Sierra Club Yodeler

The Bay Does Earth Day sf-liana Thu, 2024-04-11 12:39

Earth Month is here, and as spring blooms around us, so do Earth Day events! Alongside our plethora of usual hikes and outings, we’ve put together a list of all the Earth Day activities across our entire Bay so you can easily select which to attend. From rallies to tabling to movie screenings and more, there are plenty of ways you can celebrate our Earth this month.  Read on for the full list, or select a location to find an event near you.

East Bay
San Francisco
Marin

Won’t be in the Bay for Earth Day? No worries! Check out the Sierra Club’s National Earth Day Calendar to find an activity near you.

From all of us at the San Francisco Bay Chapter, Happy Earth Month, and we’ll see you at an event!

East Bay Table for Earth Day - Hayward

When: Tues & Weds, Apr 16 - 17, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
Where: Chabot College 25555 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward

Join us for a tabling event for Earth Week at Chabot College! You are invited to join Julia Dowell, Senior Field Organizer for Sierra Club's Electric Sector Campaign, to educate the public on Sierra Club's energy campaigns and the local work of the SF Bay Chapter. 

Celebrate Earth Day and John Muir’s Birthday

When: Sat, Apr 20, 10 am - 4 pm
Where: John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez

Join the National Park Service (NPS) and the John Muir Association to celebrate John Muir’s 186th birthday, the 54th Anniversary of Earth Day, and the 69th Anniversary of the John Muir Association. The celebration features family-oriented activities, food for sale, live music, and exhibits by national parks and local environmental organizations. Parking and admission are free. 

Fremont Earth Day Fair Tabling

When: Sat, Apr 20, 11 am - 3 pm
Where: Downtown Fremont Event Center and Plaza

Join us in tabling at the City or Fremont’s Earth Day Event to promote all our hard work here at the Sierra Club. Spend the day in the plaza and see how local organizations and agencies are committing to a cleaner, greener, more sustainable future.

Beach Clean-Up at MLK Shoreline

When: Sat, Apr 20, 9 am
Where: MLK Regional Shoreline Arrowhead Marsh

Come celebrate Earth Day by helping to beautify MLK Regional Shoreline at Arrowhead Marsh. This is part of an East Bay Regional Parks District Earth Day cleanup. Bags, disposable gloves, and necessary supplies are provided, but feel free to bring your own gloves if you have them, alongside water, sun protection, and snacks.

Wild and Scenic Film Festival 2024

When: Sat, Apr 20 at 7 pm
Where: David Brower Center, Berkeley

Celebrate Earth Day with The Best of the 2024 Wild and Scenic Film Festival. The on-tour program will include this year's audience favorites, selected from hundreds of films that inspire environmental activism and a love of nature. Experience the thrill of outdoor exploration as you watch these captivating films that showcase the beauty of our planet and the importance of protecting it. From heart-pounding action to thought-provoking documentaries, there's something for everyone.

Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, an environmental advocate, or simply looking for a night of entertainment, this event is not to be missed. Grab your friends and join us for an evening of awe-inspiring stories and a celebration of the natural world. 

Berkeley Unified School District Climate Fair

When: Sat, Apr 20, 10 am - 2pm
Where: Longfellow Middle School Cafeteria

The 2nd annual Berkeley Unified School District Climate Fair is a celebration of student learning around Climate Literacy. The Climate Fair is a non-competitive showcase of middle school projects that explore the themes of climate change science, solutions, and climate justice, the core pieces of BUSD’s Climate Literacy Resolution, passed in November 2021. This free event is open to the BUSD community. In addition to the project showcase, the event will include hands-on activities, tabling from partner organizations, music, food, and prizes!

San Francisco Rally for the River at SF City Hall

When: Tues, Apr 23, 12 pm - 1 pm
Where: San Francisco City Hall

Join the Sierra Club and our allies as we rally on the steps of San Francisco City Hall to send a powerful message: The people want sustainable water policies that protect the environment, frontline communities, tribes, commercial and recreational fishing communities, and ratepayers.

Low flows along the Tuolumne River contribute to the decline of salmon populations, destroy Indigenous lifeways,  create toxic algae blooms, and disrupt the food chain and cycle of life in the SF Bay-Delta and beyond. Excessive water storage, skyrocketing water rates, and low river flows are not the answer. With taxpayer water rates poised to rise and river flows diminishing, we encourage SFPUC to take the next steps towards a more sustainable community, economy and river ecosystem.

