November, 2011: In This Issue. . .

• Notes From The Chair - Election Time for Sierra Club
• Sierra Club General Meeting - Tuesday, November 8
• Holiday Party - Save the Date - December 11
• Outings Highlights - White Rock Lake Cleanup, etc.
• Recycling Roundup - by Rita Raccoon
• Calendar - Find out what's going on in the Dallas Sierra Club

It's Election Time for Sierra Club
As has been announced at the general meetings, your Dallas Sierra Club is always looking for volunteers to move up to leadership positions. In the last 30 days, we have filled 3 critical spots in Membership (Jim Binnings), Club Secretary (Helen Bush) and photo editor/photo master (Olin Boese). Be sure to thank each of these new leaders for their time and contribution to the Club.

Also, 4 of the present members of the Dallas Executive Committee are up for election in December and new candidates are welcome for a 2 year term. There is also a call for Executive Committee candidates to the Lone Star Chapter in Austin.

If you are interested in either of these elections or you just want to join an existing committee, see me at the next General Meeting for the Dallas Group election or Rita Beving for the Lone Star Chapter race.

Finally, with the addition of these new leaders and the recent boom in our outings programs, it's the perfect time to join the Club, make new friends and remember our past campaigns.

Your Dallas Chair, Wendel Withrow

The Science Behind Global Warming.
Glen Suhren, long time member of the Sierra Club, will talk about The Science Behind Global Warming.  He has led numerous backpacking trips in Colorado, summiting several fourteeners with family and friends.  Glen is an Electro Optics engineer who is employed by Abbott Laboratories.  He is a member of an Eco Team at First Methodist Church in Downtown Dallas.  The Team works on informing people about environmental issues such as Global Warming or Climate Change.

Everyone is welcome. You don't have to be a Sierra Club member.  Just show up.  We'd love to meet you.

Our General Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. but come at 6:30 for snacks, information and fellowship. Click over to our General Meeting page of our website for more information and a map.

Nov 12 (Sat) White Rock Lake Cleanup
Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash 214-824-0244

Nov 13-14 (Sun-Mon) Lost Maples State Park
This will be a short two-day and one-night backpack / day hike.  Transportation to and from the trailhead is not part of the outing.  However, we can help participants make carpooling arrangements among themselves once everyone has signed up.  We will leave Dallas as soon as possible on Sunday morning.  On arriving at the trailhead, we will do a short backpack to our primitive camp site and from there an additional day hike. On Monday we will cover more of the park's trails and finally return to the trailhead early afternoon to leave for Dallas.  There are a total of 11.5 miles of trails.

The park is an outstanding example of Edwards Plateau flora and fauna. It is a combinations of steep, rugged limestone canyons, springs, plateau grasslands, wooded slopes, and clear streams. It features a large, isolated stand of uncommon Uvalde Bigtooth Maple, whose fall foliage can be spectacular. Generally, the foliage changes the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. For a map and more information see this link. Leader: Emil Raggi 972-495-2190 or 972-998-0569

For a complete list of our outings, visit our outings page.

Recent Recycling News - November 2011

Mesquite Recycles November 12
Mesquite Recycles Day is presented by Keep Mesquite Beautiful and the City of Mesquite

Mesquite Recycles Day will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 8am to noon in the front parking lot of Poteet High School. Poteet High School is located at 3300 Poteet Drive. Vehicles will enter the event through the front entrance on Galloway. This FREE service is ONLY provided to Mesquite residents.

The following list of items will be accepted:

•  Gently used eye glasses

•  Gently used books, magazines, videos, DVDs, CDs, and Books on Tape

•  Used cellular phones, cellular phone batteries and accessories, used laser and ink jet printer cartridges, and used rechargeable batteries

•  Gently used clothing, handbags, linens, and towels

•  Gently used toys and children's items

•  Tires and used appliances

•  E-waste(computers, monitors, television, printers, any electronic device)

A document destruction truck will also be available on site. Shredding will be done off-site through Greenstar Security Destruction, a NAID (National Association of Information Destruction) certified company. If needed, you can receive a document of destruction after the event.

Electronics Recycling
A Taiwanese electronics designer and manufacturer that employs about 400 people in Grapevine plans to spend $30 million to establish a circuit-board recycling facility in the Dallas area.

Wistron Corp. is seeking a 200,000-square-foot site to locate the new facility and plans to begin operations in June, said Bill Long, general manager of Wistron GreenTech.

