All members of the public are invited to attend an evening program on Illinois' Wild Edible Plants.

Come learn "wild" ways to eat locally and sustainably! On Tuesday, October 13 (7pm) Bill Handel of the Illinois Natural History Survey will be giving a program on local, wild plants that are edible. Participants will learn about what plants are safe to eat, when they should be harvested, where they can be found, and historic uses. Snacks made of some of these plants will accompany the presentation, and recipes and plant identification handouts will be provided.

This talk will be followed by an outing the following Saturday, October 17th, to find some of these edible plants.

Each candidate will start with a brief statement. Then, our MC, Kirstin Replogle, will ask the panelists a series of questions, some which will be prepared in advance and some which will be taken from the audience.

The speakers will be:

• Naomi Jakobsson, Illinois State House Representative, 103rd District (incumbent) (D).
• Frank Calabrese, candidate for Illinois State House Representative, 103rd District (R).
• Mike Frerichs, Illinois State Senator, 52nd District (D).
• Phil Bloomer, representing Tim Johnson, U. S. Congressman, Illinois 15th District (R).
• Steve Cox, candidate for U. S. Congress, Illinois 15th District (D).

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the Forum's organizer, Jim Beauchamp, jwbeauch {at} illinois.edu.

Marie Streenz of Horizon Wind Energy in Bloomington will talk about the McLean County Twin Groves Wind Farm and its environmental impact.

The Andersons' proposed ethanol plant, to be built just west of Champaign, will draw something like 1.8 million gallons of water per day from the Mahomet aquifer. Much of that is to be evaporated in cooling towers, but about 720,000 gallons per day of variously processed water will be discharged into the Kaskaskia Ditch, the upper reach of the Kaskaskia River.

At 6pm on the evening of May 5th, in Parkland College's Room D244 (in building D, on the south side of campus), the Illinois EPA will hold a public hearing on the draft water-discharge permit. Details here:
    EPA May 5th Public Hearing Announcement (PDF)

The IEPA has made a tentative determination to issue this five-year discharge permit. The draft of it can be found at:
    http://www.epa.state.il.us/public-notices/2007/andersons-ethanol/index.pdf

The IEPA will accept comments from the public, either at the above hearing, or in writing until June 4th. (See the Hearing Announcement for details.)

Carolyn is the Executive Director of Science & Environmental Health Network, which is based in Ames, Iowa.

SEHN was founded in 1994 by a consortium of North American environmental organizations (including the Environmental Defense Fund, The Environmental Research Foundation, and OMB Watch) concerned about the misuse of science in ways that failed to protect the environment and human health. Granted 501(c)(3) status in 1999, SEHN operates as a virtual organization, currently with six staff and seven board members working from locations across the U.S.

Since 1998, SEHN has been the leading proponent in the United States of the Precautionary Principle as a new basis for environmental and public health policy. SEHN has worked with issue driven organizations, national environmental health coalitions, municipal and state governments, and several NGO/government teams to implement precautionary policies at local and state levels.

The Science and Environmental Health Network engages communities and governments in the effective application of science to protect and restore public and ecosystem health.

Details taken from the workshop flyer:
Understand the true costs of biofuel production and its impacts on Illinois' water resources. Learn how to participate effectively in the biofuels decisionmaking process. Topics:

• The True Cost of Biofuels
• Water Supplies in Illinois
• Aquifer Hydrology: An Interactive Lesson
• Impacts of Ethanol Plants on Water Quantity & Quality
• How to Effectively Participate in Biofuels Decisionmaking: A Case Study of One Activist's Lessons Learned

The next meeting of the East-Central Illinois Environmental Alliance will be Tuesday 3/25, at 7:00pm, in the Champaign Public Library's Robeson Pavilion Room C.

The speaker will be Gary Jackson. Gary is well known for his long-time involvement with a variety of local environmental groups including Sierra Club and Prairie Rivers Network. Gary was a member of the Environmental Advisory Panel which prepared the November 2004 Report to the Champaign County Board, and a member of the environmental section of the Big, Small, All project. He will discuss implementing some of the recommendations contained in those reports, and how this relates to activities of local environmental groups.

Prairie Rivers water resources scientist Traci Barkley will give a talk:

"In search of a water conservation policy"

The story has many interrelated parts: the ongoing regional water supply planning process, the impact of major extractors like Illinois-American Water and proposed ethanol plants, domestic and industrial and municipal water use and misuse, and the role of conservation.

See the agenda here; here's a summary:

1. Election of Excom Officers (Chair, Treasurer, Vice-Chair, Secretary)
2. Other Excom members, to be elected with terms as follows
3. Other chairmanships -- using HELEN, Leader Change Worksheets:

   Chapter Delegate; Membership Chair; Newspaper layout, Environmental Education, Conservation, Publicity; Webmaster; Publications Representative, Calendar Sales.

