Rhode Island Sierra Club

10/08/2026

🌿 RI Sierra Club members — interested in serving on the Chapter Executive Committee?

The Rhode Island Chapter is looking for Sierra Club members who are interested in stepping into volunteer leadership and helping shape the Chapter’s work here in Rhode Island.

If you’ve been looking for a way to become more involved beyond attending meetings or events, consider putting your name forward for the Chapter Executive Committee.

Interested in running? Start by letting Sierra Club know that you’re interested in state-level Executive Committee leadership.

If you’re already a RI Sierra Club member and want to run, I’d also recommend contacting the RI Chapter directly to confirm the 2026 nomination deadline, ballot requirements, and petition process.

Know someone who would be interested? Tag them or send them this post! 🌎💚

Get Involved with the Rhode Island Chapter! A simple but important first step to get involved is to become a member

09/30/2026

🍂 Fall is here in Rhode Island — and there’s one easy thing you can do to help wildlife this season: leave the leaves! 🍁

Instead of bagging up every fallen leaf, consider leaving some in garden beds, around trees, or in a quiet corner of your yard.

Fallen leaves provide important habitat for insects, caterpillars, and other small wildlife — and they return nutrients to the soil as they break down. 🐛🌱

Even leaving just part of your yard a little more natural can make a difference.

This fall, skip a little yard work and give nature a place to overwinter. 💚

🍁 Leave the leaves
🌿 Support native plants
🐝 Protect pollinators
🦋 Give wildlife a place to shelter

Small changes in our own yards can add up across Rhode Island.

09/29/2026

🌿 **This Week in Rhode Island Environmental News**

There’s a lot happening across the Ocean State when it comes to climate resilience, clean energy, and protecting the places we love. Here are a few stories worth following this week:

🌊 **More than $2 million for climate resilience**
Rhode Island DEM announced more than **$2 million in Climate Resilience Fund grants** for eight projects across the state. The projects will help communities prepare for flooding, severe storms, and erosion while restoring natural habitats. Investments include green infrastructure, improved stormwater management, and replacing undersized culverts to better handle extreme rainfall.

🌱 **$1.5 million toward Rhode Island's climate goals**
The state's Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council approved **$1.5 million in funding** to help implement Rhode Island's Act on Climate. Projects include resilient and energy-efficient schools, municipal energy resilience, environmental education, weatherization and energy-efficiency outreach, and even Rhode Island's first dedicated state funding for regenerative agriculture.

☀️ **Solar for All gets an important court ruling**
A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the EPA unlawfully terminated the **$7 billion Solar for All program**, which was designed to expand access to solar energy for lower-income households across the country. The decision could have major implications for clean-energy programs and communities nationwide.

🌊 **Good news from Narragansett Bay**
DEM's latest weekly monitoring found **normal water-quality conditions throughout Narragansett Bay**. Cooler temperatures and recent winds have helped mix the Bay, with chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen readings at normal levels for this time of year.

Rhode Island may be small, but the decisions we make about our water, energy, open spaces, and climate resilience have lasting impacts.

💚 Stay informed. Get involved. And keep speaking up for a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Rhode Island.

09/16/2026

🌿 Providence residents: help shape the city’s climate future!

Providence is updating its Climate Justice Plan—a roadmap for creating a healthier, more equitable, low-carbon, and climate-resilient city.

Join the upcoming community meeting:
📅 Tuesday, September 22
⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 D’Abate Elementary School
60 Kossuth Street, Providence

The City will share what it has heard from residents, discuss the next steps, and continue the conversation about creating a just and equitable climate future for Providence.

Food, childcare, and simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be available.

Your experiences and priorities matter. Join the conversation and help ensure Providence’s climate policies reflect the needs of the communities most affected by pollution and climate change.

Climate Justice Plan: Five Year Update Upcoming Community Convening! Join us on Tuesday, September 22 at 5:30-7:30pm at D’Abate Elementary School (60 Kossuth St, Providence, RI 02909) for our next community convening about the Climate Justice Plan update! We will have food, simultaneous Spanish in...

09/16/2026

💧 Know before you go: watch for cyanobacteria in Rhode Island’s freshwater ponds and lakes.

Cyanobacteria—often called blue-green algae—occur naturally in freshwater. During warm, sunny conditions, especially where excess nutrients are present, they can multiply rapidly and form harmful algal blooms that may produce toxins dangerous to people and animals.

Warning signs may include:
🟢 Bright or dark green water
🟢 Surface scum or floating mats
🟢 Water resembling green paint, pea soup or cottage cheese

If you see these conditions, stay out of the water. Do not swim, fish, boat or kayak, and never allow pets to drink from or swim in the water. Children and pets can be especially vulnerable.
If exposure occurs, rinse immediately with clean water. Wash pets before they can lick their fur, and contact a healthcare provider or veterinarian if symptoms develop.

Conditions can change quickly, so always check RIDEM’s current cyanobacteria advisories before visiting a Rhode Island pond or lake:

🔗 dem.ri.gov/bluegreen

When in doubt, stay out.

09/09/2026

🌿 Your vote is a vote for Rhode Island’s future.

The people we elect make decisions that directly affect the environment we all share, from protecting clean air and drinking water to preserving open space, preparing our communities for climate change, and deciding how Rhode Island produces and uses energy.

Environmental progress doesn’t happen on its own. It happens when people show up, make their voices heard, and hold elected leaders accountable.

🗳️ Go vote today. Every election matters, and so does your voice.
📍 Find your polling place and voter information at vote.sos.ri.gov
🌎 Vote for the places you love. Vote for healthy communities. Vote for the future of Rhode Island.

09/02/2026

We had an amazing Executive Committee meeting with the RI Chapter ExComm at Apponaug Brewing Company in Warwick! It was a great opportunity to connect, get to know one another better, and learn more about Apponaug’s sustainable brewing practices and commitment to environmentally responsible operations.
A great evening of conversation, collaboration, and learning—thank you to Apponaug Brewing Company for hosting us! 🍻🌱

06/30/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out to help clean up the trails on Earth Day at The Whipple Conservation Area in Coventry! The kids had a great time with the nature scavenger hunt!

06/18/2026

05/28/2026

These Scouts didn’t just earn a badge this weekend, they earned the gratitude of every creature that calls Barrington Beach home.
🦅🦀🌊

Proud to partner with Pack 1 Barrington for a meaningful cleanup. Who else is ready to protect Rhode Island’s coast? 💚