About the Great Waters Group and the Sierra Club

The Great Waters Group of the John Muir Chapter (WI) is a local Sierra Club member group that serves Sierra Club members who reside in a geographic boundary that includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, & Waukesha counties. 

Sierra Club local groups are run by their members, for their members and are affiliated to a Sierra Club Chapter that is responsible for their state.  Wisconsin has eight local member groups, which are part of the Sierra Club's John Muir Chapter.  The Sierra Club Chapter and its staff are in place to represent the local state interests and the member groups.

The Sierra Club is a conservation driven grass roots organization that has developed a track record from its years and many accomplishments that will allow future generations to enjoy what could have been lost forever.  Sierra Club's protection efforts are never ending and the most important factor in its continued success results from the dedication, effort and funding that its members, volunteers and supporting organizations provide.  

Business decisions and government policy are typically influenced by a level of public support that can be measured by an aggregation of correspondence such as letters, emails, phone calls and face-to-face dialog.  Getting the right amount of support is not something that can happen on its own accord to make a difference.  Our dedicated members and partnering organizations work together to keep our members and the public informed about issues and recommend options for action when action is needed.

The Sierra Club's effectiveness is dependent on members to make things to happen.  Member volunteers can choose to lead or provide support to group activities.  Our volunteer leaders not only address topics and issues that are important to their own members, but they help keep the group aligned with the objectives and policies of its Chapter, the Club and its founding mission.  Such activities might include outdoor events, education, and administration to assure the Sierra Club continues to provide the right mix of activities that our members want in their life's experiences required to explore, enjoy and protect our planet.

Sierra Club's Mission:

"To Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the wild places on earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment; And to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives."

 Great Water's Conservation Organization

The follow describes our Sierra Club group's Conservation organization and focus:

Conservation Chair: The Conservation Chairperson is our group's main point of contact for Conservation issues  This key role keeps our group's leaders and conservation committees informed of issues which may require action or involvement.

Volunteer Conservation Committees:

Global Warming and Energy Committee: Works to help our government representatives, business leaders, and the general public obtain a better understanding about energy use and the choices that are available for reducing the negative impacts to our shared environment.

Parks and Land Habitat Committee: Monitors issues and political decisions about our local parks and proposed changes that could be detrimental to unique green spaces or impact the sustainability of unique living things that might never be replaced.

Transportation and Sustainable Growth Committee: Monitors and identifies issues and political decisions that impact mass transit and the people that rely on it as our local communities continue to grow in population and traffic.

Water Committee: Monitors both issues and improvements needed to protect our most precious resource, water.  This includes how our local municipalities deal with water and protection of inland lakes and rivers, and the Great Lakes.

Great Water's - A+ Community of Youth Program

The Sierra Club Great Waters Group, in partnership with the Sierra Club Foundation, released its A+ Community of Youth program on Saturday, April 21, 2007 in recognition of Earth Day 2007. The program is designed to educate and invite children to explore, enjoy, and protect the outdoors. Information is provided through a "Kid's Guide the Outdoors", the "A+ Community" web site, and a varitey of activities that are designed for children's participation.

The "Kids' Guide to the Outdoors" is a comprehensive 200 page guidebook designed for children and their "wheels" (e.g., parents, guardians, friends, bicycles, and rollerblades) to learn about the various parks and resources available them in the surrounding communities. The guide contains main features, mailing and web addresses, hours of operation, and driving directions to over 100 state, county, and city parks, nature areas, nature centers and trails in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.

A+ Community of Youth activities allow children to make use of community-building tools and give them opportunities to seek information about various environmental concerns, and learn what they can do to make a difference.  They can even participate in local Sierra Club activities if they so choose. Upcoming activities and summer events are finalized, they will be announced on the A+ Community of Youth web site and through the local news media.