   There are many other less significant chairs; some will remain vacant.

4. Treasurer's Report
5. Prairie Flyer articles
6. General Membership meetings in April, May, June, with a point person for each meeting
7. Lincoln Bicentennial Project -- Barbara Wysocki's note to Cynthia
8. Place for Chapter Excom meeting of Saturday, March 8, 2008 (we will be hosts)
9. Someone to investigate about pipeline from Canada to Decatur and cooperate with Chapter Conservation Committee
10. Distribution list for Prarie Flyer - to places, nonmembers
11. Report on meeting with Chrissy Maher & John Gaudette of IEC; membership in IEC; lobby day April 2
12. Report on meeting with T. Johnson's representatives concerning Utah Wilderness legislation

    ---

    Tuesday, January 8th, 2008, 7 PM

    Film Night!

    We'll watch some films. Some suggested are "Being Caribou", "Sierra Club Chronicles" (activists' personal stories), and "Story of Stuff", a look at the workings and side effects of our material culture. (To be updated...)

    ---

    2007:

    Tuesday, December 11th, 2007, 7 PM

    Annual Vacation Slide Show

    Join us for our annual "Vacation Slide Show" evening! We will have a slide projector and computer equipment (for both PC and Apple computers) available. In order to accommodate everyone, please limit your presentation to 10 minutes or less. Please feel free to bring a holiday treat to share!

    ---

    Tuesday, November 13th, 7:30 PM
    (note 7:30pm rather than usual 7pm)

    Prairie Group Meeting and Champaign County Farm Bureau

    Environmentalists and the Farm Bureau have found common ground. Brad Uken and Bruce Hannon will talk about the new initiative that could lead to a comprehensive Champaign County plan to contain urban development while preserving prime farmland. The need for new legislation is clear and by working together we can make positive changes.

    Poorly planned growth is one of the most critical environmental issues facing us in Champaign County. Please attend this meeting to learn about this new initiative - it will take all of us to help make it happen.

    ---

    Saturday, Nov 3rd, 2-3pm, Alma Mater
    (Green & Wright on UIUC Campus in Urbana)
    "Step It Up" Climate Change Rally

    (Not an SC event but this should be of interest to us all!)

    Care about climate change? Want to do something about it? Come to the STEP IT UP action this Saturday, November 3rd from 2-3pm at the Alma Mater (corner of Wright and Green) to take action on fighting climate change!

    We will be writing letters to our representatives, which will all be shipped off in one envelope to Congress to show that we, the people, care about this issue, and we demand that they take action ASAP!

    Speakers include:

    • Prof. Don Wuebbles, Atmospheric Sciences
    • Joe Futrelle, Green Party
    • Walter Pituc, Green Party

    Hundreds of other actions throughout the US are also happening on Nov. 3rd. This builds on Step It Up's April rally -- the largest global warming event in U.S. history.

    The events across the country -- held one year before the 2008 election -- will show the contrast between the intense concern of ordinary Americans and the leadership vacuum in Washington.

    See also the http://www.stepitup2007.org/ national web site.

    ---

    Friday, Nov 2nd, 7pm, Staerkel Planetarium
    Parkland "World of Science" Talk
    Patrick Chapman on Solar Power in Illinois

    (Not an SC event but may be of interest to many)

    Dr. Patrick Chapman will discuss the viability of solar power as an alternative energy source in Central Illinois. Will it work?

    ---

    Tuesday, October 9th

    Cool Cities and Sustainable Urbana

    Join us for a discussion of Cool Cities and the Sustainable Urbana report (see related article in the Oct/Nov/Dec '07 Prairie Flyer). The City of Urbana is making a serious effort towards sustainability and reducing greenhouse gases - but they need our support and input. We've invited elected officials and city staff for a roundtable discussion on priorities and implementation of some terrific ideas. For more information, you can download a recently written document called Sustainable Urbana: A Place to Work, Live and Grow. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting!

    ---

    September 11

    Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investing

    Your investments affect the environment and humankind for better for worse. You can meet your financial needs and prote social/environmental progress with Socially Responsible Investing. Russell Rybicki of Progressive Asset Management will speak on Socially Respnsible Investing, its effect on performance, and its role in social/environmental change.

    ---

    August 14, 5:30 PM, Garden Pavilion, Meadowbrook Park, Urbana

    Annual Potluck Picnic

    Prairie Group will provide condiments, beverages, and a grill for those who would like to bring burgers and the like. Please bring your own plate, utensils, and a dish to share.

    ---

    Tuesday, June 12th, 5:30PM (not 7PM as mentioned previously!)