Celebrate Earth Day in San Francisco

When: Tues, Apr 23, 11 am to 1 pm
Where: Gleeson Plaza, University of San Francisco, San Francisco

Join us as the Sierra Club San Francisco Group hosts a booth at the University of San Francisco Earth Day Celebration. Meet current and new members to discuss ongoing campaigns. Whether you're a long-time member or new to the community, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for the environment and to meet fresh faces at USF. We'll offer ways for you to take quick action on climate, pollution, and biodiversity! Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to celebrate Earth Day with your local Sierra Club!

Marin

No Earth Month events submitted yet. You can always check our activities calendar, and please stay tuned for updates to this page as more events roll in.

Chapter News Outings & Events

Despite Trial Decision, Hope Remains to Keep Coal Out of Oakland sf-liana Fri, 2024-03-29 15:25 Jacob Klein

The battle to keep coal out of Oakland hit a new milestone with the conclusion of the contract dispute trial between the City of Oakland and the would-be developers of a coal terminal, Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT). Though the trial has ended with a decision allowing developers to continue their plans with the terminal, the City of Oakland has already filed an appeal, staying the decision and maintaining the pause on development for the time being.

The case before Judge Noël Wise had both parties claiming that the other was responsible for breach of contract. The City argued that the developers had failed to meet certain milestones and deadlines, and thus wanted to end the contract. The developers argued that the City had blocked their ability to complete the requirements, thus delaying the construction and operation of the coal terminal, costing the developers money and depriving them of the profits they’d hoped to make.

In the initial phase of the trial, the liability phase, Judge Wise sided with the developers, finding the City liable for breach of contract. This led to the remedy phase where the court decided what the appropriate remedy should be for the breach. The developers argued for a stunning $160 million in damages, an amount that would have a detrimental effect on the City’s finances.

Fortunately, the judge rejected the developer’s claim for this astronomical sum of money for damages and instead gave the developers a choice: a much smaller amount of money, $318,000, OR reinstatement of the lease, extension of the construction deadline, and ability to develop.

The developers ultimately selected the reinstatement of the lease. However, it remains uncertain what their real drive is. When one of the original developers, Insight Terminal Solutions, went bankrupt, it was brought up by LA-based hedge funders. Since then, it doesn’t seem to have been a good return on investment. Do they really want to get into the dying coal market? Are they hoping to sell it off to another bidder?

Regardless, the future remains uncertain as this moves on to the appellate courts. The City hopes to reverse the liability decision.

Sierra Club remains committed to working with community partners and decision-makers to make sure that there is no coal dust in Oakland polluting the air and harming the public. To get involved and stay up to date as this next phase of the trial unfolds, sign up at addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/keep-coal-out-of-oakland.

Jacob Klein is the organizing manager for the SF Bay Chapter. Dirty Energy Environmental Justice

The Bay Chapter Turns 100 Years Old sf-liana Fri, 2024-03-29 09:38

We’re celebrating the centennial of the Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter, and you are invited! That’s right — 100 years ago, your very own SF Bay Chapter was born and began tackling our area’s most pressing environmental issues to build healthier, happier communities.

We’ll be commemorating the occasion with our annual awards ceremony, recognizing our most influential local activists who have been working hard all year (or for decades) to make the Bay Area a better place. The event will take place on May 18th, 2024 from 5 - 8 pm at the Berkeley City Club. It will include music, mingling, and much more. We hope to see you there!

A HUGE THANKS TO OUR EARLY EVENT SPONSORS!

Maggie Phillips
Donald Creighton (in memoriam)
Shirley Lowe
EBMUD
Minda Berbeco & Will Fertman
Jaime Green
Vicky Hoover
Nick Pilch, Planning & Zoning Commissioner
Igor Tregub & Maritessa Ares
Bill Smith
BART
SEIU Local 1021
Port of Oakland
Clifford Moss
Regional Parks Foundation
Colin J. Coffey, Board Member, East Bay Regional Park District
Earp Events & Fundraising
Rebecca Evans
Martha Kreeger
Debbie and Tadd Ottman

Chapter News

CYCP Program Wraps Up First Year sf-liana Fri, 2024-03-29 09:19 Sarah Ranney

On a chilly night in December, 40 high school students from around California gathered on Zoom to share their policy case studies and celebrate their graduation from the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program (CYCP), a new initiative from our Climate Literacy Committee that empowers students to take climate action into their own hands. With them to celebrate were representatives from Sierra Club California, Ten Strands, UndauntedK12, and the 20+ mentors who worked with the students every step of their way.

