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Greetings! Thank you for voting! The power of the individual to engage in the process keeps this experiment called democracy chugging along! This month we have finished the primary elections. All County Commissioners incumbents have been retained. Make sure you vote in the November 4th election! This month was a successful month. The National Sierra office sponsored a successful summit on the Everglades Skyway. Florida received its first ever American Solar Society Chapter. The Flamingo Lodge will be rebuilt due to your phone calls. Even with all of these successes, we still face some challenges. A condo on South Beach is trying to prevent access to Biscayne Bay. Florida Hometown Democracy needs your petitions to revert planning decisions to voters. The National Sierra Club has completed their National Energy plan. You can attend the Oct 12 workshop on Solar Energy at the MDCC Wolfson Campus. If you wish to see Solar Energy homes, you can travel to Central Florida for the National Solar House Tour Oct. 7,2006. Get out into NATURE! ICO took children to John Pennekamp Park. Festival Fever is becoming contagious. Outings offerings have exploded! With all of this information can you see why I am a little tardy for September? Robinson- Vice Chair Sierra Club-Miami Group
Thank you for voting during the primaries! All County Commission incumbents won their primary round. County Commissioner Primary Winners
The County Commission Salary increase did not pass but do not be surprised if it enters the November Election. The Sierra Club- Miami Group endorses salary increases for County Commissioners to a state adopted indexing-formula based on population. Look for more information in next month's edition. If you have not registered to vote you may still be able to do this online. Please follow the links to the Miami- Dade County Link page.
Kristina Trotta- National Sierra Club Associate On Thursday, September 21st, the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables was the setting for the Everglades Skyway Summit, a one day conference that brought together representatives from the business community, government agencies and environmental organizations to discuss the Everglades Skyway ? the best solution for restoring our Everglades. Jonathan Ullman of the Sierra Club gave an overview of how all of these pieces ? history, economics and engineering can all come together in our campaign to build the Everglades Skyway. The room was full as Rebecca Smith, a curator at the Historical Museum of South Florida, spoke about the rich history of the Tamiami Trail. She was followed by Dr. Richard Weisskoff, an economics professor at the University of Miami who told the crowd about the economics of the Evergades. Dr. Luis Prieto, a civil engineering professor at Florida International University later spoke on the role that bridges have played through world history. He discussed the mechanics of building the Skyway and how the structure would have significant meaning for the Miami-Dade community. The day wrapped up with the keynote speaker, Senator Bob Smith, president of the Everglades Foundation. The Senator gave the call to action, encouraging all of the participants to contact decision makers and to work to see an 11-mile Skyway become a reality. His speech was impassioned and left the attendees with the feeling that they must do their part to get the Skyway built. Although many were unsure of what to expect at the beginning of the day, the series of speakers gave a sense that the Skyway is attainable and that this is the campaign to get involved with. All participants were given an opportunity to join in on the excitement by endorsing the campaign and to take part in the subcommittees of the Everglades Skyway Coalition ? politics, community and business. To submit your organization or company?s endorsement of the campaign, or to join a subcommittee, please contact Kristina.tr otta@sierraclub.org
FREA PRESS RELEASE At the American Solar Energy Society's Solar Conference in July, FREA (Florida Renewable Energy Association) was formally accepted as the Florida chapter for ASES during its annual meeting. FREA is now on their website list for local chapters and in their membership enrollment system for members who want to join or pay dues to their local chapters. FREA looks forward to a long, productive affiliation with ASES and appreciates the assistance and support that affiliation will bring. This association was started as a collaboration of central florida Sierra Club members and others to aggressively pursue widespread adoption of energy independent solutions in Florida.
Robinson As reported in the Miami Herald Sunday Oct 1,2006, your phone calls are promoting the rebuilding of the Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park.
You can participate in the rebuilding future by
attending one of these future meetings.