    Annual Potluck Picnic

    Join us at Dick Bishop's, 3514 N. High Cross Road.

    Dick Bishop writes:

    You are welcome to come to the picnic at my house. The Group will provide hamburgers, veggieburgers, and drinks. Bring a dish to pass.

    The address is 3514 N High Cross Rd. It is located between Oaks and Olympian, the third house on the east from the intersection of Oaks and High Cross.

    If you decide to get on High Cross by going out University Avenue, do not make the mistake of going on I 74 -- turn right onto US 150 as the Casey's store.

    For most, going out Cunningham (US45) will be more convenient. Go past the Frasca Field Airport and look for the Beck's Country Furniture sign. Oaks is the next right, a little hard to spot. If you go by it, go on to Olympian and come back on High Cross.

    Look for the Sierra Club Banner in front of my house.

    ---

    Unless specified otherwise, Prairie Group 2006-2007 meetings were held in the Geneva Room at the McKinley Foundation, 809 S. 5th Street (corner of 5th and Daniel), in Champaign at 7 PM on the second Tuesday of each month. Refreshments always provided!

    ---

    Tuesday, May 8th, 7PM

    Local Transportation Developments Panel Discussion

    (McKinley Foundation Geneva Room)

    Invited speakers discuss recent initiatives for encouraging bicycle use and safety as part of the local transportation mix, along with other efforts to get residents out of their cars.

    Brandon Bowersox will speak on local bicycle transportation plans, Don Davis on public input at last week's (5/3) Urbana Bicycle Plan, and Cynthia Hoyle (who is a planner for C-U MTD) on other local transit issues.

    ---

    Wednesday, May 9th, 7PM

    The Health of Illinois Rivers: Re-channelizing the Salt Fork of the Vermilion?
    (not a Sierra Club event, but one that sounds interesting!)

    Where:

    Champaign County Democrats Headquarters, 14 E. Washington St., Champaign

    When:

    Wednesday, May 9, 2007, 7 p.m.

    Speakers:

    Prof. Clark Bullard, Prairie Rivers Alliance, and
    Prof. Bruce Rhoads, UIUC Geology Department

    Sponsored by:

    Champaign County Democrats Meet-Up

    Prof. Clark Bullard, Board Member of the Prairie Rivers Alliance, and Prof. Bruce Rhoads, UIUC Geology Department, will make presentations on effects of the proposed re-channelization of the Salt Fork of the Vermilion River that runs through eastern Champaign County . A dredging project, proposed by the Upper Salt Fork Drainage District, includes clear-cutting trees along the riverbanks, adversely affecting the aesthetic value the trees have brought to the residents of St. Joseph. Ways must be found to provide necessary drainage while still protecting the fish and wildlife that make the river an important community asset.

    Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend. Snacks to share are welcome. For more information call Champaign County Democrats at (217) 359-3760 or visit the Champaign County Democrats Web site at www.champaigncountydemocrats.org.

    ---

    Saturday, April 14th, 1:00 - 2:30PM

    Rally to Stop Global Warming Now

    West Side Park, Champaign

    A "Step It Up" rally to do something about global warming in conjunction with about 1300 such events in all 50 states.

    We'll meet at Westside Park at 1:00 PM to stand in support of the goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2050. Rally-goers will have the chance to send post cards to Senators Durbin and Obama and Representative Johnson urging them to work toward this goal. We'll also send petitions to the cities of Champaign and Urbana asking them to take similar measures.

    At 2:00 PM or so, we'll photograph everyone at the rally standing near our banner, so that we can send pictures to Step It Up and to congress.

    Our final planning meeting to prepare for the rally will be 1 PM Sat, April 7th at the Urbana Free Library in the conference room on the lower level. The Urbana Free Library is near the corner of Race and Green in downtown Urbana.

    Location:

    West Side Park, Sat 4/14 1-2:30pm

    Directions:

    Exit I-74 at Prospect, heading South. Take Prospect to University Avenue, and turn left. Take University about a mile, and you'll see West Side Park on your left, between Elm and State streets. There should be ample curbside parking near the park.

    ---

    Tuesday, April 10th, 7PM

    The Recent Impact of Global Climate Change on the Arctic and its Potential Impact on Us

    (McKinley Foundation Geneva Room)

    We're welcoming back a staunch advocate of the Arctic whose first presentation a couple of years ago drew an enthusiastic crowd. Chad Kister, author of books Arctic Quest and Arctic Melting, will present the very latest on climate change's impacts on the Arctic and Alaska. The presentation shows the critical need to immediately begin reducing fossil fuel emissions and replace them with solar, wind, and other renewable resources. Arctic champions in Congress have introduced legislation to protect the Arctic Refuge coastal plain as wilderness. Chad's tour will help spread the word nationwide about the need to lobby for wilderness protection.

