ve had the honor to represent you as chair of the Huron Valley Group’s executive committee since early January. I’m inspired by the national club’s mission statement: “To explore, enjoy, and protect the planet”

Since becoming chair, my life has been a whirlwind of Sierra Club activities! Phone calls, meetings, media appearances, more phone calls, more meetings, and emails, emails, emails! Each morning I wake to a number of emails pointing me to new issues the local or state club is facing. I often fall asleep thinking about tomorrow’s tasks.

Your leadership team’s two top priorities are to refresh our group and to connect with those who have been poorly represented in our membership, such as younger folks, people from outside Ann Arbor, people of color, and those who are not financially secure. Those are the very folks who most often bear the brunt of environmental problems, and we need to hear their voices and represent their views. I’d like to ask you to think of ways you can help our group achieve these priorities. What talents and energy can you bring?

In January I went to Lansing to meet with Anne Woiwode, the dynamic leader of the Michigan Chapter, and her staff. In February and March, our local group lobbied Ann Arbor City Council successfully to change several of their proposed policies in a more environmentally-friendly direction. Working

closely with other environmental groups, we flooded council chambers with a hundred people wearing green, to ensure they kept climate action funding in the city budget!

In March, we also began a process to refresh the vision of our local group, which will continue until November (see article on p.11). In April, we were busy visiting a number of Earth Day events representing HVG. We also headed back to Lansing to lobby state legislators in favor of energy freedom and to ban the spraying of manure from feedlots on frozen or snow-covered soil, to keep our Great Lakes clean.

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Dan EzekielHVG Executive Committee Chair

THE LOOKOUT SPRING-SUMMER 2019

I couldn’t do any of this without the support of the other members of the local leadership team. My vice-chair, Jaime Magiera, is working on modernizing the look and feel of our communications (this newsletter is an early example, as are our website and our Facebook and Instagram accounts). Our secretary/treasurer, Jason Frenzel, keeps the rest of us on task by taking notes and sending us all reminder emails. The new outings leader, Anya Dale, is busy refreshing our outings program. Amanda Sweetman adroitly handles our communication back and forth with the Michigan Chapter.

Conservation Committee chair Steve Brown is working hard to streamline how we educate ourselves about issues. Political Committee chair Erica Ackerman then leads us in responding to the issues. Program chair Rita Mitchell is teaching me how to keep our monthly program meetings interesting and popular. Nancy Shiffler, my predecessor as chairperson, helps me learn the ropes almost daily and is showing me how to represent at Earth Day events and other environmental gatherings.

Now I’d like to ask you how you can pitch in and help HVG. What talents and energy do you have to share? Look at the website and find a meeting or an outing you would like to attend. Come to our program meeting at Matthaei and learn about a new issue. Call or email me or another member of the leadership with your ideas. Consider becoming a member of the leadership. Together, we will build an even more powerful group to “to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet”. We might even have some fun together as we do so!

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Monroe Earth Day Festival: Left to Right: Rick Taylor, Rita Mitchell, Dan Ezekiel, Nancy Shiffler, Linda Taylor

Jason and Dan meeting with Superior Twp Treasurer Brenda McKinney, Andrew Schwartz, and County Commissioner Ricky Jefferson

Lobby Day: Linda Mohler, Susan Sorg, Richard Barron, Dan, Rep. Yousef Rabhi, Janet Wulf-Marvin, Erica

THE LOOKOUT SPRING-SUMMER 2019

Notes from the Next Generation

The news on Monday, May 13th horrified me. Scientists at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii reported that for the first time in human history, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels reached 415 parts per million. Meteorologist Eric Holthaus commented: “We don’t know a planet like this.” Nor will we have much time to get to know it. In 30 years, I’ll only be 46 years old, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that by that time, human actions will no longer be able to alleviate the worsening effects of climate change on our planet. By then, our fate will be sealed.

