Spring 2007 Pelican Newsletter, Florida Sierra Club

8/9/2019 Spring 2007 Pelican Newsletter, Florida Sierra Club

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Victory: Manatees

Get ReprieveBy George Cavros, Broward Group Conservation Chair

A plan that would have allowed 7,000 new docks alongBroward County waterways heavily used by manatees was

recently rejected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission (FWC). The state agency found it not protective of

the many manatees that call Broward County home in the winter

months. Last year was one of the deadliest years for manatees in

the county, as seven were killed by watercraft.

South Florida is often called the Venice of the Americas

because of the many boaters that use its thousands of miles of

canals and the Intracoastal Waterway. Broward County currently

has over 30,000 boat docking facilities, and its one of 13

Florida counties that is mandated by the state to have a Manatee

Protection Plan as part of its Boat Facility Siting Plan.

Battle not unexpected

Boaters in Broward are eager to find places to store and launch

their boats. As waterfront property has spiked in value, many

Broward boat yards have sold out to developers. The boating

Sierrans stop traffic in Miami!

See story on page 11. Photo by Coky Michel.

Hometown Democracy:

This Is the Year to

Make the 08 Ballot

In case you didnt know, the Florida Hometown DemocracyAmendment was approved unanimously by the Florida Supreme

Court for placement on the 2008 ballotIF we collect 611,000

petitions from registered Florida voters by the end of 2007. The

IFis the hard partright now we have collected over 150,000

petitions.

What is Florida Hometown Democracy? A state constitutional

amendment mandating that all comprehensive plan amendments

approved by a city or county commission must be submitted to

the electorate.

Inside this Issue:Sierra Victories................Page 3

Red Tide..........................Page 5

Chapter Awards..........Pages 6-7

Legislature.......................Page 8

Outings..........................Page 10

FHD Petition..................Page 13

Earth Day.......................Page 16

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet

(Continued on page 2)

(Continued on page 3)

Vol. 39, No.1

Spring 2007


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2 The Pelican

Sierra Sues; ClaimsHuge Wetlands Permit

Violates Clean Water ActIn January, the Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club appealed

a federal judges decision to allow the filling of thousands of

wetland acres in Northwest Florida.

In November 2006, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy

Corrigan upheld the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regional

General Permit (RGP) for the St. Joe Co. This blanket permit

allows the company to fill in thousands of wetland acres fordevelopments in a 48,000-acre area in Bay and Walton Counties.

The permit allows impacts for a wide variety of projects,

without individual assessment, consideration of cumulative

impacts, or public participation in the process. Sierra says this

permit violates the federal Clean Water Act.

Judge Corrigans decision came as a surprise to the group,

given that he had issued a temporary injunction against the

permit in November 2005. At that time the judge stated that

the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in showing that the Corps

decision was arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or

otherwise not in accordance with the law.

The District Court entered a preliminary injunction, then

based largely upon a recent unprecedented mountain topmining ruling from the 4th Circuit, reversed itself, by what the

judge referred to as the slimmest of margins, said Lesley

Blackner, Sierra Club attorney. These two rulings completely

obliterate the distinctions between individual and general

permits, a dangerous corruption of the Clean Water Act.

Up to now, general permits could only be issued for very

minor impacts for very similar projects, such as seawalls or

docks. This RGP includes impacts for everything from homes to

industries. Just one of the St. Joe projects allows the filling of 70

acres of wetlands for a large mixed-use development.

The mountain top case, and now the RGP, stand the Clean

Water Act on its head, Blackner said. Basically now, the

Corps can just cut a deal on mitigation for any type of general

permit and avoid impact analysis, agency consultation, and

public participation. It creates precedents that severely weaken

wetland protection at a time when loss of their functions is

having serious environmental consequences in Florida and the

nation.

In 2004 the Corps issued the RGP. It was quickly challenged

by both the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense

Council. The NRDC has also filed an appeal of the decision to

allow the permit.

Why is this so revolutionary? Because comprehensive plans

determine the density and intensity of land development.

Developers constantly want to supersize housing density by

cramming as much development as they can onto a parcel of

land. Comprehensive plans were supposed to protect us from

endless overdevelopment. But under the current regime, all a

developer has to do is persuade a majority of the commission to

grant the requested change.

Its a cozy situationtoo cozy. Palm Beach County

Commissioner Tony Masilotti recently pled guilty to exchanging

his votes on land use changes in return for millions of dollars in

payoffs. A prominent land-use attorney has been indicted too,

along with a real estate investor.

Its just too easy to get your comp plan change when youare a wealthy, politically connected developer with a stable of

attorneys, engineers and consultants doing your bidding. The

whole system of government is rigged to keep the development

industry going gangbusters. To hell with the neighborhood.

Heres the other thing you need to know: comprehensive planamendments are political decisions. Thats why they are votedon by commissioners. Comp plan amendments that should not

be approved nonetheless are. Most county and city commissions

just cant say no. Why is this? Because the chief goal of local

and state government is to promote the growth machine.

A solution has finally arrived. Its simple, its honest and it is

purely American: Let the people vote. If the people want moredensity in their community, well, let them approve it. Lets bring

some accountability back to the process: do your part to put the

Florida Hometown Democracy amendment on the 2008 ballot.

The Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club has put its money

where its mouth is by donating $65,000. This money is

urgently needed to pay for petition printing, postage, petitionverification by the county supervisors of elections (one dime per

petition for review) and some paid petition collection. Collecting

611,000 valid petitions is a critical priority for Sierra this year.

This opportunity will not come again and it must not be lost.

Sierrans can and must make this happen now. If you havent

signed the petition (on page 12), do so now. If you signed the

petition before July 2005, you must sign this new one. (The

Florida Supreme Court rejected the first petition, but last June

unanimously approved the current one.)

Please get other registered Florida voters to sign it, too. You

can download it at www.floridahometowndemocracy.com or

call us at 866-779-5513 for copies. FHD also desperately needs

donations. A $20 donation from each Sierran would make all thedifference. You can donate online or mail a check. And please

tell everyone you know about this important, historic reform.

Do your small part to save your community and your state

from further ruin. Floridas future depends on you.

-- Lesley Blackner

President of Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc

and Co-chair of Sierras FHD Committee

Hometown Democracy(Continued from page 1)


3/16

The Pelican 3

lobby is influential in Broward County.