    ---

    Tuesday, March 13, 5:30-6:30PM; and Wednesday, March 14, 7:00-8:00PM

    "Who Controls Our Water? A Global Issue Hits Home"

    (these aren't Sierra Club meetings; see event locations below)

    Privatization of public water resources has sparked controversy around the world, from Jakarta, Indonesia to right here in Urbana-Champaign, with RWE and American Water often taking center stage. Victoria Kaplan from Food and Water Watch, the national consumer advocacy organization, will explore how Champaign County sits at the center of a global debate, what RWE's upcoming sale of American Water could mean for consumers, and how other communities around the country are approaching the issue.

    Ms. Kaplan will be in town giving two similar talks -- pick one:

    • Tuesday 3/13, 5:30-6:30 PM, in room 106B8 (106 bee eight), Engineering Hall, 1308 W. Green St. on the UIUC Campus, across Green from the Illini Union. The student group Engineers Without Borders is host for this event. Note that this ends half an hour before the Sierra Club meeting a few blocks away; Ms. Kaplan will be there as well.
    • Wednesday 3/14, 7:00-8:00PM, in the Urbana City Council chambers, 400 S. Vine, at Mayor Laurel Prussing's invitation. Other public officials will also be attending. This gathering will presumably be televised on UPTV (cable channel 6).

    ---

    Tuesday, March 13, 7PM

    What's a Rain Garden?

    (McKinley Foundation Geneva Room)

    A staff member from Prairie Rivers Network will present a detailed description of rain gardens and their role in storm water control. The presentation will include a brief history, construction tips, and interesting facts on rain gardens. Handouts with a variety of rain garden information and website links will be made available for presentation attendees.

    Please note program change. There had been plans to discuss local bike transit at this meeting; we may still do that at some later date.

    ---

    IL EPA air-quality permit hearing for Andersons ethanol plant
    Tue Feb. 27, 6:00pm, Parkland College room D244

    Not a Sierra Club event, but may be of interest. The Andersons are proposing a corn-based ethanol plant, of 110 million gallon/year output capacity, to be built in west Champaign. On Feb. 27th, Illinois EPA will hold a public hearing on the air-quality permit for the plant. Written questions will be accepted until March 29th (see the hearing notice).

    Water quality and water use are clearly also important local issues; though the 2/27 hearing is slated to allow air-quality questions only, the IL EPA might be persuaded to widen its scope, or to hold a separate hearing on water issues. The Sierra Club Prairie Chapter is adding its voice to that of Traci Barkley of Prairie Rivers Network in calling for such a hearing.

    See

    • Feb 27th hearing notice (6pm, Parkland College room D244)
    • IL EPA page on this permit (links to documents, etc.)
    • Project Summary (from the Andersons)
    • Draft Air-quality Permit
    • Preliminary water use plans (10/3/2006)

    ---

    Film Festival
    Tue/Wed, Feb. 27/28, 7PM
    Plym Auditorium, Temple Hoyne Buell Hall, 611 Loredo Taft Dr., UIUC Campus

    The Prairie Group of the Sierra Club is sponsoring an environmental Film Festival in conjuction with Planning Institute in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois, http://www.urban.uiuc.edu/ce/. Don't miss out on seeing these inspirational and educational films.

    Films on Tuesday, February 27th, 7:00 PM

    • The Appalachians (Mountain top removal)
      A compelling film about the past, present and future of Appalachia with mountain-top removal in the mountains in West Virginia. (20 minutes)
      http://sierraclub.org/appalachia
    • Rising Waters
      Through personal stories of Pacific Islanders, this film puts a human face on the international climate change debate by showing viewers the physical and cultural impacts caused by global warming. (57 minutes)
      http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/rw.html
    • Native Wind
      Native American tribes on the northern Great Plains can harness enough wind energy to provide our nation with one-third of all annual electricity consumption. This one-minute program introduces the subject of the first utility-scale wind turbine erected on tribal lands. (1 minute)
      http://www.nativewind.org
    • The True Cost Of Food
      Food issues are heavy. This animated video takes a light approach to explaining the hidden costs of mass-produced food and about alternatives that are kinder to the planet. (15 minutes)
      http://www.truecostoffood.org
    • Wind Over Water
      In November 2001, Cape Wind Associates of Boston announced plans for America's first offshore windfarm. Almost immediately, a battle between environmentalists and residents on the Cape was born. Journalist Ole Tangen, Jr. was on hand to chronicle the fight in this fascinating documentary about land and the future of renewable energy. (15 minutes)
      http://www.windoverwater.org

    Films on Wednesday, February 28th, 7:00PM

    • Earth to America
      This hilarious special celebrates life on Earth by taking aim at one of our planet's most serious problems: global warming, and features comedy luminaries such as Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Ben Stiller and Jack Black, as well as Tom Hanks, Robert Kennedy, Jr., and nearly a dozen others. (90 minutes)
      http://www.lauriedavid.com/press.html

    ---

    Saturday, February 17, 8:30-10:30 AM

    Mercury Hair Testing Event

    Timothy John Salon
    404 W. Green Street, Urbana
    344-4720
    

    Free and confidential testing to determine your mercury levels -- everyone is welcome. Please call the salon to schedule an appointment so that we have the proper number of kits on hand. The entire process will take about 10 minutes.

