Solar, Birds, and Hiking - Get Away Weekend October 12-13, 2024

By Jan Bradford

Come and enjoy an educational day of learning about how Solar Panels are being used on our farms and houses in the Oregon, IL, area. We will also learn how solar is being used for indoor gardening and year around. Then after checking into our overnight rooms at the lovely Stronghold Retreat Center, we’ll have dinner. We will see a show with seven live birds of prey, and learn what we can do to protect the birds in our communities and how important they are to our environment.

On our second day, we will start with breakfast then check out of our rooms and go to beautiful White Pines State Park for a leisurely hike to see fall colors of our natural trees and possibly identify birds too.

Deposit of $150 required for fees, meals, lodging, and presenters for a fun get away weekend full of solar learning, a presentation of our live birds of prey, and hiking in one of our beautiful Illinois State Parks for fall colors. Sign up here.

Clean Energy Initiatives Still Needed in Illinois

By Jeff Gahris

With the planet hitting record temperatures, there is much reason to be concerned. As a reader of this newsletter, you have probably thought into what to do next. Years ago, I had conversations with two Environmental Protection Agency colleagues about climate change, and was surprised to hear they either questioned the reality of climate change, or said it was a problem for our grandchildren. That provoked some thought and research on my part. Mine began with research, only to see the problem was both real and concerning. On an individual level, it helps to convert concern or anxiety about the climate into concrete action.

Here’s a checklist on how we can “move the needle” for making progress at home and in our broader community.

(1) Electrify our homes! This can be a tough one, but ditching the hazardous gas stove is a great way to start, or at least use an efficient and affordable induction countertop cooker for many everyday cooking tasks. You will find great resources here, https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/ The federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers significant incentives, and millions of households are taking advantage.

(2) Go solar. Thanks to the IRA and the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, the cost of solar is surprisingly low for homeowners with access to suitable rooftops. Community solar is available for those who don’t have a good roof.

(3) Get active. We’ve made great progress in Illinois, but we still have a way to go to assure a beneficial and just transition to a clean energy economy. Sierra Club’s Illinois Chapter is a leading member of the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC), which supports the following legislation:

·       Clean and Reliable Electric Grid Act, SB3637

·       Clean and Equitable Transportation

·       Clean and Healthy Buildings

See ILJC Platform.

These are complicated issues, but your engagement with your state elected representatives will make a difference! Take action using our on-line petition.

Referendum to Support the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

By Connie Schmidt 

We residents of DuPage are very fortunate to have the amazing Forest Preserve District of DuPage. Although as Sierra Club members, many of us are probably out in the preserves on a regular basis, some residents might take them for granted at times. The mission of the Forest Preserve has a clear impact on the superb quality of life we enjoy here in DuPage: “to acquire, preserve, protect and restore natural resources …while providing opportunities for all people to connect with nature.”

In July, the Commissioners of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage voted unanimously to propose a tax increase referendum on the November 5 election. It would be the for preservation of woodlands, wetlands, and prairies through a myriad of projects and efforts. If approved by voters, the increase to the property tax rate for the Forest Preserve District would be .035% above the current rate. For an average home in DuPage, worth $300K on their tax bill, this change adds up to about $3 per month or $36 per year.

There has been no increase in the tax rate to the Forest Preserve District in DuPage since 2006; however, much has changed in the last 18 years. The visitor rate has grown from 3 million to 5.5 million annually, 30 miles of rivers and streams have been restored, and 600 new acres of land and 30 new miles of trails have been added.

This referendum includes these important efforts:

•             Increased protection of watersheds to improve the water quality of rivers, lakes, and streams and protect drinking water sources

•             More reduction of flooding in our communities

•             Improvement of our air quality by planting trees

•             Increased preservation and restoration of wildlife habitat

•             More support for public safety with our Forest Preserve Police initiatives

•             The preservation of over 250 new acres of land.

With land prices skyrocketing and natural lands dwindling we must act now to preserve our last remaining acres for our children and our grandchildren before this land is lost to development. I am grateful that the leaders of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage are bringing this question before voters to determine if an increase in the levy can be made to support our valued resource of  land and water that the Forest Preserve District protects and cares for, in our communities. Check out this brief video here to learn more.

River Prairie Group's Autumn 2024 Programs

We meet at the Glen Ellyn History Center, 800 N. Main St, Glen Ellyn, at 7pm.

Sept 25, DuPage Forest Preserve Referendum 

Join us for a presentation on the referendum request for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Learn how our preserves have grown since the last referendum in 2006 and why this is being proposed. Sign up here for this informative chat about caring for our beloved open spaces here in DuPage.

Visit www.voteYESdupageforest.org to learn more and see how you can help.

Oct 16 - Healthy Lawns, Driveways, and Homes

How can you protect your family from the health effects of chemicals that are commonly found in lawn-care products, coal-tar sealants, and ordinary household products? Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, autism, ADHD, lower IQs, endocrine disruption, diabetes, and other maladies. Learn from the latest research about how to have a healthy home. Join us for a fascinating and informative presentation from Jean-Marie Kauth, PhD, MPH, Professor, Benedictine University and Warrenville Environmental Advisory Commissioner. Author Jean-Marie will give you the science behind keeping your home safe, inside and out, for your family from chemical products.