Wistron's new facility is one of several new electronics-recycling facilities setting up shop in North Texas. The region's central location, logistics infrastructure, workforce, dense population and abundance of major electronics-consuming businesses make it attractive to the industry.

Sustainability at UTA
Meghna Tare grew up in Nagpur, India, where the local university, Nagpur University, was one of the first schools in India to offer environmental science. "It was a city that was very environmentally conscious," said Tare, whose hometown was also the site of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute. Ten years ago, her progressive alma mater led her to choose a green career. Today, she's pioneering a new role found on campuses across the country teaching the next generation of students to "think green" as the University of Texas at Arlington's first sustainability director.

Since being hired in 2010, Tare has implemented a variety of eco-friendly programs, including three that reduce cars on campus. A car-sharing program allows students to rent a gas-efficient car for $8 per hour, while a ride-sharing program promotes carpooling. For those who'd rather peddle, students can rent a bike for $30 per semester. Other initiatives include installing an electric car charging station and water bottle filling kiosks. The university is also working to expand green space, reduce energy use, and increase recycling.

The changes are part of a growing national trend of colleges becoming more sustainable. Paul Rowland is the executive director for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. The Denver-based organization, formed in 2006, provides networking, resources, and professional development to universities striving to be more sustainable. AASHE has 913 members who represent schools from every state.

According to Rowland, faculty, staff, and students are all equally driving the changes to colleges across the U.S. in advance of other institutions in society. "There's a well-founded belief that [universities] have the capacity to lead the country forward in sustainable practices, partly because we have the people who do the research and partly because there's a willingness to test out some of the new ideas."

Denton Drug Disposal Days
In the good old days, we were told to get rid of unused prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs by flushing them down the commode. Bad idea. Very bad idea. Flushed drugs or drugs tossed into the landfill can still affect animals through ground-water contamination. The EPA now recommends ditching your surplus drugs through drug disposal programs.

Denton's Drug Disposal Day won the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling's Outstanding Special Event prize, one of nine awards presented Oct. 4 during the alliance's 14th annual Recycling and Sustainability Summit in Austin.

The program is a creative use of partnerships and local resources, and was designed to reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals entering the city's water system through toilets and drains. It lets the public drop off unwanted medications for proper disposal at no charge. The collected drugs are incinerated at an approved facility near Houston.

Here is our calendar for the next two months. For complete listings, visit us at www.dallassierraclub.org.

Nov 7 (Mon) Sierra Singles: Monthly Singles Dinner at Zorba's
Join with other singles on Monday, November 7th at 6:30 PM at Zorba's Greek Cafe, Tel: 972-250-0002,  1501 Preston Rd. Plano, TX. 75093.  This is one block north of Plano Parkway on the west side of Preston. It's a BYOB restaurant so bring some beer or wine to enjoy with friends. Contact: Gillian Grant 972-369-5178 and Paul Heller 972-620-1703

Nov 8 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Glen Suhren, long time member of the Sierra Club, will talk about The Science Behind Global Warming.  He has led numerous backpacking trips in Colorado, summiting several fourteeners with family and friends.  Glen is an Electro Optics engineer who is employed by Abbott Laboratories.  He is a member of an Eco Team at First Methodist Church in Downtown Dallas.  The Team works on informing people about environmental issues such as Global Warming or Climate Change. Full details are on our home page.

Nov 9-14 (Wed-Mon) Bus Trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas - CANCELLED
With great sadness, due to the drought of 2011 and not enough water sources for our hikers, we've had to cancel this year's trip to backpack in Big Bend. Keep up your rain dances and save the date for next year's trip. Contact: Liz Wheelan 214-368-2306(h)

Nov 12 (Sat) White Rock Lake Cleanup
Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash 214-824-0244

Nov 13-14 (Sun-Mon) Lost Maples State Park
This will be a short two-day and one-night backpack / day hike.  Transportation to and from the trailhead is not part of the outing.  However, we can help participants make carpooling arrangements among themselves once everyone has signed up.  We will leave Dallas as soon as possible on Sunday morning.  On arriving at the trailhead, we will do a short backpack to our primitive camp site and from there an additional day hike. On Monday we will cover more of the park's trails and finally return to the trailhead early afternoon to leave for Dallas.  There are a total of 11.5 miles of trails.

