Cypress Group of the NC Sierra Club

06/14/2026

Saturday morning June 13, a group of fun-seeking Cypress Group kayakers departed Dinah's Landing in Goosecreek State Park, NC, and paddled east on Goose Creek and into the narrow waters of Upper Goose Creek. Beautiful, mesmerizing, informative, and at times spooky were some of the thoughts and words that filled the morning. We saw osprey, jelly fish, minnows, vultures, black birds, woodpeckers, osprey nests, old piers from the area's long-ago logging days, and myriad trees, including bald cypress, loblolly pines, red maple, and wax myrtle. It was a grand, nature-filled time. Here are a few pictures.

06/07/2026

Kayaking at Dinah’s Landing June 13 9:30-11:30am
Meet at Dinah’s Landing for an approximately 2hr paddle – Low impact, perfect for beginners. Will explore Goose Creek and the shores of the Pamlico River.
Kayak Rentals available through Knee Deep Adventures (252) 714-5836
Lunch afterwards at Down on Main Street.
Dinah's Landing Rd, Washington, NC 27889 RSVP [email protected]

05/29/2026

Happy Birthday Sierra Club-134 years old. Celebrate and get out there!!

05/27/2026

Come out for some fun locally!
Kayaking at Dinah’s Landing June 13 9:30-11:30am
Meet at Dinah’s Landing for an approximately 2hr paddle – Low impact, perfect for beginners. Will explore Goose Creek and the shores of the Pamlico River.
Kayak Rentals available through Knee Deep Adventures (252) 714-5836
Lunch afterwards at Down on Main Street.
Dinah's Landing Rd, Washington, NC 27889 RSVP [email protected]

05/22/2026

Get out and enjoy nature this holiday weekend. Be respectful of the environment and animals. Remember humans thrive when the environment is protected and diverse.

05/19/2026

Clean Energy Takes Another Punch.
The Coastal Federation said in a news story recently, that the US Interior Dept announced Monday, 3/27/2026, that the company TotalEnergies had accepted a federal buyout of its wind energy leases off North Carolina coast. Coastal Federation went on to say "….(this) is a sharp pivot from the company’s previous narrative on offshore wind in the United States." TotalEnergies had, at the start, said its wind energy project off the coast of Brunswick County (at the southern end of NC's coast) would eventually generate enough electricity to power 300,000 homes in the Carolinas, and "….(it) will harness the power of offshore wind to generate abundant energy and significant economic growth for the communities of the Southeast."

The Trump administration lauded TotalEnergies agreement to stop its wind project by calling the pullback an “innovative agreement.” This is a major win for President Trump, who has made stopping offshore wind a large part of his quest to dismantle renewable energy projects and replace them with fossil fuel and nuclear power.

Shortly after taking office in January 2025, Trump issued an executive order barring new offshore wind leases and requiring reviews of existing and permitted wind projects.

I urge you to please read all you can about what the federal-administration is doing to prevent clean energy and about how they are working to replace it with additional fossil fuel. Then speak out!

Much of this information was taken from a story by the NC Coastal Federation titled "Carolina Long Bay wind energy firm takes Trump buyout" In CoastalReview.org Mar 27, 2026. https://coastalreview.org/2026/03/carolina-long-bay-wind-energy-firm-takes-trump-buyout/

Read more at Coastal Review, coastalreview.org.

05/19/2026

https://apnews.com/article/rivers-oxygen-loss-dead-zone-global-warming-38b9116cc127f4212b1c20da08af0416?fbclid=IwY2xjawR5RgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe3H-pivHAWzIrPagxG-BAcHGXkQCKMuEGlx2oGhDSQZOKq5MS6cL0HbUs1c0_aem_-6RF2EA7cw33uJUbN3letw

Global warming is causing rivers to slowly lose oxygen, threatening fish and other lives. A study released Friday of more than 21,000 rivers worldwide shows they have lost an average of 2.1% of their oxygen since 1985.

05/16/2026

This past week, I got to participate in the first Wednesdays On Jones Street program organized by Lisa Hazirjian, Sierra Club NC Chapter Legislative & Political Director. It brings to Raleigh Sierra Club members and supporters who want to influence or learn about what elected state officials do. While in the legislative office buildings, we talked with senators, representatives, and staffers and sat in on an Agriculture Committee meeting.

The highlight for me was a twenty minute conversation with Senator Kandie Smith on environmental concerns of Cypress Group members. Senator Smith showed an understanding of the need to protect the environment. She also expressed support for Cypress Group's efforts to ensure industrial development projects in eastern NC check two boxes, one for creating jobs and the other for protecting the environment.

The picture is of Senator Smith and me after our meeting.

If you want to learn more, here is a link to follow. https://www.sierraclub.org/north-carolina/blog/2026/05/letter-jones-street-what-didn-t-happen-week

05/16/2026

05/11/2026

Environmental Considerations of a Master Brewer

Presented by:

Franklin Winslow

Brew Master and Co-President
Tarboro Brewing Company, Tarboro, NC

Tuesday, May 12
7:00 PM

At Tapped on Firetower Rd in Winterville

You may also watch the program live via Zoom. The sound problems experienced last month have been fixed, so you will be able to hear us this month.

Many environmental considerations are part of running a brewery in Eastern North Carolina. Master brewer, Franklin Winslow, will help us understand them. In addition, Tarboro Brewing Company says, "We are invested in revitalizing Eastern North Carolina." Join us on May 12 to hear more.

If you have questions about the program, send Jeff an email at [email protected]

Remember, Tapped in Winterville allows us to use their room each month without charge. Therefore, please consider buying a beverage from them to show your support. They have beer, wine, and soft drinks.