Environmental Grassroots Movement: The Sierra Club

A movement is one that begins from the bottom up through the initiatives of a small group of people with a singular goal. Spurred by a disagreement with a process, law or social behavior, and driven by the desire to create change to make something better. Growing as common goals align between different people and organizations with a singular goal that combine to champion a cause to make something better. The Sierra Club is the largest environmental grassroots movement in the world, with a focus on preserving the environment through recreation, education, and conservation of natural habitats, and resources. It began with a few friends from the University of California led by conservationist John Muir who devoted their time, and efforts to expand

“He believed the best way to get people to understand why land should be kept wild was to have them spend a few nights in the wilderness…” (McGivney). The Sierra Club has since grown into a sixty-five-chapter worldwide organization with a chapter in every state making and astounding impact on national parks, sustainable agricultural practices, and clean-fuel initiatives.

The Sierra Club can trace its origins back to 1892 when John Muir and twenty-six of his friends from the University of California set out to make Yosemite National Park more accessible to the public. The small groups initial goals were to expand awareness, make the wilderness accessible for others to enjoy, and explore the mountain regions of the pacific coast. After requesting, and receiving federal grants they conducted surveys and began construction of over 400 miles of walking trails through the Sierra Nevada mountains. In 1901, the Sierra Club organized its first outing (called the Yosemite Rally)

Although education, and recreation largely contribute to its purpose; it all begins with conservation. From the tireless efforts of the Clubs founders, to hundreds of thousands of volunteers, this grassroots movement that started as a small group of friends is largely responsible for the creation of our National Parks, Clean-fuel initiatives, and sustainable agricultural practices. To better align itself with all the issues that directly affect wildlife the Club changed its emphasis in 1950, from conservation to environmentalism. “This meant that by its tenth decade the Sierra Club was deeply involved in solving new and challenging problems” (Anonymous). Currently the environmental conservation efforts of the Sierra Club have assisted in the creation of numerous government organizations designed to regulate industrial waste, air pollution, and land management. The Sierra Club is a fitting example of how a group of individuals can unite for a common goal to induce change, and preserve nature for generations to