Where we meet:
Greenspaces
63 E. Main Street
Chattanooga, TN 37211
Green|Spaces
Contact Us:
Cherokee Group Organizers:
Group Chair: Elizabeth Tallman
Vice Chair: Jami Brown
Treasurer: Barbara Hurst
Secretary: Barbara Kelly
Communication: Tami Freedman, Elizabeth Tallman
Think Globally Act locally!
The city of Chattanooga had embarked on a mission to reduce its carbon emissions. The city has developed action teams to
allow citizens to work in areas of expertise or interest. To learn more about it, follow this link.
Chattanooga Green Committee If you want to get involved. Go to the Greener Chattanooga website Greener Chattanooga
and join an Action Team!
Ex. Comm:
Elizabeth Tallman elizabethjamestallman AT hotmail.com
Jami Brown jdbrown5188 AT yahoo.com
Barbara Kelly Secretary
Barbara Hurst Treasurer
Mike Bascom mikeb37415 AT lycos.com
Michelle Hineman
Davis Munger
Tami Freedman Communications
Dr. Henry Spratt henry-spratt AT utc.edu
Tennes-Sierran Newsletter:
Go Paperless! Sign up to receive the TS electronically.
The September-October 2009 issue of the Tennes-Sierran
Contact Your Elected Officials:
U.S. Legislative Information:
Congressman Zack Wamp
thomas.loc.gov
Tennessee Government:
The Governor
legislature.state.tn.us
State Senators
Senate Environ. Comm.
State Representatives
House Environ. Comm.
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OPINION PIECE: "COAL MUST EMBRACE THE FUTURE"
By Sen. Robert Byrd
December 03, 2009
For more than 100 years, coal has been the backbone of the Appalachian economy. Even today, the economies
of more than 20 states depend to some degree on the mining of coal. About half of all the electricity generated in America and about one
quarter of all the energy consumed globally is generated by coal.
Change is no stranger to the coal industry. Think of the huge changes which came with the onset of the Machine Age in the late 1800’s.
Mechanization has increased coal production and revenues, but also has eliminated jobs, hurting the economies of coal communities. In 1979,
there were 62,500 coal miners in the Mountain State. Today there are about 22,000. In recent years, West Virginia has seen record high coal
production and record low coal employment.
to see the rest of this article follow the link
Byrd Speech
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New Year Celebration Potluck, Jan. 3rd, 5:00 pm.
A change from our usual last Monday of the month!
Location: Hurst home, side of SignalMtn
NEW YEAR CELEBRATION SUPPER:
Come together for fun and fellowship at Barbara and Bill Hurst's home on Signal Mountain for a pot luck supper.
We'll be celebrating a full year of the Cherokee Group's re-formation and looking forward to the next! (Also a
"white elephant" gift exchange - if you'd like to participate bring something old/interesting/fun to reuse/recycle,
oops, I mean exchange!)
call Barbara at 423.886.9503 for directions or e-mail her at barbaraduckhurst@hotmail.com. (This event takes the place
of our Program Meeting for December.)
Bring your friends and family!!
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Mountain top Removal
upcoming events
Thursday Jan 21 @ 6:30 PM - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. debates Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship - Univ of Charleston, West Virginia
Monday Jan 25 - Large rally against mt top removal in Charleston WV. Details will be posted at www.mountainjustice .org
Thursday Feb 11 - I Love Mountains Day, Frankfort KY - Rally, march and citizen lobbying starting at 8:30 AM
Interesting links:
Video: Ex miner Jim Foster speaks about living below a mountaintop removal mine in W. Va. Jim recently passed away - this short film is a wonderful tribute to a great man.
Foster Video
Video: Robert F. Kennedy speaks against mountaintop removal in West Virginia on Dec. 7 as coal trucks try to drown him out by blasting their air horns.
Kennedy Video
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Next Excomm Meeting January 13, 6:00 p.m.
