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 Sierra
Club Energy Film Festival
Join members throughout Chicago for a film festival focusing on
energy issues -- ranging from fuel-efficient cars, to light switches, to
international energy policies. Where we get our energy and how we use it
are topics that are rapidly rising to the top of the list of concerns in
America.
This film festival offers us an opportunity to learn more about the
problems of global warming, air pollution and how to solve these
problems through innovative technologies and proactive policies.
Maybe best of all, it gives us an opportunity to gather with
likeminded folks to exchange ideas on how to make a change in our energy
future here in Illinois.
Show Times and Locations:
Tuesday, February 6. 6:00 PM
Center for Neighborhood Technology
2125 West North Avenue
Film: SUV City and Out of Balance
Co-sponsored by Conscious Choice and Center for Neighborhood
Technology
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Thursday, February 8. 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Funky Buddha Lounge
728 W. Grand Avenue
Film: Earth to America
Co-sponsored by Conscious Choice
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Sunday, February 25. 1:30 - 5:00 PM
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, McCormick Room
2430 N. Cannon Drive
Films: Kilowatt Ours, Nobelity, The True Cost of Food, and Power Shift.
Co-sponsored by Conscious Choice
If you would like to join us after this event for dinner and drinks
at a nearby restaurant, please RSVP to Anne McKibbin at
ch-programs@illinois.sierraclub.org or 312/927-5546.
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Friday, March 2nd. 6:30 - 9:30 PM
Columbia College- Film Row Center
1104 S. Wabash/8th Floor
Film: The Return of Navajo Boy
Co-sponsored by Columbia College, Conscious Choice, Ground Swell
Films, and Nuclear Energy Information Systems. |
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October Program:
An American Icon: the Zion / Mojave Wilderness
Wednesday, October 25, 6:30 p.m.
Oak Park Library, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, 2nd Floor
Thursday, October 26, 6:30 pm
Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago Public Library, 1150 W. Fullerton
Avenue, Chicago.
The Chicago Group of the Sierra Club will host two special presentations
on the wilderness areas adjoining Zion National Park and the nearby
Mojave Desert. Clayton Daughenbaugh, Field Organizer for the Southern
Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), will give a presentation and slide show
about this beautiful area. Clayton is also co-chair of the Illinois Task
Force for Utah Wilderness, and a member of the Sierra Club’s Wildlands
Committee. SUWA is a twenty year old organization of citizens who love
Utah’s wild lands and work together for their protection.
The Zion / Mojave Wilderness lies just west of Zion National Park, Utah.
It contains redrock temples, profound gorges, and ponderosa-studded
plateaus. The Mojave Desert portion of the wilderness is home to the
endangered desert tortoise. The area is part of a citizens’ proposal to
establish a protected wilderness. The presentation and photos are part
of an ongoing tour, sponsored by SUWA, to showcase threats to this
world-class wilderness and offer steps that citizens can take to help
protect it.
Oak Park Library directions:
The CTA’s Green Line stops just a few blocks southeast of the Oak Park
Library. Metra’s Union Pacific West Line has an Oak Park stop ½ mile
from the library. In addition, the Library offers free garage parking
for two hours.
Lincoln Park Library
directions:
The CTA’s Red and Brown Lines stop just two blocks east of the Lincoln
Park Branch Library at the corner of Fullerton and Racine. The library
has a few parking spaces, and numerous CTA busses stop in the area, as
well.
Digital photos and more information can be found at
www.suwa.org or
www.zionmojavewilderness.org.
See also IL Chapter "Take Action" article:
Illinois Poised to Play Critical Role in
Protecting Utah's Redrocks Wilderness
If you have questions about this program, ideas
for future programs, or would like to help organize an event, please
contact Anne McKibbin at
ch-programs@illinois.sierraclub.org.
May 31, 6:30 p.m.
Sulzer Regional Library, Chicago
4455 N. Lincoln Ave., one-half block north of Montrose
What’s Mercury Got to Do with It?
Chicago’s Air to Water Contamination Problem
The Sierra Club has made emissions from coal-fired
power plants and other sources a big priority in Chicago, Illinois, the
Midwest and nationwide. Power plant emissions cause big-time human
breathing problems and mercury contamination of fish.
