Sierran. The Central Ohio. Sun, Aug 19, 5-7 pm Central Ohio Group Annual Picnic Location: Alum Creek State Park, Below Dam Area, Oak Shelter

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1 The Central Ohio Sierran News of the Central Ohio Group FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC All programs, meetings, outings, and events in this newsletter are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Articles appearing in The Central Ohio Sierran are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect policy of the Sierra Club. GET OUR NEWSLETTER VIA MAIL OR Club members who would like to receive this newsletter by mail, or would like to receive notification when current newsletters hit the web, please contact David Donofrio daviddonofrio1(at) gmail.com or In This Issue: Sierra Club Supports Move to Amend... 2 Chair s Corner Jul-Aug-Sep... 3 Sierra Club Meetings... 4 Dispatches from the Stream... 4 Invasive Species Removal... 4 Reuse and Recycling of Specialized Items in Central Ohio... 5 Will Traffic Circles Save the Planet?. 6 Outings... 7 Bike Columbus Festival... 9 Columbus Considers Rental Bikes... 9 Bike the C-Bus Third Hand Bicycle Co-op Declare Your Freedom From Driving Alone New Columbus Weed Law Community Events Directory July-September 2012 Volume 41, Number 4 Sun, Aug 19, 5-7 pm Central Ohio Group Annual Picnic Location: Alum Creek State Park, Below Dam Area, Oak Shelter Join us for the Central Ohio Sierra Club Annual Picnic! Please bring a potluckstyle dish to share. Meet your fellow Sierra Club members, enjoy a fantastic meal, and hear updates from group leaders and staff! Come early to enjoy the park before we meet at the shelter. The Alum Creek State Park in Delaware County has a 3000-foot swimming beach, a marina with a variety of boat rentals and a large campground. Hiking, mountain biking, and horseback trails meander through the park. Alum Creek Lake is known as one the best fishing lakes in the state. From Columbus, take I-71 north to exit 121 for Polaris. Turn right on Polaris Parkway, left on Worthington Road, left on Africa Road, then left on Lewis Center Road. Shelters are in the Below Dam Area. Oak Shelter is the picnic area furthest from the entrance. Sierra Club Program, Wed, Sep 25, 7-9 pm The Nature Conservancy Ohio Location: Northwood-High Building, 2231 N. High St. Room 100 Steve Ross coordinates The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Ohio s statewide volunteer program and also manages several nature preserves including Big Darby Headwaters in central Ohio. TNC Ohio has around 100 volunteer projects per year in nature preserves all over the state. Steve works closely with TNC staff around the state and is either involved in or otherwise familiar with the wide variety of conservation initiatives that TNC Ohio is currently undertaking. Steve will share information about all of this and more. EcoSummit 2012, Sep 30-Oct 5, 2012 Restoring the Planet s Ecosystem Services Location: The Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, OH EcoSummit 2012 will bring together the world's most respected minds in ecological science to discuss restoring the planet's ecosystems. Come hear Nobel Prize laureate Elinor Ostrom, Pulitzer Prize winners E.O. Wilson and Jared Diamond, Kyoto Prize winner Simon Levin, Stockholm Water Prize laureates Sven Jørgensen and William Mitsch, and many others. The programming will cover a wide variety of ecological topics over the entire week of the conference in parallel sessions, including: Ecological restoration and ecological engineering Estimating ecosystem services (Continued on page 3) Many thanks to Aveda for helping the Clean Water Campaign, p 4.

2 Page 2 Sierra Club Supports Move to Amend Efforts to Overturn Citizens United Decision and Amend the Constitution by Doug Todd In January 2011 the Sierra Club National Board of Directors issued a decision citing the dangers of the Supreme Court s Citizens United Decision and urging Congress to take action that will lead to overturning the holding in Citizen United. This January the National Sierra Club joined a number of progressive organizations with an endorsement of Move to Amend, a grassroots organization to get a constitutional amendment passed that would overturn Citizens United. In the Citizens United vs. FEC decision of January 2010 the US Supreme Court held that Corporations have the same constitutional First Amendment Freedom of Speech rights that individual human citizens do in expressing political opinions. It was also held that the expenditure of corporate treasury funds cannot be restricted in expressing these opinions. The legal upshot is that money is now speech. The outcome has been to overthrow the majority of long established legal precedent in campaign finance law. In turn, this has vastly increased the political spending by corporations that is obvious in both recent and current elections. The background for Citizens United is a long series of decisions dating back to the 19th Century granting corporations constitutional citizen rights called corporate personhood. Nowhere in the text of the United States Constitution are corporations granted rights. Corporate personhood is the product only of court decisions. Move to Amend was formed originally to oppose corporate personhood by advocating for a constitutional amendment. Get Active in Move to Amend Central Ohio! Sierra Club members and all who care about preserving the constitutional rights of real living persons, including our right to a healthy environment, are encouraged to become involved. Check the Move to Amend Central Ohio Website and Facebook page for current meetings and events. Also contact Doug Todd at dougsftc(at)yahoo.com or Michael Greenman at mgreenman(at)wowway.com. Citizens United is opposed as the most recent and extreme manifestation of corporate personhood. In citing its opposition to Citizens United, the national Sierra Club detailed the problems that will ensue if the decision is not changed. The continuation of Citizens United as national law will: decrease the dedication of members of Congress and the state legislatures to the long-term best interests of the nation and the states by increasing their obligations to powerful corporate and other commercial interests; shift political power away from voters to corporations and moneyed interests; reduce the quality and diversity of candidates for public office by increasing the already distorting role of money in elections; and decrease public trust in the power of voting and public-interest lobbying. Many knowledgeable observers believe this damage is already well underway. In his letter of January 25, 2012 endorsing Move to Amend by the Sierra Club Conservation Committee, Vice President David Scott stated The environmental connection here is straightforward. Even right now, we're seeing massive ad spending by anonymous organizations attacking federal incentives for solar energy--incentives we need. As the election draws close, we are guaranteed to see a gusher of previously prohibited spending by Dirty Energy interests determined to buy our elections. Move to Amend ( was founded nationally in 2009 in advance of the January 2010 Citizens United decision, but there have been organizations active locally in opposition to corporate personhood for a number of years before that. The current local branch of Move to Amend is Move to Amend Central Ohio and for the State of Ohio Central Ohio MTA meets one Saturday every month at noon at the First Unitarian-Universalist Church, 93 Weisheimer Rd in Clintonville. The branch is active and has several committees meeting at different times. You can also find their Facebook pages online. Recently Move to Amend sponsored Occupy the Courts, a national rally on the second anniversary of the Citizens United decision on January 20, People participated in more than 140 cities and towns nationally, (Continued on page 3)