That is why, at 16 years old, I’m an advocate for climate justice. I’m a “normal” teenager. I worry about my grade point average, get excited about prom, watch Netflix, and hang out with my friends. Most days, though, when I get home from school, I hop on a conference call with other young activists to discuss ways to raise awareness about the climate crisis or how to encourage elected officials to act. I treat my anxiety about our planet’s future by taking action to protect it.

My passion for climate action began when I started connecting dots, and realizing climate change is not coming, it is here. In 2016, following a drought, a forest fire consumed the East Tennessee landscape that my Mom’s parents call home for five days straight. I’ve spent nearly every Christmas of my (short) life in their home near the Great Smoky

Mountains National Park. When my grandmother called me and told me how close the fire was to the family home in the mountains, she was terrified. in India, where my dad’s parents live. High precipitation has led to increasingly severe flooding in his hometown of Forbesganj, Bihar. Both in 2013 and in 2017, my family in India has feared losing the family home, or worse, their lives, to the rising waters. Here in my own hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan, as I’ve gotten older, the seasons have become less regular. As a young girl, I used to see snowdrop flowers and know that spring had arrived. Now, I wait for bizarre cold snaps to kill the flowers, and I’m not sure when to expect the arrival of spring. Last winter, I had nearly two weeks off of school due to extreme weather conditions. In short, climate change leaves no aspect of my life untouched.

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THE LOOKOUT SPRING-SUMMER 2019

Naina Agrawal-HardinGuest Writer

For the time being, my family and our homes are safe. We’re privileged enough that in the future, we’ll could likely relocate before natural disasters hit, or, when necessary, repair disaster caused damages to property. However, other families across the world have already lost everything to natural disasters caused by climate change. In March, Cyclone Idai ravaged communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. Thousands of people were killed. Hundreds of thousands were displaced.

Yet in developed countries, stories from the frontlines are often hard to find. Disasters make headlines for a couple of days, and then disappear from the public eye. There’s a noticeable lack of coverage on what it’s like when the world’s most vulnerable communities - those with the highest proportions of poor people, people of color, and disabled people - are left to pick up the pieces weeks, months, and even years after disaster has struck.

Ignorance about the aftermath of a catastrophe is dangerous. For years, climate change has been seen as a distant threat that ranks low when it comes to the priorities of people in power. Now, we find ourselves in the midst of a full blown climate crisis, yet many people still think that what we’re facing is a problem for future generations. Despite the countless scientists and activists ringing the alarm bell (see popular children’s entertainer and scientist Bill Nye’s recent feature on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver during which he exclaims: “The Earth is on f***ing fire!), a large proportion of the general public is under the impression that there’s still ample time to handle the looming threat of climate change.

This is due in part to tactics employed by the Republican party and the petroleum industry, but it can also be attributed to a gaping hole in both climate action activism and media coverage of the climate crisis. Failure to shed light on stories from the frontlines of climate change only strengthens the common misconception that the climate crisis is still far away, and that it may not be all that bad when it arrives. This misconception leads to inaction, and at this critical juncture, inaction is deadly. Another reason we need accessible frontline stories: There’s much to be learned from stories of collaboration and innovation in the wake of disasters - knowledge that we can all benefit from in the coming years.

With America’s next election cycle coming up, it’s imperative that the climate crisis take center stage. By our next Presidential Election in 2024, it will be too late. The IPCC says that we must cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 if we are to have any hope of preserving a livable future for life on earth. 6 years is not enough time to create the systemic change needed to achieve this goal, which is why 2020 is so important.

Unfortunately, my generation can’t vote yet, which is why we’re asking adults to make climate action their number one priority when assessing 2020 candidates. The time for encouraging people to recycle and take shorter showers is long gone. Now, if we are to have any hope of survival, we must come together, forming an intergenerational movement to fight for our future. We must re-work our societies to become more sustainable, making them more equitable in the process. We must not give up

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THE LOOKOUT SPRING-SUMMER 2019

hope. We must fight for radical systemic change.