Find out more about the Club’s campaign to reduce
emissions from coal-fired power plants from Chapter Director, Jack
Darin. The Sierra Club has been pushing Gov. Rod Blagojevich to make
good on a campaign promise to power-plant mercury emissions by 90%. He
came through, but our members need more education so they can help
make his regulation proposal reality. Jack will present a slide show as
well as a short video.
Come early for Happy Hour (well, sort of. It is a
library!) and meet other Sierrans.
The CTA’s Brown Line's stop at Western is 4 blocks
north of the library and Lincoln Ave. and Montrose buses stop within
one-half block of the library. Street parking may be available, but a
surer bet is a $1 city parking lot located on the east side of Lincoln,
about one block north of the library,
And for those of you who want to take the party
elsewhere after the program, there are a number of restaurants, coffee
shops and bars in the neighborhood.
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Nov 1 (Tues) - Dave McGowan of Midwest Frogs, an education and
advocacy group, will talk about this group of native reptiles, their
benefits to society and conservation needs.
Oct 4 (Tues) - Greenhouse Gas and Renewable
Energy
Michael Stavy, consulting energy economist, will
speak about greenhouse gas and renewable energy efforts.
Sep 6 (Tues) - Birding and Collision Strikes
We are pleased to have Robbie Hunsinger, founder of
the
Chicago Bird Collision Monitors. Bird strikes are one of the leading
causes of death for migratory birds, and these are largely
preventable. Robbie will talk about how this all volunteer grass-roots
organization helps migratory birds safely navigate the Loop.
July & Aug - No meeting, summer break.
Jun 7 - Meeting Cancelled.
May 3 (Tues) - Biking - Healthy Streets
Campaign
Come and hear Randy Neufeld of Chicagoland Bicycle Federation talk
about its
Healthy Streets Campaign. Aiming for a balanced transportation
environment, the Healthy Streets initiative wisely allocates resources
and
space to encourage walking, bicycling and public transit through a
coordinated regional effort integrating education, marketing,
enforcement
and street design.
April 5
(Tues) - Butterfly Preservation
Come and learn how Doug Taron, butterfly expert
at the
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, has restored butterfly species in
the greater Chicago area. Doug will also discuss ways to create
butterfly friendly environments.
March 1 (Tues)- Assessing Health Hazards
We are very pleased to have Michelle Watters,
Environmental Health Medical Officer with the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), talk about her work at the
agency. As the lead public health agency responsible for implementing
health related provisions for Superfund, ATSDR is charged with assessing
health hazards, helping to reduce exposure and increasing knowledge of
health effects of these sites. This should be a very informative
session -- one not to be missed.
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October 27 • Wed-7:00PM Community Meeting on Mercury Pollution
Are you concerned about mercury
pollution in the fish you eat or
serve to your family? About mercury in Lake Michigan? Sierra Club
invites you to learn more about mercury pollution on the North Shore and
in Illinois. Learn about:
How Mercury Threatens Our Health, And
Unborn Children.
What Fish Are Safe To Eat ?
How the Bush Administration Is
Proposing to Delay Clean Up of Mercury Pollution
Will Governor Blagojevich Take Action ?
A panel of public health experts and
clean air advocates will address
these issues and take your questions.
Find out what Sierra Club is
doing to reduce mercury pollution in
Illinois, and how you can help.
Nov 2nd Event => Because of the conflict with Election Day, the
regularly held monthly meeting will NOT be at the Wilmette Library but
instead ... Join fellow North Shore Sierra Club members at Prairie Moon to
watch election results Tuesday evening, November 2nd. Prairie Moon is
located at 1502 Sherman Ave., in Evanston. To get there by Metra or CTA,
get off at the Davis St. stop and walk two blocks east to Sherman, go
south about two blocks to Prairie Moon. Looking forward to seeing
everyone there.
September-2004 Program:
No program.
Instead of having our regularly scheduled program on September 7th,
we would like to encourage North Shore Sierra Club members to attend the
Sierra Club's Pump-Up Your Vote gathering to be held on September
7th, 2004 at the Women's Athletic Club, 626 N. Michigan Ave.
The event, which promises to be an informative and fun time for all,
will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Tickets cost $75.00 per person, or 2
people at $100.00. Each additional person add $50.00. For more
information contact Barry Matchett at bamatchett@hotmail.com or the
Illinois Chapter
office at 312-251-1680.
