Plastic, animal rights
top meeting agendas
The Sierra Club’s Northeast Florida Group offers regular meetings in Jacksonville, in Ponte Vedra, and—beginning Feb. 1—in St. Augustine. Our meetings are free and open to all.
Jan. 13, Monday, 7 p.m.
, at Lakewood Presbyterian Church, 2001 University Blvd. W. in Jacksonville, in the rear of the education building. Dr. Maia McGuire, the University of Florida marine scientist who was featured at the club’s October meeting, returns to lead a full discussion on microplastics in the ocean and what we can do. Refreshments from 6:30-7 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
Feb. 1, Saturday, 10 a.m.
Our first St. Augustine meeting. Please see the separate article.
Feb. 5, Wednesday, 6 p.m.
at the Ponte Vedra Library. A nationally-known animal rights lawyer will present a different way of looking at animals. “Animals are the only beings capable of suffering whom U.S. law classifies as property,” says Elizabeth DeCoux who has taught animal rights law for more than 20 years. “With few limitations, people may do whatever they want with their property. So, until the law changes, the fate of animals depends on each human’s morals and ethics. Submitted for your consideration will be one argument for according greater moral status to animals.”
March
. To be announced.
April
. To be announced.
May 11, Monday, 7 p.m.
, at Lakewood Presbyterian Church, 2001 University Blvd. W. in Jacksonville, in the rear of the education building. Josh Gellers, a UNF associate professor of political science, will speak on “Human Rights and the Environment: Origins, Impacts, and New Directions.” He will explore different human rights approaches to environmental protection. Social time starts at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.
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Sierra meetings start
in St. Augustine
The first of a continuing series of Sierra Club meetings in St. Augustine will start next month.
The inaugural meeting, will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship building, 2487 A1A South, in St. Augustine. Park in the lot behind the building and use the building’s rear entrance; it is handicapped accessible.
Nicole Crosby, of Save Guana Now, will discuss the placement of geotubes—large sausage-shaped tubes designed to prevent erosion— on our beaches and beach renourishment in general.
The meetings are free and open to all. Sierra Club members and non-members are invited to attend.
These meetings are intended to make it easier for St. Augustine area residents to participate in the activities of the Sierra Club’s Northeast Florida Group and are in addition to the meetings regularly held in Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra.
Write to
John Pilecki
or text him at
215-896-8656 for more information.
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Outside in January:
Paddles, Hikes Await
With the cooler weather, we have a great outdoor lineup this month. To see full outing descriptions and RSVP for any of the events, go to our
website
or
Meetup pages.
All the outings are free (except for park fees) and are open to all. Some outings require a greater level of fitness and skill than others. No pets or firearms allowed on outings. Outing participants are required to sign a waiver and release of liability at the start of the outing. Here is a copy of
the waiver form
.
You'll get one to sign at the outing.
Wednesday, Jan. 1, 9:30 a.m.
New Year's Day Kayak Pellicer Creek. Let's have a wonderful morning paddle for the New Year and welcome in 2020!
Saturday, Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m.
Kayak Trout Creek. We will paddle up Trout Creek about 3 miles and back. Trout Creek is usually a quiet creek, great for the novice paddler. Very scenic. This time of year, we might see manatees.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m.
A Walk Through History on the Yearling Trail. We'll hike for 5.5 miles through Pat's Island in the Ocala National Forest. This is the "Big Scrub" area that so fascinated author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. She spent time here with the Long family, and their stories inspired Rawlings’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Yearling (1938).
Saturday, Jan. 18, 9:30 a.m.
Kayak and Wildlife Viewing Salt Creek in St. Augustine. We will launch from the Lighthouse boat ramp. Depending on the wind, we'll travel south to the state park or north past Davis Shores over to the Lions Bridge.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m.
Urban Fitness Hike, Brooklyn Loop. The hike will take place in a historic Jacksonville neighborhood and use its streets and sidewalks to create a 5-6-mile loop. Participants should be capable of hiking at a fast pace for an extended period.
Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m.
