Wednesday, January 25, 2012

SPECIAL SCREENING OF THE "DIRTY BUSINESS OF COAL"

There will be a special, FREE screening of the documentary, "The Dirty Business of Coal" at 6:30 PM on February 10th at the Zone, 11731 Ave. O, Chicago.  Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion with the Director, Peter Bull and Robert Rosenthal of  The Center for Investigative Reporting.  Please plan to attend to find out more about this issue and how it relates to your community.

For more information, call 773-646-0436.

Monday, January 9, 2012

As another year ends..

Our members and friends spent a fun evening together last Monday as we celebrated another Holiday Potluck.  With more food than we had room for, no one left with an empty stomach or empty an hand. Many recipes were swaped and compliments exchanged. One of the culinary hits that night was Juan's  mosticolli whose secret ingredient was pineapple! 

Our President, Bob LeSuer, took the opportunity to give an oral run down of our past year's acomplishments and to recognize our valued volunteers, Linda Ruxton and Jerry Carter.  Jim and Julie Earnshaw received special recognition for their fundraising support of SETF with their particpation in a 13 mile walkathon in Wisconsin.  They raised over $400.00 among family, friends and co-workers.  Trees R Beautiful was also acknowledged for their receiving of the "Volunteers of the Year" award from Friends of the Parks for their work planting trees on the Burnham Greenway and in the Southeast Chicago.  And member, Sharon Rolek , was thanked for the recycled items that she collects and then donates for use in our office and for her donation of the door prizes. 

Too soon the evening came to an end and it was time to clean up the mess.  We are fortunate to have such caring members; we thank them all for their support this past year and for making our Potluck Holiday Party such a success.



Volunteer Jerry Carter and President Bob LeSuer

Bob LeSuer with Jim and Julie Earnshaw

Our members listen intently as our President talks about our plans for 2012.

Intern Beatriz Diaz, new volunteer Margo and Allison Fisher of the Sierra Club.

Sample Letter to Editor Against Lucadia Project

Appended below is a sample "letter to the Editor" that can be cut and pasted.

To: Editorial page editor of_____________________________________________


From: Name, Address
email address= Your Name@yahoo.com
Cell phone # ############
Our time to move “Beyond Coal” January 6, 2012

Dear Editor,

I am writing to encourage my neighbors and friends to stand up for clean, renewable energy jobs in our southside Chicago neighborhoods. Solar, wind, and geothermal energy technology can bring these jobs to our corner of the world. I do not want more dirty, polluting coal industry here in our community.

The Leucadia Corporation is proposing this year to build an expensive coal gasification plant that would produce synthetic natural gas from dirty coal. This means sooty streets and damaging effects to human health. The site for this plant would be 2 blocks from Washington High School, 3535 E. 114th St, where a monitor shows that the neighborhood’s air already has the states highest levels of toxic chromium, cadmium, and sulfates, which can trigger asthma attacks.

Our community has more than its fair share of polluting industries. The cumulative effect of the air pollution of these industries must be taken into account. Many are concentrated here where our air quality is some of the worst in the nation. The small amount of jobs that will be produced by the Leucadia coal plant are not the renewable energy jobs that we need.

This is our time in human history to move “Beyond Coal.” This is our time in our southside neighborhood to stand up for clean, renewable energy jobs. Please get involved in our “Beyond Coal” campaign. I ask my neighbors to visit these websites: www.sierraclub.org/coal/il and www.setaskforce.org

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

SETF Fights Gun Range

The Southeast Environmental Task Force will be opposing the proposed gun range that the City of Chicago plans to build at 134th and Jeffery Avenue in Hegewisch. The range will border Whitford and O'Brien Marsh ponds, which are important feeding grounds for the endangered Black Crowned Night Herons and other water fowl. This site was also proposed as possible public park space.
The water district is scheduled to meet Thursday, Jan. 5th.


NWI News Article: Activists Fight Gun Range