3 Move to Amend Continued from page 2) showing the breadth and depth of support for constitutional reform in all areas of the country. In Columbus nearly 200 people gathered to hear speakers and peacefully voice their opposition to Citizens United and corporate personhood at the Federal Court facilities near Long and Marconi streets downtown. A current priority is to gain support for local city and town resolutions for an amendment to overturn Citizens United and end corporate personhood. Athens, Ohio has joined a number of cities across the country, including Los Angeles and Boulder, CO, in adopting such a resolution. Additional cities are being urged to do the same, including Columbus. MTA Central Ohio is currently meeting with Columbus City Council members to promote the resolution, and will also be meeting with council members from other Central Ohio cities. EcoSummit 2012 Continued from page 1 Global change issues including climate change effects and the future of food security Lake, wetland, river, forest and agro-ecosystem management Corporate involvement in the environment Sustainable economics and business practices Exhibit space will feature organizations and businesses with interactive displays, activities and visualizations centered on ecological sustainability, featuring the newest in sustainable products and innovations. The Exhibition Hall will include a short subject eco-film festival, poster sessions presented by EcoSummit participants, and the OSU Innovation Showcase, which will display examples of OSU R&D projects that support sustainability. Visit for more information and to register as an attendee or exhibitor. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission s annual Summit on Sustainability & the Environment will return as part of EcoSummit on Wed, Oct 3. Green World, Green Region includes a full day of workshops and discussions on how to produce global environmental outcomes through local projects. Registration is only $75 for the one-day event and includes breakfast and lunch. Registration and sponsorship information can be found at Contact Brandi Whetstone at bwhetstone(at)morpc.org for more information. Chair s Corner July-Aug-Sept Fellow Sierrans, There are big changes coming in your local Sierra Club, and I want to make you aware of some key things we have been working on! First, you will notice from the front page that our newsletters are now quarterly. This not only will help us save paper and postage, but will make each newsletter you do receive more comprehensive. We will be tweaking over the next few issues to determine how best you receive your Outings updates, etc., but definitely make sure we have your address ( sierracog(at) gmail.com) so that you receive all newsletters and important updates from your Club! Second, I want to thank everyone who participated in this year s issue-based survey, as well as our local appeal. We also conducted an identical survey at some local Earth Day events this year, combined with a similar appeal. Although all of the issues were listed on some people s top five lists, the consensus points (when combined with the community at large s input) were as follows: Hydrofracking, Water Issues, Forests (local and Rain) and Endangered Species, Renewable Energy/Green Jobs, and Transportation. Spanning these issues but also listed as a high priority was increased Environmental Education. Over the next few months, we are going to develop subcommittees within our Conservation Committee to ensure that we have people working locally on each of these high-priority issues. Fortunately, your priorities dovetail with many of the issues our staff and Chapter are already working on, so we will make it a point to reinvigorate our efforts on these topics. Finally, please be sure to attend our Central Ohio Group Annual Picnic, Sunday, August 19, 5-7 pm, at the Alum Creek Below Dam Area, Oak Shelter. More information can be found on page 1 of this issue. We hope to see you there! Enjoy your summer, and make a point to visit at least one park this season. Regards, David Donofrio Chair, Sierra Club Central Ohio Group

4 Page 4 Dispatches from the Stream By Ben Wickizer, Ohio Sierra Club Conservation Program Coordinator THANK YOU AVEDA! The spring Aveda fundraisers were loads of fun and a huge success. The Earth Jam Fashion Benefit at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion on May 8 raised money for the Central Ohio Sierra Club s Clean Water Campaign through a silent auction, a bidding auction, and ticket sales. A sensational fashion show was put on by Aveda students. Aveda also held Cocktails for a Cause as a benefit on April 28 at Skully s in the Short North. Funds were raised through a silent auction and ticket sales. Individual salons in central Ohio also raised money donating tips for a cause. We can t wait for next year! SIERRA CLUB HONORED On Earth Day the Sierra Club was given a surprise honor at our river cleanup at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. The award was for the Club s work to save these Ohio State-owned wetlands from a proposed gas pipeline. Columbia Gas had been accelerating plans in 2011 to locate a high-pressure natural gas pipeline directly beneath the wetlands. Potentially devastating environmental damage, first through construction and later through almost inevitable gas leaks, would have meant not only damage to the habitat but also invalidation of sensitive ongoing research. The Club worked to convince the OSU administration to deny Columbia s easement request. Our fearless attorney Rick Sahli intervened in the case before the Ohio Power Siting Board. Columbia was forced to choose an alternative route. To round out the celebration, Dr. Bill Mitsch, world-renowned wetlands expert and founder of the Wetland Research Park, gave an address on the wetlands importance and discussed how much the Sierra Club s work meant. We received a lifetime honorary membership in the Friends of Buckeye Swamp. We were presented with a certificate and the Sierra Club s name was put on a permanent plaque at the Wetlands. This victory would not have occurred without the support of Sierra members, OSU students and local residents, who loudly voiced disapproval of the pipeline s planned location. We encourage everyone to visit the OSU Wetlands. Access can be had from the Olentangy bike path or by car from Dodridge St. west of the Olentangy River. Calling all Volunteers for Our Next Cleanup Event: Invasive Species Removal Sat Aug 25, 9 am.