    What: The Prairie Group of the Sierra Club is offering a free Mercury Hair Testing Event. Many residents of Illinois have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies due to eating locally caught fish, tuna and/or sushi.

    Why: One in six women of childbearing age has enough mercury in their blood to endanger a developing fetus. Children and fetuses are at greatest risk of harm and may suffer from a variety of developmental disabilities. Mercury primarily affects humans through the consumption of contaminated fish. The largest single source of mercury pollution in Illinois is coal burning power plants.

    How: The free and confidential testing will determine your mercury levels. Everyone is welcome. A stylist will clip a carefully selected portion of hair at the back of your head. The Prairie Group will send off the samples for free testing. The lab will report results to you.

    ---

    ---

    Tuesday, January 9, 7 PM

    Nature Poetry and Prose Night

    Thoreau, Emerson, Abbey, Dillard, and so many more ... we all have our favorite nature writers whose words have deepened our connection to wild places and our commitment to their preservation. Come share a few of those words with us during this fun annual event, when Sierrans read aloud from texts celebrating nature. Excerpts should be around 250 to 300 words long. Original work by local writers is also most welcome!

    ---

    2006:

    Tuesday, December 12, 7 PM

    Geneva Room, McKinley Foundation
    5th St. at Daniels, Champaign

    Annual Holiday Get-Together and Slide Show

    The Prairie Group tradition continues! Please join us for this popular event. Bring 10 to 15 minutes' worth of envy-inspiring vacation slides and/or a plate of holiday goodies to share. We will provide PC and Mac laptops with projector and a Kodak Carousel projector for showing either computer or 2x2 slides.

    ---

    Tuesday, November 14, 7 PM

    Geneva Room, McKinley Foundation
    5th St. at Daniels, Champaign

    Cool Cities Planning Session

    Collen Sarna, Conservation Organizer for the Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program, will help us plan an effective Cool Cities campaign for the Champaign-Urbana area. This is a great opportunity for environmentalists to get involved in a local campaign to help achieve global results. Come share your thoughts on how to make the Twin Cities into Cool Cities!

    ---

    Tuesday, October 10, 7 PM

    Geneva Room, McKinley Foundation
    5th St. at Daniels, Champaign

    An American Icon: The Zion Mojave Wilderness

    Utah Redrock Wilderness Photo and Presentation Tour Comes to Champaign-Urbana

    Highlites Stewardship of one of America's Most Beautiful Places

    Speaker: Clayton Daughenbaugh, Field Organizer, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA).

    This was a special presentation on a wilderness area adjoining Zion National Park and the nearby Mojave Desert. The land area at issue lies just west of Zion National Park. Known as "Greater Zion", it contains redrock temples, profound gorges, and ponderosa-studded plateaus which complete the fantastically complex Zion-Mojave wilderness. The Mojave Desert portion is home to the endangered desert tortoise. It is all part of a citizens' proposal inventoried and documented by volunteers dedicated to the land's protection. The presentation and photos will address threats to this world-class wilderness and discuss steps citizens can take to help protect it.

    "Americans are blessed with the opportunity to be effective stewards of our nation's special places. Our natural heritage is threatened. There is a need and a means for people to act."

    The presentation was part of an ongoing tour sponsored by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

    DIGITAL PHOTOS AND MORE INFORMATION can be found at www.suwa.org or www.zionmojavewilderness.org

    Besides being a Field Organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA), Mr. Daughenbaugh is also co-chair of the Illinois Task Force for Utah Wilderness, 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.

    ---

    Tuesday, September 12, 7 PM

    Political Forum on the Environment

    City of Urbana Council Chambers
    400 S. Vine St., Urbana

    This was your chance to see and hear local candidates for Illinois State Representative, Illinois State Senate, and Representative to the United States House gave their views on environmental issues. Each candidate responded to written questions from the Prairie Group and from the audience that were read by our moderator, Cynthia Hoyle. Since this was held in the Urbana City Council Chambers, it was televised on Cable Channel Six several times in September, 2006.

