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From
the Chair
Executive Committee News, Membership, Inner-city Outings, Get Active...
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We need YOU on the NEO Executive Committee!
Environmental leadership awaits you on the Sierra Club's Northeast
Ohio Group Executive Committee! As an executive committee member, your knowledge
and passion will help govern and guide the group next year and beyond...
...Read More
Cleveland Inner City Outings and C.A.S.T.L.E. High School
On October 3rd, the first Inner City Outings (ICO) event was
offered to students in the science program at C.A.S.T.L.E. High School.
Five students, 2 ICO leaders, and the science teacher attended the Fall
Festival at Lake Farmpark for a day of fun, fresh
(mostly)
air, and educational farm activities...
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New Ohio Advanced Energy Fund Bill Sponsored by Mike Foley
State Rep. Mike Foley recently introduced a bill, HB
301, to finance the Ohio Advanced Energy Fund.
We need
to rally support
for this bill....
...Read More
From
the Chair
NEO’s Efforts Pay Off Big Time, NEO SIERRA Recognized by Congress!, Resolution
Adopted, NEO Sierra Group Goes Paperless!...
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Mountain
Top Removal Coal Mining is NOT Someone Else's Problem
Cleveland Climate Watch Launches the Cleveland Mountain Justice Project to
End Northeast Ohio's Complicity...
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New
Recycling Facility Opens in North Olmsted
A new concept in metal recycling has come to North Olmsted: Recycle
Zone, located just east of the Stearns-Crocker Rd. extension at 28820
Lorain Rd. The concept is a drive-thru facility located outside
of an industrial area that allows anyone to recycle for cash ...
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GET
ACTIVE!
We need a Secretary...East, West, and South siders...Outings...Fundraising...Wine
Tasting...
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FirstEnergy Issue
In our last issue, I reported that we continue in
our efforts to stop the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA)
from granting a requested mercury variance to the FirstEnergy Lakeshore
Plant. The OEPA delayed their decision due
to...
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Thoughts on the
Eve of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: How Will We Help?
For environmentalists, patience is not a virtue - it’s a necessity.
We are nearing the 40th anniversary of the great Cuyahoga River fires (that
is plural) of June 1969. Around that time, with soap suds building up at Buffalo,
Lake Erie had been essentially declared DOA. Some good did come out of...
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The Last Paper Newsletter!
Say goodbye to the last printed issue of the Sierra Club Northeast
Ohio Group Newsletter! In an effort to reduce waste, we're switching
to an online electronic format. By moving online, we'll save trees, ink,
fossil fuels used in mail transportation, and, of course, money. The newsletter
currently
costs...
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FROM THE CHAIR
I hope everyone is having a healthy, happy summer despite the doom
and gloom of climate change. Feel good about the fact that you’re
in an organization that is doing everything conceivably possible
to stabilize the climate. You might feel even better if...
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Edible School Gardens
The NEO Sierra Club recognizes the importance of teaching children
about FOOD. Where does food come from? Does
food have to be shipped thousands of miles to end up on our plates?
Can food be grown without toxic chemicals? How does growing food
locally...
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A NOTE TO OUR MEMBERS OUTSIDE OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY
Some members of Sierra Club’s Northeast Ohio (NEO) group who live outside of
Cuyahoga County have communicated that they feel unwanted. True, we have held
most of our committee meetings, public programs, and activities in Cuyahoga
County. We'd like to change that...
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Local Food
Things are starting to reach critical mass here in Northeast Ohio!
People are getting it. More and more food is being grown locally
and more and more people are closing the loop and purchasing locally
grown food...
...Read
More
Volunteer
Opportunities Ahead!
The Northeast Ohio Group of the Sierra Club is ramping up for summer fun and
activism, and we have several projects looking for volunteers!
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Want
Fresh Eggs Every Day? Move to Cleveland!
Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman understands that urban farming is a growing
trend. He listened to requests from numerous people and groups (including NEO
Sierra Club) urging him to...
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Great
Lakes Lobby Day
On February 25th, I was among a group of about 150 Great Lakes lobbyists to visit
the senate and congressional offices of representatives from Ohio, Michigan,
Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana...
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More
Lights Out Ohio
We are all looking forward to the changes in Washington’s attitude
toward, and action on, the environment. Better and healthier days are coming.
That said, those changes will take time whether the issue is air quality,
the raising of mileage standards in cars, or increased availability of
alternative sources of energy. In the meantime, the question is,...
