News from our member organizations

(Beyond Pesticides, May 7, 2013) After 40 years of delay, the Associated Press reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will rule on the safety of the antibacterial chemical triclosan this year. Triclosan is present in hundreds of consumer products ranging from antibacterial soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, cosmetics, fabrics, toys, and other household and [...]

Animal waste from factory farm could jeopardize endangered species, contaminate America’s first national river

A coalition of conservation and citizen groups sent a notice of intent to sue today to the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding its Farm Service Agency’s loan guarantee for an industrial 6,500-pig swine facility on the banks of a tributary that flows straight into the Buffalo National River—an action that was not properly examined and may violate the Endangered Species Act.

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First-of-its-kind facility on East Coast would hurt Chesapeake and hasten nearby fracking

A coalition of local, regional, and national groups are objecting to the environmental impacts posed by the proposed Dominion Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on the Chesapeake Bay, saying the project would hurt the Bay’s economy and ecology, increase air pollution, and hasten fracking and drilling in neighboring states.

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Animal waste from factory farm could jeopardize endangered species, contaminate America’s first national river

Group petitions for reversal of BLM decision that extends illegal oil and gas leases

Earthjustice, representing Wilderness Workshop, today filed an administrative appeal seeking reversal of the April 9 Colorado Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision that extended the lives of 25 oil and gas leases set to expire this year.

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Seattle residents enjoy Summer Streets on Alki

Imagine a street closed to motorized traffic. Now imagine this street alive with human activity and energy—people of all ages dancing, biking, walking and playing in the street.

Welcome to ciclovia! Ciclovias, or open streets, temporarily transform that public space—a roadway—into a public place for residents to bike, walk, socialize with friends, play games and celebrate their community.

An open streets event is not a block party or a street fair. It’s an opportunity to engage community members in physical activity, allows them to imagine living somewhere that can be easily biked or walked, and gives them a new perspective on how we might use our urban public space.

Seattle’s Bicycle Sunday, introduced in 1965, is the oldest continuous open street initiative in North America. A three-mile stretch of Lake Washington Boulevard between Seward Park and Mount Baker Beach is closed to vehicles on scheduled Sundays from May to September. Children learn to ride their bikes at Bicycle Sunday. Residents stroll and jog along the car-free route.

Seattle holds another open streets event called Summer Streets. Now in its fifth year, Summer Streets temporarily closes streets in various parts of the city throughout the summer. Volunteers organize games and activities to encourage residents to celebrate and enjoy their neighborhoods in a different way.

Spokane’s Summer Parkways started in 2010 and is organized by the nonprofit Spokefest. This year’s ciclovia-inspired event will close a four-mile loop in the Comstock-Manito neighborhood to motorized traffic and opens it up to all kinds of creative human-powered activities.

The Five Mile Drive loop in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is closed to motor vehicles until 1pm every Saturday and Sunday. This weekend closure offers residents a great place for family bike rides. Bicyclists and pedestrians can peacefully wind their way through an old growth forest as they take in scenic sound and mountain views.

New in 2013 is Vancouver’s Sunday Streets Alive. Five major activity centers will be located along the 4.2 mile route, offering a range of fun activities to keep the body and brain moving. Organizers anticipate 3000-8000 residents will participate in this inaugural open streets event in southwest Washington.

Would you like to bring a ciclovia or open streets initiative to your community? The Open Streets Project offers resources and technical assistance that can guide city agencies and nonprofit organizations in developing an event for the community.

The post Open Streets: Coming to a community near you? appeared first on Bicycle Alliance of Washington.

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing my students take action in response to what they have learnt.

(Beyond Pesticides May 6, 2013) On Wednesday April 24, Senator Barbra Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Peter Defazio (D-OR) introduced companion legislation that would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to “clearly label” all genetically engineered (GE) whole and processed foods, including fish and other seafood. The bills, the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act,  H.R. [...]

GiveBIG gives us more. Every dollar you donate will be augmented by a percentage of the Foundation’s funding!  In 2012 the Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG campaign generated $7.43 million for more than 1,100 local nonprofits. More than 37,800 individuals from all 50 states and 23 foreign countries donated between 12:00am-11:59pm. The Seattle Foundation stretched these gifts further, matching a share of every contribution with a pool of funds provided by corporate sponsors, individual contributors and the Foundation. (source)  Your donation will help Washington Wild fulfill its mission. Your donation will help Washington Wild protect and restore places like these:

• If you gave in 2012 or 2011, please consider giving again in 2013.
• If you have been thinking about donating to or becoming a member of Washington Wild, May 15th is the perfect day to make that happen, as every dollar you donate will be matched by the Seattle Foundation!
• If you have never given to a charitable organization before, Wednesday May 15th is a phenomenal day to start.
• Every dollar counts, so instead of getting a latte on May 15th, get a delicious cup of drip and donate the balance to Washington Wild – those dollars add up fast!