--1 pm Sierra Club will be hosting an invasive species removal with the Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries, Columbus Parks and Recreation, and Otterbein University. The event will be on the Alum Creek Greenway Trail in the north Columbus near Westerville. Come out for a great time and make a dent in the honeysuckle on Alum Creek! Wear work clothes and close-toed shoes. Tools, gloves, beverages, and snacks will be provided. If possible, bring limb pruners, long handled loppers, or bow saws. Park at Corna Kokosing's parking lot at 6235 Westerville Rd, via Emrick Rd west off SR-3 by I-270, and follow the path signs to the west. The trail's service site is between I-270 and the "S'-bridge. Please RSVP on the Central Ohio Sierra Club s Facebook page. Contact Ben Wickizer ben.wickizer(at)sierraclub.org with questions. Sierra Club Meetings Central Ohio Group (COG) Executive Committee First Wednesdays at 6:45pm July 4, Aug 1, Sep 5 Meets the first Wednesday of most months at Consider Biking, 4041 N. High St., Suite 201. Contact COG Chair David Donofrio at , SierraCOG(at)gmail.com for more information or if you have an agenda item. COG Conservation Committee Third Wednesdays at 7 pm July 18, Aug 15, Sep 19 Conservation activists, interested members, and others meet on the third Wed. of most months at the downtown Sierra Club office, 131 N. High St. Press the intercom and someone will let you in. Contact COG ConsCom Chair Amber Bellamy at bellamy.41(at) buckey .osu.edu for more information or if you have an agenda item. COG Political Committee Members needed! Fourth Tuesdays at 7 pm July 24, Aug 28, Sep 25 Meets the fourth Tuesday of most months at Travonna Coffee House, 1195 N. High Street in Columbus. Committee members interview Central Ohio candidates and make recommendations for endorsements. The committee also meets with elected officials to keep them informed of the Group s position on local issues. There are often speakers at these meetings. Contact Thomas Lee , tlee4040(at)gmail.com for more information. Ohio Chapter Conservation and Executive Committees Sunday, July 15 and Sep am ConsCom, 1 pm ExCom Held every other month at the Ohio Sierra Club office, 131 N. High St. in downtown Columbus. Lunch will be served at no charge. Open to all Sierra Club members. Contact Chapter Chair Bob Shields at sierrabob(at) oh.rr.com for more information or if you have a subject for the agenda.

5 Reuse and Recycling of Specialized Items in Central Ohio Page 5 By Pat Marida Recycling and reuse businesses now employ about as many people as the auto industry, if not more, according to a U.S. Recycling Economic Information Study commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several states through an agreement with the National Recycling Coalition. At least 1.1 million people now work in the industry, more than triple the jobs in mining. Demand from industrializing China and India is helping to spur the U.S. recycling industry, which now provides a major source of raw materials, according to Jerry Powell, editor of Resource Recycling magazine. Without recycling, given current virgin raw material supplies, we could not print the daily newspaper, build a car, or ship a product in a cardboard box, says Powell. Recycling is not some feel-good activity; it is one of the backbones of global economic development. Batteries: Don t throw them in the landfill or even in hazardous waste! Batteries Plus stores accept all batteries for recycling ( or They ask that if you have other than alkaline batteries, that you put clear tape over the positive and negative terminals and put them in separate containers. RadioShack accepts batteries from wireless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, cordless power tools, digital cameras and radio-controlled toys. These are Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead Acid (Pb) batteries weighing less than two pounds. Bicycles: Third Hand Bike Co-op, 174 E. Fifth Ave., accepts bikes, bike parts, and skate boards. Refurbished bikes are sold and donated. You can volunteer there and earn the right to use equipment to fix your bike. Find hours and info at or (see page 10). Books: Donate books to libraries, thrift stores or the International Book Project, or Columbus recycling programs accept paperbacks. Building Supplies: Habitat for Humanity's ReStore now has two Central Ohio locations, 3140 Westerville Road (northeast) and 240 N. Wilson Road (west). They accept all manner of building supplies, windows/screens, tools, paint, and household items such as large appliances, light fixtures, blinds, and curtain rods. These are resold at both locations, so great bargains are to be had! Visit for hours and info. Car Batteries, Motor Oil, Oil Filters, Antifreeze: Many auto-parts stores and service centers that sell these items will take your old ones for recycling. Cell Phones, Pagers, PDAs: Drop them off at Staples. Clothing and household items: Thrift stores want usable clothes, but not tattered items. They also accept usable furniture and household items. Find a Goodwill, Ohio Thrift, Volunteers of America, or Salvation Army near you. You also might be surprised what nice things you can find to buy. Electronics: If you have a computer, monitor, or printer to recycle in the Columbus area, contact Free Geek Columbus These electronics have toxic metals and should not be put in an ordinary landfill. Free Geek will refurbish reusable electronics for distribution to community organizations or for use in their Computer Training and Computer Adoption programs. Anything that is broken or not powerful enough for re-use will be recycled as much as possible. Free Geek is a member of Basel Action Network which cautions that most electronic recyclers take only the most valuable components and trash the rest. Free Geek asks for a small donation if you can afford it. NOTE: Do not put old-style cathode ray tube TV sets and monitors in an ordinary landfill! Unfortunately, there is no information or warning about this in most areas. These heavy items contain lead, and the glass contains mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. Between 1/4 and 1/3 of these items weight is lead. Take them to a hazardous waste site. Replace them with the newer LED flat screens rather