Senior Chapter Director
2004 is over. We have come through a very difficult and hard-fought presidential election. Most of us are dismayed at the prospect of another four years of an administration dedicated to favoring corporate profits over national parks. Environmental laws have been dismantled and ignored under the Bush administration, and there is no reason to think his second term will be any different.
The issue of genetically engineered (GE) agriculture has finally caught up with California. California is not a major producer of the primary U.S. GE crops-corn, cotton, soybeans and canola, but GE rice, alfalfa, grapes, and trees are in the commercial pipeline. If grown in California, all would impact major California crops and natural resources.
On Nov. 2, 2004, voters in Marin County chose to ban the production of genetically modified crops and animals. Similar initiatives in Butte, San Luis Obispo, and Humboldt counties, however, were defeated.
Among the many helpful topics at this year's Volunteer Training is public relations. A PR specialist will train our activists to most effectively communicate with officials. Space is limited to 10 people only, so sign up quickly. Participants will go through mock lobbying sessions, then be coached and critiqued on their presentations.
It was late August, and I was in Athens for the Olympic games. The air was humid and thick with smog as Carl Lewis passed me on his way to the Acropolis, Olympic torch in hand. There is an acropolis, or high point, in every Greek city, and as Carl lit the Olympic flame to open the games, my mind drifted to another high point, the highest point in the land, the home of the Gods: Mount Olympus.
Trying to make sense of regulations can be hazardous to your patience. Being green in one's everyday affairs always involves a little extra work. Separating garbage, carpooling, and all the other small things we might do to preserve our environment require some sacrifice, but they are simple tasks that are well-publicized as the right things to do. Therefore, when it comes to things we must do, or in fact are legally obligated to do, one would hope that these activities would be broadly communicated to the public and relatively easy to comply with.
Environmentalists constantly fight losing battles against developers and corporations that contribute millions of dollars to political campaigns. Environmentally friendly candidates rarely have enough money to compete against corporate-backed candidates. But there's a way to change all that. Clean Money public financing of elections, which has been proven in other states to end the domination of campaigns by private money, could finally put the environment on an equal footing. A broad coalition including the Sierra Club is working to bring it to California.
and DeLise Keim
The Sierra Club has officially opposed the proposed Las Lomas development in the Newhall Pass just north of Sylmar, at the northwest corner of the Interstate 5 and State Route 14 interchange.
Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide, written and illustrated by John Muir Laws. Calif. Academy of Sciences and Heyday Books, 64 pages. $9.95
The Day the Trash Came Out to Play, by David M. Beadle, illustrations by Laurie A. Faust, Ezra's Earth Publishing. $16.95
For both the novice and experienced birdwatchers, Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide would be a useful resource. The book's organization is user-friendly and its slim, lightweight size makes it easy to tote around in a full day pack or on multi-day backpacking trips.
In presidential election years, political action always takes a front-row seat in Angeles Chapter activities. And although the Democrats, and the Sierra Club, lost the Big One in 2004, the Chapter was outstanding at supporting winning candidates at the local level. Politics didn't eclipse conservation, however. The Chapter remained at the forefront of important battles in Los Angeles and Orange counties to:
Ó defend open space and wildlife where suburban sprawl directly threatens wild land,
On Thanksgiving eve, young environmental crusaders Juan Martinez and Andrew Anderson presented the Mexican rock band, Maná, with a Sierra Club-sponsored Green Award at the La Banda Elastica Latin Alternative Music Awards.
'Maná's work is really cool because you wouldn't think that rockers would be interested in things of the earth, but I am glad they do because we need everyone's help' said Anderson.
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter
617 W. 7th St, Suite 702
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 10-5 or by appointment
The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club welcomes your participation in its century of involvement in the enjoyment and protection of our planet's environment. The Angeles Chapter spans Los Angeles and Orange Counties in Southern California, with an extensive program of hikes/hiking, national and international travel, local conservation campaigns, political action, and programs for people of all ages.
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