According to the Marine Industries

Association (MIA), boating-related

activities contribute over $10 billion to

the regional economy. So how can boats

and manatees coexist in Broward?Actually, a plan was tentatively worked

out by county and state agencies in

May 2006 that was expected to protect

the lumbering sea cows. The plan

called for an additional 4,200 boat slips

unfortunately that number was too low

for the MIA. Over the summer months,

the number of slips in the Broward plan

quietly jumped to 7,000 most of them

to be in areas of highest manatee use.

The Sierra Club argued before the

commission that the plan was too

heavily weighted towards the boatinglobby. Besides the spike in boat slips,

another egregious issue was boat slip

pooling. The implementation of this

approach in the south county area would

have allowed the county to permit an

additional 5,000 slips in one of the most

critical manatee habitat in the county

without setting site-specific reviews or

limits. Sierra and other conservation

groups publicly warned the commission

that the flawed plan would likely be

sent back by state officials.

In September, the county submittedthe boat slip pooling plan allowing 7,000

slips. Sierra submitted letters to state

officials citing the flaws in the plan and

calling for a more balanced approach. In

January, the state rejected the plan and

sent it back to the county for revision.

Balanced plan neededThe stakeholder process to revise the

plan is ongoing. This time around the

county promises to include more public

input, such as holding workshops in the

evening. The county is mandated by the

Endangered Species Act to prevent even

one manatee death. Encounters with

boats are an all too common experience

for manatees many of which are

identified by their propeller scars. The

Sierra Club will continue to advocate for

a balanced plan that reduces watercraft-

manatee encounters. Maybe the county

can get it right the second time around!

Edie Driest and Ruth Bromberg of the Greater Charlotte Harbor Group dressed

as tree huggers on Halloween to promote an environmental lands acquisition

referendum. In a victory for Sierra, it passed last fall. Photo by Sue Reske.

Sierra Club and its allies united to

stop the states effort to lower Broward

Countys water quality standards. The

Florida Department of Environmental

Protection (DEP) and the South Florida

Water Management District (SFWMD)

had teamed up to force the county

to degrade its surface water quality

standards by allowing utilities to dump

partially treated sewage into Broward

canals. The dumping would have

polluted canals with phosphorus and

nitrogen, likely leading to algae blooms

and fish kills.

Broward Countys surface water

quality standards offer more protection

than state standards because the countys

canals flow west into the Everglades. But

the state is pressuring Broward to reduce

its dependence on Everglades water in

order to accommodate growth.

The Broward Sierra Club mobilizeda coalition of conservation groups in

opposition to the plan. Commissioner

Kristin Jacobs was instrumental in

leading the opposition against the

proposed rule. DEP and SFWMD met

a flood of resistance at a November

meeting of the Technical Advisory

Committee of the water resources

board. The opposition seemed to catch

state officials by surprise. They backed

off on bringing the matter to a vote

and the committee tabled the measure

indefinitely.

--George Cavros, Broward Group

Bottling PlantPulls Out of

St. Johns CountyPaul Fletcher, the managing partner

of the group that owns land in St.

Johns County where Le-Natures Inc.

was to build a water bottling plant, has

announced that he has terminated

negotiations with Le-Natures.

Thanks to everybody who signed

the hundreds of petitions against the

bottling plant, and to Brian Paradise for

collecting and delivering the signatures.

These petitions obviously made a big

difference in affecting the final outcome.The proposed Le-Natures plant would

have pumped an estimated 1.2 million

gallons a day from our aquifer. The

St. Johns County Commission had

approved the plant and had voted to give

the company $3.5 million in financial

incentives. We remain vigilant in case

the project resurfaces in the future.

-- from Sierra Sentry, NE Florida Group

Sierra Leads Victory OverProposed Water Quality Rollbacks

Manatees(Continued from page 1)


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4 The Pelican

IRA WithdrawalsAllowed asCharitable Donations

to Sierra Foundation

Recently passed Internal Revenue

Code legislation creates a greatopportunity for charitable giving. For

2006 and 2007, qualified distributions

for those 70 1/2 and older directly

transferred to charitable 501(c)(3)

organizations is excludable from income

for federal tax purposes.

This means charitable contributions

of retired persons will, in effect, be

deductible even though a standard, rather

than itemized, deduction is taken when

filing their income tax returns. For the

first time, under these circumstances,

taxpayers receive a benefit for charitablecontributions when they no longer have

high enough mortgage interest payments

or real estate taxes to qualify for

itemized deductions.

The IRA distributions, which may not

exceed $100,000, also are not included

as income in calculating the taxable

amount of social security benefits. This

is also a first-time benefit which can

have the effect to reduce as much as 85

percent of the gift amount from taxable

income, a double benefit which may

equal deducting as much as 185 percentof the gift from your income tax return!

These IRA gifts to charity also qualify

as your annual minimum required

distributions.

Contributions must be made directly

by your IRA custodial institutions and,

of course, be made to the Sierra Club

Foundation. You can contribute to

the foundation account of the Florida

Chapter or your local Sierra Group.

As you can see, the rules for qualified

contributions are strictly regulated.

If you have questions, contact Ed

Schlessinger, C.P.A., at 904-730-8148.

-- Ed Schlessinger,

Northeast Florida Group Treasurer

Nesting Box Sales

Fund Scholarships -

Buy Yours Now

Sierra members and others have

purchased enough nesting boxes to net

us over two-thirds of the money neededfor the Richard Coleman Scholarship

Fund. If you dont have a box yet, you

can purchase a large one for $60 and

a small one for $50. Its a win-win

situation for us and the birds.

Wood ducks and screech owls

are cavity nesters. With habitat

destruction, good nesting sites have

become increasingly scarce. These

boxes help to address that need.

Homeowners love to obtain the

boxes because they are beautifully

constructed from inch-thick rough-cut wood; they are attractive

additions to anyones yard. And,

not to be discounted is the subtle

commitment to wildlife a person

makes when he puts up a box.

All donations in excess of the actual

material costs are donated to the

Richard Coleman Scholarship Fund

at New College.

Finally, the Group gets great

visibility because each box is

branded with the Sierra name andaddress.

Richard and Bob Taylor started

making the boxes in 2002; together they

constructed around 50. Since Richards

death, Bob has perfected the construction

technique, held demonstrations and made

more than 200.

If youd like to purchase a box, call

Bob at 863-439-2251.

-- Frances H. Coleman, Polk Group

The Pelican Vol. 39, No. 1

Editor: Kathy Criscola

Published by the Florida Chapter of

the Sierra Club, 319 E. Park Avenue,

Tallahassee FL.