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Support RTA's HealthLine
The NEO Sierra Club group supports the RTA's new hybrid transit line,
called the HealthLine, which runs along Euclid Ave. from Public Square to
East Cleveland.
According to the RTA...
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Jim Soeder
Northeast Ohio Inner City Outings (ICO) lost a dear devoted friend on October
12, 2008. Jim Soeder, long time leader of the Cleveland ICO Goodrich-Gannett
group, passed away from brain cancer. We are all still in shock since the
diagnosis was just made at the end of June. Jim had been active with the
ICO group up until that time. We have all known Jim for different periods
of time but, have all held him in high regard for his unwavering dedication
to Inner City Outings...
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A Tribute to Ed Hauser
Ed Hauser, a friend and passionate environmental activist, passed away suddenly
in November. Ed is best known as the “Mayor of Whiskey Island,” the
man who tenaciously fought to preserve natural lands along our Lake Erie shoreline
- for all of us...
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2008 END-OF-YEAR COMMITTEE REPORTS
See how your NEO Conservation Committee Chairs have been protecting the environment
and our health, and advocating for social and political causes. If a chair has
not submitted a report, it is usually because they are too busy in their activism,
not because there is nothing to report...
...Read
More
Fairview Park
Cool City Campaign
We introduced the Cool City initiative to the Fairview Park City
Council in September. Since that first meeting, the initiative
was discussed in Committee Meeting twice, and another meeting
was held on October 13th. There is a lot to be considered in
becoming
a Cool City and Fairview Park is taking the commitment seriously...
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Holden Arboretum
Outing
On Sunday September 28 the Northeast Ohio Sierra Club had an outing
to Holden Arboretum. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Josh Prager,
organized the activity and I led the nature hike...
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Phone in for Alternative Energy
Want your electricity to come from wind and solar instead of coal and nuke? Here's
an easy way - just make a quick call...
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Opportunities on the NEO Executive Committee
The NEO group is looking for new members for its executive committee. As an executive
committee member, your knowledge and passion will help direct and guide the group
next year and beyond...
...Read More
Update on Port Authority's Planned Move to East 55th
The Dike 14 Committee has been working to bring about a serious discussion on
the merits of moving the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority from Cleveland's
port on the mouth of the Cuyahoga River to East 55th Street. This location would
take away public park land and a very popular marina, and put an industrial development
right on the doorstep of the Dike 14 Nature Preserve...
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State-Level Efforts in Northeast Ohio
This year is going to be one of the most exciting and empowering election years
for the environmental community. The Sierra Club's Blue Team is ramping
up this season and coordinating with candidates who are working hard to create
a clean energy future and to protect our planet...
...Read More
Support Energy Efficiency in the PUCO's rules - please sign today
Sierra Club continues to celebrate the bi-partisan passage of the energy bill
in May. The recently adopted energy efficiency and renewable energy standards
address several of Ohioans' major concerns: the rising cost of energy,
energy security, the struggling economy, and global warming...
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Autumn Migration
Some birds that nest in the far north tundra environment begin
to head south as soon as nesting activity is completed in July
and August. The group of birds known as shorebirds lead the way
south to wintering grounds making stops along the way to feed.
The Lake Erie basin becomes...
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Some Solutions to Storm Water Pollution
Did you know that the vast majority of storm sewer systems discharge
directly into a water body without any treatment? Many citizens
incorrectly assume that the motor oil or paint that they pour into
the storm sewer catch basin on their street will be treated at
a waste water treatment plant before it ever gets to a creek, river,
or lake...
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Port Authority's Latest Expansion & Relocation Plan
With little fanfare and justification, the Cleveland City Planning
Commission approved one of largest and most costly public works
projects in Cleveland’s history in March 2008. The project
that was approved is the relocation of the existing Cleveland-Cuyahoga
County Port Authority eastside facilities to the E. 55th St. Marina
area...
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Bird
Migration and Survival
As
we continue into the Year
of the Frog, a worldwide effort to spread awareness of loss
of species, we would like to highlight the joy of and concerns
about our winged visitors. Beginning at the end of February, our
regional spring bird migration occurs in waves, peaking in early
May with the neotropical songbirds. But, reminiscent of the warnings
of Silent Spring, many of these birds, including common birds that
nest in our region, are threatened by human actions once again...
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Let
Your Electric Bill Drive a Market for Renewables
Northeast Ohioans who receive their electricity through FirstEnergy (Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company or Ohio Edison) now have
the chance to support the development of electricity from renewable sources when
they pay their monthly electric bill...