You can also send comments via email via http://parkplanning.nps.gov . Follow the links for Everglades National Park. Please Keep in mind that the link is not up yet for FLAMINGO CSP/EA but should be up later this week. Alternatively, you can email me with your comments and I will send it onward: miamisierra@gmai l.com Comments by Regular mail can be sent : Everglades National Park attn: Fred Herling; FLAMINGO CSP 40001 State Road 9336 Homestead, FL 33034 Please be at one of these meetings to let park officials know that we (200,000 yearly tourists) want a future Flamingo Lodge!
When Waverly at South Beach Condominium Association had the nerve to build a fence around their property, citizens were outraged. This closed off the bay walk, a waterfront walkway meant to be open to the public. Planning Director Jorge Gomez said that eliminating public access to the bay would ``have a detrimental impact on the neighborhood and erode public confidence in the development review process.'' The city's Design Review Board has deferred the controversial request, but when the board takes up the request on Oct. 3 the answer should be a firm No. Your Sierra Club-Miami Group is presenting a Resolution to this meeting. Be there and show your support! Meeting Starts at 8:30am. Please see agenda Link for more information.
The next step to control unsustainable growth in our community is to restore the power to change master development boundaries to the voters. Engaged citizens across the state are getting fed up with elected officials changing boundaries that contradict smart sustainable development. Smart development aligns with infrastructure such as roads, sewers, parks, and schools. Miami is not alone in this struggle. Martin County is currently being challenged by unsustainable growth advocates. St. Joe is promoting a mega airport near its land holdings, Orlando continues its sprawl into the surrounding countryside. Please sign the petition to give back control of development to VOTERS! You can find the petition on the website. Please Spread the Word. If not you then W H O ???
The Sierra Club's National Energy Policy is now available online. Please feel free to follow the link at the end of this article to read the document in its entirety. The policy was drafted from engaged citizens across the country at a grass roots level. This policy was not some dictate by the National Office. A special thanks goes to our own Mark Oncavage who was one of the individuals working on the policy. One of the key components to this document is that we wean ourselves off of fossil fuels in an organized systemic fashion. Some of the actions that we need to accomplish:
Resources that are opposed by the Sierra Club include Coal Power Plants, Oil, Coal-Oil Conversions, New onshore and offshore gas production, Nuclear Power Plants, New large Hydroelectric Plants, Forest Biomass, and Incineration of Municpal Solid Waste.
Last month we provided an example of how one individual was using SOLAR POWER as his backup generator. Attend this upcoming workshop to get more insight on how he did it. A simple inexpensive solar system is a great source of back-up energy when power is unavailable due to storms or outages and requires no gasoline or noisy generator. Professor Roger Messenger will guide you through Solar Power. South Florida seems an obvious place to take advantage of solar power, but few are doing so in practice. This program demystifies the technology and makes clear the best ways to utilize solar, how to design various sized systems, how to make a solar installation accessible and affordable, and finally, how to apply for permitting, select approved systems, and obtain available rebates.
Roger Messenger is Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Certified Electrical Contractor, who enjoys working on a field installation as much as he enjoys teaching a class or working on the design of a system or contemplating the theory of operation of a system. He and Jerry Ventre have published Photovoltaic Systems Engineering (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL) and the 2nd Edition of this engineering textbook (2004). He has also contributed chapters on Photovoltaics (PV) to 4 handbooks and has designed and supervised the installation of 4 utility interactive PV systems with battery backup.
PRESS RELEASE FREA Below is information on how you can attend the 2006 National Solar Tour in the Central Florida area. On Saturday, October 7th, thousands of solar-powered homes and buildings in 44 states will be open for public tours as part of the 11th annual American Solar Energy Society?s National Solar Tour. Here in Central Florida there will be ten homes available at seven different sites. The National Solar Tour offers an opportunity to see how your neighbors are putting reliable solar power and other energy efficient technologies to work. Come meet the homeowners and see how they have made solar energy a part of their lives. Learn how the important new Florida rebates and a 30% Federal Tax Credit can help you do the same This is a self-guided tour. Below is a list of the homes that are on the tour with their addresses and links to Mapquest directions. We recommend you choose the home or homes you would most like to visit. Download the Mapquest map and directions and just show up within the times listed on Saturday, October 7th. The homeowners will meet you and be available to talk about their solar systems. There will also be a solar contractor or other representative of the solar industry at each site to help answer technical questions and provide information on the current government incentives. The homes will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To give our hosts an opportunity for a lunch break, we ask that there be no visitors from 12:30 to 1:30. Click on the links for home adresses. And remember to bring a small gift or token of appreciation to the home resident for opening their home to you!