Address all inquiries to:

PO Box 575

Tallahassee FL 32302-0575

The Pelican is mailed three times per

year to members of Sierra Club in the

state of Florida. Annual membership

dues include $1.00 for the chapter

newsletter.Masthead by Moose Marx Design of

Tampa Bay, www.moosemarx.com.

Send address changes to:

Sierra Club Member Services

PO Box 52968

Boulder CO 80322-2968

or e-mail:

[email protected].

Send articles in ASCII text or Word

format on disk to:

PO Box 575

Tallahassee FL 32302-0575.Articles and letters may be edited for

space and clarity.

Next deadline: May 20, 2007.

For an advertising rate sheet, write to:

PO Box 575

Tallahassee FL 32302-0575

or e-mail:

[email protected]

(ad inquiries only)

Florida ChapterCalendar for 2007

Flexcom Meeting ScheduleMarch 17-18 Big Bend (Tallahassee)

June 2-3 Charlotte Harbor (Charlotte

County)

August 18-19 Turtle Coast

(Melbourne)

November 10-11 Conservation

Conference (Location TBA)

January 26-27, 2008 Northwest Florida

(Panhandle Area)


5/16

The Pelican 5

Florida is a state defined by and dependent upon the quality of

its water resources. Floridas springs, waterways, coastline and

beaches are world-renowned. Floridians are boaters, anglers,

beachgoers, birdwatchers, surfers, coastal residents and coastal

business owners. Seventy percent of our economy is directlylinked to the coasts. Floridas waterways are the playground of

its residents and the economic engine of the state.

The health of Floridas waterways, coasts, and coastal

economy are emerging as a primary concern of local leaders,

businesses and organizations. Currently, city and county

commissioners from across the state are analyzing and

implementing common-sense initiatives to protect their

precious water resources. Based upon sound science and careful

deliberation, responsible local governments have targeted the

improper and excessive use of fertilizer.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services, residential fertilizer use increased by153,533.95 tons, or 45 percent, from 2003 to 2006. Thismassive increase in the use of fertilizer on urban and suburban

landscapes represents a clear and pressing threat to our water

quality.

As most Floridians are aware, the myriad of freshwater and

coastal systems of the state have been plagued by an increasing

incidence of toxic and nuisance harmful algal blooms, widely

recognized to be a result of poor water quality.

Toxic cyanobacteria blooms sicken visitors and contaminate

our world-famous springs; blue-green algae chokes off life on

the St. Johns, St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Rivers; persistent

and destructive algal blooms degrade what was once the worlds

most productive fishery in the Florida Bay; and Red Drift Algaecoats the beaches of Southwest Florida. In 2005, we experienced

the worst red tide bloom in 34 years, which lasted over 13

months and was linked to a massive dead-zone that covered

an area the size of Rhode Island. Beginning in 2006 and

continuing into 2007, a seven-month long Red Tide Bloom has

plagued the southwest coast of Florida. We are rapidly turning

Florida into a Petri dish and we must stop the experiment.

What can we do?The Red Tide and Coastal Pollution campaign aims to provide

the common sense and practical answers to that question. We

have every reason to be optimistic. We have the resources, the

expertise and the ideas necessary to begin building a sustainablefuture for our community. The missing ingredient in thisequation is the political will to take what is common senseand make it common place.

We need every member of the Sierra Club to voice support

for better stewardship of our precious water resources, such as

the need to reduce the improper use of fertilizer. In Sarasota

County, the efforts of Sierra Club volunteer leaders and staff to

raise awareness on the dangers of excessive and improper use

of fertilizer are bearing fruit as the county develops a fertilizer

ordinance. Sarasota County created a website to collect input

from the community on how to reduce the use of fertilizer. You

can visit the site at www.scgov.net/fertilizer, fill out the surveyon fertilizer management and view the process for yourself.

The Red Tide and Coastal Pollution Campaign urges you tocontact your city and county commissioners and voice your

support for common sense-steps that will have a positive long-

term impact on the health of our communities.

The Sierra Club recommends we take these fivefundamental steps to reduce the use of fertilizer in order toprotect our precious water resources.

1. Incorporate Low-Impact Development into thePlanning of our Ecologically Sensitive Community.Landscape design that emphasizes, drought tolerant

native plants and grasses, zero fertilization, and

reclaimed water for irrigation.

2. Do Not Fertilize During the Summer Rainy Season,June 1st September 30th.

3. Use Florida-Friendly Fertilizer. If you choose toapply fertilizer to your landscape, use it only once

or twice per year. Require that it include 100 percent

controlled or time-release nitrogen, contain no

phosphorus, be climate appropriate and be non-urea

based.

4. Maintain a Ring of Responsibility - Minimum 25Feet. If you choose to apply fertilizer, maintain a 25-foot ring of responsibility between any body of water

or impervious surface and the area to be fertilized.5. Require Best Management Practices Certification

for Lawn Care Professionals.

We have the potential to leave our children and grandchildren

a better Florida. It is our responsibility as good stewards of the

environment to drain the political swamp that stifles common-

sense reforms and to make these initiatives commonplace.

Protecting our environment is not a political or partisan issue. It

is an issue of injecting the values we embrace as Floridians into

the policies we implement as a coastal state.

For more information, contact Stuart DeCew at 941-951-6084

(office), 941-400-4511 (cell) [email protected];

or Don Chaney, Chapter Red Tide/Coastal Pollution Issue Chairat 941-906-8176 [email protected].

Sierra Club has opened an office at 2011 4 th Street in Sarasota

to house the Red Tide and Coastal Pollution Campaign. It was

made possible through the generosity of private donors. Please

stop by if you are in the area and are interested in helping or

finding out more about the campaign. Phone: 941-951-6084.

Step Up to Stem Red TideBy Stuart DeCew, Regional Representative, Red Tide and Coastal Pollution Campaign


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6 The Pelican

Chapter Awards

Sierra Applauds Community ActivistsThe Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club honored journalists, a

business owner and a philanthropist for their work on behalf of

the environment during the annual award ceremony at the fall

Conservation Conference.

John R. Marshall of

the Arthur R. Marshall

Foundation received the

Cypress award, which is

given to individuals who

have contributed greatly to

the publics environmental

awareness.

