Dallas Sierra Club

Dallas Sierra Club News - February 2017

In This Issue. . .


General Meeting Program - February 14, 7:00 pm - Refreshments at 6:30_

2017 Texas Legislative Session
Texas State Capitol at NightAs the 85th Texas Legislature starts, there are many issues regarding land, water, energy and air that all of us should follow and participate in regarding contacting our local officials. Join Rita Beving, coordinator for the Alliance for Clean Texas (ACT), and see what bills, if voted into law, may affect our daily lives both from an environmental standpoint and in regards to our municipal government's ability to devise and enact local safeguards. Find out what critical agencies are undergoing Sunset review and how you can be involved. Often people forget that what state laws are enacted can often affect our lives even more than federal law. Find out how you can be part of the process as the Texas State Legislature moves through the 2017 session at the Capitol.

Everyone is welcome. FREE! 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 pm, but come at 6:30 for snacks, information and fellowship. Click over to our General Meeting page for more information and a map.


Hazardous Waste Collection_

By properly disposing your hazardous waste you protect ground water, protect our creeks and rivers, and reduce expensive landfill use by our cities.

Hazardous Waste
Dallas County
Dallas County's mobile BOPA truck will be at Hampton-Illinois Library, 2951 S. Hampton Rd, Dallas, TX 75224, February 11th, 2017, (8 a.m. to 11 a.m) and at ​Life in Deep Ellum 2803 Taylor St, Dallas, TX 75226, ​March 11th, 2017, ​(8am to 11am.)

BOPA stands for the most common types of household hazardous waste:

  • Batteries
  • Oil (motor oil & oil filters)
  • Paint (latex)
  • Antifreeze

Household hazardous waste in Dallas County may also be taken to Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center, 11234 Plano Road, 75243, on Tuesdays (​9:00am to 7:30pm), Wednesdays and Thursdays (8:30am to 5:00pm), and the second and fourth Saturday each month (​9:00am to 3:00pm.) For details about hours, types of waste, and participating cities, see The City of Dallas Sanitation Department Household Hazardous Waste page.

Tarrant County
Fort Worth's Environmental Collection Center, 6400 Bridge St., is open Thursdays and Fridays, 11:00am-7:00pm and Saturdays: 9:00am-3:00pm. Phone 817-392-EASY (3279) or see the ECC web page for details about types of waste accepted and a list of other Tarrant county cities that use the ECC. Citizens can contact their own city government to verify that their cities take part in the program.

Tarrant County's "Crud Cruiser" mobile unit schedules hazardous waste collections at different locations. Collection events will be scheduled beginning in March, 2017, and may be seen at http://fortworthtexas.gov/env/crudcruiser/ .

Collin County
Individual cities conduct their own household chemical collection. Call your city hall if your city is not listed below.

Plano: Phone 972 769-4150 or email ewscustomerservice@plano.gov
Frisco: Phone: 972-292-5900 or email EnvironmentalServices@friscotexas.gov
McKinney: Phone 972-547-7385 or email contact-solidwaste@mckinneytexas.org


New Member Picnic_

All new and prospective Sierra Club members are invited to a special picnic just for you. If you're not a new member, you are invited also. We'd love to see everyone. We'll be serving hamburgers and hot dogs, vegetarian fare, salad and drinks. And we have fun events for all. The picnic will be from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (or later) at Churchill Park, on Churchill Way, just south of the intersection of Hillcrest and I-635 LBJ. See www.dallassierraclub.org for full details.


Future Programs You Won't Want to Miss_

March 14 - Woodpeckers
Learn all about woodpeckers from Ben Jones and Jenna Hanson with the Dallas Zoo Wild Earth Academy.


Calendar __

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


Service Outing IconFeb 11 (Sat) White Rock Lake Clean-up
Walk and talk while picking up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM this second Saturday of the month at the Love of the Lake office, northeast corner of Garland Road and Buckner Boulevard. Look for the crowd drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. will be provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash Send Email 214-455-2115

Day Hike IconFeb 11 (Sat) Day Hike at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Plano
Meet at 11:00 AM at the picnic pavilion near the parking area accessed from Parker Road, west of Arbor Vista Drive and the fire station. Bring water, prepare to hike about 6 miles until 2:00 PM, stopping for a quick lunch on the trail, halfway. Bring a sandwich or snacks of your choice. I have ordered warm weather and partly sunny skies for us. Leader: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

Dallas Sierra Club Meeting IconFeb 14 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
(replace this text with a short description of the image)2017 Texas Legislative Session - See what bills may affect our daily lives and what we can do. Everyone is invited. Full details are on our home page now.

