Sierra Club Cedar Wapsie Group

Yes, we're updating your Cedar Wapsie Group web page. And we want to make it yours. Give us feedback. Send pictures, letters or links. We'll try and post what we can. We want to make it your web site and welcome your participation. Send what you've got to the Cedar Wapsie Webguy. Do it now.

Send us your favorite links, like the NRDC, Indian Creek Nature Center or the Iowa Prairie Network.
breathingearth, The Linn Greens

Check out the Environment & Sustainability website

Energy meetings scheduled
for public input

The newly formed Office of Energy Independence will host four meetings across the state to gather input from the public for the Iowa Energy Independence Plan. The purpose of the Energy Independence Plan is to outline strategies for Iowa to achieve energy independence by the year 2025.

"We want to gather input from as many Iowans as possible," said Roya Stanley, director of the office, in a statement. "We need to hear from a diverse group of people and stakeholders in order to come up with a bold and achievable energy plan."

Each meeting will be from 7 to 9:30 p.m. The meeting agenda will consist of a brief overview of the purpose of the Iowa Power Fund and some of the ideas being considered for the first annual Energy Independence Plan that is due Dec. 14. The office seeks input from interested parties regarding:

How Iowa can produce more of its own energy needs
How the office can help Iowans reduce their energy usage
How the Iowa Power Fund can wisely invest $100 million over the next four years to help the state to be more energy independent
How environmental protection and sustainability should be included in the energy plan
How OEI can continue to engage the public in helping to achieve these goals
How best to reduce state greenhouse gas emissions
How to improve Iowa's economy through energy efficiency and renewable energy

A meeting is scheduled for Oct. 22 at the North Ridge Pavilion, 2250 Holiday Rd., in Coralville. Other meetings will be held in Des Moines, Council Bluffs and Fort Dodge.

-- Some thoughts from Rob Hogg --

Greenhouse gas reduction goals should be a central guiding component of the plan. Iowa should set a goal of 80% reductions by 2050 along with several interim benchmarks.
The plan should envision for a significant increase in energy efficiency to meet new demand. Iowa should set a goal of meeting at least 2% of annual energy sales with energy efficiency and should aim to meet new demand with efficiency.
The plan should account for a significant increase in renewable energy, including wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass, so that by 2025 Iowa meets 25% of our electricity needs with renewable energy.
Iowa should not allow more conventional coal plants. Iowa should prioritize meeting our needs with efficiency and renewables. In the event coal is considered, Iowa must require that any new coal plant safely and permanently eliminate greenhouse gases (e.g., through a carbon capture and storage measure). Iowa must similarly prevent other major new sources of greenhouse gases.

If you are unable to attend, please send comments by October 30, 2007 to: Tommi Makila , Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 East 9th Street , Des Moines , IA 50319 ; or email to Tommi.Makila@dnr.iowa.gov.

Outdoor Gear Silent Auction
AND
Chili Luncheon

Saturday November 10
from 11 AM TO 1 PM

Adults/$5, Children/$2.50

The Cedar Wapsi Chapter of the Sierra Club and Indian Creek Nature Center invite you to seek great bargains on a collection of used outdoor gear while you enjoy an incredible lunch of homemade gourmet chili. Items will go to the highest bidders at 12:45 PM (bidding closes at 12:30). Join the fun, eat well, and go home with your new buys! Proceeds will go to support the two host organizations. Donations of gear are welcomed. Call 362-0664 for details. http://iowa.sierraclub.org/cwg
http://www.indiancreeknaturecenter.org

Sign up for the INSIDER

The Insider is a free electronic Sierra Club Newsletter and I think it's about the best publication on the web. Subscribe here... it only requires your email address. http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Signup_Insider

In This Edition of the Insider

Step It Up 2
Check Out the New Fiore Cartoon
Deadly Plastic Bags
Protect Your Local Forests
Clean Car Standards Victory!

A Chick Flick with Real Legs
Who wasn't saddened to read about the passing of Alex, the African Gray Parrot whose vocabulary and emotional development rivaled that of some politicians? Unfortunately, not all birds are quite that bright. Take Fowlie, the fine-feathered star of Mark Fiore's new animation "Cockle Doodle Doo Doo."

Fowlie's not sure what will happen after his corporate overlords finish fattening him up, but he does know that Senator Blanche Lincoln is trying to make us pay to get his cockadoodle doo doo out of our drinking water. See for yourself why we need to take action now!

Stunning Victory Over Automakers
In an important legal victory for the Sierra Club and its allies, a federal district court judge has ruled that New York and Vermont may enact the California Clean Car (Pavley) Standards, pending EPA approval. These standards, adopted by California and at least 11 other states, will reduce global warming emissions from cars by 30 percent when fully implemented in 2016.

The victory marks a watershed moment in the legal battle over the California standards and will undoubtedly have an important impact on similar cases pending in California and Rhode Island.

Sierra Club Insider. Keep in touch with what's happining out there.

No More Coal Fired Plants in Iowa

Keep alert and let them know you do not want more coal polution in Iowa. Be sure that the coal backers will try and spin the issue as another jobs vs environment issue. It's not.