than LCD. They use less toxic metals and also use less electricity. Eyeglasses: Drop them off at most local optical stores. Columbus libraries collect eyeglasses for the Lions Club, which sends refurbished glasses to developing countries. Food: Donate to your local food pantry. One centrally located is the Clintonville Community Resources Center at 14 W. Lakeview Ave., They also accept school supplies; coloring books; gently-used toys, clothing and other children's items; clean, in-season adult clothing; sporting goods (excluding bikes); camping items; household items including bedding and small kitchen items such as dishes and tableware. Freecycle: This is a fantastic site where you can offer and find items, all free for pickup: In Central Ohio, you can join the Yahoo Group and advertise and find items locally at FreecycleColumbus. Furniture: The Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, 118 S. Yale Ave. in Columbus ( ), will pick up furniture and donate it to homeless people or immigrants moving into housing. Or drop off between 8 am and 5 pm Mon-Fri. The Furniture Bank will only take items in usable condition-large appliances, furniture, microwaves, and complete beds with mattresses (bedbug-free). Metal and scrap metal: Many junk yards and metal recyclers in Central Ohio will pay you for this metal. Save your scrap metal items and take them in one trip. Search online for (Continued on page 6)

6 Page 6 Will Traffic Circles Save the Planet? By Susan Belair In the last few years, central Ohio has joined the international trend to install traffic circles or roundabouts in place of stop signs or traffic lights. New Albany, Dublin and Columbus have all recently installed traffic circles and more are planned. Roundabouts and traffic circles are a type of intersection that make cars move one-way--to the right or counterclockwise--around a center island. Cars exit the circle at side streets. Traffic circles generally replace stop signs or traffic lights and use yield signs to control traffic flow. There are many reasons to welcome traffic circles. There are fewer and shorter stops with traffic circles compared to intersections with stop signs or lights, so drivers stay calmer. Because traffic is one-way, bikes and pedestrians find it easier and safer to cross the street. Traffic circles also reduce the number of accidents. They eliminate head-on collisions, which result in the most serious injuries. Since there is less idling with a traffic circle, they reduce noise pollution. Traffic circles also make sense financially: all users save when accidents and fuel consumption are reduced, and traffic circles are cheaper to maintain than traffic lights. Most importantly, traffic circles lead to decreased fossil fuel consumption, a reduction in air pollution, and even help reduce global warming. The environmental benefit comes from their effect on traffic: they slow cars down by up to 50%; they reduce the number of stops and accelerations at an intersection by up to twothirds; and they reduce the wait time and therefore idling time. These effects reduce fuel consumption. Cars use less fuel when they run at slower speeds. Since stopping and accelerating use much more fuel than idling or cruising, reducing the number of stops reduces fuel consumption significantly. Studies have shown a reduction of up to 30% in fuel consumption when a traffic circle was implemented. One study of ten intersections in Virginia determined that replacing their traffic signals and stop signs with traffic circles would save more than 200,000 gallons of fuel per year. In addition to saving gasoline, lower fuel consumption results in lower vehicle emissions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found in multiple studies that replacing traffic lights and stop signs with traffic circles reduced emissions by 21 to 42%. Vehicle emissions damage our health and the environment directly and by contributing significantly to acid rain, smog, ozone, and global warming. Pollutants released in vehicle emissions include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides, particulates or soot, and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). VOCs, NO2, and CO cause direct health and environmental damage and contribute heavily to smog formation. Smog is known to cause formation of damaging ozone. Sulfur oxides cause direct human health damage and are the key pollutants that cause acid rain. Soot can cause or exacerbate respiratory diseases. CO 2 is the primary greenhouse gas (GHG) the major cause of global warming. The IIHS found that installing roundabouts in place of intersections with traffic signals reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 29 to 32 percent, nitrous oxide emissions by 21 to 34 percent, carbon dioxide emissions by 37 percent, and hydrocarbon emissions by 42 percent. The transportation sector is a major source of GHGs and air pollution emissions. Given that the US transportation sector accounts for about 65% of total oil consumption, produces about 65% of CO emissions, about 30% of total US carbon emissions, and substantial amounts of most other air pollutants- -mostly through cars and trucks--traffic circles or roundabouts can have a significant environmental effect. Reuse and Recycling Continued from page 5 locations. Columbus DOES NOT recycle these items, so DO NOT put them in the recycling bins. Paint: For water-based paints, open the can, or pour the paint onto newspaper, and let it dry. It can then be sent to an ordinary landfill. SWACO s household hazardous waste program will take oil-based paint and varnishes. Paper: A higher grade of recycling can happen if you donate clean and dry magazines, newspapers and other household papers at the green and yellow Paper Retriever bins found at various locations in central Ohio. Organizations hosting the bins receive a profit from the collections. They DON T WANT items that have fibers too small to be used for this higher-grade recycling: cardboard, wrapping paper, paper napkins and phone books. Plastic Bags: Many supermarkets recycle plastic bags, including Kroger, Giant Eagle, and Meijer. Another idea is to give them to your local food pantry. Printer Cartridges: Many office stores including Staples will pay a small amount for used cartridges. Many retail or online outlets sell refilled cartridges. Cartridge World, with 5 locations in Central Ohio, sells refilled cartridges and gives you $2 off if you bring in a used cartridge to refill or exchange. SWACO: For a list of hazardous waste drop-off locations and times, as well as a list of what is accepted, see HHW.aspx. Vehicles: Autos, Trucks, Trailers, Boats, Jet-Skis, Motorcycles, RVs: Even if your vehicle doesn t run, lots of nonprofit organizations want it. Just ask your favorite nonprofit organization. Numerous vehicle donation programs will gladly accept most towable vehicles. Pickup is usually free.

