It’s been a great summer outside. Like most people who visit this blog, I’ve been going hiking, backpacking, and generally getting outside as much as I can. And after so many great trips that have recharged and inspired me, I’m excited to give back a little.



This upcoming September 11th is a National Day of Service, and the Sierra Club is joining with groups across the country to give back. I’m taking part and I hope you will too.

The Club’s Serve Outdoors initiative makes it easy for you to find events or host your own. Just visit the website and see what’s happening near you. In Oakland, California, there’s going to be a trail work at Joaquin Miller Park. In Hartford, Connecticut, a group will be cleaning up a local river. And in Austin, Texas, there’s an underwater cleanup at Lake Travis.

If you don’t see an event in your area, this is a great time to sign up to host your own. What better time than early September to get outside and give back?

And if you can’t make it on September 11th, be sure to add your name to the list of year-round volunteers on the site. Show your support for the National Day of Service and let us all know how you give back on a regular basis.

Last Saturday, more than 10,000 people from across Florida gathered at more than 83 beaches to protest offshore drilling. These rousing events drew impressive turnout, despite chilly weather and rain, and were part of a state-wide effort called Hands Across the Sand. That effort was organized to protest attempts by Big Oil to drill in state waters (a mere 3-10 miles from the coast). The events could not have come at a more critical time, however, as Florida's waters are threatened both from federal and state efforts. It was inspirational to see people from all walks of life and political affiliations, citizens, and businesses stand together to protect their livelihoods and their economy. A few alligators, dolphins, and mermaids even showed up at several events!

The Sierra Club's Florida Chapter played an integral role in many of the events. Below are several photos that came out of the day.

This post was originally published on the Lay of the Land blog.

I'm on vacation this coming week through Labor Day and, because I can't decide which mountains I'd like to hike this time, I bought a last-minute ticket for Burning Man.

While I'm off being a Burner for a week, I want Trails fans to keep the home fires burning -- and I want a lot of friends to greet me when I get back from the desert.

To that end, I've cooked up a little challenge. The Trails member who gets the most friends to register on Trails and send me a friend request by midnight on Sept. 8 (Labor Day) will receive their choice of a brand new Primus ETA Power Stove or Therm-a-Rest Woman's Trail Lite mattress (sorry, I only have a woman's). AND their friends who sign up and friend me will get a Sierra Club daypack (at least until I run of daypacks, but I have a couple of dozen brand new ones).

Not only that -- but the first person who gets at least one friend to register and then friend me will get a nifty backpacking chair. And that first new friend will get a daypack, too!

Here's how it goes:

Step One:
Invite your friends to become members of the Trails community. Go to your Dashboard (you can get to it in the green Trails banner at the top of each page when you're logged in), and on the left you'll see "Invite Friends." Click on that and you can then click on a link that lets you choose email addresses from your address book.

Step Two:
Send the following message (customize it, if you like) to your friends:

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Dear Friend:

I'm having fun finding cool trails to hike in the new Sierra Club Trails community. I think you'll enjoy it, too. If you sign up before Labor Day, you'll put me in the running for some cool outdoor gear -- and if I win, you could receive a free Sierra Club daypack.

Please register here (it's quick and easy!)
http://tinyurl.com/trailfriends

and then, while you're logged in, visit Tioga Jenny's profile
http://connect.sierraclub.org/Jenny5

and click on the "Connect as a Friend" link in the Interact box at the upper left. In the message box, be sure to mention my name and email address.

Thanks!

[your name and email address]

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Step Three:
After a few days, send a reminder to your friends!

I'll miss Trails while I'm gone, but I hope to return to lots of happy friend requests! My Trails friend Zheem promises to answer any questions on this post.

 

Bill Vanderberg, a school administrator in Los Angeles, loves to introduce inner city kids to something they've never seen before: nature. Some have never stuck a toe in the ocean, or walked a trail, or looked straight up at a massive rock face like those in Yosemite. That is, until they joined Bill's Eco Club at Crenshaw High School. And that changed their lives forever.

This morning on the CBS Early Show, Bill was honored as one of "Early's Angels," and that's exactly what he is. You've got to watch the 10-minute clip -- it's amazing, inspiring, tears-inducing stuff.

We at the Sierra Club already knew about Bill because he's one of the lead volunteer working with our Building Bridges to the Outdoors program. Sierra magazine featured Bill and some of his students in an article a couple of years ago.

Watch the CBS clip and you'll meet Leo Morazan, who got caught in an act of vandalism three years and was given a second chance by joining Bill's Eco Club. Leo went on to be president of the club, is on the honor roll, and is college-bound with the dream of being a park ranger. "I probably wouldn't even be able to graduate if it weren't for him," he says of Bill.

And Cynthia Rivas, who'd never spent time in nature, and had no plans to go to college -- until Angel Bill came into her life. Now she's at U.C. Berkeley, double-majoring in Conservation Resource Studies and Forestry. She hopes to get a master's degree in Environmental Management at Yale.

You want to feel some hope for the future? Watch the clip. And next time you get outside--take a teenager with you!

If you love Yosemite National Park, here's a great volunteer opportunity for you. LeConte Memorial Lodge is a 105-year-old visitor center, environmental education center, and library operated by the Sierra Club in Yosemite National Park. We are looking for Sierra Club members who have visited Yosemite at least once within the last five years and are interested in volunteering for one week between May 2nd and September 26th.

Hours of operation are from 10 am - 4 pm, Weds.-Sun, and 7:30 - 10 pm for weekend evening programs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  All volunteers arrive on Saturday by 3:00 pm and volunteer at the lodge that evening, and depart the following Saturday between 1 and 4 pm, after volunteering.

Training takes place on Sunday morning at 9:00 am.  Volunteers enjoy free entrance to Yosemite National Park, free camping at the campsite during the time they volunteer, and Monday and Tuesday to spend at their leisure.  To provide the best opportunity for visitors, excellent communication skills are essential.  For more information, click here or contact Bonnie Gisel, the LeConte Lodge curator, at leconte.curator@sierraclub.org or (209) 372-4542.

If you go, join the Yosemite Lovers Group here on Sierra Club Trails, and share your experience!