Last year we set our goal at $8,000 for GiveBIG day, and we met that goal. Our goal of this year is $10,000. We know this goal is attainable – and we need you to help us get there! 

Ruby from Port Angeles, won first place for Washington State in the 5th Grade Bike Poster Contest. Now it’s time to support her at the National Contest. The competition around the country is stiff, but check out Ruby’s romantic aesthetic and that bounding joyful squirrel. Her bike is even prepared for the wet with a front fender! Vote for Ruby’s poster on Saris’ Facebook page (Ruby is poster #16).

If Ruby wins the contest, Dry Creek Elementary School in Port Angeles will win a new bike rack for 20 bikes and the Hub System to help encourage biking. A rural school in Port Angeles, Dry Creek Elementary has been teaching the Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education Program to their 5th and 6th graders for the last two years. These students would benefit from the added bike parking and nifty way to track and encourage bike trips with the Hub. Additionally, Ruby will win a trip to Washington, D.C. for the 2014 National Bike Summit, a great opportunity to inspire the next generation of riders.

Vote for Ruby’s poster (Poster #16) between now and May 7th at Saris’ Facebook Page.

Thank you to Saris Cycling Group for organizing the bike poster contest and providing prizes for the winner.

The post Support Port Angeles at the National Bike Poster Contest appeared first on Bicycle Alliance of Washington.

Please join us at the NW Clean & Affordable Energy Conference, May 31 – June 1 in Boise, Idaho. The conference will focus on the region’s greatest clean energy opportunities and challenges. Experts from Idaho and across the Northwest will discuss hot energy topics such as small-scale renewables, rural energy efficiency, and Columbia-Snake salmon recovery solutions...

Read the final report [pdf].

Help support communities downstream and help make the 2013 National River Cleanup the most widespread cleanup ever by registering a cleanup today and ensuring there are cleanups in all 50 states!

(Beyond Pesticides, May 3, 2013) Despite the groundbreaking decision in Europe earlier this week to protect honey bees by suspending the neonicotinoid pesticides shown to be highly toxic, the  U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a report yesterday which fails to address the overwhelming scientific evidence of neonicotinoid-related [...]

Spread the word! Washington Trails Association is now hiring for our first Information Systems Manager.

• Do you know what CRM stands for? Can you articulate to your non-techie nonprofit colleagues how it will help them run their programs more effectively?
• Did you go to last year's Dreamforce conference and get more excited about learning Salesforce admin tips and tricks than seeing performances by MC Hammer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
• When you login to wta.org to save hikes using My Backpack, do you wonder why you can't also see which trail work parties you're registered for, or see the expiration date of your WTA membership?

If you answered yes to these questions, then you might just be the forward-thinking technology administrator and project manager we're looking for.

Join a great team

The Information Systems Manager will work closely with staff from WTA's fundraising, volunteer trail maintenance and communications teams to manage our Salesforce database. The position will also spearhead upcoming projects to better integrate Salesforce with wta.org and other internal systems.

One of the cool things about coming to work for WTA - besides the great mission, of course - is that each of your 20+ colleagues is a Salesforce user. Those you'll work with most closely are equally excited to help take our Salesforce system to the next level. In fact, your ability to collaborate with us and keep us moving toward our goals is exactly what we need.

How technical is the position?

So how much of a techie do you need to be? You'll be encouraged to work with outside vendors when we need programming and other way-technical expertise (though if you have those skills we'll certainly be impressed.)

Apply by May 31

Click here to view the full job description [PDF} and instructions on how to apply. The application closing date is May 31. The position will be based in our downtown Seattle office at 20-30 hours/week to start with the potential for full time work in the future. Fortunately, WTA offers great benefits even for part-timers.

Often described as “soil superglue,” this protein helps bind soil particles together in aggregates, the structures that protect organic matter, hold moisture, and improve soil tilth. The presence of glomalin is also an indicator of a vibrant and vital underground ecosystem.

Raw sewage flows into their homes and yards

In Rochelle, Georgia, a town that recently made national news for its racially segregated prom, a group of African-American citizens is suing their city government for discharging the city’s raw sewage onto their properties.

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...in Wetland Restoration & Construction, Arizona

In case pitting community rights against the oil and gas industry, industry loses yet again

Local residents and elected leaders in Dryden, N.Y. are celebrating victory today in a closely watched case over local fracking bans. A state appeals court ruled in favor of the towns of Dryden and Middlefield, affirming lower court decisions upholding the towns’ right to ban oil and gas development activities—including the controversial technique of fracking—within town limits.

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Because of the growing threats to our nation’s coastal communities from climate change, cities and states are taking charge to prepare for rising seas. Our new Getting Climate Smart guide contains hundreds of strategies to address climate threats to coastal communities and natural habitats.