Sue Hamerstrom- ICO leader What a glorious, overcast day! Ignoring the rain and wind forecast for Saturday, 18 children ages 8 to 22 and 6 adults (no ages mentioned for them) from the Oakland Grove neighborhood enjoyed a wonderful day snorkeling, swimming, eating, observing and listening at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo Florida. Because of the rain predictions for July 8th, not too many people were at the park making it better for us to spread out on the beach. Inner City Outings provided snorkels, masks, fins and floatation devices for the kids to experience the fascinating underwater world. After fitting masks and life vests on the kids, we were ready to jump in the water. Yellow tail, barracudas, shrimp in sea grass, and sunken cannons were readily available for viewing. Some of the kids were handed underwater cameras to capture life beneath the sea. The ICO volunteers who made this outing possible are incredible. We started gathering at 8 AM and had a three van/car caravan carrying adults, kids, equipment, food, back packs and most important?coffee for the adults and rolled back into Miami around 4:30PM. I must thank Moriah, Tiffany, Sarah, David and Alexandro. Each and every one of them went beyond the duties of a volunteer. They are awesome individuals. Many, many thanks.
Maria Papazian and Ken Smith Stop by the Miami Group table at festivals throughout Miami-Dade County to greet and thank fellow Sierrans who have volunteered to represent the group: Kaatje Bernabei, Alan Nowell, Peggy Butler, Steven Handshu AND Y O U !!!! It?s a fun way to help your Sierra Club. Remember, we are a grassroots organization and are limited only by the number of active members we have! If you would like to represent the Sierra Club at this or any other community festivals or events, please contact Ken Smith at 305- 801-6876 or Maria Papazian at 305-519-0877 to volunteer for the Festivals Committee.
PHOTO- Robinson Chihuly Exhibit Fairchild Tropical Garden Our Outings list keeps its exponential growth pace! Do you feel Like you need to get away and into NATURE? Join us for an outing! October 7-8 - Little Manatee River Paddle. This is the cleanest and most remote river in Hillsborough County. Easy paddling trip, good for beginners. Rentals are very reasonable. Limited to 16 participants. L e a d e r R u d y S c h e f f e r , 727.726.8375, (Suncoast) October 7-8 - Buster Island Backpack trip Lake Kissimmee State Park. An easy backpack. We will hike the Buster Island loop trail, about 6.5 miles, tour the cow camp and see scrub jays and other wildlife. Limit 6. Leader: Mike Pici, 727-798-9227, revmp777@earthlink.net. (Suncoast) Oct 15?Gopher Tortoise Interpretive Hike. 9:00 AM. Join us for an interpretive hike through Boyd Hill Park's uplands led by field biologist and environmental educator George L. Heinrich. For more information or directions, please call the park at (727) 893- 7326. The hike will begin at the Nature Center and will last approximately two hours. Free with admission and family oriented. This popular and fills up fast. Limited to twenty; please call to register Outings Leader Pat Kiesylis 727 528 7220 (Suncoast) Oct 15?Little Econ River Cleanup. The Little Econ River joins the Econ River a couple of miles south of FL 419. This river flows through a public park and residential areas before merging with the Econ. Be prepared to get a little dirty. Allow about three hours. ECOAction will provide 10 one person canoes. Call leader Ken Bowman at 407-435-2021 or 407- 482-1837 for reservations and directions. (Central Florida) Oct 21?Annual Fall Coastal Cleanup. Join the Sierra Club and Keep Pinellas Beautiful and participate in this annual Fall service outing. Details of the event, including location, are not yet available. But please put this on your calendar and volunteer!!! Contact Ben Berauer, 727- 392-2821 or bfberauer@aol.com (Suncoast) October 21, 22 - Jonathan Dickenson State Park Camping. Join us for car camping, hiking