August-2004 Program:
Illinois at Risk — The Impacts of Bush Administration Policy on Illinois
We will preview a forthcoming Sierra Club report that examines the
impacts of Bush Administration policy in twelve areas. Clean water,
breathable air, mercury in fish, and forest policy are some of the areas
that directly impact all Illinois residents. Come learn about the
effects of National policies upon Illinois residents and what Illinois
residents and legislators are doing in response. Presented by: Paras
Bhayani, Jen Hensley and Douglas Chien
JULY-2004 Program:
Explore Illinois Wilderness in the Shawnee National Forest.
The Shawnee is Illinois only National Forest and is home to
unique landscapes that you'll find nowhere else in the state. Take a visit to
10 of the most beautiful areas in the Shawnee — the Federally designated
Wilderness Areas. These areas have the highest form of protection because
they harbor unique and rare communities and provide a true wilderness
recreational experience. Learn how Sierra Club has protected these areas and
how we are attempting to expand the Wilderness system presented by Doug Chien
and Floyd Bednarz.
MAY-2004
Program:
Chicago River, Libby Hill, Author
Libby Hill teaches Geography at Northeastern Illinois University and
Geographic Information Systems for the Northeastern Illinois Planning
Commission (NIPC.) Prior to this, she received a Masters Degree in
Library Science at Dominican University and another Masters in Geography
and Environmental Studies at Northeastern. Prior to that, she worked at
Roycemore School for 22 years as a librarian. Ms. Hill lives in
Evanston. "The Chicago River, a Natural and Unnatural History", was
published in June, 2000.
Her program will focus on how the geology of the Chicago Area underlies
the settling of Chicago and our manipulations of the Chicago River
MAR-2004 Program:
Marine Life and Threat to Oceans, Pam Blackledge of National
Environmental Trust
Biography - Pam Blackledge
Great Lakes Regional Organizer for the National Environmental
Trust.
After growing up in northern Iowa and attaining her BS is Fisheries and
Wildlife
Biology from Iowa State University in 1995, Pam moved to Washington, DC to
begin working for a nonprofit environmental organization -- focusing on
gathering the skills necessary to become an effective environmental organizer.
She has been organizing around environmental and social issues ever since. I
have worked on issues ranging from protecting the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to trying to
reduce hunger and homelessness. Happily, she has been fortunate enough to move
extensively and have experienced many areas in the US. From coast to coast she
has seen how a suffering environment impacts us everywhere.
Working on ocean issues is new to her, but she is finding it more than
fascinating!
She is excited to be learning more about this vast resource that has been
taken for granted for too long. This campaign does not come a moment too soon.
The region she is organizing is Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, which we
are calling the Great Lakes Region for the purpose of this campaign.
She's excited to be bringing the plight of our oceans to the Midwest as it's
not an
issue that gets much coverage here. This does have its challenges, however!
But in order to make serious headway in crafting and passing legislation that
works to protect this wilderness, we will need the support of individuals
across the country, not just those on the coasts. She's hoping the campaign
will build the necessary support so together we can create concerned and
knowledgeable leaders here in our region that will actively work toward a
sustainable ocean future.
And finally, when not working on important environmental concerns or spending
time with family, she enjoys as much time as possible with my horse and
exploring the outdoors.
Program Summary
"To me the sea is a continual miracle; the fishes that swim - the rocks - the
motion of the waves - the ships, with men in them, What stranger miracles are
there?" - Walt Whitman Do you love the ocean? Do you marvel at the aquatic
life beyond what we know and understand? Are you curious about this underwater
world?
Our oceans not only represent true wilderness and incomprehensible beauty, but
also a major life source for millions. However, our oceans are in big trouble.
Populations of fish and other ocean creatures have been decreasing
dramatically. Habitat destruction, mismanagement and overfishing have
impoverished our ocean resources, and have caused over 90% of the world's
large fish to disappear from our oceans.
If you are interested in learning more, you will want to attend her colorful,
informative, and solution-oriented presentation at our next meeting, Tuesday,
April 6 at the Wilmette Library. The presentation will be approximately 45
minutes long with room for discussion, questions, and comments. |
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MAR-2004
Program: Cook County Commissioner, Larry Suffredin
Larry will discuss:
a) the current Forest Preserve District budget;
b) the new personnel at the Forest Preserve District; and
c) the role of the volunteer at the Forest Preserve District.