The park is an outstanding example of Edwards Plateau flora and fauna. It is a combinations of steep, rugged limestone canyons, springs, plateau grasslands, wooded slopes, and clear streams. It features a large, isolated stand of uncommon Uvalde Bigtooth Maple, whose fall foliage can be spectacular. Generally, the foliage changes the last two weeks of October through the first two weeks of November. For a map and more information see this link. Leader: Emil Raggi 972-495-2190 or 972-998-0569

Nov 16 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
Meet in the upstairs program room at REI (on north side of LBJ between Midway and Welch), at 6:30 PM. Bring your ideas for the Dallas Sierra Club Outings program. We will be planning local outings and bus trips. All outings leaders, future outings leaders, and interested Sierrans welcome. Ask Bill to be placed on the email list for an agenda. Contact: Bill Greer 972-247-0446

Nov 16 (Wed) General Meeting of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club
Dan Smith, a Fort Worth Sierra Club member and avid hiker and camper, will continue his wonderful slides and stories of his travels on the Pacific Crest Trail for approximately 6 months. He shared his stories at the May 2011 Sierra Club meeting and we requested that he come back to continue his travelogue. The third Wednesday of each month we share conservation news, outings info and enjoy a presentation by a guest speaker. Speaker will be followed by refreshments, club business and announcements. Location: Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Moncrief Garden Center, Azalea Room; 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. at University Drive, north of I-30, Fort Worth. (817)871-7686.

Nov 19 (Sat) Dayhike at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
Meet at 9:30 AM near the pavilions. Arbor Hills is located at 6701 W. Parker Rd. in Plano just west of Midway Rd. We will walk 5 miles on paved path and half on flat dirt trail. No reservations, just show up. Optional restaurant afterwards. Leader: Judy Cato 972-238-5738

Nov 29 (Tue) Inner City Outings Meeting
Come at 6:30 for New Volunteer Orientation. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm. Inner City Outings ("ICO") is an outreach program of the Sierra Club comprised of volunteers who provide wilderness experiences such as day hikes and camping for disadvantaged youth. ICO meets on the fourth Tuesdays at REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Farmers Branch, TX 75244 (north side of LBJ between Midway and Welch). All volunteers and those considering becoming an ICO volunteer are welcome. To receive future announcements and meeting information you may sign up for our email list. For more information: Liz Wheelan

Dec 7 (Wed) Dallas Sierra Club Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee (or Excom) is the elected governing body of the Dallas Sierra Club and meets at REI, 4515 LBJ Freeway, Farmers Branch, TX 75244 (north side of LBJ between Midway and Welch). Contact the Dallas Group Chair for more information.

Dec 10 (Sat) White Rock Lake Cleanup
Walk and talk while helping to pick up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM at the Love of the Lake office on the Northeast corner of Garland Rd. and Buckner Blvd. Look for a crowd of people drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. The lake and your karma will thank you. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash 214-824-0244

Dec 11 (Sun) Dallas Sierra Club Holiday Party
Our annual Holiday Party will be held at El Fenix Restaurant at 255 Casa Linda Plaza.  We'll party from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm.

Club members and guests will share the holiday spirit, some good Mexican food, and the company of others at this annual event. Join us for some camaraderie, door prizes, silent auction, and perhaps some surprise speakers, you never know. We'll celebrate some of our outstanding volunteers and have plenty of time to mingle. There's bound to be talk about issues of the day -- air, water, veganism, hydro-fracking, coal, nuclear, whatever strikes your green fancy. Free margaritas to the first 10 to arrive. Free bandannas to the first five. Support the Club by getting a 2012 Sierra Club Calendar or Planner!. Invite your family and friends. It's only $11 bucks for everything, including food and a non alcoholic drink! If you want to share in the liquid spirits, there's a full cash bar. No problemo. So come on out for a great party, low price, no clean up, and lots of like minded people. What could be better? Nuthin'. See you there, and bring your appetite. More details and a map will follow as the date gets closer, but mark you calendar now so you won't miss it. Happy Holidays!!

Dec 21 (Wed) General Meeting of the Greater Fort Worth Sierra Club
Christmas Party!!! We will NOT have a regular meeting with a speaker, but we will have a wonderful time socializing with members and guests. Please bring a snack or dessert to share. Drinks will be provided. Location: Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, Moncrief Garden Center, Azalea Room; 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd. at University Drive, north of I-30, Fort Worth. (817)871-7686.