and canoeing and BBQ. Leisure. Limit 10. Cost: $20 members, $25 non-members. Leader: Ed Zaret, 305- 586-3564. Asst: TBA. October 28 - Please Note Date Change! Noble Hammock Canoe. Paddle an interesting canoe loop trail in Everglades National Park located just north of West Lake. We will attempt to find the hidden canoe trail to West Lake. Join us in this adventure, observing lots of wildlife and gators as we go. Moderate. Limit: 16. Cost: $35 members, $40 nonmembers. Leader: Jim Gross, 305-665-2401, email: JMGross3013@aol.com. Asst: TBA. October 28?Sunset Pontoon Boat Tour of the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers.Sierra Club has chartered a pontoon boat that specializes in tours and education on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers for a sunset cruise (6:00pm departure time). Bring a bottle of wine and we?ll tie up at the Captain?s dock before entering the Rainbow River and enjoy happy hour. The eco-tour lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes is $10.00 per person. Limit: 16 people RSVP: Mary-Slater 407-481-4398 (Central FL) October 29?Afternoon Hike at Split Oak Forest. This is a nearly 2,000-acre area located in south Orange and north Osceola counties. Split Oak is part of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's . We?ll visit the namesake of Split Oak Forest, a spectacular 200 year-old live oak tree that was split down the middle and survived! RSVP: Mary-Slater 407- 481-4398 (Central Florida) November 18th - Turner River Canoe. This beautiful river goes 8 miles through very narrow channels from the Tamiami Trail, starting as fresh water and becoming increasingly salty as it flows into Chokoloskee Bay. Moderate BUT the last hour may be strenuous depending upon open water wind-weather-tide. Limit 18. Cost $35 members, $45 non-members. Leader: Jim Gross, 305-665-2401, e-mail: JMGross3013@aol.com. November 24, 25, 26 - Jonathan Dickenson State Park/Loxahatchee River Camp/Hike and Canoe. We will tent camp two nights, walk the short Kitchen Creek Trail and /or the Sand Pine Nature Trail. Saturday we will canoe the wild and scenic Loxahatchee River. Transportation, canoe rental, campsite fees and most meals included. Moderate. Limit 6. Cost: $110 members, $130 non-members. Leader: Kaatje Bernabei 305-223-6551 If you are interested in a trip, call or e-mail the trip leader and ask for details or come to the signup table at the general meetings. Our outings are listed as Leisure, Moderate, or Strenuous. Be realistic about your physical condition and the degree of challenge you enjoy. Come ready to paddle, bicycle or hike and share the work. There are no passengers on our outings, only participants. Family trips are open to everyone. Once you have made a reservation, we ask that you make a serious commitment to attend the trip. Cancellations are detrimental to our program. Our outings leaders are unpaid trained volunteers. Please sign up early for planning purposes. All reservations must be accompanied by a non- refundable deposit. Make all checks payable to Sierra Club Outings. Please write the name and date of your trip on your check and include your phone number. Deposits are $10 on trip fees of up to $100 and $20 on trips over $100 Fees on trips of $15 or less are to be paid in full with your reservation. Full payment is due 30 days in advance of the trip. Please send all payments to the trip leader. If you must cancel, call the leader or assistant leader as early as possible. If you cancel 30 days or more in advance, your deposit will be refunded. If you cancel less than 30 days in advance, you lose your deposit. If you cancel 7 days or less in advance, you will forfeit all fees.
October 2006 Rod Jude Visual journey through National Parks. November 2006 OPEN December 2006 Holiday FIESTA (PARTY) January- November, 2007 open but filling up fast....Do you know someone who wants to speak?? Contact Ken Smith 305-758-3121.
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