Rio Grande Chapter

The 2015 Taos Fall Arts Festival includes the art of film. This year the Taos Environmental Film Festival will screen a series of environmental films at the Taos Center for the Arts on Friday October 1 and October 2. Jean Stevens, Taos Environmental Film Festival Director, exclaimed, “Where would art be without the inspiring landscapes of Earth? We are thrilled to bring these environmental films as part of the Taos Fall Arts and make it an event that recognizes local ...

Please mark your calendars to attend the New Mexico Game Commission meeting on Aug. 27 at the Santa Fe Community College Jemez room.  The final proposal for new hunting rules for bears and hunting and trapping rules for cougars should be released July 31.  Commissioners will make a final vote on these rules, which could irreparably harm bears and cougars in New Mexico, at the Aug. 27 meeting.  The Commission meeting begins at 8:30AM. Please fill out and turn in ...

By Mona Blaber, chapter communications coordinator In June, Animal Protection New Mexico announced its Milagro Awards, honoring “champions for animals.”
APNM gave its Humane Citizen Award, for efforts by a private citizen to promote the humane treatment of animals, to Rio Grande Chapter Wildlife chair Mary Katherine Ray. “Mary Katherine has been a dedicated, grassroots animal advocate for wildlife protection for decades. She is particularly active in current efforts to ban gruesome killing contests statewide, as well as efforts to ...

By Shane Woolbright, Northern New Mexico Group In a previous issue of this newsletter I wrote about the efforts and the hassles of putting solar panels on my home. Now, let’s look at the economics. My 3,000-watt system cost $12,300. My federal tax rebate was $3,690, while my state rebate will be $1,230. I convinced a neighbor to go solar with Sungevity, which gives Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter $750 for each system and will give me $750 for finding ...

By Rick LoBello, El Paso Group Executive Committee The current wave of development in cities around the world threatens both businesses and quality of life. Here in El Paso, when two men spotted a bulldozer blading a road across a pristine part of the Franklin Mountains in 1978, they inspired citizens across the community to take action to help stop the ravenous rampage of suburbia. Today, a new conservation effort is underway as new bridges are built, roads are widened ...

Zero waste means no toxic waste in the environment. Summertime, gardening, veggies and flowers mean pest control. Before you reach for a commercial product, read these tips: 1. Rabbits in the garden? Plant some food outside the garden for the bunnies.
Wormwood in a border will repel animals and, after it’s established, tolerate drought. 2. A dusting of powdered aloe helps keep away insects. 3. Snails and slugs: Tried and true, set out a container of beer. They love it, ...

Come join your fellow Sierrans for a Sierra Club and Beer gathering at The Commons, 2300 West Alameda, corner of Camino Carlos Real, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Terri Martin of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance will share some beautiful images and an inside update about the magnificent but still unprotected Redrock Wildlands of southern Utah. The future of the redrock hangs in the balance this year! Learn about the Greater Canyonlands and Bears Ears monument proposals ...

By Sharon Guerrero, Zero Waste Team Most of us have questions about the new recycling initiative being implemented in Santa Fe city and county. Here are some helpful hints and websites to clarify any questions you may have. If you still have questions, contact Adam Schlacter, education outreach coordinator, Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency at 505-424-1850, ext. 420, or e-mail: aschlachter@sfswma.org. • All City of Santa Fe residents should have two recycling bins: One for glass ONLY and a second for mixed recycling (everything ...

By Ken and Christine Newtson, Southern New Mexico Group On May 11, El Paso Electric (EPE), which serves Southern New Mexico and the El Paso area, filed with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for an increase in electric rates of 7.1 percent of non-fuel-based rates. These proposed rates will result in a 9 percent increase, on average, to Southern New Mexico total residential bills. As EPE last filed for a non-fuel-based rate increase in New Mexico in 2009, an appropriate rate increase is reasonable. Of concern ...

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in May rejected PNM’s rate-hike proposal, which would have required New Mexico families to cover tens of millions of dollars in costs for the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station and added a hefty monthly fee for anyone who installed rooftop solar. The decision follows a recommendation from a PRC hearing examiner that criticized PNM for failing to provide sufficient information to support its proposed rate increase. The Sierra Club intervened in the case to ...