Meeting IconFeb 15 (Wed) No Outings Committee Meeting
This third Wednesday falls on the night the Big Bend National Park bus trip departs. We determined at the January 18 meeting that we can survive without a February meeting. Our next meeting is March 15. Call Mark at 214.526.3733 if you discover outings business that cannot wait until then. Organizer: Mark Stein Send Email 214-526-3733

Bus Trip IconFeb 15-20 (Wed-Mon) Big Bend National Park Bus Trip
Due to cancellations, we now have a few seats available on the bus. We have two spots open on trip 1 and one spot open on trip 3. If you are interested, please contact the bus trip leader as soon as possible. Board the sleeper bus Wednesday night and wake to breakfast at the restaurant in Big Bend National Park. The 2017 trip has options to backpack the Chisos Basin, the Chimneys, an Outer Mountain Loop and the Mesa de Anguila. There's an option to camp three nights at the Chisos Basin Campground and make day hikes. Two of the five trip options will spend a day on the east side of the Park, hiking to Hot Springs and Boquillas Canyon. All trips hike four days (Thur., Fri., Sat., Sun.) and camp three nights. Return to Dallas Monday between 5 and 6 AM. Mid-February is prime time to visit the Park, before it's too hot. Trip details and registration forms are in this PDF document. The 2016 trip filled six weeks before departure, so early registration is advised. Bus trip leader: Arthur Kuehne Send Email 214-608-3210

Service Outing IconFeb 18 (Sat) Trail Maintenance at Cedar Ridge Preserve
Come to the hilly terrain of Cedar Ridge Preserve to help maintain one of the better trail networks in Dallas. The Sierra Club is responsible for the Possum Haw Trail. We work here on third Saturdays of almost every month, starting at 9 AM, working until approximately noon. The Preserve's address is 7171 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas. For directions and general information about Cedar Ridge Preserve, click this link. If you need more information or want to carpool, call or email me. Contact: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

Day Hike IconFeb 18 (Sat) Day Hike at Cedar Ridge Preserve
Meet at 10:00 AM, at Cedar Ridge Preserve, 7171 Mountain View Pkwy, Dallas, near Duncanville, actually. Meet at the entrance between the parking lot and the Clubhouse. Wear good shoes, as we'll walk about 6 miles, not paved, to the Cattail Pond, the Possumhaw Trail and the Bluebonnet trail, among the trees. We'll stop for lunch about halfway, at the picnic tables. Bring water, a sandwich and some snacks. You'll be happy you did. Leader: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

Day Hike IconFeb 26 (Sun) Day Hike on the Chisholm Trail in Plano
Meet at 10:00 AM at the Starbucks on 15th Street in Plano, right off Highway 75 in the big Barnes and Noble in the retail strip. The trail entrance is only yards away. We'll walk about 6 miles, I hope. It's a paved trail. Maybe we'll see some squirrels and birds. Bring some water and some munchies, as it'll be a long walk, especially if it's warm. It's beautiful and flat. Lunch afterward at On the Border, near the "end of the trail" at 15th and Highway 75 is an option. ​ Leader: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

Dallas Sierra Club Meeting IconMar 1 (Wed) Dallas Sierra Club Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee (or Excom) is the elected governing body of the Dallas Sierra Club and meets upstairs at Whole Foods Market, southeast corner of Preston Road and Forest Lane, in Dallas at 6:30 pm. Contact the Dallas Group Chair for more information.

Day Hike IconMar 4 (Sat) Pilot Knoll Trail Dayhike Highland Village, TX.
Come join us as we day hike 6 miles (10K) on the northern reaches of the Elm Fork. This is a packed dirt trail used by hikers and horse riders heading to Lewisville Lake. No pets, please. Bring water and a snack as we will be walking all morning. We will leave the trail head promptly at 9:00 AM. This will be an out and back to the vicinity of Pilot Knoll Park in Highland Village. To reach the trailhead ​rom I-35E, take the Swisher Road (FM 2181) exit and head west approximately 4 miles. Turn left onto Old Alton Road. The park will be approximately 100 yards down the Old Alton Road on the left. No signup necessary just show up. The trail could be muddy so bring extra shoes. Optional lunch afterwards. Leader: Mark Adams Send Email 940-231-8482