    Here are the candidates who appeared on the panel:
    
    Illinois House, 103rd District:
    

        Tom Abram (G), Rex Bradfield (R), Naomi Jakobsson (D)

    Illinois Senate, 52nd District:
    

        Mike Frerichs (D), Joe Parnarauskis (SEP*)

    U.S. House of Representatives, 15th District:
    

        David Gill (D), Heather Stevenson representing Tim Johnson (R)

    * Socialist Equality Party

    ---

    Friday, September 8, 7-9 PM

    Special Reception for Robbie Cox, Past President of the Sierra Club

    Independent Media Center, Sun Room
    202 S. Broadway Ave., Urbana (downtown post office building)

    Several people joined us for a dessert reception as we extended a special welcome to Robbie Cox, who spoke at the University YMCA's Friday Forum on the same day. Robbie has served several terms on Sierra's national Board of Directors and has been a visionary leader who has been instrumental in shaping the Club as we know it today. He spoke briefly about the Club's past and future based on his experience and perspective. This was followed by a circle pow-wow discussion where we had a chance to ask Robbie questions and make comments on Sierra national policy.

    ---

    Tuesday, August 8, 5:30 PM

    Potluck Picnic at the House of Cynthia Hoyle and Sheldon Katz
    2207 S. Cottage Grove, Urbana

    We had a nice casual evening with food and drink hobnobbing with other environmentalist friends, talking about such subjects as:
    1) how we can beat the heat and global warming at the same time.
    2) How we liked the Gore and Brokow movies.
    3) What's the best alternative energy and whether we can spring for a hybrid or go off the grid.
    4) Whether we should keep the wild turkeys in Urbana or not.
    5) About who we should vote for in November.
    As usual, the Prairie Group supplied burgers (meat and veggie) with all the fixings and soft drinks.

    ---

    Tuesday, June 13, 6 PM

    "The World According to John Muir": Living History Presentation and Potluck
    Crystal Lake Park, Urbana, IL

    Our June potluck was a very special one this year. About 60 people joined us for an evening with "John Muir" at the Large Pavilion (above the Lake House) in Crystal Lake Park. We supplied burgers (meat and veggie) with all the fixings and soft drinks. "The World According to John Muir" was presented by Roads Scholar John B. Wallace portraying the founding father of the Sierra Club. John Muir came to us with tales taking us back 150 years as he relived some of Muir's most breathtaking, marvelous, and human experiences in glorious detail.

    ---

    Tuesday, May 9, 7 PM

    Sustainable Energy Forum
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    A panel of experts pursued several energy-related topics focusing on effects of fossil fuel on the environment and alternative sources of energy. Here are brief summaries of the panelists' opening statements:

    Energy Efficiency for Small Businesses

    Tom Abram, Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), Dept. of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    Small businesses can receive free advice from the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) on how to increase the efficient use of energy through the Small Business Smart Energy program. The importance of energy efficiency and SEDAC's Top 12 Energy Cost Reduction Measures will be presented.

    ************
    Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiatives at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

    Matthew B. Malten, Sustainability Coordinator and Co-Project Manager of the Wind Turbine Project, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    This presentation will describe the details, current status and anticipated benefits of several renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives for the UIUC, including the wind turbine project and the student clean energy technology fee.

    ************
    Effect of Greenhouse Gases on Central Illinois Ecosystems

    Dr. Evan H. De Lucia, Professor and Head, Dept. of Plant Biology, and Professor, Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    While there is some uncertainty about the how much and where, that the emission of greenhouse gases by the combustion of fossil fuels is driving a profound warming of the earth is now accepted by the scientific community. Without a concerted effort by governments of the world to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses into the atmosphere, humanity should make plans to adapt to a warmer planet. What can we expect in central Illinois? By 2050 our climate will resemble the current conditions in eastern Texas.

    ************
    Futility of Arctic Oil Drilling and Need for Reduced Energy Consumption

    Erika Schafer, Great Lakes Organizer, Alaska Coalition, Chicago

    Although the nation must continue to search for new energy sources in order to keep transportation and electricity costs low, it is clear that drilling in America's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would do more harm than good. As America attempts to curb CO2 emissions, fossil fuel consumption must level off and begin to decrease. Rather than sealing the fate for Native Alaskan tribes and animals living along the Arctic coast, Americans must demand a solution that will minimize our use of energy sources that produce harmful greenhouse gases.

    ************
    Status of CAFE Standards

    Colleen Sarna, Illinois Chapter Office, Sierra Club, Chicago

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    Executive Committee Meeting
    
    
    Tuesday, April 11, 7 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    All Prairie Group members are encouraged to drop by and help the ExCom develop ideas for new programs, outings, and newsletter items. Come get involved!