John has been in the

forefront of Everglades

restoration in Palm Beach

County for the past eight

years. Through the ArthurR. Marshall Foundation,

John has endeavored to

carry on the work of his well-known uncle, Arthur R. Marshall,

who, along with Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Johnny Jones,

developed a Marshall Plan for restoring the Everglades.

Through the Foundation, John has interacted with governmental

agencies, involved local citizens in awareness, implemented

hands-on projects, and educated the next generation of

environmentalists, said Kay Gates, outgoing chair of the

Loxahatchee Group.

As a seventh-generation Floridian raised in a family

dedicated to preserving the land, John is well acquainted

with what needs to be done to restore the Everglades,

continued Gates. He has been an articulate spokesperson

for preservation and restoration. By building on the family

legacy, John has become one of Floridas most effective

environmentalists.

Journalists from the St. Petersburg Times and the Palm

Beach Post were recipients of Indigo awards for outstanding

environmental journalism.

Craig Pittman and Matthew Waite of the St. Petersburg Times

were honored for environmental reporting.

From wetlands to endangered species, Craig Pittman

has made it his special mission to inform the public of theimportance of Floridas natural resources and the decisions

that are being made that affect them, said Rosalie Shaffer of

the Northwest Group. Unlike most reporters, who do a few

interviews and a quick take on an issue, he takes the effort to

dig out the facts behind the stories, and reveal the truth to the

public. And the truth he uncovers is often ugly.

Pittman and his collaborator, Matthew Waite, wrote a series

entitled They Wont Say No, which disclosed that Florida has

lost about 85,000 acres of wetlands during the last 15 years,

despite a federal law that requires no net loss. Since no agency

actually compiles this data, Waite had to seek it out himself.

Among other things, he spent 10 months analyzing satellite

imagery of the state to determine the amount of loss.

The editorial board of the Palm Beach Post was honored forconsistently, unwaveringly and diligently championing the

preservation of our fragile Florida environment in the face of

relentless development pressures.

They have voiced reasoned objections to these pressures,

taking pro-conservation positions on major legal battles in

court and the legislature, said Kay Gates of the Loxahatchee

Group. These issues include location of the Scripps Research

Institute, Everglades restoration, land-use and road-building

permitting, and endangered species problems, such as manatee

area designation, burrowing owl habitat and gopher tortoise nest

destruction.

Matt Ross of Eco-Smart in Sarasota received the Chapters

Barred Owl award, given to a business that has consistently

made environmental concerns a major part of its presence in the

marketplace. Eco-Smart is a supplier of energy- and resource-

efficient construction materials. These materials are approved

by the nonprofit Florida House Institute for Sustainable

Development.

Ross seeks to create the greatest possible environmental

benefit in his business endeavors, said Ginger Perlman of the

Manatee-Sarasota Group.

In addition to green construction supply, his company offers a

number of free services including design consultation, energy-

effi

cientfi

nancing, builder staff training, educational seminarsand press coverage services. A portion of all proceeds is donated

to the nonprofit Florida House Institute in support of their

sustainable development education mission.

-- Ron Haines, Chapter Awards Chair


7/16

The Pelican 7

Chapter Honors

Group Activists

The Florida Chapter gave awards to eight Sierrans around the

state who made significant contributions to their groups in 2006.

Pine Tree award for group leadership: Cathy Harrelson,

Suncoast and Linda Jamison, Big Bend.

Manatee award for group service: Ben Fusaro, Big Bend;

Marcia Biggs, Tampa Bay and Marc Washburn, Suncoast.

Otter award for outstanding work in a groups outings

program: Richard Gruenther, Tampa Bay.

Panther award for outstanding work on a conservation

project: Chad Hanson, Big Bend and Phil Compton, Tampa

Bay.

Big Bend (Tallahassee) Group awardees Chad Hanson,Ben Fusaro (with his wife, Beth) and Linda Jamison.

Marian Ryan presents award to Fritz Musselman.

Florida Sierra Lauds

State Employees Role

In Land PurchaseThe Chapters Osprey Award is presented for extraordinary

effort by a governmental staff person to promote or effect

changes in policy or practice, to protect or preserve Floridas

environment. This year the Sierra Club recognized Fritz

Musselman, Director of the Land Resources Department for the

Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD),

for his phenomenal work on the unusual three-way purchase of

a keystone 5,067-acre Green Swamp Core Area property in

Polk County.

The site, which has been named Colt Creek State Park,

contains a mosaic of habitats including 1,000 acres of longleafpine community. Surrounded by other public conservation

lands, the property also provides significant protection for

the Withlacoochee River, Colt Creek, Gator Creek and the

headwaters of the Hillsborough River.

Musselman was completely dedicated to this project and

it would not have closed without his ability to work out

compromises between the parties. He was able to turn around

the appraisals, boundary survey, environmental site assessment

and other associated closing requirements for the purchase

in just ten months. Because of his tremendous real estate

knowledge and his ability to clearly articulate the pros and cons

of the acquisition issues, Fritz was able to bring together Polk

County, the state and the SWFWMD in conjunction with theproperty owners to design a transaction that was acceptable to

all and within the appraised value of the property.

This accomplishment is even more impressive when one

considers that the property owners had a deep distrust of the

water management district and also had failed to negotiate

an acquisition agreement with the Florida Department of

Environmental Protection a few years earlier.

-- Marian Ryan, Polk Group Conservation Chair

Everything is hitched

to everything else...

Make a commitment to the next generation by

remembering the Sierra Club in your will. Your support

will help others to preserve the intricate balance of

nature. Bequests have played a key role in the Sierra

Clubs environmental successes over the years.

There are many gift options available. We can even help

you plan a gift for your local Chapter.

For more information and confidential assistance,

contact:

John Calaway, Director of Gift Planning

Sierra Club

85 Second Street, 2nd Floor

San Francisco CA 94105

Phone: 415-977-5639

E-mail: [email protected]


8/16

8 The Pelican

Rustle the Leaf Comics characters courtesy of Go Naturl Studios, LLC, 2006. The Rustle The Leaf comic properties

copyright and trademark of Go Naturl Studios, LLC. All rights reserved. Website: www.rustletheleaf.com

The Legislature Is Now in SessionGet Involved!By John Glenn, Conservation Chair, Betsy Roberts, Chapter Chair and Susie Caplowe, Lobbyis

Dear Sierra Club member, thank you for your continuingsupport of the Florida Chapter and the local group that you

belong to. We welcome your energy and interest in helping

us make a difference this legislative session. We value the

opportunity to represent you before the legislature and Governor

and Cabinet every year and hope you will plug in and lobbywith us. Prior to the beginning of session our volunteer lobbying

team and lobbyist were attending committee meetings and

lobbying legislators. As you read this, we are in the middle of

session which runs from March 6 - May 4. If you would like

to follow the legislative bill activity, visit our online legislative

trackerwww.florida.sierraclub.org/tracker.