This fight begins with accepting the terrifying reality that we are living in the midst of the largest crisis that humanity has ever faced. Seek out and share stories from the frontlines in order to demonstrate to friends and family that climate change is no longer a problem for future generations. It has arrived, and it is deadly.

Then, assess the current situation. Find both comfort and empowerment in the fact that there is still time. Limited time, yes, but enough to have a significant impact on how severe we allow the climate crisis to get.

Finally, take action. Now is the time to ask ourselves: “In eleven years, when we reach our deadline for lowering emissions by 50%, do I want to feel like I could have done more to protect the future of our planet, or do I want to feel like I did absolutely everything I could?”

For the Sierra Club of Huron Valley, locally rooted but with complex knowledge of how our landscapes and practices link to others, ways to take action might include the following:

Tell University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel that U of M needs to divest the nearly 1 billion dollars it currently has in the fossil fuel industry and commit to a date for reaching carbon neutrality on campus.

Petition elected officials at the national level to support the Green New Deal

Research 2020 candidates’ ideas on climate action, and then vote accordingly

Follow and donate to Zero Hour, a youth-led climate action organization focusing on publicizing stories from the frontlines, and seeking intergenerational engagement and support.

Naina Agrawal-Hardin just finished her sophomore year at Washtenaw International High School. She was a lead organizer and the master of ceremonies at the Washtenaw County Climate Strike and has spoken at Ann Arbor City Council meetings in support of climate action funding. She is also a social media and global outreach manager with international youth-led climate action network Zero Hour. She's interested in exploring the intersection between activism and policy by working for a political campaign in the coming months. Watch our interview with Naina at https://youtu.be/Lud9N5-rujw

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Links

https://www.instagram.com/nainagra

https://www.instagram.com/climateactionuofm

https://www.instagram.com/climatestrikewc

https://www.instagram.com/thisiszerohour

https://www.sunrisemovement.org/changethedebate

THE LOOKOUT SPRING-SUMMER 2019

Outings Update

Photos by John Metzler

The Huron Valley Group Outings Program is ramping up! Our team of outings leaders has grown significantly, and with that increased energy has come many new opportunities for getting out into nature and meeting others with shared interests.  

Going into the summer, our intent is to have weekly hikes offered at various times and locations to accommodate a variety of schedules. In addition to regular hikes, we'll plan to work in a few bike rides, some regular service opportunities as well as some educational tours.

Some of these outings will be lead by long-time veteran naturalist, outdoor enthusiasts, skilled photographers and other wonderful people you can learn interesting things from. Just as we can learn from the leaders, the outings participants are often themselves a wealth of knowledge, with people

often sharing tidbits on the trails about how to identify plants and birds. Whether you come for the information, the views, the exercise, or for the company of really wonderful people, you're sure not to be disappointed!

As we work to build the program, we'd love feedback from our members. What are you enjoying about our current outings? What sort of events or activities would you like to see? If you have ideas (or are interested in becoming an outings leader yourself!) please reach out to me (anyaaudubon@gmail.com). 

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Hiking in the Kuebler-Langford Nature Area

Purple Pitcher (Sarracenia purpurea)Bog Trail, Eddy Discovery Center,

Waterloo SRA

FernBog Trail, Eddy Discovery Center,

Waterloo SRA

Anya Dale Outings Chair

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Liverleaf (Hepatica nobilis)Barton-Kuebler-Bird Hills Nature Areas

Pink Lady Slipper (Cypripedium acaule)Bog Trail, Eddy Discovery Center,

Waterloo SRA

Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata) Bog Trail, Eddy Discovery Center, Waterloo SRA

Communications Jaime MagieraHVG Executive Committee Vice-Chair Communications Committee Chair