    ---

    Desert Potluck with Poetry Readings
    
    
    Tuesday, March 14, 7 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    This was planned as a "Pan-Enviro Dessert Potluck and Poetry Reading" get-together. Members were invited to bring a dessert, bring a poem (self-written or someone else), or to just bring yourself! Beverages, plates, napkins, and were forks provided. Jackie Potter and Ruth Walker starred.

    ---

    Local Organic Food Producers
    
    
    Tuesday, February 7, 7 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    This third installment of our program series on farm/environment intersections was a discussion on small-scale farming and environmental stewardship. Local farmers described their farms and discussed environmental practices they implement and challenges to the small-scale farmer in central Illinois. The panelists were:

    Lisa Haynes (Tomahnous Farms, Mahomet)
    Jim Moore (Moore Farm, Watseka)
    Penny Gioia (Joy of Illinois Farm, Champaign)
    Nancy Asbill (First Fruits, Mahomet)

    This was very informative and a lot of fun. We all sat in a circle, talked about the various issues in organic farming, and exchanged ideas.

    ---

    Meeting of the Prairie Group Executive Committee
    
    
    Tuesday, January 10, 7 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    The first ExCom meeting of 2006. At this meeting we elected new officers and discussed our program for the year.

    ---

    2005:

    Annual Holiday Get-Together/Slide Show
    
    
    Wednesday, December 14, 7:30 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    A Prairie Group tradition! Prairie Group members showed their vacation slides or slides about anything they did related to the environment (both computer and 2"x2" traditional slides were shown). This was a social event and an event to inform each other about what we'd been up to in 2005.

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    Arctic Melting and its Impact on the Alaskan Ecosystem
    AKA "Fahrenheit 32 degrees plus"
    
    Wednesday, November 9, 7:30 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    Chad Kister, author of Arctic Quest and Arctic Melting, gave a special talk on the effect of global warming on the arctic, ramifications for the rest of the world, and how we can solve the problem through conservation. His web sites are at
    http://www.arcticrefuge.org and http://www.chadkister.com.
    
    Refreshments were served.
    
    The talk was followed by a Prairie Group Executive Committee Meeting.

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    Party/Prairie Group Overview
    Wednesday, October 12, 7:30 PM
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    Newbies, faithful friends, and all other Prairie Group members were cordially invited to a special social for celebrating our accomplishments, renewing ties, and making new friends. The evening featured presentations by ExCom members who talked about their current environmental work.

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    Forever Wild: A Celebration of Wilderness
    Saturday, October 1, 7 p.m.

    JOIN US FOR A VERY SPECIAL (AND FREE!) EVENT
    

    One of America's most remarkable folk singers and backcountry travelers, Walkin' Jim Stoltz, on tour from the mountains of Montana, brought his powerful multimedia show Forever Wild to the Latzer Room of the University YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL, on Saturday October 1, at 7 pm. Co-sponsored by Sierra Club Prairie Group, Students for Environmental Concerns (SECS), and Prairie Rivers Network, this concert event was free and open to the public.

    The show's mix of stunning photography, stories, and music made this one-of-a-kind event an inspiring journey into our nation's last wilderness areas. Walkin' Jim gets his name from the over 26,000 miles he has walked through the wild country of North America, carrying a guitar and writing his songs along the way. His lyrics express a great love and respect for the Earth and the wild places he knows so well. Known for his powerful baritone and emotion-packed vocals, Stoltz's Forever Wild show was much more than a concert. It combined live music and poetry with stunning, multi-image slides to created a stirring celebration of the natural world. Stoltz is a veteran of more than 30 years of performing. In this year's show he shared images and songs from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, his Yellowstone to Yukon walk, the Utah canyon country, the Northern Rockies, and wild places all across America.

    Jim sold copies of his recent book, "Walking With the Wild Wind," at the event. His songs from 9 different CDs that get regular airplay on National Public Radio were also be available. Visit his website at www.walkinjim.com.

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    Sangamon River Cleanup
    Saturday, September 17, 8:30 a.m.
    

    The Prairie Group of the Sierra Club encouraged all members to turn out and pitch in on "Celebrate the Sangamon" day. They met at the Monticello City Building, 210 N. Hamilton at 8:30 am. Members removed debris in Lodge Park, Monticello and Allerton Park until noon.

    We helped make the Sangamon a healthier, more beautiful river!

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    Farm Dinner and Dialogue
    Wednesday, September 14, 6:00 p.m.
    

    As a followup to last January's meeting with the Champaign County Farm Bureau, CCFB hosted us at a local farm for dinner and discussion about current farm practice. This was part of the Prairie Group's ongoing effort to encourage dialogue between local environmentalists and local farmers to help us learn more about the farming "environment" we live in. Several farmers were on hand to answer questions about the impact of their methods of production, use of pesticides, herbicides, conservation efforts, etc. Several Group members came with questions about these issues.