The Florida Chapter Executive Committee (FLEXCOM, made

up of nine elected officers and 18 group delegates) along with

the Chapter Issue Chairs, decide the legislative priorities at the

first meeting of the year. We gauge our issues on what we know

is coming back (because the proponents didnt get everything

they wanted in the bills filed or we managed to defeat them),

along with new legislative issues on the horizon.

The Legislatures interim committee meetings begin in

November following elections and September in off-election

years. Interim meetings give us and legislators the opportunity

to hear from legislative staff and each other, and see what

laws need tweaking or a makeover. You can monitor meetings

and check on bills by going to the legislative websites -- www.

flsenate.gov for the Senate and www.myfloridahouse.gov

for the House. Of the 120 members of the Florida House of

Representatives, 34 are new. Forty-one are Democrats and 79

are Republicans. Of the 40 members of the Florida Senate,

seven are new (but three are veterans of the House). Twenty-

six are Republicans and 14 are Democrats. So check out thesewebsites and see your legislators committee assignments and

get ready to send them a note or give them a call regarding our

priorities and what you read on the Tracker at

www.florida.sierraclub.org/tracker

If you would like to track our new Governor Charlie Crists

budget items and general communications, go to www.myflorida

com orwww.flgov.com. We are pleased with the Governors

appointments and staff selections. We have had several meetings

with his Legislative and Cabinet policy staffers with good

outcomes.The Florida Chapters primary legislative priorities this year

are Energy/Sprawl and Water/Wetlands Protection.

Energy: The Legislature has a responsibility to respond toglobal warming and our states dependence on imported fuels.

Florida needs to wake up to solar energy and other renewables.

Officials should increase the solar rebate for residences from

$500 to $1,000 and fund more public education promoting

the rebates. We will advocate the continuation of the energy-

efficiency tax breaks. We oppose new coal-burning power

plants including the integrated gasification combined cycle

(IGCC). The IGCC plants still burn coal and release mercury

and carbon. Since all Florida IGCC plants are still exempt from

sequestration technology, the amount of mercury and carbonpollution cannot be tolerated. In this day of global heating and

increased strength of hurricanes, we can no longer continue

down the path of coal burners. Many of these plants on the line

for Florida are in rural areas where there is presently sparse

development and the only logical reason is the insatiable greed

for sprawling new developments where Floridas natural areas

need preserving. Among various other issues, we would like to

see more responsible planning, weatherization of older and low

income housing, for which we need to ensure that the building

codes are up to par and strongly enforced.

Water/Wetland Protection: We will be faced with several

proposed local government preemptions, such as one bill wedefeated in 2006 which would have prevented local governments

from having stronger wetlands protections than the state.

(continued on page 15)


9/16

The Pelican 9

Tallahassee Report

Home Lobbying

Network

One of the Florida Chapter

Sierra Clubs greatest strengths

is that there are members in

every legislators district in the

state. If Sierra Club members

and supporters call or write

in, we can deluge a legislator

with voices in support of the

environment.

Are you willing to help? Join theHome Lobbying Network. This

is a network of people who are

willing to respond when called.

To stay informed about the

activities of the Governor and

Cabinet, special sessions, agency

hearings, etc., subscribe to the

Tallahassee Report (TR).

You can sign up to receive the

report online by sending ane-mail to Chapter lobbyist Susie

Caplowe at

[email protected]. Be

sure to put Add me to the TR in

the subject line and provide your

name, Group name and Sierra

membership number in the

body of the message.

We started 2007 with a clean slate.

There are new officers at FLEXCOM

(Florida Chapter Executive Committee)

and new group officers all over the state.

New FLEXCOM delegates represented

their groups at the first Chapter meeting,hosted by the Loxahatchee Group. I want

to welcome all the new as well as the

experienced folks.

As I reiterate everywhere we are a

team. We all have areas of expertise

and interests, different perspectives and

ideas. There will be disagreements on

how to achieve our goals. That is good;

some of the best accomplishments come

from working through differences and

coming up with a strong answer. If you

want to discuss any issues with me,

contact me anytime at 941-266-0192 or

[email protected].

We have many new legislators in

Tallahassee. Susie Caplowe, our

supremely capable lobbyist, will keep

us aware of what they are up to via the

Tallahassee Report and the Tracker.

See the adjacent column to sign up to

receive these reports. You need to help

her though, by establishing a relationship

with your representative and senator

when they are in your home district and

visiting them in Tallahassee when youare up there. It is difficult for them to

keep up with all the issues in the state

and we are here to help.

The Florida Chapter is involved in

many issuessome are more regional

than others, but all of them affect us

all. Our issue papers are posted on

the Chapter website at http://florida.

sierraclub.org/conservation.asp. Please

read them to have an idea of what is

going on all over the state.

Bring your conservation issues to

the table via Conservation Chair JohnGlenn. Bring legal issues to the attention

of Legal Chairs Dan Hendrickson and

Mara Shlackman. Usually an issue

will fall under one of the Conservation

Initiative categories: Safe and Healthy

Communities, Smart Energy Solutions,

Florida/Americas Wild legacy and

Democracy and the Environment, these

chairs should be contacted first.

One huge issue we will all be working

on is Stop the Coal Rush. Plants are

proposed for all over the state. Please

work with your local groups and

affiliations to at least slow this energy

crisis.As always, there is much to

accomplish. Lets work together and gi

er done.

Chapter Chairs ReportBy Betsy Roberts

March Fund Appeal

Please Give

Generously to

Your ChapterEach year in March, the Florida

Chapter of Sierra Club conducts a

fundraising drive through the mail. A

significant portion of the Chapters

annual budget comes from this appeal.

Without your generous response to

this appeal, our effectiveness would

be greatly diminished. We could not

work to protect the beaches, rivers and

forests we all enjoy. We could not

support the community projects of local

conservation groups or underwrite e-mai

and phone campaigns to our legislators

in Tallahassee and Washington.

Watch your mail for the fund appeal

letter and please give what you can.

Moving?

Dont miss any Club

publications!