Over the course of five months, the student leaders of CYCP accomplished an ambitious learning agenda which included development of a personal leadership plan, field research to understand their school district’s existing environmental and climate policy, development of an advocacy campaign plan, building a coalition, and presenting their advocacy campaign at a school board meeting. Their advocacy plans included topics such as climate literacy, climate action plans, climate impacts and adaptation, zero waste, and transportation.

While young people often report high levels of climate anxiety and dread, it’s often said that action is the antidote to despair. Post-program surveys of CYCP students showed that the experience had a significant impact on student’s sense of agency and empowerment:

• 100 percent of students agreed that this program deepened their belief in the importance of civic engagement and democratic participation, with 87 percent of them strongly agreeing.
• 97 percent of students felt more or much more hopeful about the climate crisis and their role in it because of this program.

The idea of the CYCP program came together in the spring of 2023 as a partnership between Ten Strands, a leader in environment-based education, and the Bay Chapter’s Climate Literacy Committee. For members of the Climate Literacy Committee, this was a chance to put into practice many of the insights we’ve learned in our climate literacy work.

Since 2016, the Climate Literacy Committee has been a place for youth, teachers, activists, and organizers to pass and implement climate literacy policy in school districts, including successful efforts in Oakland, Fremont, and Berkeley. One thing these district policy advances have in common is the centrality of student leadership. In every district, students have set the vision, drafted the resolutions, formed the coalitions, and convinced the School Boards to take action. We have seen that students are a galvanizing force for climate action.

We took that knowledge combined with deep program knowledge from Ten Strands to  design a program built upon our combined experience and values. Every student received training, tools, and resources; was paired with a knowledgeable mentor; and received a $500 stipend at the program’s end for completing their personal leadership plan and advocacy campaign plan. The program design was built to ensure equity and attract students from diverse backgrounds, aspects that have often been barriers in climate work.

Our call for applications last spring was met with tremendous enthusiasm. The program received more than 300 student applications, of which 46 were accepted. We are proud that over eighty-five percent of CYCP student leaders identified as BIPOC, and more than eighty percent attend public schools. The cohort included students from across California, including twelve who live within the San Francisco Bay Chapter.

With the 2023 program now complete, we look back with pride at the huge strides the students took in five short months of working together. They gained confidence in talking to adults in positions of power, developed relationships with teachers, administrators, and board members, and got experience being agents for climate action.

Reflecting at the end of the program, Emma Wang of Pleasanton shared, “This program taught me a lot about how everyday citizens can have an impact on local decision-making and policy. I think students should attend programs like this one to better understand how they can play a role in making change."

Congratulations to the graduates of CYCP 2023! And thank you to the mentors and supporters who made the program possible. You can read the students' Final Case Studies or learn more about the California Youth Climate Policy program at tinyurl.com/youthclimateleaders. A toolkit of district policy resources will be made available later this spring.  

A few of the students, mentors, and supporters in attendance for the CYCP Capstone event, 12/7. Photograph taken by Stephanie Seidmon. 

Sarah Ranney is the Chair of the Climate Literacy Committee. Environmental Justice

Wastewater Dischargers Play Key Role in Protecting the Health of Our Bay sf-liana Thu, 2024-03-28 16:42 By Jacob Klein

In January, Chapter staff and volunteers took a tour of EBMUD to learn more about the wastewater utility’s water treatment process. The treatment plant in West Oakland receives wastewater from residences and businesses ranging as far north as Richmond and as far south as San Lorenzo.

The treatment of wastewater is of major concern to the health of the San Francisco Bay. EBMUD has been providing drinking water to East Bay residents since the 1920s, but its wastewater treatment began in the 1950s, and the Clean Water Act of 1972 set federal standards.