Two-fer along the Intracoastal—Paved trails and then some woods. We'll visit two beautiful parks along the Intracoastal, Castaway Island Preserve for a short walk on paved trails and (optional) Dutton Island Preserve, a 1.5 mile hike in the woods.
Sunday, Jan. 26th, 1 p.m.
Hike the Julington-Durbin Preserve. We'll meet at the trailhead and walk through the two blazes which equals 6.1 miles. We will move at a brisk pace, so please be prepared.
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Highest honor: State Conservation Chair Tim Martin, Northeast Florida Chair Janet Stanko, and Florida Chair Alyssa Cadwalader
Northeast Florida leader wins top state award
The chair of Sierra’s Northeast Florida Group, Janet Stanko, has been awarded the Florida Chapter’s highest honor.
Janet, who has been chair of the Northeast Florida Group’s executive committee since 2011, was awarded the Florida Chapter Medal at the state quarterly meeting in Lakeland last month. She received a standing ovation from the 50 people there who represented 15 of the club’s 17 Florida groups.
The medal is awarded sporadically, only when an individual particularly merits it.
Janet became involved in the Sierra Club in 1993 when she retired from a corporate job and was looking for something meaningful to do. Sierra was her clear choice. “To me, there was no question about how I wanted to spend my time,” she said.
I discovered that the world didn’t end with challenges to authority
Her first big project was serving as a Sierra representative in organizing a 1999 challenge to the air and water pollution coming from JEA coal-fired power plants and persuading JEA to adopt a clean energy program.
From then until now, many other state and local projects followed. She currently heads a state committee seeking changes in single-use plastic use.
After Janet received the award, she told the state members that private people are often reluctant to take on powerful interests. She added, “But I discovered that the world didn’t end with challenges to authority,” and sometimes the environment wins.
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Free program offers
tips for a happier yard
A Sierra leader will offer tips for your yard in two separate programs on two Fridays this month. Both are free and open to all. Both will be at the Jewish Community Alliance, 8505 San Jose Blvd., 32217. Both will run from noon to 1:30 p.m.
The first one, about planting trees, will be Friday, Jan. 17. The second, about home landscapes, will be on Friday, Jan. 24. Lisa Williams, a Northeast Florida Sierra executive committee member, will be the presenter at both.
The Jan. 17 program will lead you into the joys and benefits of planting large native trees that offer beauty and flair while providing shade and cooling and aiding the environment more generally. Come to learn more about how to make your yard attractive and functional for you and the larger world.
The Jan. 24 program focuses on backyard habit. This program will explore some of the Florida Friendly techniques we as homeowners can use to help make a difference for wildlife. When we understand that our home landscapes are a part of a larger natural system, this recognition can help guide us to make yards that are visibly appealing yet continue to provide those key ecosystem services.
When you are inspired by these ideas and start using some of them, the birds, bees and compliments you attract will be your reward.
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Lobby for the environment
in Tallahassee on February 6
Save The Date! Passionate about our environment and want to advocate on its behalf? Join us on Thursday, Feb. 6, to go to Tallahassee and talk to our elected representatives and senators about environmental issues.
The St. Johns Riverkeeper is organizing a bus for the round-trip trip to Tallahassee and welcomes Sierra Club members aboard.
It will be an early morning rise and shine (you can sleep on the bus), but once you are there, you will be swept up in the energy of fellow environmentalists and the opportunity to speak to your state representatives and senators about our issues and why they are important.
No experience needed—we will make the appointments with legislators and provide talking points about the key issues.
We’ll send an email later this month asking you to sign up, but right now, save the date on your calendar. Questions? Write to
Barbara Gubbin.
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St. Augustine Beach
ponders Fish Island future
An open meeting on the next steps for Fish Island will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, in the St. Augustine Beach City Hall meeting room
City officials will talk about the state’s role, the city’s role and the role of citizens in the planning the future of Fish Island— a 72-acre historic site that was recently purchased by the state and will be preserved from development.
In a related area, the
Matanzas Riverkeeper
is holding a Fish Island clean up on Saturday, Jan. 11th. Details are on the website.
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