Send your address change to:

Sierra Club

P.O. Box 52968

Boulder CO 80322-2968

OR e-mail:

[email protected]


10/16

10 The Pelican

The Sierra Club national outings program features several

special trips each year that inform participants about the issues

surrounding their particular trip and train them on how to

advocate effectively for the relevant campaign. Wilderness and

other preservation campaigns are the focus for 2007s trips.

Wild and Wonderful West Virginia, May 18-25. Learn aboutthe push to establish new wilderness in the scenic Monongahela

National Forest as you tour this lovely area in the height of

spring with leader Joan Saxe and local activists Mary Wimmer

and Beth Little. Day hikes accent this van touring trip. (Trip

#07190A, $625)

Walk Among Giants in Californias Sequoia National

Monument, June 17-23. Study management problems in this

new Monument proclaimed by President Clinton. Learn the

ongoing threats to these unique big trees and their ecosystem, on

day hikes with veteran leaders Cal and Letty French and former

Sierra Club president Joe Fontaine. (Trip 07191A $395)

Rafting and Activism in Dinosaur National Monument in

Utah, July 5-9. This family activist adventure brings kids into

figuring out why we care so much about saving Wild Utahs

dazzling landscapes. Join leader Pat Fritz on the historic Green

River. (Trip 07261A $855/$755 child)

Wild in the Wide-Open Wild Sky, Backpacking in

Washington State, August 15-21. Study the recently well-

publicized Wild Sky Wilderness campaign. Participants will

enjoy trails and views in designated wilderness and candidate

areas in the heart of the (Trip 07175A, $495)

Valle Vidal Service and Advocacy, July 22-29. Learn about

New Mexicos issues of public land protection. Join leader

Gene Goldberg and local volunteer Norma McCallan in scenic

day hiking plus two novel service projects, for trail and river

restoration. Northern New Mexicos Valle Vidalthe Valley of

Lifehas just gained some protection from proposed oil and

gas drilling. (Trip 07315A, $525)

Eastern Nevadas Wild Heights, September 1-9. Leader White

Pine County has just won landmark wilderness designation for

many of its beautiful wild mountain ranges, all too little-known,

that leader Melinda Goodwater shares with you. Besides a brief

visit to Great Basin National Park, this remarkable trip is mostlyscenic day hikes with car camping, featuring a two-day traverse

of the dramatic High Schells with an overnight backpack. Learn

the complexities of Nevada wilderness politics. (Trip # 07196A,

$495)

To learn about some partial scholarships available for bringing

qualified activists to these advocacy trips, contact activist

outings chair Vicky Hoover at [email protected]

415-977-5527.

Activist Outings Highlight Adventure and Advocacy

Sierra trips offer chances for families to bond. On a service

trip to Bryce Canyon, Mary Montrey and daughter Emily

Schisler paint railings. Photo by Suzanne Valencia.

Florida Chapter OutingsMarch 17: Moderate 10-mile day hike with an optional shortovernight backpack trip in the Arbuckle State Forest nearFrostproof. Leader: Rudy Scheffer, 727-726-8375 or [email protected](Suncoast).

March 18: Hike along the Florida Trail through the BigCypress National Preserve. Explore 6-8 miles through cypressforest, hammocks and prairie. Water can be ankle-deep. Rated

moderate to strenuous, depending on the route. Leader: Brigita

Gahr at [email protected] or 239-337-5979. (Calusa).

March 24: Two-hour kayak tour of beautiful Shell Creek.Kayaks or canoes welcome. This paddle is suitable for those

with limited experience. Reservations required. Contact Dave at

941-235-2588 or Sue at [email protected] or 941-240-2868

by March 22 (Greater Charlotte Harbor).

March 30-April 1: Overnight backpack trip to Mossy IslandCampsite at Myakka River State Park. We will explore thisbeautiful park and learn a little about what Floridas prairie was

like. An easy backpack of only about 5 miles total. Co-Leaders:

Mike Pici, 727-798-9227, [email protected] and Ben

Berauer, 727-392-2821, [email protected] (Suncoast).

Leader Training Opportunities

April 7: Outing Leader Training 101 in Sarasota. For newouting leaders or leaders who need to recertify.Contact RudyScheffer, 727-726-8375 or e-mail

[email protected]

May 5-6: Wilderness First Aid (WFA) in Paynes Prairie,near Gainesville. Contact Rudy Scheffer, 727-726-8375 ore-mail [email protected]


11/16

The Pelican 11

Sierra Skewers Developers with SatireWhat did 45 Miami Sierrans do on New Years Eve in

Coconut Grove with ten buildings, three cranes and six cars? We

participated in the annual King Mango Strut, the wackiest and

funniest parade in the U.S., where nothing or no one is sacred.

2006 marked the Struts 25th year; the Miami Sierra Club has

been a highlight of this parade for the past 18.Anybody who lives in Miami will understand our tongue-in-

cheek theme: Sierra Club Salutes Development: Too Much

Is Never Enough! The whole city is crowded with new,

uncontrolled development. Skyscrapers are competing against

one another for the little view of the ocean that we have left.

There are cranes everywhere, destroying the old and building

new, massive structures, where studio apartments start at a

million dollars. Traffic is worse than ever, and our water supply

will undoubtedly be threatened once these buildings are fully

occupied.

In our entry we featured three dancing cranes and ten

immense buildings made of cardboard, inside which ten poor

Sierrans had a free sauna bath it was a warm afternoon. Fourof these buildings were continuously moved and pushed in front

of the audience by developers and construction workers

in hard hats who carried megaphones and over-building

permits and happily blocked everyones view. All the while, six

cardboard cars were in a continuous gridlock, their obnoxious

occupants speaking on the phone, applying makeup and blowing

the horn throughout the parade.

In addition, 24 construction workers carried signs that

encouraged even more development, such as Block the Sun

Thats the Fun, Make the Crane the State Bird, Ocean View

for the Very Few, Unaffordable Housing for All, Concretes

Sweet on the Feet and Overcrowded? What About It?

We couldnt have been the huge success that we were without

the help of our master prop builder, Vern Vurkhart, my husband

Paul, Don Howe and Amy Werba. Ours was really a collective

effort, involving a lot of hard work and some great ideas from

everyone. Our efforts paid off: our photo was published in

Developer Germaine Tilney brandishes her permit

to plant another building.

Ellen Andrews-Eydt (center) leads the way through

a cheering crowd.