Larry Suffredin was elected Cook County Commissioner for the 13th
District in November 2002 and took office in December 2002. Rare for a
freshman member, Suffredin was named Chairman of the Board's
Legislation & Intergovernmental Relations Committee, which is charged
with recommending county positions on state and federal legislation,
tracking state and federal funds earmarked for the county and reviewing
appointments to county boards and commissions. He also serves on the
Litigation Subcommittee, the Tax and Revenue Subcommittee, the Rules
Committee, the Building Subcommittee, the Department of Corrections
Subcommittee and the Botanic Garden Committee.
Suffredin is a lifelong resident of Chicagoland, and is a highly
successful attorney with a legal career spanning nearly three decades.
He has extensive state and federal trial experience, and has argued
cases before the United States and Illinois Supreme Courts as well as
circuits of the United States Court of Appeals and the Illinois
Appellate Court.
As an attorney, Suffredin built a reputation as a government relations
specialist at the local state, and federal levels, and is known for his
broad knowledge of government and politics. He is a partner at Shefsky
& Froelich. Suffredin has held several public service posts and is
currently Chair of Suburban Job-Link, a not-for-profit job development
company. He also serves on the boards of the Illinois Council Against
Handgun Violence, Center for Law and Human Services and Illinois Death
Penalty Education
Project.
Suffredin received his Bachelor's degree from Loyola University Chicago
and his law degree from Georgetown University. He served as a Captain in
the United States Air Force Reserves and received an Honorable
Discharge.
Suffredin and his wife, Gloria Calico, live in Evanston and have two
grown children, Tom and Elizabeth.
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JAN-2004 Program:
Global Warming - Hybrid Cars. A
Presentation by Colleen Sarna, IL Chapter Global Warming Organizer and a
Toyota Representative from Evanston Toyota.
The cars, trucks, and SUV's we drive are responsible for one third of global
warming pollution produced in the United States. In fact, U.S. Automobiles
emit more global warming pollution than all but four
countries - the United States, China, Russia, and Japan. Join us as we talk
about the effects of global warming on Illinois and how more fuel efficient
automobiles curb this pollution. A representative from
Evanston Toyota will also speak on the benefits of the cleaner, more fuel
efficient technology found in hybrid cars. There will be opportunities to
test drive a Toyota Prius.
Colleen Sarna graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 2000 with a degree
in environmental biology and minor in pre-law. After her internship with the
Illinois Student Environmental Network, she went on
to become the organization's Training Coordinator and helped college students
throughout Illinois organize around a number of campus environmental issues.
Following her year with ISEN, Colleen worked for
Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing. She organized
clean air, corporate accountability, and public outreach campaigns in North
Carolina, Florida, and Michigan. Happy to be in Illinois again, Colleen is
currently the Global Warming and Energy Organizer for the national Sierra
Club.
Since U.S. automobiles emit more global warming pollution than all but four
countries, she works to curb global warming by increasing fuel economy of the
cars and trucks Americans drive everyday.
DEC-2003
Program: Cross-Country
Skiing: A Primer and Where to Go in the Midwest by Floyd Bednarz and
Judy Curtis
Your time in the Great Outdoors
needn't stop once the weather turns cold and the snowflakes start
flying! This presentation is intended to provide those people
without cross-country ski experience some background information on what
it is, what type of equipment is needed, how to learn techniques and
where to go in the Midwest. Time permitting, we may also discuss
snowshoeing as well.
Floyd Bednarz has been an avid outdoors person since his Scouting days
many years ago. He has been a National Park Ranger, has taught
numerous outdoor courses, and has been active with the Sierra Club and
other environmental groups since his college days. Most recently, for
the last five years, he has led numerous outings for the Sierra Club's
River Prairie and Chicago Groups, including co-leading the annual
Cross-Country Ski Clinic with Judy Curtis.
Judy Curtis has been a member of the Sierra Club since 1982. She
did her first cross-country skiing through training offered by the
Chicago Chapter of the club. Work brought her to Minnesota for four
years where she became an outings leader for the North Star Ski Touring
Club. She loves to help her fellow Chicagoans enjoy the outdoors
in Winter! Judy started the cross country ski workshop for the
River Prairie Group of the club 10 years ago. She and Floyd
Bednarz co-lead the workshop each January.
See outings listing.
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