As I sit in my back yard enjoying the splendor of Spring, I’m admiring all the ways in which the animals and plants in nature communicate with each other. Verbal and nonverbal communication forms the foundation of our complex ecosystem. Having recently stepped forward to chair the HVG Communications Committee, these things have been on my mind a lot lately. With the ability of humans to communicate at the speed of light, there is so much potential to relay the joy and passion that nature brings us, and the dire need we have to protect it. Each day, I ponder how we can leverage that potential to improve communication amongst HVG members, and communication between the HVG and the rest of the world – fostering an HVG that is a joy for members to participate in and a force to be reckoned with in terms of environmental advocacy. I’ve started to turn those thoughts into a reality and I hope that members find value in these changes.

First, the Communications Committee has begun updating the HVG website regularly. The hope is that we can make it a regular destination for members and the greater community. News items, action alerts, articles, nature photography, and a few surprises will keep the site fresh and interesting. We’ve posted our first video segment to the website recently; an interview with Naina Agrawal-Hardin. Video has the potential to relay, in great detail, the beauty of our environment and the ideas we

share about it. There will be more video segments to come.

The Communications Committee is also working to expand our presence in social media. The HVG now has Twitter and Instagram accounts in addition to our Facebook page. Twitter and Instagram are great platforms for quick, timely information like meeting announcements, breaking news, and action alerts.

Lastly, the Communication Committee has completely reworked this newsletter which you’re holding in your hand or viewing on your screen. The formatting has been updated to a more modern look and feel, with crisp text and lots of color. The layout is more defined, making it easier on the eyes. Aside from the aesthetics, we’re also increasing the amount of content you’ll see in each issue. We’re working to bring you articles, interviews, travelogues, nature photography, and a whole host of other things that will make each issue indispensable to nature lovers.

Admittedly, our plan for invigorating the HVG communications is lofty. However, with each small step we take, we see progress. The feedback we’ve received so far tells us we’re heading in the right direction. What would you like to see within the pages of the newsletter? What would you like to see posted to the website and social media? I’d love your feedback. Feel free to reach out any time with comments and suggestions.

With that, I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of this issue. I wish you and yours all the best this Spring and Summer.

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Conservation Committee Update Stephen C. BrownConservation Committee Chair

The HVG Conservation Committee meets for discussion of local environmental issues and mobilization of the HVG membership for advocacy in the community and local governments. This includes biannual Citizen Lobby Days in Lansing, where training is provided to lobby State government on important environmental issues. Current issues include adaptation to the Climate Crisis, toxic releases such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxin, and preservation of natural features.

At our last meeting, Larry Deck of the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition (WBWC.org) spoke about the gaps in the Border to Border and Campus to Campus trail

systems in Ann Arbor.  An ad-hoc volunteer group from both organizations will work together to promote completing construction on these trail systems that provide biking and walking routes that minimize contact with vehicle traffic. Come join us! The Conservation Committee meets 7-9PM every 4th Monday at the Atomic Object Community Room, 3rd floor, at 206 S. Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor. Please contact Stephen C Brown (brownsc6887@att.net) for more information

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HURON VALLEY GROUP BOOK CLUB - COME JOIN US In a world where we are confronted with small bits of information – sound bites, tweets, Facebook entries – it can be rewarding to find a deeper perspective on our world by the simple act of reading a good book, and there are lots of them out there. For the past several years the Huron Valley Group has sponsored a book group that meets monthly from September to May (second Tuesday of the month, 7:30 pm at Nicola’s Books in Ann Arbor’s Westgate shopping center). Our selections include a mixture of titles covering nature, science, politics, and history as related to the environment. Come every month or when a title intrigues you. Our books for 2018/19 included Our Only World: Ten Essays, by Wendell Berry; The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy, by Michael McCarthy; The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy, by Anna Clark, and more.

We take the summer off but will start up again in September with The Overstory: A Novel, by Richard Powers – a highly praised novel of trees and the people who learn to love them; looks like a great summer read. Please join us in September.