While significant strides have been made in the treatment of wastewater, we’ve grown increasingly concerned with certain nutrients that are impacting the health of the Bay. The harmful algae bloom in the summer of 2022 led to a massive fish kill. There are many contributing factors, but a key one is nutrient pollution, particularly nitrogen, which allows certain harmful algae to grow.

Around two-thirds of the nitrogen pollution in the Bay Area comes from wastewater dischargers, and the remaining third from agricultural runoff and other inflows. However, EBMUD is developing strategies to help reduce their nutrient load.

The Sierra Club prefers nature-based solutions to water and shoreline issues to the extent possible. However, EBMUD — surrounded by freeways and other developed property on three sides with the Bay on the fourth — doesn’t necessarily have the room to try out more expansive solutions, such as a living levee. Instead, they’re trying out different onsite treatment measures. This requires off-lining a portion of their regular treatment process in order to refit for further nutrient removal. Simultaneously, EBMUD must account for stormwater surges.

Wastewater treatment is a careful balance, but in order to assure the health of our Bay, we continue to push for high standards. That’s why as wastewater discharge permits come up at the Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board, Sierra Club will work for stricter controls on the amount of nutrient pollution allowed. Learn more at sierraclub.org/sfbay/blog/2023/09/recognizing-one-year-anniversary-bay-s-infamous-2022-algae-bloom.

Jacob Klein, Zephir O'Meara, Dani Zacky, Heinrich Albert, and Matt Bielby outside the EBMUD treatment facility on their tour of the plant.

Jacob Klein is the organizing manager for the SF Bay Chapter. Shorelines & The Bay

Heron and the Green Crayon sf-liana Thu, 2024-03-28 16:17

Learn more or get involved.

 

Shorelines & The Bay

Urgent and Unprecedented Opportunity to Protect Our Communities and Preserve Our Healthy, Living Bay sf-liana Mon, 2024-03-25 09:24

Our Bay Alive Campaign’s efforts to safeguard Bay ecosystems and enhance our communities’ resilience to sea level rise are yielding promising results! Cities and regional agencies are increasingly examining vulnerabilities, adopting policies to support sea level rise resilience, and embracing nature-based solutions that not only shield our communities but also nurture our precious Bay ecology.

Nature-based solutions, such as robust wetlands and engineered infrastructure harmonizing with the Bay's natural ecosystem, are more resilient and flexible, and can be more cost-effective over time compared to conventional fortified structures like sea walls. The importance of the Bay's living shoreline cannot be overstated. In addition to making the Bay Area a biodiversity hotspot of global significance, our Bay ecosystem provides essential support to our safety, health, and quality of life. From mitigating flooding and storm surge to carbon sequestration and purifying waste- and stormwater, the natural shoreline's vital functions will become increasingly indispensable as climate change intensifies and our communities grow.

In tandem with our ecological efforts, we are working to amplify the voices of under-resourced communities facing disproportionate threats from sea level rise. Local and regional agencies are increasingly investing in outreach and engagement with these communities, striving for  more equitable decision-making processes. In addition, the looming threat of legacy contamination mobilized by sea level rise is getting much greater attention. One of our principal goals is region-wide collaboration, commitment, and investment that empowers and supports communities with the least capacity to adapt, enabling them to safeguard their human, built, and ecological assets.

A Pivotal Moment: SB272, the Laird Bill

A new state law, passed in 2023, answered our urgent call for a coordinated regional approach to sea level rise. Effective this year, SB272, also known as the Laird Bill, created the first ever mandate that every shoreline jurisdiction submit a sea level rise adaptation plan for approval by January 2034. For the Bay shoreline, the law designates the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) as the state agency with authority to approve or deny those plans and tasks them with developing a Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) by the end of 2024. This Guidance will set minimum standards and criteria against which local, or subregional, plans are evaluated.

Over the past two years, in collaboration with environmental and environmental justice groups, Bay Alive advocated for strengthening the original Laird Bill, which did not pass its first year in the legislature, to prioritize natural ecosystems and social justice. With last-minute amendments in 2023, advocates  achieved stronger and specific language in the Bill including emphasizing environmental and social equity and “put nature first whenever possible” as instructions for developing the RSAP. With this stronger law, advocates gained valuable leverage to improve BCDC's first try at a vision for the RSAP. The result is a One Bay Vision Statement that deeply emphasizes both of these issues. As BCDC moves forward to implement that vision, developing specific guidelines for local plans, we need to stay vigilant. 