And for background on the coal industry that's pushing this bad idea, download the Sierra Club report: "The Dirty Truth About Coal: Why Yesterday's Technology Should Not Be Part of Tomorrow's Energy Future."

Good News
and Inspirational Words

First of all, if you haven't subscribed to the Daily Ray of Hope newsletter, then you should. Each weekday you'll receive an inspirational quote to help you get out of bed in the morning and keep on keepin' on. I picked up this Emerson quote a while back. And everyday's photo and message seems better than the one before. What a GREAT daily message.

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photogs: Here's Your Chance!

But there's more! Daily Ray of Hope is now featuring photos from subscribers. If you'd like to see one of your best images appear in this newsletter, join the Daily Ray of Hope group on Flickr. You can check out the images of other photographers as well. http://action.sierraclub.org/
site/PageServer?pagename=Signup_DailyRayOfHope and http://www.flickr.com/groups/dailyrayofhope/

A monthly energy report from State Senator Rob Hogg is now available at his web site, www.robhogg.org. At this site, Rob is tracking his personal energy use, and hopes to list tips from constituents about how to save energy and reduce energy costs. Please send Rob your ideas for saving energy so he can post them to his web site.

State Senator, and fellow Sierran, Rob Hogg is doing a great job representing us in these difficult times. If you would like to receive his UPDATES via email, send him a note at robhogg@earthlink.net . Or contact him with any questions or concerns. One thing for sure is Rob will listen.

State Senator Rob Hogg
2750 Otis Road SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
(319) 247-0223 (h)

I'm Making A Difference For Sure

The Sierra Club is involved with Microsoft's IM (instant messenger) project. It's an easy and effective way to contribute towards the mission of the Sierra Club. Check it out here: http://im.live.com/Messenger/im/Causes/Sierra/ Now the Sierra Club has its own space--a blog, slide show, etc.--in Windows Live Spaces, where visitors can see the latest call to action, read-up on what's happening in our grassroots efforts, and join the "friend" list with an MSN or Hotmail email account. You can see it here: http://sierraclub.spaces.live.com/?lc=1033

Be sure to check Carl Pope's
"Taking the Initiative"

Highway 100 and Rock Island Preserve--

Position of Cedar-Wapsie Group of the Sierra Club

We are concerned about the Extension of Highway 100, since we believe that the purpose and need for the project has not been adequately justified in the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, nor in any public forum where this highway has been discussed.

However if a highway is absolutely going to be built, the Sierra Club opposes the building of Highway 100 through the Rock Island County Preserve and the Rock Island State Preserve.

Given the large number of endangered, threatened, of special concern, and rare plants and animals in the Rock Island Preserves, we believe that the construction of a four-lane highway through this area will cause significant environmental damage. Although in the past, we have indicated that we would consider building a parkway through the county preserve, the maps of the unique plant and animal species indicate that this idea would cause serious damage to those species.

We support the proposal presented by the Conservation Board at the 2004 joint meeting of the Linn County Conservation Board and the Linn County Board of Supervisors where Highway 100 would be routed north on Edgewood Road which would be extended to the north, then west on Tower Terrace Road which would be extended through the Chain Lakes Natural Area, then curving southwest to meet the proposed north-south route of Highway 100. This route would avoid Hanging Bog Preserve and the Rock Island Preserves. Although Chain Lakes Natural Area is also County Conservation property, this area is flood plain, is regularly scoured by floods, and is not the high quality natural area that the Rock Island County and State Preserves are. In exchange for the use of the Chain Lakes Natural Area, we support giving the abandoned railroad right-of-way bordering the Rock Island Preserves to the Conservation Board and developing it as a bike trail.

The Rock Island County Preserve is a unique area. It has a large number of rare and endangered plant species. There are a significant number of species of butterflies on the property. The Blanding's turtle thrives on the property. The Blanding's turtle is on the state's threatened species list.

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. -- George Eliot

Volunteers Needed

Fact: We need your help and participation.

The Sierra Club is a vibrant, active , and effective group of people like you. But our local groups cannot survive without your help.

Please help the Cedar-Wapsie Group continue by volunteering some of your time, energy, ideas, or skills.

Most of the Chair positions (left column) need help. Call any of these people to find out why they volunteer and how you can contribute.

Immediate Needs:
Membership
Outings

Care about the local environment, have a special skill, and want to make a difference? Volunteer by contacting Group Chair, Gary Gilbert, 377-8448 or any of the people listed on the left.

Enjoy the internet or maybe an interest in journalism? Contact Neila Seaman about helping on this website.

"On the edge of Cedar Rapids is a state preserve called Rock Island Preserve. It's a sand prairie so some of the plants, animals and insects are a little different from other tall grass prairies in Iowa . About half is woodland with walking trails making it a nice place, in town, to get the feeling that you're in the middle of nowhere."

From Living in Iowa , IPTV

For More Information
about activities going on in the Cedar Rapids area of Iowa, contact Mike Wyrick
(319) 362-6662. Mike knows know pretty much everything that is going on in this part of the state.

Do you have news? Or something to share? A favorite photo or story? Send it here and we'll post it if we can.