    Dinner began soon after 6:00 p.m. Vegetarian meals were provided for those who reserved them.

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    Wednesday, August 10, 5:30 p.m.

    August Potluck at Bishop House 3514 N. Highcross Road, Urbana

    Prairie Group provided hamburgers, veggie burgers, condiments, and beverages. A great time was had by the many who attended.

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    Wednesday, June 8, 5:30 p.m.

    June Potluck at Homer Lake Forest Preserve, Walnut Creek Shelter

    This was a potluck picnic at Homer Lake Forest Preserve to watch the sunset, canoe on the lake, or hike along the many trails. We certainly enjoyed one of the loveliest locations in Champaign County. We met at the Walnut Hill Shelter, which is centrally located near the lake. It offered indoor restrooms, a grill, cold water and playground equipment, a volleyball court, and a basketball court.

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    Wednesday, May 11, 7:30 p.m.

    Environmental Justice and the Sierra Club
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    Low-income and People of Color communities are disproportionately affected by pollution and other types of environmental degradation. Issues of race and class frequently compound the barriers existing between mainstream environmentalists and people from these communities. Kirstin Replogle, Chair of the Sierra Club National Environmental Justice Committee and member of the Prairie Group ExCom, talked about the history of the environmental justice movement and the Sierra Club's revolutionary effort to support suffering communities.

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    Wednesday, April 13, 7:30 p.m.

    Urban Sustainability and Ecological Footprint: Issues and Opportunities for Champaign-Urbana
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    An "ecological footprint" measures the burden placed on the environment by populations and indicates how much land is needed to sustain current levels of resource consumption. Rumi Shammin , a PhD candidate and graduate assistant in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) at the University of Illinois, gave an overview of Champaign-Urbana's footprint and its implications for sustainability and resource management.

    Construction Sites, Water Quality, and You

    Jane Li of Prairie Rivers Network spoke on practical ways in which citizens can do something about water quality in their area. Construction sites are overlooked sources of pollution that contribute vast quantities of dirt into rivers and streams when unstabilized dirt is carried away by stormwater runoff. Her presentation trained people to identify common construction site violations and how to report a violation.

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    Wednesday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.
    Public Lands at Risk: A Slide Show Tour
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    presented by Clayton Daughenbaugh, Sierra Club National Conservation Organizer

    This land is our land from Alaska's Arctic Wildlife Refuge to Utah spectacular redrock canyons, all the way to the cypress swamps of Florida's Everglades. Or is it? According to our government's current policies it might as well belong to the oil and gas industry.

    We viewed the evidence to learn what we could do to stand by the land at the "Public Lands at Risk" slide show tour sponsored by the Sierra Club's National Wildlands Campaign Committee.

    The land is beautiful, the damage is real, and individual American's are coming forward to protect our Creator's natural heritage. Will the health of the earth and all who live on it be maintained for our families' benefit or will the land be used for highways, oil wells, and the refuse of development? This slide show told the story.

    BACKGROUND:

    On January 4, 2002 the Interior Department ordered the employees of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to make oil or gas development on federally managed land their top priority. Since then over 2 million acres in Utah alone have had their protective status revoked and regulations put in place that allow for the construction of highways on these lands, even through National Parks. These policies mirror the threat to drill the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and impact public lands throughout the nation.

    On December 22, 2004 the National Forest Service announced new rules eliminating requirements for fish and wildlife protection and the public's right-to-know about alternatives regarding prospective land management decisions. The new rules also allow for the exclusion of the public from decisions regarding significant changes to established management plans.

    In the last four years a land area equal to that of Texas and Oklahoma combined has been opened to oil and gas development, logging, and mining.

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    Wednesday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.
    Oil on Ice: An Alaska National Wildlife Refuge Documentary
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana
    

    First annual Sierra Soiree (scheduled for March 9th) was postponed.
    It was replaced by a viewing of the ANWR documentary "Oil on Ice". You can read about the film at http://sierraclub.org/oilonice/. Please do your part to defeat efforts to drill for oil in ANWR. We will be writing letters at the meeting.

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    Wednesday, February 9, 7:30 p.m.
    C-U Smokefree Alliance
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana

    Scott Hays of the Alliance, which is supported by the Prairie Group (see article in the Jan/Feb/Mar Flyer), spoke on the group's objectives, opportunities for activism, and progress made in raising local awareness of indoor air pollution.

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    Wednesday, January 12, 7:30 p.m.
    Champaign County Farm Bureau Land Use Policies
    CIVITAS, 112 W. Main St., Urbana
    

    Representatives of the Farm Bureau's Land Use Committee gave an overview of its approach to land use planning and zoning issues in Champaign County. Its recent interactions with local governmental entities and prospects for forming a land use coalition with environmental groups were also discussed.

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