The Fall fundraiser originally scheduled right after Hurricane Wilma, has been set for this Saturday March 24, 2006 at the Rusty Pelican Restaurant in Key Biscayne.

Special thanks go to the Maria Papazian and the Fundraising Committee for their Herculean efforts... Feel Free to make your reservations if you haven?t done so yet. Tickets may be purchased by contacting Maria at 305-519-0877 or mdpapazian@ms n .com.

Mr. Jim Defede will stir the pot with his wit and humour. Along with live music and plenty of fine wine from our sponsors should prove to be a great evening!

Tickets are $100.00 per person/ $1000.00 a table. Please consider investing in our local group!

Previously made reservations will be honored. Due to the nature of this event, Contributions to this event will not be tax deductible....

Nate Geisler- Hold the line campaign

The Miami-Dade County Commission will soon be making their decisive votes on the applications to move the Urban Development Boundary.

The next step is for the County's Planning Advisory Board to meet and make final recommendations for the County Commission. Be watching for a confirmed date for this hearing and the following:

CURRENTLY THE FINAL HEARINGS FOR APPLICATIONS TO MOVE THE "URBAN DEVELOPMENT BOUNDARY" ARE SCHEDULED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE ON:

APRIL 18, 19, and 20 at 9:30 am.

Note: These dates are subject to change by the County Commission

Stephe n P. Clark Center111 N.W. 1st Street, Second Floor ChambersMiami, Florida 33128

Rick Lapworth DCSTA President

A board meeting of the Dade County Science Teacher's Association (DCSTA) held March 16, 2006 passed a resolution in support of maintaining the Urban Development Boundary line at its current location.

In addition to the plethora of reasons offered by other groups, organizations and municipalities DCSTA cited the potential decreased effectiveness of the Everglades Restoration Plan as a reason to keep the current location of the UDB.

Board members stated that the Everglades Restoration Plan was based on the current location of the Urban Development Boundary Line. We feel that modification of this line would call into question the entire Everglades Restoration Efforts.

PRESS RELEASE

Michael Grunwald, a prize-winning national reporter for The Washington Post, will discuss his latest book, The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida and the Politics of Paradise. In this book, he takes readers on a riveting journey from the Ice Ages to the present, illuminating the natural, social and political history of one of America's most beguiling but least understood patches of land, the Florida Everglades. Michael will also sign books.

Michael Grunwald's new book The Swamp has been hailed as "...the most important book about the Everglades since River of Grass."

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 6:00 p.m. Tropical Fairchild's Garden Visitor Center Ballroom

Mike Matthews

United States senator Bill Nelson, in his address at the annual Everglades Coalition conference held at Hutchinson Island, FL last month, applauded our efforts to realize the construction of the Tamiami Skyway.

And well he should, for the Tamiami Skyway is nothing less than the heart of Everglades restoration.

But after the conference the, the Corps released its Record of Decision, where it announced its final plans for modifications to the outdated Tamiami Trail. The Corps has decided to go with the infamous ?2/1 split plan??a 2-mile bridge on the eastern-most part of the 11-mile stretch, and a 1-mile bridge at the western-most, with the middle being raised by piling more asphalt on top of the dilapidated roadway.

The Miami Herald has found this plan lacking, and called it a ?$125 million two-bridge patch-up?.

The 11-mile stretch of Tamiami Trail (US Highway 41) dams-up Shark River Slough like a tourniquet, depriving the greater Everglades, Everglades National Park, and Florida Bay of their life blood freshwater. Flowing freshwater is the very essence of the Everglades ecosystem; you cannot have Everglades restoration without it. The Tamiami Skyway is the acknowledged best way to let the water flow, but we need your help to make sure that it gets built.

It is very disappointing that the Corps is ignoring its own Environmental Impact Statement, which says that the Skyway is the environmentally preferred and best buy alternative. We'll actually get more measurable units of restoration per dollar with the Skyway than with any other plan.