Discussion of chapter business
Location: GreenSpaces, 63 E. Main Street, Chattanooga
Green|Spaces is in the first "art district" block after you turn off Market on to Main, last building in
the first block on the left. Parking in on the street -- well lit and safe -- (kitty corner from fire
hall.)
The General meeting is held the last Monday of each month.
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Alert! Coal River Mountain
Last week, Massey Energy began blasting Coal River Mountain in preparation of a
massive mountaintop removal coal mining operation. Coal River Mountain is one of the last intact mountains in
the range, and the site of a proposed 328-megawatt wind farm. With each passing day, Coal River Mountain’s
potential to provide 85,000 households in West Virginia with safe and renewable energy, 700 long-term green jobs,
and $1.7 million in annual county tax revenue is erased by Massey Energy and their investors like JPMorgan Chase.
The destruction of Coal River Mountain is also endangering lives. Blasting could destabilize a nearby coal slurry
pond, unleashing eight billion gallons of toxic sludge on schools, homes, and workplaces. In the case of a dam
failure, citizens would have only minutes to evacuate before a 50-foot wall of sludge bears down on their community.
Please contact the Obama Administration and ask them to stop Coal River Mountain from becoming a 6,000-acre wasteland
and instead support safe and renewable sources of energy.
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Conservation Discussion January 6, 6:00 pm
Discussion of local conservation issues
Location: GreenSpaces, 63 E. Main Street, Chattanooga.
Conservation, legislation and political topics facing the group will be up for discussion at 6 pm before our Program Meeting each month.
Come with questions or concerns as ideas are formulated for club action.
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Sierra Club Work Day! December 27, 1:00 to 4:00pm
for location see below
we're asking folks in the green community to come to a "work day" at her place, helping her clear several trees
that recently fell and to see what a sustainable lawn may look like
For info on her home location, please contact:
Elizabeth Tallman, 423.619.0379, elizabethjamestallman AT hotmail.com
or
Lana Sutton, 423-364-9397, lanasutton AT gmail.com
Wish to learn more about Caara's trials and tribulations with a sustainable lawn? Then Follow this
link
Caara's Lawn
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Sierra Club Outings! January 17, 10:00 am
Lula Lake Landtrust on Lookout Mountain January 17
For this moderate day hike in the Lula Lake Landtrust on Lookout Mountain, dress
warmly in layers, wear comfortable hiking shoes, carry sack lunch and water. We'll be exploring part of
the trail on Lookout Mountain.
Contact Jeremy gazaway_77 At yahoo.com for details.
For more outing follow this link
More Outings
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House Party!
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Coal Country is
the stunning new documentary about mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia.
This powerful film reveals the shocking true cost of coal, as it takes us through the personal
stories of coal miners, and the residents of Appalachia who have lost their mountains, their homes,
and their history to mountaintop removal mining. Our party will be one of hundreds of Coal Country
House Parties (http://www.sierraclub.org/coalcountry) held nationwide by Sierra Club supporters
the week of November 10 through 14.
Thousands of people will be gathering in their communities to watch Coal Country and take action
against mountaintop removal. You can be a part of this crucial effort to end mountaintop removal
mining, and help move America beyond coal, by attending my Coal Country House Party! Join us for
a screening, a discussion, and a special celebrity call-in featuring leaders from the Sierra Club's
Beyond Coal campaign, organizers from the Appalachian coalfield (including those featured in the film),
and special guests! After the film, we'll take action together to end mountaintop removal mining.
Help get the word out about this important documentary:
For more information, visit www.coalcountrythemovie.com.
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January General Meeting Jan. 25 7:00 p.m.
Come to the MOVIES: "King Corn" --
a humorous and touching documentary about two friends who move to Iowa and
grow an acre of corn, meanwhile learning about the massive problems facing our whole
biologic/agriculture/economy/food system from the hold that corn now has.
Free and open to the Public
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