The Miami Herald and we were judged best of the 50 groupsby Antoinette Baldwin, King Mango Strut organizer. More

importantly, we delivered our message to about 10,000 people in

a fun and entertaining way, and had a blast in the process.

--Story and photos by Coky Michel, Miami Group

Tune In to Sierra Club Radio

Sierra Club has launched a weekly half-hour radio program

that you can listen to on the Web and via podcast. Sierra Club

Radio is designed to help us meet the mounting demand for

green newsinformation Americans can use as consumers,

citizens, neighbors and parents to make responsible choices andto connect to the growing environmental community.

The program, produced by Sierra Club staff and hosted by

Club publicist Orli Cotel, will feature Sierra Club content

including lifestyle tips from Sierra magazines Green Life

editor Jennifer Hattam and Mr. Green, Bob Schildgen; in-depth

interviews with Sierra Club Books authors and contributors to

Sierra magazine; and political observations and commentary by

Executive Director Carl Pope. The program will also highlight

stories from our conservation work, our grassroots fieldwork,

and our partnership workespecially our hunter/angler and

faith outreach efforts. In addition, Sierra Club Radio will feature

in-depth conversations with a wide range of environmental

experts and activists, artists, and authors inspired by nature.Sierra Club Radio provides us the ability to tell our stories,

highlight our issues, and share our expertise and advice directly,

unfiltered by the media.

Sierra Club Radio is broadcast every Saturday in the San

Francisco area. The program will be available on the Web and

via podcast the following Monday at www.sierraclubradio.com.

You can also listen to past shows. Please check it out. If you

have story ideas, please send them to [email protected],

and put Sierra Club Radio story idea in the subject line.


12/16

12 The Pelican

Welcome to all of our new leaders,

both at the Chapter (state) level and

within each of our 17 regional Groups.

Here are the key leaders for most of our

administrative-type committees. Pleasefeel free to contact any of us, or your

local Group leaders, anytime.

Officers

Betsy Roberts, Chair

Barbara Curtis, Administrative Vice

Chair

Rosalie Shaffer, Member-At-Large

Ben Fusaro, Vice Chair Conservation

Conference

John Glenn, Conservation and

Membership Chair

Pedro Monteiro, Secretary

Bruce Deterding and Bette Strickland,

Co-Treasurers

Dan Hendrickson, CCL Delegate

Bob Sullivan, Alternate CCL Delegate

Helen Spivey, Legislative Liason

Committees

Awards: Mary Slater-Linn, Cecelia

Height, Linda Jamison, Marcia Biggs,

Francine Robinson

Group Health: FLEXCOM Officers,

Gerry Swormstedt

Financial: Ed Schlessinger, Chad

Hanson, Bruce Deterding, Bette

Strickland, Tom Larson, Karl Nurse

Directory: Betsy Grass, Betsy Roberts,

Jim Teas, Greg Kalmbach, Barbara

Curtis

Pelican: Kathy Criscola, Betsy Roberts,

John Glenn, Rosalie Shaffer

By-Laws: John Glenn, Pedro Monteiro,

Rosalie Shaffer

Computer: Greg Kalmbach, John Glenn,

Andrea Canelos

Personnel: Betsy Roberts, John Glenn,

Barbara Curtis, Bruce Deterding

Fundraising: Dan Hendrickson (Co-

chair), Betsy Roberts (Co-chair), AlanParmalee, Ed Schlessinger

Emergency: Betsy Roberts, John Glenn,

Cullum Hasty, Ben Fusaro, Mara

Schlackman, Rosalie Shaffer (Alternate)

Nominating: Betsy Roberts, Karen Orr,

Erv Duncan

Political: Curt Levine (Chair), Karen Orr

(Vice C hair), Dan Hendrickson, Betsy

Roberts, John Koch

Legal: Dan Hendrickson (Co-chair),

Mara Schlackman (Co-chair), Barbara

Curtis, John Hedrick, Curt Levine, David

Ludder, George Cavros

Chapter Lobbyist: Susie Caplowe

2007 FLEXCOM Officersand Committee Appointments

Florida Chapter

Election ResultsThe Florida Chapter Executive

Committee (FLEXCOM) consists of

nine members-at-large elected by the

Chapters membership plus one or

more representatives from each of the

Chapters local groups, depending on the

groups size.

In the election that concluded last

November, five members-at-large were

chosen by the membership to serve

through 2007 and 2008. They are: Ben

Fusaro, John Glenn, Cathy Harrelson,Dan Hendrickson and Betsy Roberts.

They join the four current members-at-

large (Barbara Curtis, Pedro Monteiro,

Rosalie Shaffer and Bob Sullivan) who

have terms that will expire at the end of

2007.

Congratulations to Ben, John, Cathy,

Dan and Betsy.

3300


13/16

The Pelican 13


14/16

14 The Pelican

Fall Conference Enlightens and InspiresBy Rob Brinkman, Suwannee-St. Johns Group Chair

I attended the Florida Chapter Conservation Conference in

the Leesburg area last fall. It was one of the best conferences

in my limited experience. There were two separate tracks,

issues and training. I attended some of both. The most beneficial

presentations were on water and wetland issues and the recent

interpretations of the Clean Water Act.

The most dynamic

speaker was Maggy

Hurchalla from Martin

County on wetlands

protection strategies. She

advocated placing wetlands

preservation policies in

the local governments

comprehensive plan and

making sure that any

exceptions to wetland

preservation are veryspecific and limited in

scope. Non-functioning or

sick wetlands need to be

restored to health rather

than euthanized.

She also discussed the Burt Harris Takings Act and the

misconception that it requires governments to compensate

property owners for any regulations that diminish a propertys

value. In fact, compensation is required only when no

reasonable use of the land in its present undeveloped state is

allowed. In other words, building condos is not a reasonable

use for a swamp and no compensation is required. However,

landowners often file a lawsuit against local governmentsand then enter into settlement negotiations, thus of wetland

destruction continues.

Another good presentation was on the causes of red tide by

Larry Brand. He made a compelling point that there is too

much focus on phosphorus (P) as a nutrient when there is an

interrelationship between P and nitrogen (N). Ecosystems

tend to be either P limited or N limited, algal blooms explode

when there is a 16-to-1 ratio of N to P. While red tide blooms

frequently start offshore, they explode near shore where

sufficient nutrients from coastal runoff are encountered.