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HVG Seeking Your Input On Our Direction Jason FrenzelHVG Executive Committee Secretary & Treasurer

It is a good practice to evaluate an organization’s niche and direction every few years.

Over the past five decades HVG has had many amazing successes (see article series from 2016 through 2018). These successes have allowed us to evolve our priorities. At the same time, our peers and national priorities have changed. Our communities’ priorities have also changed over these years. For these reasons and many more, the leadership of HVG is seeking your input on the work that we have accomplished, our upcoming direction, and priorities.

Below is a web form we would greatly appreciate your input on. The form asks what your perceptions of our successes, challenges, and opportunities are. This is a great chance for you to help direct HVG’s future work.

The leadership team will take the input from this survey, as well as feedback from one-on-one conversations with environmental and conservation leaders throughout our service area. With this information, we plan to create an overarching vision, along with priority work areas, and measurable goals. In the winter issue of the Lookout, we plan to provide you with an early update on this process, which we plan to finalize in November of 2019.

Please head to this form and give us your input:

https://forms.gle/aa81sUiTV5RxKqaW7

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The camp features seven cabins, camping, and a lodge amongst the serene woods surrounding Nordman Lake just outside of Dexter. There is hiking, fishing, canoeing, and more. It’s a nice retreat from the hustle and bustle of town. https://www.campwoodbury.com

Destinations:Camp Woodbury on Nordman LakeJaime and Sammie Magiera

Call for HVG Executive Committee Candidates

The Sierra Club is the largest democratically run environmental organization in the world, with direct election of leaders at the national Board, state Chapter and local Group level each year. The Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group (HVG) is responsible for the administration and operation of the group. HVG members will be electing three ExCom members this fall, for two year terms beginning in January 2020. The election process starts this Spring, with the actual voting taking place in the Fall. HVG is an all-volunteer organization which needs the talents of all its members to accomplish its environmental goals.

About the Executive Committee

The HVG Executive Committee (“Excom”) consists of 7 people from the HVG membership who are elected to two year terms by the membership. They help define rules for the group, administer the group activities, and craft position statements. There are monthly committee meetings, generally on the first Thursday of the month. Excom members are also required to participate in one or two of our smaller committees (e.g. Membership Committee, Communications Committee, Conservation Committee, etc.). The time commitment for ExCom participation is roughly 10-12 hours a month.

Becoming an Candidate

Members interested in serving on ExCom are encouraged to attend one or more ExCom meetings to get a feel for what we do. Likewise,

it’s helpful to reach out to current ExCom members for guidance. Their email addresses are available in this newsletter. If you decide to make the commitment, please email Nominations Committee Chair Richard Barron (rmorleybarron@gmail.com) with your full name, phone number, member number, and a 500 word statement on why you wish to run for ExCom.

The Election Process

Members willing to serve can be get on the ballot either through selection by the HVG Nominating Committee or by a petition signed by at least 15 group members. All potential candidates must be Sierra Club members at the time the Spring newsletter mailing list was extracted from the national member database.

The Nominating Committee consists of at least three HVG members, one or more of whom shall not be an ExCom member, and none of whom may be a candidate in the upcoming election. Candidates who have submitted their application materials will be notified on August 1st if they have been selected by the Nominations Committee. Interested members who did not seek or did not receive nomination from the committee can choose to submit a petition. Petitions must be submitted by the candidate to the Nominations Committee no later than the September 17

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Membership Meeting. Petitions must include the name, address, membership number and signature of the signers. No member may be nominated or elected against their will.

The HVG has a separate Election Committee that is responsible for production, mailing, receipt, and counting of ballots. It consists of at least three group members, one or more of whom shall not be an ExCom member, and none of whom may be a candidate in the upcoming election.

