UCLA grad Hollis Lenderking is a runner who has logged many miles in remote landscapes.

So when he decided to endow a chair at the university’s Department of Geology that would reflect his love of nature, he left it up to the professors to come up with a name. The result: the new John Muir Endowed Chair in Geography. It’s only the second named chair in the department’s 100-year history, according to the UCLA College Report (Winter 2012).

Hats off to Lenderking and UCLA’s geology staff in recognizing Muir’s vision and keeping it alive.

The annual Chapter Awards Banquet is the one time of the year when members celebrate achievements of their peers.

Keynote speaker will be Sierra Club President Robin Mann. The banquet to be held May 6 at the Brookside Country Club in Pasadena; reception and silent auction start at 5 p.m. with dinner and awards program starting at 6 p.m..

For more information or for reservations, go online. or contact Silvia Darie or Donna Specht.

Please join me in welcoming (back) Mary Forgione as editor of the Southern Sierran newsletter. Forgione, a longtime Southern California journalist whose work appears in the L.A. Times and other publications, served as editor of the Chapter’s newsletter from 1997 to 2000.

I am very glad Mary is back at the helm and am looking forward to her creativity and expert writing and editing skills on the six newsy, bi-monthly issues coming your way in 2012. Forgione also will be a key player as we increase the Southern Sierran’s online presence.

The Sierra Club Angeles Chapter is working on a variety of interesting projects in protecting local lands and upholding clean air and clean water standards — and we need your help this year.

Volunteer to help rate local cities for their efforts on environmental conservation. Work as a group or volunteer from home. Be involved with your city or at the county level. Opportunities include social gatherings, meeting with local lawmakers and making calls from home.

by Mary Forgione
Southern Sierran Editor

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to reflect on the past and set goals for the future — and it’s not that hard. Here are some easy ways to start making a difference.

“What I find exciting is that the solutions to the ecological crisis can be the solutions to the economic crisis …” Naomi Klein, author of “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism,” said at a recent panel hosted by The Nation magazine.