May/June 2014 Newsletter

Earth Fest Thanks

EarthFest tableWhat had thousands of visitors, wind, hundreds of exhibitors, wind, a huge variety of gourmet food, wind, a spinning wind turbine, carnival rides, wind, balmy weather, AND finally, our NEO group front and center?? Why, the 2014 Earthfest of course! Read more…

Ohio EPA Decision Clears Way For Cleveland Harbor Dredging

Ohio EPA’s Section 401 water quality certification allows the Corps of Engineers to dredge up to 225,000 cubic yards of material and deposit it in the designated confined disposal facilities, as it has done since the early 1970s. No dredging material can be placed in the open lake. Read more…

Senate Bill 310 Would Freeze Ohio Energy Standards

In order to defend the well-being of economy, environment, and the people of our state, Ohioans need to stand up and protect SB 221. Read more…

Upcoming Events

2nd Annual Black River Cleanup
Saturday, May 3 & Sunday, May 4
FREE

LoCo’Yaks, a Lorain County kayaking group which has been doing a wonderful job living the Sierra Club credo of Explore, Enjoy, and Protect, is hosting its second annual Black River Cleanup, and Northeast Ohio Sierra Club invites its members to volunteer! Last year’s event was a huge success, with hundreds of participants removing hundreds of pounds of trash both by land and by sea, and enjoying a great dinner afterwards. If anyone is interested in carpooling to this year’s cleanup on either day, contact Jessica Ferrato at sierrawater@zoho.com who will collect and coordinate ride share information.

Location: 421 Black River Lane, Lorain, OH

Riversweep
Saturday, May 10, 9 AM- noon
FREE

Northeast Ohio Sierra Club will again partner with Ohio & Erie Canal to sponsor and bring volunteers to Riversweep. NEO group volunteers will be directed once again to the cleanup site at Mill Creek, and, depending on the number of volunteers who can commit prior to the cleanup, we may also be able to help manage sites in Tremont and West Creek. It all depends on you!

If interested, please contact Jessica Ferrato at sierrawater@zoho.com. Volunteers will receive Riversweep T-shirts to commemorate this year’s cleanup, which will be notable for taking place close to the unveiling of the new Scranton Road section of trail!

Water Alert Reporting Network (WARN) Training
Tuesday, May 13 6-8pm
FREE

Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek

  • Monitoring
  • Learn more about the WARN program and how you can help report pollution incidents of concern.
  • The Water Alert Reporting Network (WARN) is designed to help Ohioans record and report suspected incidents of pollution or misconduct that could potentially harm our natural environment. The goal of WARN is to ensure that state regulators are aware of incidents of concern and that they address these incidents in a timely and appropriate manner. This network is also designed to empower volunteers to communicate ways to protect our waterways and stand as watchdogs against environmental harm.

To register for WARN Training, please click here.

➤ Join the local March Against Monsanto!
Saturday, May 24 noon-3 – events being held throughout the world !!

The Cleveland event will be held at Market Square (Lorain and W. 25th) from noon to 3 PM.

  • Monsanto is remaking life, by artificially manipulating genes. Genes from completely different species are combined together, crashing through the species barrier. Monsanto’s’ genes are spreading to neighboring crops and wild species, which is becoming a disaster for the welfare of the planet and its inhabitants.
  • Two-thirds of processed foods are made with a genetically manipulated organism (GMO). Monsanto’s GMOs are being sold to our families without any independent longterm safety testing.
  • Many people want to refrain from eating Monsanto’s patented GMOs, yet without a labeling requirement, there is no right-to-know or freedom of choice.
  • Hundreds of farmers whose land has been contaminated by Monsanto’s GMOs have been sued by Monsanto and forced to pay huge fees. Organic farmers are losing their certification because of Monsanto’s genetic contamination.
  • Monsanto is gaining monopolistic control over the seed supply as it continues to buy up seed companies. The genetic code, which has evolved over billions of years, should remain the shared, common heritage of us all.

For more info, please contact Laurel Hopwood, NEO Sierra Club Agriculture Chair, at lhopwood@roadrunner.com.

Deep History and Urban Stream Ecology of West Creek Stream
Sunday, June 1, 2 PM
FREE

Lace up your boots and join geologist Roy Larick for a 3 mile hike and learn about the geologic history of the West Creek Valley. As watershed stewards we’ll contemplate possible futures for West Creek. Space is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Explore Maine’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway
September 2 – 6

Join us for a five day trip down the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Northern Maine. We’ll start at Churchill Dam on September 2, paddling down the pristine Allagash River and along a few lakes longer than wide to the junction with the St. James River.

The early autumn season in the Maine North Woods is typically characterized by mild temperatures, blue skies and few insects. A side trip is possible to Acadia National Park. Previous canoeing or camping experience would be a plus.

For more information call one of the trip co-organizers: Dennis Michael Plank at 216-939-8229 or John Holian at 440-777-7903.

Upcoming Meetings

Executive Committee meetings begin immediately after the 7 PM Conservation meeting. Meeting locations will be changing as follows:
May 7 – at Lakewood Library Main Branch on 15425 Detroit Rd.

Coal & Energy Committee meets at 4105 Stilmore Rd, South Euclid, Ohio 44121. Please contact Randy Cunningham at (216) 631-3337 for the time and date of the next meeting.

Green Transportation Committee meets on the first Monday of each month at 1 PM in the Linking Employment Abilities and Potential (LEAP) offices at 2545 Lorain Ave. Please contact Akshai Singh for more information: akshai.singh@sierraclub.org. State Transportation calls are on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 PM. Contact Akshai to get on a call, or to connect with any cycling advocacy going on in NEO or statewide.

Rainforest Committee typically meets every month on the third Sunday of the month. Call Michael Melampy at 440-826-2263 for time and place.

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