Register here.

Nov 20 -  Bat Conservation

Join us and learn about the bats in Illinois with the Illinois Bat Conservation Program! We will talk about Illinois’ 13 bat species, what work does a bat biologist do to help monitor bat species, and what you can do to help conserve bats right in your own yard!

Register here.

The Quickest, Most Powerful Thing You Can Do

By Linda Sullivan

Minute for minute, the quickest, most powerful thing you can do to save the planet is to click on this link and vote for Sierra Club endorsed candidates.

Federally, Illinois’ endorsed candidates include some of the most important Congressmen and Congresswomen in the Congress for battling climate change. Our own DuPage Climate Nerd (who federal election rules prevent us from naming in this article but you can find by clicking this link) was instrumental in fighting attempts to strip climate protection from the Inflation Reduction Act. Remember “No Climate, No Deal”?

We have three scientists/engineer Congressmen with business experience whose districts are partly in DuPage and whose journey to Sierra Club endorsement started with the River Prairie Group. Their passion and unique skills make them among the most effective environmentalists in Congress. Be sure to click the link to find out who they are.

Our endorsed candidates in the General Assembly have been battling to protect our Illinois wetlands after the Supreme Court gutted wetland protection in the Clean Water Act. They are working to build infrastructure for electric cars, stop unregulated pipeline construction, decarbonize the industrial sector, and save pollinators. You can find these endorsed environmental heroes by clicking the same link.

Few government entities have a more immediate effect on the quality of life in DuPage than the Forest Preserve District Commission. Be sure to vote DOWN BALLOT for our endorsed candidate! Yes, named on the link.

River Prairie has a robust program of canvassing and writing postcards for candidates. Our canvassing and postcard parties will be on our events calendar: https://www.sierraclub.org/illinois/events-calendar. Or email lsullivan23@hotmail.com.

Hope you will join us!

 

Chatter from the Chair, Sept 2024

 Hello my fellow River Prairie Group members,

Have you been out on the trails to see the Olmec exhibits? For a quick YouTube explanation of this fascinating Mexican Cultural Arts display of 33 different heads, click here. This exhibit was curated with help from the Mexican Cultural Arts Center in West Chicago. It is a celebration of the ancient Olmec culture from the southern region of Veracruz, Mexico. Above, you see one of six of the colorfully painted heads displayed around the natural features of St. James Farm in Warrenville. There is another cluster of 10 heads at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn. For a complete map of locations and some background information, check out the official website here.

With election season bearing down upon us, the River Prairie Group volunteers will be incredibly busy supporting our endorsed candidates. We have endorsed multiple candidates running for Springfield seats, and the National Sierra Club has endorsed Kamala Harris for President. You have an opportunity to get involved and phone bank, walk your neighborhood and let your neighbors know who these candidates are. Most importantly, make sure you vote!!! Please see the articles in this edition for information to jump into this important arena. If you are unsure of how to participate, email me. Cschmidt527@gmail.com

In addition to the elections previously mentioned, the leadership for the IL chapter of Sierra Club and your own River Prairie Group both have elections this fall, as well. If you are a menber of the Sierra Club, watch for voting instructions in the mail about how to vote for officers in your Club and Chapter.

And one more voting issue, read the article about the Forest Preserve District of DuPage Referendum, which will also be on the November Ballot. Best of all, our September program will feature the details of that referendum with a guest speaker from the District. Articles are also included for the October and November programs.

There are plenty of other informative articles here, such as our local activity on behalf of native bees with the DuPage Monarch Project.

I hope to see you at one of our programs coming up this fall and encourage you to check our activity calendar for outings this fall, as well. Take care, and I hope you can get involved to support a local campaign.

Connie Schmidt

Chair River Prairie Group

Cschmidt527@gmail.com

630.234.3029

Chatter from the Chair

By Connie Schmidt

Hello to my friends from the River Prairie Group. Tabling season is in full swing with members of RPG leadership sharing information on the Sierra Club, DuPage Monarch Project, Plastic Reduction, and Clean Energy at many events. We are collecting names at tabling events to share the newsletter hoping to engage new members. I welcome you to email this newsletter to share with friends to welcome them to join our activities.

As we engage in our Lobby work for policy and laws in Springfield, it is more and more obvious that most of our DuPage County legislators are friendly to environmental legislation. This (in part) is due to many years of lobby and education work done by members of the RPG Lobby Team. See the article on the initiatives we are working for in 2024. Our own Senator Laura Ellman is the lead sponsor on the Wetland Bill that will restore IL regulations to what the federal rules were, before they were rescinded. Many thanks to the RPG folks who went to Springfield for the Annual Lobby Rally, May 9.

Check out the spring program recap, where many of you may even see yourselves in the photos. Many thanks to our presenters for sharing their valuable experience and information with us. In another article, Bob Barbieri writes of his adventure to see the eclipse in southern IL. What an amazing opportunity that was for many of us! There is even an article I wrote on an inspirational author who presented at a conference I attended.

As we put this newsletter together, our hope is that it helps you feel connected with RPG and each other. Again, I encourage you to share it and to reach out if you have questions. I hope to see you on the trail or at one of our events soon. Please look over the link to the calendar, which is updated frequently here.