Dallas Sierra Club News - February 2017
In This Issue. . .
2017 Texas Legislative Session
As
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.
By properly disposing your hazardous waste you protect
ground water, protect our creeks and rivers, and reduce
expensive landfill use by our cities.
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
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.
March 14 - Woodpeckers
Learn all about woodpeckers from Ben Jones and Jenna Hanson
with the Dallas Zoo Wild Earth Academy.
Here is our calendar for the next two months. For complete listings, visit us at
www.dallassierraclub.org.
Feb
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
Feb
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
Feb
14 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
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.
Feb
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
Feb
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
Feb
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
Feb
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
Feb
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
Mar
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.
Mar
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
Mar
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
Mar
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
Mar
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
Mar
14 (Tue) Dallas Sierra Club General Meeting
Woodpeckers.
Learn fascinating facts about the incredible story of quirky
woodpeckers. Everyone is invited. Full details are
on our home
page now.
Mar
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
Mar
17-19 (Fri-Sun) Camp and Hike at Colorado Bend State Park
We'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
Mar
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
Mar
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
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