7 General Outings Policies - Outings are free of charge unless noted. - In order to participate in one of these outings, you will need to sign a liability waiver. - Dogs must not be taken on hikes unless the write-up mentions that they may be included. - We encourage carpooling and voluntary contributions of gas money to the driver. Outings Rating System Each outing is rated twice. Both scales are one to five; the E scale indicates the required experience level and the S scale shows the physical activity level anticipated. E Scale 1 Novice - no experience required. 2 A little experience is required. 3 Moderate experience required. 4 Considerable experience required. 5 For the very experienced only. S Scale 1 Not strenuous. 2 Could be strenuous. 3 Somewhat strenuous. 4 Strenuous. 5 Very strenuous. If you are interested in an outing but are unsure if you can manage it or if you wish to meet the group at the trailhead instead of the assembly point, call the leader to discuss the trip. Be advised that longer day hikes require proper equipment. Hike leaders reserve the right to deny participation to anyone deemed to be inadequately prepared. What to Bring ( ): 1. Sturdy hiking boots or shoes. Make sure your footwear is broken in before you attempt a 10-mile hike. 2. Clothing appropriate to the season. Layering works best in cold weather to prevent overheating. Raingear is essential for comfort as hikes may proceed rain or shine. 3. A small first aid kit with band-aids or moleskin for blisters. 4. At least one liter of water (two liters in warm weather). Water is usually unavailable on the trail. 5. Snacks or lunch if mentioned in the hike description. Friday Night Hikes Friday Night Hikes are a great way to end a week. These are usually 3 to 4 miles with an optional stop afterward for refreshments and conversation. So, have some fun and join us on a Friday Night Hike! Note: heavy weather generally cancels a Friday Night Hike. If it looks questionable, check with the leader for that particular hike. Please wear reflective clothing to all urban night hikes, especially during EST months. Outings: May/June Sun, Jul 1, 9 am: Lake Hope Day Hike and Swim, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leader: Dave Dorsky. Join us for a 5-7 mile hike around Lake Hope followed by an optional refreshing swim in the lake to cool off after the hike. The terrain is rolling with some small but steep hills. Our pace and distance will depend on the weather. The hike includes a brief stop at the Lake Hope Furnace to learn how furnaces in this region were used to make iron for the Civil War. Bring plenty of water, lunch, and a towel and bathing suit if you are interested in swimming. This is a dog-friendly hike, but dogs are not allowed on the beach. Meet behind McDonald s at Rte. 33 and Gender Rd. at 9 am. [boots/water/lunch] Wed, Ju1 4, 6:30 pm: Franklin Park Evening Walk, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: Chris Tisdale. Hour-long stroll through scenic Franklin Park near downtown Columbus. The Conservatory at 1777 E. Broad St. is open 5-8pm and free during Community Night. Meet inside the east entrance on the lower level (left of doors). Fri, Jul 6, 7 pm: Sharon Woods Metro Park, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leader: Dave Dorsky. Meet in the Apple Ridge parking lot at 7 pm. We'll hike through woods, meadows, and around Schrock Lake. Although much of the terrain is flat, be prepared to navigate a few small and possibly muddy hills. Sharon Woods is located north of I-270 at 6911 Cleveland Ave. in Westerville. The Apple Ridge area is the first right from the main park road. Sun, Jul 8, 11 am and 1 pm: Blendon Woods Metro Park Day Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/2 Leader: Chris Tisdale. Two 3 mile hikes in the woods and open meadows. Meet at the nature center at 4265 E. Dublin-Granville Rd., Westerville. [water/snack/lunch] Fri, Jul 13, 7 pm: Hike I-North Bexley, Ratings: E/S 1/2, Leader: Chris Tisdale. A walk of Bexley parks Page 7 Outings are open to all; you do not have to be a member of the Sierra Club to participate. In fact, if you are interested in joining the Sierra club, we encourage you to go on an outing and get to know some Sierrans. To aid you in selecting outings that fit your experience and fitness levels, please see our Outings Rating System. along the banks of Alum Creek. Meet at Franklin Park, 1777 E. Broad St., NE corner of the parking lot by the railroad. Fri, Jul 13, 7pm: Hike II-Worthington Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leader: Linda Halverson. A 3-mile hike in the Old Worthington area. Optional dinner after. Meet at the parking lot behind the Dairy Queen at 920 High St. in Worthington. [water/sturdy shoes] Sun, Jul 15, 10 am: Slate Run Metro Park Day Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leaders: John and Marilyn Fiske. We ll hike approximately 6 miles through Slate Run Metro Park. The hike will cover a variety of terrain including forest, meadows and wetlands. We ll also stop at the Slate Run Living Historical Farm for a quick visit. Meet at the Shady Grove picnic area. Directions: From I-270 take U.S. 33 east toward Lancaster to the S.R. 674 exit. Turn right onto S.R. 674 (Gender Rd.) and go about 2 miles until it dead-ends into Lithopolis Rd. Turn left and go about ½ mile to S.R Turn right and go about 4 miles to the entrance on the right. Once inside the park, take the first left past the ranger station. [boots/ water/snack] Friday, Jul 20, 7 pm: Upper Arlington Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leaders: John and Marilyn Fiske. We ll meet at the Lane Road branch of the Upper Arlington Public Library at 1945 Lane Rd. Lane Road (not to be confused with Lane Ave.) runs east/west between Reed Rd. on the east and Riverside Dr. on the west and is a few blocks south of Henderson Rd. The library closes at 6 pm on Fridays so there will be no restrooms available. From the library we ll walk south through Lane Road park to Johnston Rd. and then west toward the Scioto River. We ll return by way of Sheringham Rd. We ll have an optional dinner afterwards at an area (Continued on page 8)

8 Page 8 Outings Continued from page 7 restaurant. Sun, Jul 22, 9 am: John Bryan State Park, Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Yellow Springs Day Hike, Ratings: E/S 3/4, Leader: Jim Halverson. This dog-friendly hike takes us through John Bryan State Park to Glen Helen Nature Preserve to visit the Raptor Center. We will continue to the Yellow Springs and hike on an old stagecoach road that offers great scenery. This is a briskpaced hike of 11 miles, so please be aware of your hiking abilities and limitations. Meet promptly behind Bob Evans Restaurant at Westland Shopping Center (just east of I-270 and West Broad St.) Please contact the leader prior to the meeting time if the weather looks questionable. [boots/water/ lunch] Fri, Jul 27, 7 pm: Hike I-Highbanks Metro Park Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leaders: Jim & Ellen McDonald. A hilly hike up and down scenic ravines. Highbanks is located just west of US 23 about 3.5 miles north of I-270. Meet outside the Nature Center. [boots/ water] Fri, July 27, 7 pm, Hike II-Gahanna