There is also evidence that marine mammals, such as dolphins

and manatees, are sometimes killed or seriously impacted

by lower levels of the red tide organism than was previouslythought to be lethal. Previously, inhalation had been presumed

as the mechanism of exposure to the toxin from these algal

blooms. It now appears that ingestion of low levels of the

neurotoxin bio-accumulate in fatty tissues, leading to sickness

and death.

Navis Bermudez, a national staff person from Washington

D.C., spoke about recent court cases and the resulting lack of

clear guidance to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff in

interpretation of the Clean Water Acts (CWA) isolated wetlands

provisions. Recent court cases have seen the Sierra Club and

other environmental organizations allied with hunting and

angling groups in opposition to the petroleum industry, which

desperately wants to gut the CWA to relax restrictions on their

polluting production activities.

She also spoke of strategies to curtail the largest source of

coastal pollution, stormwater runoff. Everyone can do their

part by reducing or eliminating their use of fertilizer and other

chemicals, diverting roof runoff into unpaved areas or using

rain barrels to prevent stormwater from reaching the street.

Stormwater quickly flows into local creeks, often without any

treatment, once it reaches the street. Low-impact development

techniques reduce stormwater impacts by mimicking the natural

flow by incorporating native plants and retaining the natural land

contours where possible. The underlying principle is to avoid

generating stormwater as much as possible, rather than building

expensive infrastructure to treat stormwater.

Editors Note: Mark your calendar for the next conservationconference, November 10-11. Dont miss out on inspiring

presentations and stimulating discussions.


15/16

The Pelican 15

More parade madness! Ruth Bromberg of the

Greater Charlotte Harbor Group rides high in her

kayak. The Group won Honorable Mention and

some publicity for the Club. Photo by Sue Reske.

Your Ad Here Reaches

30,000+ Readers

The Pelican is published by the Florida

Chapter of the Sierra Club for its members and

other interested readers. Sierra Club members,

as a group, have above-average income and

education levels. They enjoy outdoor activities

and travel.

Our readers are interested in products or

services that are environmentally considerate,

enhance enjoyment of the outdoors or help

them express their environmental ethic.

For a rate sheet, write to PO Box 575,

Tallahassee FL 32302-0575 or e-mail

[email protected]

Visit Us on the WebKeep up-to-date on the Florida Chapters activities via our

website at www.florida.sierraclub.org. You can find informationon our outings, conservation issues and more.

New!We have posted presentations from our fall Conseervation

Conference. Check out the following: Can Local Governments

Save Local Wetlands?, Old McDonald Still Has a Farm, How to

Get a Local Wetlands Policy, Wetlands Comprehensive Plans,

Catch of the Day, Solar Energy, Seven Steps to Outings, History

of Outings and Biofuels.

Another one we are hearing about this year that would impact

local governments is the ability to pass ordinances limiting

the use of fertilizer, thus protecting watersheds and rivers and

streams. We are supportive of strong springshed protections.

We oppose the streamlining of or weakening of protections for

wetlands, especially for the phosphate mining companies thatare seeking a cradle to grave permit.

Dozens of other issues will be pushed during this

legislative session, which involve our activists. Sierra and

other organizations work with the Florida Forever Coalition

promoting the successor land buying program to the original

P2000 and Florida Forever programs. We will work together for

the accelerated funding of $600 million this year, and to ensure

that the legislation for the new program does not have increased

multiple use activity on public lands and strive to avoid

raids on funds intended for land preservation.

So, welcome to the 2007 legislative session which brings

with it much diversity and challenge to balance public policies

for protection of our communities and natural environment.Please plug inwe need volunteer lobbyists, researchers, and

organizers!

Legislative Priorities(Continued from page 8)


16/16

FLORIDA CHAPTERSIERRA CLUBTHE PELICANP.O. Box 575Tallahassee FL 32302-0575

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDTallahassee FL

Modern MailersPermit 236

National Club Election

Coming This SpringThe annual election for the Clubs Board of Directors is now

underway. In March, those of you who are eligible to vote in

the national Sierra Club election will receive in the mail (or

by Internet if you chose the electronic delivery option) your

national Sierra Club ballot. This will include information on thecandidates and where you can find additional information on the

Clubs website.

The Sierra Club is a democratically structured organization

at all levels. The Club requires the regular flow of views on

policy and priorities from its grassroots membership in order to

function well. Yearly participation in elections at all Club levels

is a major membership obligation. Your Board of Directors is

required to stand for election by the membership. This Board

sets Club policy and budgets at the national level and works

closely with the Executive Director and staff to operate the

Club. Voting for candidates who express your views on how

the Club should grow and change is both a privilege and

responsibility of membership.

Members frequently state that they dont know the candidates

and find it difficult to vote without learning more. You can

learn more by asking questions of your group and chapter

leadership and other experienced members you know. Visit the

Clubs election website: http://www.sierraclub.org/bod/2007

election. This site provides links to additional information about

candidates, and their views on a variety of issues facing the Club

and the environment.

You should use your own judgment by taking several minutes

to read the ballot statement of each candidate. Then make

your choices and cast your votes. You will find the ballot is

quite straightforward and easy to mark. A growing number ofmembers find the user-friendly Internet voting option to be very

convenient as well as saving postage.

This April 14, tens of thousands of Americans will unite to tell

Congress: Step it up. Cut carbon 80 percent by 2050.

This National Day of Climate Action (Step Up 2007) is a

grassroots effort started by author Bill McKibben and co-

sponsored by the Sierra Club and dozens of other environmental

groups. We encourage Club members to participate as

individuals in scheduled events or, better yet, start an event with

your chapter or group. At press time in late February, 22 events

were planned in cities all over Florida; more will be added. Go

to http://stepitup2007.orgfor locations and information.

While Step It Up is focusing on documenting the problem of

global warming, the Sierra Club will also focus on documenting

solutions -- well be taking photos of progress where we find it,whether its an array of photovoltaic cells or that hybrid parked

in your garage.

Step It Up is one part of the Clubs menu of Earth Day

activities planned for April. Others include energy film festivals,

smart energy solutions powerpoint presentations, and a toolkit

for reaching out to your church. Earth Day is April 22 mark

your calendar and get your family and friends involved in an

activity. For more information, check out the Clubs website at

www.sierraclub.org or contact your local group.

Step It Up!

for Earth Day

And Global

Warming

Spring 2007 Pelican Newsletter, Florida Sierra Club

Documents

Transcript of Spring 2007 Pelican Newsletter, Florida Sierra Club