Earth Hour - Mark your Calendar

Mark Your Calendar: Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 pm

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world's first global election, between Earth and global warming. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote - Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Click here for more information about Earth Hour by member group World Wildlife Fund.

Join a Backcountry Response Team

Have you ever been five miles into the wilderness and wondered who fixes that nice trail that carried you in? It could be you!

Washington Trails Association, the state's most active hiker advocacy group, organizes Backcountry Response Teams (BCRTs) to maintain trails miles into the wilderness. By bringing volunteers out to maintain trails for three to four days, spending these nights in the woods, these teams can fix routine trail problems before they turn into maintenance quagmires that can ruin a backpacker's trip.

These trips are distinct from the frequent work parties that WTA hosts, as the daily work parties will just address the first few miles of a trail. Fallen trees and mudslides, of course, happen wherever they feel like and sometimes these problems lie out of reach of a trail crew that wants to be out before night falls.

In 2009, WTA will organize 19 Backcountry Response Teams. The schedule or weekend work parties, which begins May 1 and runs through September, includes stops on the Olympic Peninsula, on Mount Adams , on Mount Baker, and in the Cowlitz Valley among many more scenic locales. According to WTA Volunteer Coordinator Alyssa Kreider, "These trips are rewarding for the volunteer, as they'll bring you into amazing, beautiful terrain and you know its country that won't see much maintenance otherwise."

Intended for experienced backcountry hikers, these trips require each individual to carry his or her own provisions and trail tools. WTA's Backcountry Response Teams (BCRTs), trail crews consist of 4 - 12 people per trip.

Have more questions? Read these FAQs.
Ready to sign up? BCRTs are listed by date in WTA's Trail Maintenance schedule.

 

Environmental Priorities and the Legislative Session

The 2009 Washington State Legislative Session is now in full swing - and the twenty-four groups that make up the Environmental Priorities Coalition (www.environmentalpriorities.org) are hard at work.  All four of the Environmental Priorities bills have made it past the first hurdle - getting out of their initial committees and moving on to the financial committees.  Read on for information on each of the four Priorities bills.

Cap and Invest (SB 5735/HB 1819)

Prime Sponsors: Senator Rockefeller and Representative Upthegrove

By implementing the cap on global warming pollution the Legislature adopted last year, we can create new jobs and stimulate the growth of a clean energy economy here. This legislation implements the cap on climate pollution by authorizing Washington to participate in the pollution reduction program designed by the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). The legislation will require emitters to purchase pollution permits, and reduce the amount of pollution they produce over time. The new state revenue would be invested to spur clean-tech innovation, put people to work increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy, and provide assistance to working families struggling with high energy costs. Through state action, we can reduce global warming pollution in a manner that benefits Washington's economy and protects Washington's interests in the national climate policy debate.

Efficiency First (SB 5854/HB 1747)

Prime Sponsors: Senator Kilmer and Representative Rolfes

Promoting energy-efficient homes, businesses and public buildings will save money, create family wage jobs and significantly reduce global-warming pollution. Energy efficiency improvements reduce the need for costly new power generation facilities and transmission, and are critical to helping low-income families lower their energy bills. This legislation puts "efficiency first" by:

• Promoting super-efficient, low-energy-use buildings by 2030 through maximizing energy efficiency and use of on-site renewable energy resources;
• Initiating a program in which annual energy-use scores for buildings (similar to miles-per-gallon ratings for cars) are disclosed to prospective buyers and addressing high energy-use scores in public buildings;
• Expanding low-income weatherization efforts, and
• Facilitating up-front financing for energy efficiency retrofits of existing buildings.

Transit-Oriented Communities (SB 5687/HB 1490) (Click here for more information)

Prime Sponsors: Senator Marr and Representative Nelson

With population growth, we are facing increased traffic congestion, diminished quality of life, and ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Transit-Oriented Communities would revise the state's transportation and land-use planning framework to assist local jurisdictions to plan for growth in a sustainable and climate-friendly way. The bill will provide incentives for cities and developers to create affordable, livable, transit-oriented development, increasing transportation choices.