Urgent Window of Opportunity

Despite a strong foundational vision, challenges remain; there are no guarantees that a strong vision will translate into strong standards. Competing interests may vie for leeway in the RSAP guidelines to pursue shoreline land uses or development goals that could compromise our living Bay or reduce our ability to further adapt as sea level rise worsens. Also, cross-jurisdictional collaboration can be hard to come by. We look to BCDC to lead, incentivize, and facilitate region-wide accountability for equitable outcomes and a thriving Bay ecology. And we need all hands on deck to help them do so.

BCDC's planning process is moving swiftly to meet the December 2024 deadline. This window of opportunity is fleeting but crucial. Success this year could mark a singularly significant achievement for our living shorelines, our frontline communities, and the climate resilience of the entire Bay Area.

By year-end, the RSAP and guidelines will be a done deal. They will shape sea level rise adaptation in every single jurisdiction around the Bay. We, along with our Bay's natural ecosystem, will have to live with the results for decades. So please join us, spread the word, and help make sure that BCDC gets it right!  

Sign up to join our efforts or register to attend our lobbying training! Together, let's secure the future of our Bay.

Shorelines & The Bay

Developers given green light to proceed with plans for controversial Oakland coal terminal sf-liana Wed, 2024-01-24 11:12 Community Members And Environmental Groups Remain Committed To Stopping The Project

Contact
Sander Kushen, sander.kushen@sierraclub.org

UPDATE as of Wednesday, January 24: The City of Oakland has filed an appeal to this decision, which effectively prohibits OBOT from beginning construction on the coal terminal until the appeal has been decided.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Alameda County Superior Court Judge Noël Wise issued a final judgment today granting the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) permission to resume efforts to build a massive terminal for exporting coal near the Port of Oakland. 

Environmental organizations, community groups and council members have been working in partnership for years to prevent coal from coming into Oakland. The proposed project is widely opposed because of concerns that the coal terminal would contribute to climate change and significantly harm air quality, public health, and quality of life in West Oakland, which is already overburdened by some of the worst air quality in the region. 

In October, the court ruled against the City of Oakland and in favor of developers in the fight against the terminal. But while OBOT originally asked for almost $160 million in damages, they were given the choice of either taking $318,000 or proceeding with the opportunity to develop. OBOT elected to continue developing with a new deadline to begin construction by July 2026. Both parties now have sixty days to file an appeal of any part of Judge Wise’s decisions.

In response, Sierra Club, San Francisco Baykeeper, and Oakland resident Gracie Osborne issued the following statements:

Gracie Osborne, Oakland resident and Youth vs. Apocalypse Climate Justice Fellow, said:

“Despite how unpopular this project has been for residents of Oakland, Phil Tagami and other developers have continued with this misguided, hazardous terminal. But we won’t take this lying down or negotiate with our public health. 

“We’ll keep fighting to keep coal out of our backyards and toxic coal dust out of our lungs. I know this decision will only galvanize the community to fight even harder for environmental justice in Oakland.”

Jacob Klein, Sierra Club San Francisco Bay Chapter Organizing Manager, said: 

“This part of the case may be over, but the ultimate fate of the facility remains uncertain. The developers have to make their way through a gauntlet of permits, complex administrative and regulatory steps and unrelenting community opposition before they can even start construction on this thing.

“Our coalition remains strong, and we plan to continue to fight for the health and safety of Oakland communities. We will support the City in doing whatever it takes to shut down any possibility of coal storage and handling in Oakland.”

Ben Eichenberg, San Francisco Baykeeper staff attorney, said:

“If the developers decide to move forward with their plan to put a polluting coal export terminal in the Port of Oakland, even in light of the court’s decision, they can expect a long, uphill battle. For over a decade, frontline communities have demonstrated their resolve to keep this poisonous project out of West Oakland, and the Oakland city council and city attorney’s office have remained steadfast in opposing it every step of the way. The next legal move is for the City of Oakland to appeal the court's decision and stop this polluting project once and for all, which will help the residents of Oakland breathe a little easier."

Chapter News Dirty Energy Environmental Justice