All Sierra Club members within the HVG territory at the time the mailing list for the Fall newsletter is generated are eligible to vote. The newsletter, with accompanying ballot, will be mailed at least 4 weeks before the closing date for the election. The ballots can be returned via mail or at the December HVG General Meeting per the instructions in the newsletter. An online ballot will be made available on the website during the same time period.

The HVG Election Committee will set a time and place to count the ballots, which will be held after the December HVG General Meeting and before December 31, 2019. Candidates or their representatives may observe the ballot counting. Ballots and nominating petitions will be preserved until all opportunities for appeals are exhausted.

The HVG bylaws and standing rules describe the schedule of events for each election can be viewed at www.sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley/about-us.

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HVG ExCom Election Important Dates

July 16, 2019: Nominees must inform the Nominating Committee of their interest by the July ExComm Meeting

Aug 01, 2019: Nominating Committee notifies candidates and ExComm of nomination status.

Sep 17, 2019: Any candidate petitions and/or ballot issue petitions must delivered to the Nominating Committee at the September General Meeting.

Oct 01, 2019: Candidate statements and photographs are due to Elections Committee.

Oct 03, 2019: Final candidate list given to the Executive Committee.

Nov 1, 2019: Eligible voter list is pulled from the member database. Election materials are finalized to be posted on the website and distributed through the newsletter.

Dec, 18 2019: Ballot count process begins, completing no later than. December 31. After completion, candidates are notified.

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Sierra Club Huron Valley Group http://sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley

hvgsierraclub@gmail.com P.O. Box 7802 Ann Arbor, MI 48107

HVG Executive

Committee

Dan Ezekiel Chair

Jaime Magiera Vice-Chair Communications Committee Chair Jason Frenzel Secretary & Treasurer

Erica Ackerman Political Committee Chair Anya Dale Outings Committee Chair

Amanda Sweetman Rita Mitchell

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How to Get HVG reminders via email! At each HVG general meeting, there is an email sign up list. For those who missed it, or haven't joined us at a meeting, you can sign up at… https://sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley/email-list

Are You A New Member? Welcome to the Huron Valley Group of the Sierra Club. When you join the Sierra Club you are automatically a member of a local group, as well as a state chapter and the national organization. Membership entitles you to this newsletter as well as all editions of the state and national member publications. Check our online calendar for announcements of Monthly Public Program topics and other activities. We will be glad to see you at our next meeting or answer any questions if you care to call. Please take advantage of your membership as an opportunity to enjoy, preserve and protect our natural environment!

The Lookout is published in Spring and Fall each year. Design, layout, and typesetting by

Jaime Magiera

Shopping for the Earth

You can help the earth at no cost to you — through your regular shopping!

• Over the past 15 years, the Sierra Club Huron Valley Group’s Shopping for the Earth has been a very successful program for supporting our efforts to protect parks, natural areas and local farmland, and to address local and regional environmental problems.

• For every $20 of cards you buy, you get the full $20 in store credit and earn from $0.80 to as much as $4.60, depending on the merchant, for the Sierra Club.

Great for:

√ Regular purchases like grocery shopping

√ Giving as gifts

√ Planned purchases like appliances

√ Making online purchases

There are two ways to order cards:

1. Mail-In Order Form for groceries from local stores including:Ann Arbor People’s Food Co-op, Arbor Brewing Company, Arbor Farms, Busches, Kroger, Meijers, Produce Station, Whole Foods, and more…

2. Online ordering from over 600 national merchants including:

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Best Buy, Cabela’s, Chipotle Mexican Grill, CVS/pharmacy, Econo Lodge, Glen’s Market, Groupon, Home Depot, iTunes, Kohl's, L.L.Bean, Lands' End, Lowe’s, Noodles & Company, Office Max, REI, Rite Aid, Sears, gas stations, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, United Artist Theatres, Walgreens, Whole Foods, and more…

Visit our website for more information:

https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley/shopping-for-earth

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Huron Valley GroupP.O. Box 7802 Ann Arbor, MI 48107