Summer 2013 Echo (2.4 MB pdf) - Arizona Sierra Club

Summer 2013 Canyon Echo 3Grand Canyon Chapter – What’s Going On?I WANT YOU!You Are The Sierra ClubOppose the South Mountain Freeway!Submit comments by July 24Volunteer leadership positions within theGrand Canyon Chapter are an ideal wayto deepen your involvement in the issuesimportant to you. Your club needs committedpeople who will give their timeand energy to further its mission to explore,enjoy, and protect the planet.Become a candidate to serve on yourgroup or chapter executive committee! Noexperience is necessary. If you want to helpcreate a vision, make policy, execute plans toprotect and preserve our environment, and havefun while doing it, please nominate yourself. If youknow of another good person, let us know.If you would like to learn more about what would be involved, please contactone of the following leaders: Nominations Chair Dale Volz at 480-892-5102 ordvolz@earthlink.net, Chapter Chair Ken Langton at 520-749-3829 or kplangton@msn.com, or your group chair (see pp. 12–13).Guidelines for chapter and group executive committee elections:1) To be listed on the ballot, candidates must submit their names and membershipnumbers. If you aren’t sure what your membership number is, see your CanyonEcho label or contact the chapter office at 602-253-9140. Be sure to include contactinformation along with your submission.2) Submit a candidate statement (recommended but not required), indicating thechapter or group executive committee for which you are running to the NominationsCommittee at dvolz@earthlink.net by no later than August 15, 2013. Candidatestatements are limited to 200 words and must be submitted by email. You will receiveacknowledgement within a few days of submission. (Because much of the executivecommittee’s business is done by email, candidates must have email capability.)The official ballot will appear in the Fall 2013 Canyon Echo. So, go ahead, nominateyourself or someone else you think would be a good leader.Thank you for stepping forward!Sign at South Mountain Park. Photo courtesy of Erica MuchucaThe South Mountain Freeway is a proposed 22–24 mile, eight-lane freeway thatwould extend the southern portion of Loop 202 to connect with Interstate 10 west ofPhoenix. The project would cut through a portion of South Mountain Park, the largestcity park in the U.S.; destroy habitat and cut off wildlife movement corridors; worsenregional air quality and exacerbate related health issues; disrupt sacred places; encouragelong commutes; and much more. It would also continue the Arizona Departmentof Transportation’s (ADOT) short-term vision rather than focus on long-term transportationsolutions.ADOT is seeking public comments on the proposed freeway. Please participate ina meeting and/or submit written comments. Comments are due by July 24.You can learn more about the freeway and upcoming meetings and submit commentsonline at http://bit.ly/SouthMountainAction. For additional information,please contact Sandy Bahr at 602-253-8633 or sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org.2 Chapter Announcements4 Happy Trails, Rob and Joni!5 Thank You!6 Salt RiverShowcase Your Photos at the Smithsonian Institute!Enter the Nationwide Wilderness Photography ContestNext year is the 50 th anniversary of passage of the Wilderness Act. A coalition of partners, including Sierra Club, isplanning celebrations across the country.A major event next year will be a display of wilderness photos at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Aphotography contest is being held to determine what images will be displayed. It would be wonderful if photos from some ofArizona’s 90 wilderness areas are in that display, and who better to submit them than photographers from Arizona!Photos from amateurs, students, and professionals are encouraged. There are four categories: scenic landscape, wildlife,people in wilderness, and most inspirational moment. The last date to submit entries is September 3, 2013.Learn details of the contest at http://www.naturesbestphotography.com/wilderness.php.Submissions can be made online or by mail.7 Gila River8 Youth in Nature10 Good Jobs Green Jobs11 In Memory12 Group Happenings14 Hikes and Outings16 Service Outingshttp://arizona.sierraclub.org