Who
are we?
The
Sierra Club’s members are more than 750,000 of your friends
and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect
our communities and the planet. The Sierra Club, founded in 1892,
is America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental
organization.
Nationally,
the Sierra Club is working on 3 conservation initiatives (see
details at www.sierraclub.org):
Smart
Energy Solutions
Shift from reliance on fossil fuels
and nuclear power to safe, clean energy future built on efficiency,
renewable fuels and innovative technologies.
America’s
Wild Legacy
Protect wildlife and their habitat and preserving out wild and
special places.
Safe
and Healthy Communities
Fights pollution of our water and air toxic threats to communities
across America.
Nothing will influence the future of our planet, the security
of our nation, our economic stability or the health of our air,
water and wildlands more than the way we produce and consume energy.
Take
a Hike
Nearly
every weekend, the Thomas Hart Benton and Kanza Groups jointly
offer a variety of day hikes or over-night backpacking trips for
beginners, experienced hikers, and families.
Stop
Coal-burning Power Plants
As part of the Missouri Chapter’s Clean Energy Campaign,
the Kansas City Thomas Hart Benton Group has been opposing KCPL’s
proposal for a new, dirty coal-burning power plant since October
2003. KCPL tells us if they don’t build it the lights
could go out. We know better. Long-term energy needs for
the region can be met more responsibly with cleaner and cheaper
21st century technology, utilizing wind power and efficiency. See
highlights at http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb/issues.
Save
Missouri’s Forests
Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) has
faced the prospect of increased logging after several years of
relative quiet. Sierra Club works with other conservation groups
from around the state to coordinate forest protection efforts.
Early in 2006 the Forest Service developed a new Forest Plan for
MTNF. As expected the plan places too much emphasis on logging
and other extractive activities. It also reduces protection for
several important roadless areas. The Sierra Club, along
with other groups, is appealing the negative elements in the plan. The
MO Sierra Club is also working to block the sale of over 21,000
acres MTNF land that – part of the Bush Administration proposal
to sell up to 300,000 acres of publicly owned land.
Hidden
Valley Natural Area
The Thomas Hart Benton Group has adopted Hidden Valley
Natural Area. This area contains steep ravines with deep loess
soils which support a diverse natural community of several species
of ferns and spring wildflowers which grow in the shade of trees
such as oaks, shagbark hickory, and Kentucky coffeetree. As
adopters of Hidden Valley Natural Area, the Thomas Hart Benton
Group will organize workdays and provide volunteers to work on
projects to protect and restore the biodiversity and unique character
of this area.
Clean
Streams
Sierra Club members and staff are engaged in protecting
the integrity of steams and lakes throughout Missouri. Out water
is continually threatened by activities such as lead mining, in-stream
sand and gravel mining and large CAFOs. In addition, many water
bodies are profoundly degraded by agricultural pesticides, lawn
chemicals, industrial pollution, poor development practices, and
urban sprawl.
Stop
Lead Mining
Missouri is home to the world's largest lead mining operations.
Air and water pollution from lead mining and smelting facilities
can harm the environment with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium
and zinc and can pose a significant risk to human health. The
Sierra Club has successfully fought expansion of lead mining into
Missouri State conservation lands and within the Mark Twain National
Forest and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. This threat to
one of the finest areas in Missouri, rich with plant and animal
life, flowing cold water streams, deep forests, and picturesque
bluffs, is ever present. We must remain diligent.
Rein
in Corporate Agriculture
Giant industrial hog factories or Confined
Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are major polluters of Missouri's
air and water. The Sierra Club has worked at the state legislature
and in the field to hold the polluters accountable and to stop
all future construction of these facilities until appropriate
regulations are enacted and/or enforced.
Support
Locally Grown and Organic Produce
We regularly educate our members on the enhanced value and nutrition
of locally grown organic produce. Let us share our favorite organic
markets, restaurants, and recipes with you and your family. Please
see http://www.kcfoodcircle.org
for more information.
Transportation
Efficiency
We work with local, regional, and state agencies to promote public
transit, ride-sharing, bicycling, walking, and other alternatives
to driving alone. By doing so we help assure more transportation
choices for all citizens. We also encourage people to "live
closer to home,” thereby reducing their need to travel.
Urban
Sprawl Costs Us All
We work with local and regional public agencies to encourage smart-growth
and sustainable urban development practices that curb urban sprawl
and create more livable communities. In the process we help our
communities become more economically efficient, make better use
of tax dollars, and conserve natural resources and open spaces.
We
Invite You to Join Us
Our meetings feature a guest speaker, photographer, backpacker,
conservationist, or community leader who shares their ideas and
experiences with us. We hope you will come visit, and bring your
family or a friend!
Two
Sierra Club groups are active in the Kansas City area.
The local groups are all volunteer and financially self-sustaining.
Missouri
The Thomas Hart Benton Group with over 2400 members, is the local
unit of Missouri’s Ozark Chapter. The Group meets at the
Discovery Center, 4750 Troost, just east of the Plaza, the first
Tuesday of every month (except – June Picnic, July-no meeting)
at 7 p.m. For more information contact us at
thb-info@missouri.sierraclub.org
or visit us on the web at http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb.
Kansas
The Kanza Group with over 2000 members, is the local unit of the
Kansas Chapter. The Group meets at Overland Park Lutheran Church,
7870 West 79th Street, Overland Park, KS, on the 2nd Tuesday every
other month at 7:30pm. For more info call (888) 774 3772 or E-mail
melissa@missouri.sierraclub.org
or visit the Kansas Chapter on the web at http://kansas.sierraclub.org.
Thomas
Hart Benton Group / Sierra Club
P.O. Box 32727
Kansas City, MO 64171-5727