Invest in Clean Water (HB 1614/SB 5518)

Prime Sponsors: Senator Pridemore and Representative Ormsby

Invest in Clean Water would raise over $100 million dollars annually in new revenue for clean water, new jobs, and healthier communities. By imposing a per-barrel fee on petroleum products, this legislation will provide new funding to prevent stormwater contamination, the biggest threat to Puget Sound and water quality across the state. This new revenue will ease financial pressures on cash-strapped local governments and taxpayers by ensuring that the polluter pays: petroleum is the most significant source of contamination in surface water runoff.

 

Transportation, Climate Change & the Legislative Session

As we head into the March, the Legislative Session has really started to heat up on the transportation front.  The Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) bill (HB 1490/SB 5687) which is an environmental community priority continues to move forward.  The bill which seeks to create affordable, walkable communities around rail stations has passed out of policy committees in the House and in the Senate.  In addition to creating livable communities around transit, the bill is also seeking to combat climate change by requiring transportation and land use planners to integrate climate change considerations into planning processes.  In Washington State, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions so unless we tackle emissions from transportation, we will not be able to meet state goals to reduce climate change emissions.  In the House, the TOC bill passed out of the House General Appropriations committee and is awaiting consideration on the House floor.  In the Senate, the bill is being considered by the Ways and Means committee this week and will likely pass out of committee.

The other hot button transportation issue occupying legislators this Session is how to allocate federal stimulus money for transportation projects.  Last week, President Obama signed into law the federal stimulus package which includes money for transportation projects in Washington.  The state will see $341 million for state highways and $150 million which will be distributed through regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) like the Puget Sound Regional Council.  The package also includes almost $200 million for transit projects and grant money for ferries and intercity passenger rail.   Last week the Legislature released a list of projects that would be funded by the federal money, most of which are maintenance and repaving projects.  Conspicuously absent from the list is any money for the Mercer Street improvement project and the Spokane Street Viaduct project, both of which are considered critical pieces for the overall replacement of the Alaskan Way Viaduct.  In December, the State, City of Seattle and King County jointly decided to replace the failing viaduct with a tunnel.  The City of Seattle was anticipating that a portion of the federal stimulus money would be used to fund Mercer Street improvement project and the Spokane Street Viaduct project.  City officials are continuing to work with Legislators and the Governor to secure funding for these projects.

For more information on these legislative issues, please contact Shefali Ranganathan, Transportation Choices Coalition, shefali@transportationchoices.org.

 

Volunteers "Walk the Docks" and Clean the Beach

It is not a national holiday and it is probably not on your calendar, but the 2^nd Saturday in August is National Marina Day. On this day every year, marinas and communities across the country celebrate "America's Gateways to Boating".

In advance of National Marina Day 2009, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance trained four volunteer teams of "Dockwalkers" to conduct clean boating outreach. These teams participated in Soundkeeper Volunteer trainings with PSA staff which provided them with information on boating and the environment. In 2008, these teams traveled the docks at four participating marinas to educate boaters in how to protect the environment while enjoying their usual boating activities. The volunteers included longtime PSA volunteers, Shilshole Bay Marina liveaboards, as well as several teams of Beachwatchers who had graduated from a volunteer program offered by Washington State University-Extension.

A total of 260 boaters completed a Clean Boating Awareness Survey and received free Clean Boating Kits to help them protect water quality while aboard their boats. These kits contained PSA's acclaimed Sound Information: A Boater's Guide and a special oil absorbent pad (absorbs oil and not water) as well as a number of other boater safety items.Throughout the 2008 summer, another 325 boaters received kits through booths at five marina events: the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, Bell Harbor Marina's Clean and Safe Boating Day, Shilshole Marina's National Night Out Celebration, Des Moines Marina's Safety on the Sound and the Oak Harbor Marina Fair.

Contact the PSA office if you would like to participate in an upcoming event or learn more about how to boat more cleanly: 206-297-7002 or volunteer@pugetsoundkeeper.org