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Be a part of the Year
of the Frog
Worldwide discoveries of amphibians total 5,743 species. Since 1980, over
120 of these species have gone extinct. Currently, 43% (2,469 species)
are in decline and 32% are threatened. This list doesn’t include the worldwide
extinct and endangered mammals, birds, butterflies, and just about any category
of living organism. Ohio has hundreds of endangered species...
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Coal Plant Controversy in Cleveland
At the end of October, the City of Cleveland’s City Council voted to sign
an agreement with AMP-Ohio, who has been supplying Cleveland Public Power with
coal-fired power for years. This agreement will be for (among other things) 50
years worth of coal and, hand-in-hand with other towns in Ohio, will help build
a new coal plant in southern Ohio on the Ohio River...
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Make Democracy Work
The Northeast Ohio Group of the Sierra Club is going to sponsor a political committee
this year. We will have activities ranging from endorsements to work on the
presidential campaign...
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Executive Committee: ELECTION 2008
The following are the candidate statements for election to the
NEO Group Executive Committee. The Executive Committee (Ex-Com) is
responsible for the management of the affairs and activities of the
Sierra Club NEO Group...
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Fresh!
There's a new food revolution going on in Northeast Ohio: City Fresh.
It's a win-win scenario. Fresh food from local farmers is
sold directly to urban residents. Farmers within the city and
local countryside get a fair share of the price by selling
directly to the consumers...
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Ninth Annual
Conference, Racist Imagery in Popular Culture and Education
The Conference took place at Baldwin Wallace College, the United
Church of Christ Pilgrim Congregational Church, and C-Space on
April 5-7, 2007. About 50 people attended the conference.
The people who attended the Conference were mostly American Indians
who lived in Northeast Ohio, but there were representatives from
American Indian Nations from Alaska, Oklahoma, Michigan, Illinois,
Minnesota, etc. There were European-Americans, African-Americans,
Asian-Americans, etc....
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Whiskey
Island - Cleveland's Waterfront Renaissance!
What a difference 2 months makes! In the March/April newsletter,
I wrote a brief history of Cleveland's lakefront and about the
continued threat of losing the county's Whiskey Island public
property to the Port Authority. The article covered the time
from Cleveland's founding over 200 years ago through the activities
over the last 2 years. I am happy to inform you that after nine
years...
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Whiskey Island, Ohio - Our Great Lakes Restoration Success Story?
Moses Cleaveland entered
the Cuyahoga River in 1796 to lay claim to the land on the western
boundary of the United States. Imagine how the Cleveland waterfront
would have appeared to him. The forests would have been abundant
with wildlife on both sides of the river and pristine water teaming
with fish. It didn’t take long for all that to change...
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Save the Date! - The 2007 Natural Areas Conference
Last September,
the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s annual Conservation
Symposium was one of the best ever. In October 2007, the Museum will
host the 2007 Natural Areas Conference in place of their annual
Conservation Symposium. The event is co-hosted by the Natural Areas Association,
a national non-profit that promotes land conservation and stewardship...
...Read More
Ohio is Under Quarantine:
EMERALD ASH BORER ALERT
The U. S. Department
of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service expanded of its EAB quarantine to include
the entire states of Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.
The new quarantine becomes effective on 12/1/06 following
the issuance of a federal order. This order prohibits
interstate movement of regulated articles that originate
within the quarantine area....
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Caution: Don’t breathe in Northeast Ohio
Breathing in Northeast Ohio may be hazardous
to your health. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
is trying to fix that, and could use your help...
...Read More
US, Canadian Cities Fouling the Great Lakes with Raw Sewage
On November 29, 2006, Sierra Legal released a recent investigative
report that analyzed twenty cities in the Great Lakes basin and graded
them based on how well they manage their sewage. The results are appalling
...
...Read More |
The City of Cleveland's 
Do you know of a local environmental issue in need
of attention? Do you have inside information on what's
going on in your city or township? With over 5,000
members in Northeast Ohio we count on you to be the
Club's eyes and ears of the region. While the Federal
government and large corporations continue to wreak
havoc on our environment, it is more important than
ever before to act as watchdogs in our own backyards.
For those new to
calling state or federal representatives, it's easier and
less confrontational than it sounds. You will never
speak directly with your rep or senator - an aide
will answer the phone, take brief notes plus your name and city (sometimes), and that's it.