Ceekside Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: Chris Tisdale. Explore the old and the new of Gahanna as we walk along the boardwalk of Creekside Park. Meet at the VFW park at 75 W. Johnstown Rd. on the southwest corner of Big Walnut Creek south of Granville Rd. (Take 270E to 62E; turn right then left to Creekside.) Sun, July 29: Alum Creek State Park Day Hike. Ratings: E/S 3/3, Leader: Linda Halverson. This is a dog friendly hike. Alum Creek State Park is just a 10 minute drive from our meeting place. This 9-mile hike will take us over a variety of terrains from wooded trails to open meadows, wetlands, beaches and a marina. Meet at 9 am in the parking lot of Wal-Mart on the Northeast side of Route 23 just north of Powell Rd. Bring a swim suit if you want to cool off in the Outings Hike Leaders Please contact them for more information about their hikes. Cabral, Jose , cabral.1(at)osu.edu Dorsky, Dave , valordave(at)hotmail.com Espinoza, Avalon , avespinoza20(at)gmail.com Fiske, John , jrob48(at)aol.com Fiske, Marilyn , mjean49(at)aol.com Halverson, Jim , jimhalvey(at)aol.com Halverson, Linda , lmat1010(at)aol.com Huntley, George Martineau, Line , linenmartineau(at)gmail.com McDonald, Jim , jmcdonald121(at)aol.com Ruf,Tom , tomruf85(at)yahoo.com Schaumann, Eric , schaumann(at)copper.net Tisdale, Chris lake toward the end of the hike. [boots, water, snack] Wed, Aug 1, 6:30 pm: Franklin Park Evening Walk, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: Chris Tisdale. Hour-long stroll through scenic Franklin Park near downtown Columbus. The Conservatory at 1777 E. Broad St. is open 5-8pm and free during Community Night. Meet inside the east entrance on the lower level (left of doors). Fri, Aug 3, 7 pm: Grandview Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: George Huntley. Neighborhood walk through Grandview. Meet promptly in the parking lot of the Grandview library on First Ave, two blocks west of Grandview Ave. [reflective wear] Sun, Aug 5, 11 am and 1 pm: Inniswood Metro Park Day Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/1 Leader: Chris Tisdale. Two 3-mile hikes starting at the sheltered entry by the parking lot. Meet at 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville. Bring a snack or lunch if walking both sessions. Fri, Aug 10, 7 pm: Grove City Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/2, Leader: Eric Schaumann. See some of the sights in old Grove City. Optional dinner afterward. Meet at the parking lot of the Grove City Library, 3359 Park St. [reflective wear] Sun, Aug 12 Hargus Lake Day Hike: Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leader: Dave Dorsky. We ll hike 5-6 miles around scenic Hargus Lake in AW Marion State Park. We will have one or two short snack stops during the hike and lunch in the park after the hike. If the weather is nice, you will have the option of hiking 2-3 more miles after lunch at nearby Stage s Pond. Bring your own food, plenty of water, and sturdy shoes or hiking boots for the wooded and at times uneven and muddy terrain. Meet south of Columbus at 9 am behind Tim Hortons at the north end of Great Southern Shopping Center, located on the west side of South High St. (US RT 23), just north of I-270. Fri, Aug 17, 7 pm: Scioto Audubon Metro Park Night Hike, Ratings: E/ S 1/1, Leaders: Avalon & David Espinoza. A 3.5-mile walk on the Whittier Peninsula, from the Grange Insurance Audubon Center at Scioto Audubon Metro Park to Genoa Park and along portions of the Scioto Mile. Optional dinner afterward. Meet at the Audubon Center parking lot at 505 West Whittier St. in downtown Columbus. [flashlight/reflective wear/sturdy shoes] Sun, Aug 19, 9 am: Hocking Hills Day Hike, Ratings: E/S 3/4, Leader: Jim Halverson. The scenery around Old Man's Cave, Cedar Falls, Rose Lake, and Ash Cave is unequaled for its beauty and serenity. See and learn about the gritty, reddish stone, called Blackhand Sandstone, and how it was left behind more than 200 million year ago when Ohio s ancient ocean drained from the land. We will be hiking 12 miles at a brisk pace and tackling some challenging hills, so please be aware of your hiking abilities and limitations. Meet promptly behind McDonald s at Rte. 33 and Gender Rd. Note: Call the leader prior to meeting if the weather is questionable. [boots/water/lunch] Fri, Aug 24, 7 pm: Highbanks Metro Park Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leaders: Jim & Ellen McDonald. A hilly hike up and down scenic ravines. Highbanks is located just west of US 23 about 3.5 miles north of I-270. Meet outside the Nature Center. [boots/ water] Sun, Aug 26, 9 am: Mohican State Park Day Hike. Rating E/S 4/4, Leader: Jose Cabral. This hike of 10+ miles takes us along the trails of the Clear Fork River and ridges that form the Clear Fork Gorge. The gorge originated from the erosion of the moraines, rock till and deposits of the Wisconsinan glacier. Today the wildlife and forest growth comprise an area designated as a (Continued on page 9)

9 Outings Continued from page 8 National Natural Landmark. Bring water, lunch, boots, suitable attire and meet at 9 am in the far end of Target s parking lot on Polaris Parkway, west of exit # 121 on I-71 north of Columbus. Fri, Aug 31, 7 pm: Blendon Woods Metro Park Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 2/3, Leader: Line Martineau. A 3- mile hike in woods with some rolling hills. Meet in the parking lot near the nature center. Directions: Take I-270 to Rte. 161 E., follow signs to the park and bear left to reach the Nature Center. Wed, Sep 5, 6:30 pm: Franklin Park Evening Walk, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: Chris Tisdale. Hour-long stroll through scenic Franklin Park near downtown Columbus. The Conservatory at 1777 E. Broad St. is open 5-8pm and free during Community Night. Meet inside the east entrance on the lower level (left of doors). Fri, Sep 7, 7 pm: German Village Night Hike, Ratings: E/S 1/1, Leader: George Huntley. We will walk around the German Village neighborhoods and visit Fetch Park. Meet at Schiller Park (Deshler and Jaeger) at 7 pm. We will be walking about 3 miles and will stop for an optional dinner at a local area restaurant. Wear sturdy footwear appropriate for uneven walking surfaces. [reflective wear] Fri, Sep 14, 7 pm: Friday Night Hike, New Albany, Ratings: E/S 2/2, Leader: Line Martineau. Join us for a hike in New Albany. We will walk around the prestigious New Albany Country Club and the surrounding neighborhoods. Meet at 7 pm at 200 Market St. in New Albany. Park on the northeast corner of the library. From Columbus, take 670 to Hwy 62. Two miles after the roundabout turn left on Market St. Optional dinner afterwards. Due to the switch from bi-monthly to quarterly production of the newsletter, we recommend checking online for changes to our outings schedule by going to the club website at central/ and clicking on hikes and outings. Bike Columbus Festival Fri Jul 13-Sat July 14 This multi-day happening celebrates the many ways bikes improve people's lives. The festival will be held rain or shine. Friday The festival will kick off with a Bridge Dedication over Alum Creek at Innis Park at 3 pm. From 4 pm-5:30 pm, join the free Family Pre-Ride Party at COSI. Events will include a bicycle