DISCLAIMER:  The following press release is to be used only for charitable
and public education purposes as it was created using 501(c)(3) funds.
Further distribution of this release must also be for charitable purposes,
not for legislative lobbying.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2002
CONTACT:
Wendy Balazik, 202-675-2383

SIERRA CLUB URGES AMERICANS WHO CARE ABOUT AMERICA TO CARE FOR AMERICA

Washington, DC: From the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the Olympics
in Salt Lake City and the old-growth forests of Oregon, the Sierra Club is
running television ads urging Americans who care about America, to care for
America.  Reminding people of the role wilderness has played in shaping the
American character, the ads encourage viewers to protect the landscape that
"made us bold and big-hearted, quick to act, and certain that one person
can make a difference."

The television ads will run for the week of February 18th in Arizona,
Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire,
Texas, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Washington.

"Since America's inception, whether the messenger was Henry David Thoreau,
John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt or Wallace Stegner, the message has always been
the same: loving the land is a part of loving America, and protecting our
natural treasures is an integral part of protecting America," said Carl
Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club. "Americans have long sung the
praises of America the beautiful as the 'land that we love.' These ads
remind people how our landscapes shaped our national character and urge
that we protect those gems."

The ads quote Wallace Stegner's "Wilderness Letter," which was a driving
force behind passage of the 1964 Wilderness Act.  Stegner argued that it
was imperative to protect "a leftover from our frontier origins that could
reassure us of our identity as a nation and a people."

"Our heritage and our destiny are tied to wilderness," said Pope.
"Americans honor the first and safeguard the latter when we protect our
treasured landscapes, for our families and for our future."

Sample script to follow.  To receive a copy of the ad, please contact Wendy
Balazik at 202-675-2383.

Starting February 18, the ad can be seen at
http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/media/.

Sierra Club
TV :30
"Character"
2/03/02

Wildness shaped the American character.
It tested and taught us...
made us bold and big-hearted,
quick to act,
certain that one person can make a difference.

As Americans, we are so linked to the land that:
"Something will (go) out of us as a people
if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed."
                  (Wallace Stegner)

Care about America?  Then help us care for America.
Contact the Sierra Club to make a difference.
Together we can protect our country, for our families, for our future.

Paid for by the Sierra Club.




Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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