Backpack IconMar 4-5 (Sat-Sun) Big Thicket National Preserve, Turkey Creek Trail
Big Thicket National Preserve is 112,250 acres of land and water spread over 7 counties in southeast Texas. It's a convergence of ecosystems which occurred here during the last Ice Age. in 1981, it was designated an International Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This trip is a 2-day 15-mile backpack hike of the Turkey Creek Trail from north to south, limited to 8 people. Leader approval is required before you arrive at the trailhead. Trip details will be sent to participants. Leader: Pat Johnston Send Email 214-450-1342

Service Outing IconMar 11 (Sat) White Rock Lake Clean-up
Walk and talk while picking up trash and recyclables at the Sierra Club's adopted section of White Rock Lake Park. Meet at 8:15 AM this second Saturday of the month at the Love of the Lake office, northeast corner of Garland Road and Buckner Boulevard. Look for the crowd drinking free juice and coffee. Gloves, trash bags, etc. will be provided. Our area includes one of the wonderful prairie restoration areas, so there are always birds and wildflowers to enjoy. Brunch afterwards. Leader: Carol Nash Send Email 214-455-2115

Backpack IconMar 11-12 (Sat-Sun) Beginners Backpack Trip in Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas
We'll hike a portion of the Little Missouri River Trail and the Viles Branch Trail in the Ouachita National Forest in SW Arkansas. Camp at Shady Lake Campground Friday night. Drive to the trailhead Saturday morning and hike about 6 miles to camp near one of many streams in the area Saturday night. Hike out about 4 miles on Sunday morning. This hike is rated moderate with a few hills and stream crossings. Some spots will be reserved for members of the January 21 Backpacking 101 class. Leader: Mark Adams Send Email 940-231-8482

Dallas Sierra Club Meeting IconMar 14 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Pileated WoodpeckersWoodpeckers. Learn fascinating facts about the incredible story of quirky woodpeckers. Everyone is invited. Full details are on our home page now.

Meeting IconMar 15 (Wed) Outings Committee Meeting
Tonight the Outings Committee meets upstairs at Whole Foods Market, SE quadrant of Preston Road and Forest Lane, Dallas, at 6:30. Anyone interested in outings is invited. Reply to Mark to be added to the advance agenda email list or to suggest an agenda item. Organizer: Mark Stein Send Email 214-526-3733

Car Camp IconMar 17-19 (Fri-Sun) Camp and Hike at Colorado Bend State Park
Cabin FeverWe've reserved the group campsite by the Colorado River for tent camping on Friday and Saturday nights. Drive to this park near Bend, Texas, west of Lampassas. This large park features miles of trails through environmental zones as varied as the creekside trails and pools of Spicewood Springs and the cedar breaks leading to Gorman Falls. Join a guided hike with a Sierra Club leader, hike on your own or simply enjoy lounging in camp. This overnight camp offers good opportunities to prepare for summer hiking and backpacking, besides adventures in itself. Families, couples and singles are invited. More information, including cost and sign-up information are in this PDF document. Coordinator: Bill Beach Send Email 214-662-3224

Service Outing IconMar 18 (Sat) Trail Maintenance at Cedar Ridge Preserve
Come to the hilly terrain of Cedar Ridge Preserve to help maintain one of the better trail networks in Dallas. The Sierra Club is responsible for the Possum Haw Trail. We work here on third Saturdays of almost every month, starting at 9 AM, working until approximately noon. The Preserve's address is 7171 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas. For directions and general information about Cedar Ridge Preserve, click this link. If you need more information or want to carpool, call or email me. Contact: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

Social Gathering IconMar 25 (Sat) Dallas Sierra Club New Member Picnic
All new and prospective Sierra Club members are invited to a special picnic just for you. If you're not a new member, you are invited also. We'd love to see everyone. We'll be serving hamburgers and hot dogs, vegetarian fare, salad and drinks. And we have fun events for all. The picnic will be from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (or later) at Churchill Park, on Churchill Way, just south of the intersection of Hillcrest and I-635 LBJ. Here is a map. We have a covered pavilion, so the picnic is on rain or shine. RSVP with a quick email (below) so we know how much food to provide. Organizer: Ginger Bradley Send Email 469-223-7902

The Dallas Sierra Club News e-newsletter, sent monthly (and occasional for late-breaking news or events), keeps you up-to-date on meetings, activities, issues and special events. Visit us at www.DallasSierraClub.org.
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