rodeo, games, activities, and prizes. At 7 pm, take part in the Mayor's Twilight Ride. The ride, which begins at COSI, offers 10-mile and 20- mile options. As the riders return to COSI, they can join the Food Truck and Cart Festival at Columbus Commons. Or, return to COSI, then join Water- Fire Columbus, with free entertainment and bonfires on the riverfront. Columbus Considers Rental Bikes According to an article by Robert Vitale in the March 21st Columbus Dispatch, ( stories/local/2012/03/21/downtownmay-offer-bicycles-for-rent.html), Columbus may begin providing bicycles at various downtown locations that can be rented using a credit card and dropped off at the same or other location. Many other large cities already have successful programs like this in place. The bike rental program start-up would be funded by the city but the rental business would be run by a business or non-profit group. Columbus Parks and Recreation department is gathering proposals now, and hopes to implement the program in Page 9 Saturday The celebration continues with the Steve Barbour Memorial Tour, presented by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits. This beautiful, fully supported bicycle tour heads south to the wonder country of Hocking County. Choose from distances of 31, 62, 93, or 124 miles. Enjoy a great ride plus fun, food, and entertainment at the end of your day. Fees for this ride help support the Columbus Outdoor Pursuits and Consider Biking Steve Barbour Memorial Fund, which promotes bike safety and education programs. Rider Check In: 7 am 9 am 200K and 150K Rider Start: 7:30 am 100K Rider Start: 8:30 am 50K Rider Start: 9:30 am Registration See Donate/DonateBikeColumbus.jsp to register. Bike the C-Bus 2012 Sat, Sep 1, 7 am-3 pm Lincoln Theater on E. Long St., Columbus Bike the C-Bus is a bicycling ride that will cover approximately 30 miles over 4 segments and will feature stops that highlight change that is occurring in Columbus neighborhoods. Each stop will be sponsored by businesses and community groups and provide snacks and drinks for the riders. It's a fun way to experience sections of the King Lincoln District, Woodland Park, Olde Town East, Downtown, Short North Arts District, Italian Village, Harrison West, Victorian Village, Arena District, Franklinton, Brewery District and German Village. Bike the C-Bus is a ride and NOT a race. It offers a variety of route options to accommodate everyone from recreational riders to hard-core fitness enthusiasts. For more information or to register, visit Registration is $25.

10 Page 10 Third Hand Bicycle Co-op The Third Hand Bicycle Co-op is a notfor-profit neighborhood bicycle shop. It's main purposes are to teach patrons and volunteers mechanical skills and to recycle bicycles back into the community, in order to promote cycling as safe and environmentally responsible transportation. In 2005, Third Hand started with a very humble beginning in the garage behind a generous volunteer's house in Clintonville. Very quickly, the organization outgrew the space as word of the project spread in the neighborhood. By 2007, Third Hand moved into a retail storefront on East 5th Ave. in the Weinland Park neighborhood in Columbus, where it has been operating since. Running as an allvolunteer shop free of hierarchical structure, the shop has been working towards helping community members gain access to sustainable transportation and learn how to maintain it. How We Operate Third Hand operates under the basic principal of mutual aid-that is, we help each other. People from all parts of the city and surrounding areas regularly visit the shop. Diverse patrons all come together to work towards a common goal of helping each other become self-reliant in a city that is heavily dependent on a car culture to accomplish every day goals that could be met using other forms of transit. Third Hand sells donated bicycles and bicycle-related items at a very affordable cost. Monies raised from bike sales pay the rental cost of the space occupied by Third Hand, while offering the community at large an affordable method of alternative transportation. All monetary donations go directly into keeping the co-op successfully operable. The success of this model has been evident by the long lines outside during summer months and the constant foot traffic every Open Shop. Recently offered bike mechanics classes filled up quickly, and the need expressed from the community is for more classes and more open hours. With the going green trend, Third Hand has been getting busier every season. Volunteer or Join This means the shop is always in need of volunteers. Third Hand offers many volunteer opportunities, allowing volunteers from all backgrounds to assist at the shop and earn $8 an hour in credit to use at the co-op. Becoming a member at the co-op is simply either a $25 donation or four hours of volunteering, yearly. Members receive discounts on purchases, priority access to the shop, and many other benefits. Looking to Build The co-op, although operating effectively through this shop space, was asked by the landlord to start looking for a new space several months ago. While he supports the project, he has needs for the space. Since then, Third Hand has been looking to purchase a building to make the bike shop a truly sustainable neighborhood project. The co-op is looking to spend about $100,000 to purchase a building in central Columbus with around. 5,000 square feet, garage bays, public restrooms and the ability to be climate controlled. Financial donations and grant writers are being sought to help raise the cash. To learn more about the organization, please visit the website at thirdhand.org. Declare Your Freedom From Driving Alone Five Days of Freedom is an innovative new campaign led by MORPC s Air Quality and RideSolutions programs, in partnership with local alternative-transportation partners. The campaign challenges central Ohioans to commit to spending five days of any week between now and the end of October using any form of transportation other than driving alone. Take the Five Days of Freedom pledge online today. Declare your commitment to spend five days of one week of your choosing using any mode of transportation besides driving alone. Whether you ride COTA, carpool with a friend, ride your bike, declare your freedom from lonely commutes, high gas prices, and stressful traffic. Think you can t commit to Five Days of Freedom? Let us know what barriers prevent you from participating on the Can t commit to 5 Days online survey. Share your stories, photos and more all summer long on the Five Days of Freedom Facebook page. MORPC home page: 5 Days of Freedom: fivedaysoffreedom.asp Make the pledge: Can t commit feedback: Facebook page: New Columbus Weed Law Good news for those of us who want to naturalize: Columbus has revised the Weed Law to allow for native plants taller than 12 inches. It is not illegal to grow native plants (including those that some people would call weeds) for horticultural purposes that is, you are growing them because they are native plants, or because they provide habitat. If you have such as area in your yard, you might consider posting a sign designating it as a prairie garden or native plant garden to reduce possible complaints.

