Angling for Change

Christine Hill, associate director of the Sierra Club’s Lands, Water, Wildlife Campaign, is an ace fly fisher. In a new video filmed for #EveryoneOutside, Hill talks about her passion for the outdoors and the experiences women and people of color face in outdoor spaces. “Growing up and doing a lot of outdoor activities I never saw anybody who looked like me,” she says. “Ever!”

Find out how Hill is working to change that and build community with other anglers of color.

The Park and the Oil Patch

Kenneth Hahn State Park is one of the jewels of Los Angeles’s network of green spaces, with rolling hills, a popular trail network, and sweeping views of the city—an oasis where Angelenos can recharge their batteries and reap the well-documented health benefits of spending time outside. The park, situated in a predominantly African American neighborhood, also sits directly across from the largest urban oil field in the US, with its attendant pollution.

“If there were ever a place for the Angeles Chapter’s outings program and the Dirty Fuels team to join forces, this is it,” says chapter outings leader Shawnté Salabert.

Paddle the Rockies With Team Sierra

Join Team Sierra and Sierra Club Outings for SUP and Give Back: Colorado, a fundraising-based trip that will include three days in beautiful Summit County. Participants will camp out under the stars, explore on foot and stand-up paddleboard, and work with local grassroots group Friends of the Dillon Ranger District to restore damaged riparian habitat and reintroduce native trout species in portions of the White River National Forest.

What’s the Most Eco-Friendly Pen?

Bic sells an average of 57 pens per second. Paper Mate, which occupies a higher price point, nevertheless sells zillions of disposable pens daily. Recycling pens is difficult because they’re too small for machines to sort and they’re made of hard-to-separate materials. Jessian Choy, aka Ms. Green, scoured the Internet for a week looking for eco-friendly writing utensils.

Cut Through the Chatter

Head spinning from the 24/7 news cycle and information overload? Let Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune help you cut through the noise. Get thoughtful takes on today’s most important environmental issues delivered to your inbox weekly.

Preserve Pesticide Protections for Pickers

The Agricultural Worker Protection Standard was put in place to help minimize farm laborers’ exposure to dangerous, toxic pesticides—and since many agricultural laborers live adjacent to the farms where they work, these safeguards protect their families and communities as well. The Trump EPA is now seeking to weaken these protections, brazenly putting corporate profits ahead of the well-being of people and public health.

COAL-ed, COAL-ed Heart

For decades, utilities have disposed of coal ash by dumping it into ponds and landfills, allowing toxins to leak into nearby rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Since 2015, the federal Coal Ash Rule has required coal-burning plants to dispose of coal ash and sludge using modern wastewater treatment technology. The Trump EPA is now seeking to weaken or eliminate these safeguards.

ELP On the Way

Fossil fuel companies want to build a series of liquefied natural gas export terminals on the Gulf Coast—a move that would disrupt the tourism-based economy and endanger the very rare ocelot, of which only about 50 remain in the US. Enter the Sierra Club's Environmental Law Program (ELP), which is taking legal action to protect Gulf Coast communities and wildlife. Attorney Nathan Matthews, legal assistant Lou Finazzo, and Sierra Club organizer Rebekah Hinojosa are working with local allies and community groups to defuse the "carbon bomb" these export terminals represent.

Trump's Interior Department Doesn’t Care What You Think

Public opposition doesn't seem to matter much to the current crop of decision-makers at the Department of the Interior, at least not when it comes to rolling back environmental protections. A whopping 98% of public comments opposed removing Yellowstone grizzlies from the Endangered Species List; the US Fish & Wildlife Service removed them anyway.

Living in the Liminality

The history of queer people in the US outdoor industry has been one of exclusion. But in the last decade, queer people have created organizations like Queer Nature, Venture Out Project, and Out There Adventures that provide safe spaces to enjoy the outdoors. Writer Amanda Machado, who focuses on the intersections between race, gender, travel, and the outdoors, participated in an all-LGBT expedition through the National Outdoor Leadership School.

Green Choice or Greenwash?

Marriott’s “Make a Green Choice” program encourages customers to forgo housekeeping services in exchange for points with the company’s customer loyalty program. Marriott says Make a Green Choice is designed to increase sustainability and reduce the hospitality industry’s environmental footprint. But the program has been devastating for housekeepers whose hours have been slashed, and a hotel workers unions says Marriott’s stated objectives are spurious. “There are zero leading environmental studies that recommend skipping housekeeping,” says one union leader.

The Most Dangerous Pipeline of Them All

"In 2008, the big banks crashed the economy through reckless, predatory lending. Twelve years later, they’re working to do something even worse: crash the planet," writes Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune.

Learn why the money pipeline is the ugliest, most dangerous pipeline of them all.

Donald Trump Has Got to Go

Why does the Sierra Club support the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump from office? Because we affirm that nobody, not even the president, is above the law. We the Sierra Club—and all people in this country—rely on the strong foundation of our democracy in order to protect clean air and water and fight for a safe climate. 

Environmental Law Program director Pat Gallagher explains in our new video.

Under 50 and on a Budget?

We’ve got the trip for you! In addition to our usual lineup of outdoor adventures, we’ve got a wide array of trips for budget-conscious adults under 50, including backpack journeys, volunteer vacations, and multisport samplers. Many are shorter in duration, timed to coincide with holidays, or easy to get to. And if you’re 18 to 35, you’re eligible for $300 off any of our all-ages trips.

Space is limited, so don’t delay!

Adopt a Cuddly Plush for Valentine's Day

When you symbolically adopt an adorable plush grizzly bear—or gray wolf, snowy owl, or sea otter—you are helping to protect America's magnificent wildlife and wildlands for generations to come.

Order by Monday, February 3, with code CUDDLES and get 20% off plus FREE shipping.