Modification work to Tamiami Trail is coming SOON! (2007), You can help. Please contact these elected officials, and let them know that the Tamiami Skyway is the only path to true Everglades restoration:

U.S. Representative Mario Diaz Balart DC office: (202) 225-2778 Fax: (202) 226¬0346, Miami office: (305) 225-6866 Fax: (305) 225-7432

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson DC office: 202-224-5274, Fax: 202-228-2183 Orlando office: 407-872-7161 (toll free from Florida at 1-888-671-4091), Fax: 407-872-7165, senator@billnelson.senate.gov

U.S. Senator Mel Martinez DC Office: 202-224-3041, Fax: 202-228- 5171Orlando Office: 407-254-2573, Fax : 407 -423- 0 9 4 1 http://martinez.senate.gov/index.cfm

To volunteer your time or resources to our campaign, contact Jonathan Ullman, Sierra Club Regional Field Representative, at 305-860-9888 or e-mail jonatha n.ullman@sierraclub.org.

Karen Gorenstein

One thing that makes me feel at home when I am on Sierra Club trips is the presence of Nalgene bottles. You don?t have to own one to be a club member, we own reusable water bottles because they are just so practical & earth-friendly. Two articles on the consequences of drinking bottled were recently published in the mainstream press. Perhaps this is a sign that our disposable society is starting to reconsider its wasteful ways.

According to the Feb 4th article from One-World posted on Yahoo, the convenience of drinking bottled water does not outweigh the costs. Tap water flows to us through an already existing relatively energy efficient infra¬structure. But crude oil is needed to create the bottles themselves, to transport the heavy bottled water to consumers and finally more energy is expended to dispose of them. In addition, according to the article, 86% of used wa¬ter bottles become garbage or litter.

Here?s the paragraph that really made me mad: ?Making bottles to meet Americans demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S cars for a year?. Now that?s a lot of wasted oil.

I know many people will argue that they drink bottled water because it?s healthier. This isn?t necessarily the case. When you factor in that the water tables are lowering in communities where bottlers extract their water you finally begin to see the real costs ofthat choice.

As a Sierran you already recycle, use a reus¬able water bottle and try to minimize your impact on planet earth. Try to inform others by sending them this article to read, or sharing some of the facts mentioned in the linked articles. Lets try to be smart about our choices. The easiest thing to do us set an example, reuse and recycle your bottles proudly, and loudly!

What can we do to help our friends and col¬leagues, change their wasteful habits? Send us your ideas at kareng@ICOmiami .org (write causeways in the header). We?ll post your suggestions in next month?s Causeways.

PRESS RELEASE FROM WEBSITE

For the FY 2006 program period, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) will will target schools that have been designated by the State of Florida as emergency shelters. These sites will apply to receive a 10-kilowatt grid-tied PV system with battery back up. The system will be wired into the facility?s emergency shelter for use during normal grid operation as well as during periods of grid failure.

The program?s standard 10-kW solar electric photovoltaic system is directly connected to the utility grid during normal operation, but can also operate independently from the electric grid as a battery back up system. The PV System includes only UL-listed hardware and meets all local, state, and national electric code equipment and interconnection requirements, including those established by the local electric utility.

The energy education component of the SunSmart Schools program will create a venue for teachers to explore renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy conservation using inquiry based activities, as well as materials from science kits and data gathered from photovoltaic systems at schools sites. Participants will gain confidence and understanding of the energy concepts thus aiding them in teaching these concepts in the classroom.

Stephen Mahoney PHOTO Robinson

On February 17 the 2006 Great Parks Summit was held at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Miami Group Excom chair Rod Jude was in attendance as was member .

Highlights of a far-reaching program included an inspirational welcome by Miami Dade County Mayor, Carlos Alvarez. The theme of the program was to develop sustainability in park systems.

The first speaker was Fred Kent, the president of the Project for Public Spaces who stated that if you define places around people you gather more people citing examples such as a major square in Mexico City and a great place in Barcelona as examples.

He stated that a city needs 10 Places and that the community is expert in evaluating the quality of places. Following him was Jim Bowen, the vice president of the River City Company responsible for the Chattanooga Renaissance. This showed how a downtown in decline could be rejuvenated into one of the most liveable cities in the US. He outlined how public and private cooperation implemented the Tennessee Riverpark.

After lunch spent in the Fairchild Tropical Garden Charles Jordan, the Chairman of the Conservation Fund spoke about the Progressive Park System and how it should be a place to keep the youth engaged and thereby plant the seeds for social harmony.

OPINION Robinson

A little known proposed I-95 ramp project (#4107261) along Overtown's 14th Street is causing quite a stir in this community. It seems as if the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) wants to place ramp access next to a high school, park and youth center.