11 Non-Sierra Club Community Events Page 11 The following activities are not sponsored nor administered by the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has no information about the planning of these activities and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of such activities. They are published because they may be of interest to our readers. These events are all open to the public. They are free unless otherwise noted. Columbus Metroparks has a spectacular range of programs. Go to reservations.metroparks.net/ programs/ for more information and to register online. Through Sep 3: WATER exhibit at COSI. Learn where water occurs, how it s used and how we can become better stewards. WATER engages all learning styles through handson and digital interactive elements, videos, wall panels, models, specimens, and live animals. For more information see or cosi.org/visit. COSI is located at 333 W. Broad St., Columbus, Thu Jul 12, 6-8 pm: Rain Barrel Workshop by the Ohio Environmental Council. Construct and take home a 60-gallon, unpainted rain barrel. $50 per person. To register, see calendar/2012/05/24/rain-barrelconstruction-workshop. Class will be held in the Licking SWCD Barn, 771 E. Main St., Newark, Ohio Sat Jul 14, 10 am: Creating Prairie Gardens & Their Care. Learn how to plant a prairie in your yard and to reduce the weeds in your prairie. Find out which prairie plants do well in a small garden and which to avoid. This Wild Ones program will be held at Inniswood Metro Park, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville Fri July 27-Sun July 29: Midwest Native Plant Conference. Experts will present informational sessions and lead field trips to explore native landscaping, forests, wetlands, and prairies and the wildlife that depends on these habitats. Vendors will offer native plants, books, artwork and other items. For more information, go to The cost is $90--$165. The conference will be help at the Bergamo Center, 4400 Shakertown Rd., Dayton, Fri Aug 3-Sun Aug 5: Behavior Change for a Sustainable World Conference. The program features prominent figures in behavior analysis, environmental organizations, business, and government; invited addresses and panels, research and project posters, and interactive brainstorming sessions. For more information contact the ABAI office at or convention@abainternational.org. The conference will be held at the Ohio Union at The Ohio State University, 1739 N. High St., Columbus, Sat Aug 4, 9 am-noon: Butterflies and Dragonflies at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. Join the Columbus Audubon Society in search of numerous species of butterflies and dragonflies. For more information, contact Darlene Sillick ( ). Battelle Darby is located at 1775 Darby Creek Dr., Galloway, Sat Aug 11, 8 am-noon: Plastic Pot Recycling Event. Chadwick Arboretum at the Ohio State University is sponsoring this community recycling event. Bring plastic flower trays, pots, and non-foodgrade styrofoam packing material to the turnaround outside of Howlett Hall, 2001 Fyffe Court, on OSU's Columbus campus. Sat Aug 11, 10 am: Wildlife Gardening: Butterflies. Speaker Debra Knapke, known as The Garden Sage, will tell you how to attract butterflies to your garden. This Wild Ones program will be held at Inniswood Gardens Metro Park, 940 S. Hempstead Rd., Westerville Sun Aug 26, 11 am--4 pm: Green Wise Fair at Deerhaven Park. Join FLOW at Deerhaven Preserve and celebrate and support green businesses and organizations in our community. Event includes family activities, local food, and a raffle. Deer Haven Preserve is at 4183 Liberty Rd., Delaware, Sat, Sep 8, 10 am-noon: Basics of Wildlife Management. Learn the history, purpose, and basics of wildlife management, based on Aldo Leopold s concept that management is crucial to the overall health and well-being of wildlife species. Dress comfortably to head outdoors. Class will meet at the Zand Education Greenhouse Classroom at Dawes Arboretum. A $15 fee and registration are required: , or information@dawesarb.org. Dawes Arboretum is at 7770 Jacksontown Rd., SE, Newark, OH Sustainable Farm Tours The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is offering the Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop series this summer and fall. This is an opportunity for the public to learn about organic, sustainable, alternative production systems from the farmers themselves. For more information on any of these upcoming tours, see Sun, Jul 29, 1-5 pm.: Garlic and Hoop House Season Extension Tour of Jandy's farm in Bellefontaine. Fri, Sep 14, noon: Institutional Sourcing of Local Food Tour at Kenyon College in Gambier. Sun, Sep 16, 1pm: 2012 OEFFA Stewardship Award Winner Farm Tour: Peach Mountain Organics in Spring Valley.

12 Sierra Club Central Ohio Group 131 North High Street, Suite 605 Columbus, OH NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 787 COLUMBUS, OHIO Printed on 100% recycled paper. Chair David Donofrio* Vice-Chair Melanie Braithwaite* Treasurer Kathy O'Keeffe* Secretary & Communication Outreach Kalen Cap* Political Committee Chair Thomas Lee* Conservation Committee Chair Amber Bellamy * Membership Chair Dave Roseman* Outings Co-Chairs Marilyn Fiske Linda Halverson Line Martineau Programs Coordinator Yang Xing* Publicity Chair Amber Bellamy* Representative to the Ohio Chapter Sarah Cercone* Alternate Rep. to Ohio Chapter Dave Roseman* At-Large ExCom Members Christina Steiner* Social Networking Diana Huang Page 12 Sierra Club Central Ohio Group Directory For addresses, see the Directory on the Central Ohio Group website at Newsletter Editor Susan Belair Newsletter Layout Editor Madeline Shaw Newsletter Copy Editor Maryann Kafer Webmasters Bob Snider Matthew Baker *Denotes member of the Executive Committee for Sierra Club Columbus Office Main Number Natalie Fox (Energy) Ohio Chapter Staff... Ext. 301 Nachy Kanfer National Beyond Coal Campaign.. Ext. 308 Rashay Layman Organizer, National Field Staff... Ext. 307 Teresa McHugh Manager, National Field Staff... Ext. 302 Jed Thorp Conservation Program Manager... Ext. 303 Matt Trokan (Clean Water, Nat. Res.) Ohio Chapter Staff... Ext. 311 Dan Sawmiller... National Beyond Coal Campaign.. Ext. 305 Ben Wickizer (Alt. Trans., Clean Water) Ohio Chapter Staff... Ext. 316 The Central Ohio Sierran...is published quarterly by the Central Ohio Group of the Sierra Club. Printing: full circulation twice a year to the membership, as well as regular distribution to public locations and on our website to reach over 6,000 members and supporters. Articles published in the newsletter also appear on the Central Ohio Group website. Visit our website at Join the conversation on our Google+ page. Go to: We are on Facebook as the Sierra Club Central Ohio Group. Follow us on Twitter: Our club sierracog(at)gmail.com Send address changes to: Sierra Club Member Services P.O. Box Palm Coast, FL or address.changes@sierraclub.org