Student pedestrian safety concerns are serious issues in the Overtown community. Out of all the Miami NET neighborhoods, only Overtown has 4 elementary schools and a high school with no working school zone flashing lights.

The proposed ramps would interefere with the entrance of Booker T. Washington Senior High School and would place students in jepoardy as they cross this corridor on their way home or to extracurricular activities.

Why would FDOT propose a project? They cite a 1998 study by FIU stating that this ramp would provide greater access to Overtown residents to I-95. This would help make up for the construction of I-395 which negatively altered Overtown forever.

Yet, The overwhelming majority of Overtown Residents do not drive cars and there are numerous ramps within a 6 block radius where access is convenient.

FDOT also failed to mention other ideas which were never implemented (like the extension of the metromover into Overtown.) Nor did FDOT cite the over 200 annual accidents along the 12th street I-95 ramp. Can you imagine 200 accidents outside a high school?

The Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC) has proposed a draft resolution to deny this projects's construction.

If you would like to have this project removed form the Long Range Transportation Plan please write to Carlos Roa rcf@miamidade.gov

For more information on this issue contact Denise Perry at info@poweru.org

OPINION J. Bradley

Finally. With gridlock growing like a steroid-crazed kudzu vine along the South Beach/downtown Miami nexus a smart, technologically feasible transit alternative is nearly arrived. Three cheers for Miami for showing the cojones to confront the snarling gridlock monster that?s threatening to whelm us! Hi- rise buildings and mega-parking garages, diesel- spewing buses, gas-guzzling SUVs and the increasing flocks of tourists and Kendallites in rentals are slowly, in the hot Florida sun, melding into one giant wheezing, choking, polluting puddle of massy metal. Streets can?t get wider (and surely don?t get safer!), so tempers get shorter, drivers become riskier, and everyone gets nowhere fast.

Yet, the "Gridlock Empire" grows exponentially with every new truck-size car, primed on expensive high- grade gas sucked from the sands of far-flung Arabay, that hits the street. Enough! When does a traffic jam finally become one too many?

Enter the trolley. Quietly whisking you past that fuming, fumbling mayhem of tin and tires you read your paper, plan your day, channel the vibe of passing palms, paradise and pretty people (hey, it?s Miami!). Doesn?t have a snowball?s chance, you say? Well, dig this. It hasn?t even laid a rail, yet it?s already expanded! See, that?s the thing about streetcars?they raise property values, bring infusions of cash for streetscaping and pedestrian- friendly improvements, and increase business wherever they go?people want them around.

And unlike buses, they actually ride them! (Now there?s a novel idea: think I?ll leave the car home today and take the streetcar!). Either way, it?s the first tap on the funeral drum for the Miami gridlock monster. As streetcar lines weave further afield, those drumbeats will become faster and louder until they?re one long, steady roll

Ken Smith

Join us at the March meeting and bring your 2006 pledge to Planet Earth. Commit to representing Sierra Club at one (or more?) festivals this year. Agree to make one phone call a month to a legislator, or to donate $50 (or $1000) to the Miami Group or to candidates who support a greener agenda, or to host a tea (or cocktail) party for 20 Sierrans in your neighborhood.

Join the membership or conservation or fundraising committee. Whatever it is, come and pledge it in April.

A fine time was had by all that attended last Weekend's Everglade Benefit Concert held at Tobacco Road. If you weren't there you MISSED it!!!!

PHOTO- ALANA DIMMICK

April 8, 9 Prairie Lakes Backpacking. Overnight trip to Prairie Lakes for backpacking. Easy fun trip for all. Leisure. Limit 8. Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers. Leader: Dan Cruse, 305-661 2975, 6580 Santona St. #27, Coral Gables,33146. Asst: Madeline Piero, 305-595-9376.

April 23 Annual Sierra Club Picnic. Join your friends for a fun day at the annual picnic. Details: TBA. Leader: TBA.

PHOTO ALANA DIMMICK

April 10, 2006 Jim Robertson, president of BioFuels America, Inc. will be giving a general talk on BIODIESEL. Biodiesel has been getting much press lately in Brazil. Their country uses cars that operate on ethanol and gasoline.

May 8, 2006 Serena Cruz Women's Health and the environment

June- December, 2006 open but filling up fast....Do you know someone who wants to speak?? Contact mike at miamisierra@gmail.com.

email: miamisierra@gmail.com

web: http://florida.sierraclub.org/miami/