Earth Share of Washington

People For Puget Sound's New Stewardship Program for Shoreline Homeowners and Neighbors

Shorelines are dynamic ribbons of life -- a place where land and water meet to create valuable habitat for all life in Puget Sound. People For Puget Sound is helping shoreline homeowners and neighbors spread the word about protecting shorelines through the ShoreWatch program.

The ShoreWatch program is based on the successful "Block Watch" program and involves neighbors -- working, learning, and playing together under the leadership of a "Pod Leader." Pod Leaders are champions for shoreline health who are willing to invite their friends and neighbors to share their beach and learn more about their unique backyard resource. "The environmental health of our shorelines depends on broad public knowledge and concern. In the role of Pod Leader, I expect to help expand and strengthen that awareness," said Sidney Brinckerhoff, one of the first members to join this program.

People For Puget Sound helps Pod Leaders craft entertaining and educational events at their home or beach. The first event is a colorful thirty-minute "Meet the Beach" slide show to introduce shoreline residents to natural beach processes and the creatures that live within this critical habitat. Afterwards, a People For Puget Sound beach naturalist leads a low tide beach walk for the group that may culminate in a potluck or cookout. Educational Beach Field Guides are provided for guests to help them identify what they see on the beach.

People For Puget Sound is planning Pod Leader events now! To find out more about this new and exciting program go to http://www.pugetsound.org/. If you are interested in learning more about being a Pod Leader, please call Anne Dalrymple at (206) 382-7007 or email adalrymple@pugetsound.org.

Let It Rot: Composting That Anyone Can Do!

As you rake the leaves this fall, consider this: leaves, grass clippings, and other yard waste are the second-largest source of household waste (after paper). There's a better solution, one that's good for your garden and the planet: composting.

Composting is nature's way of recycling wastes. In a compost pile, organic matter such as food and yard wastes are biologically turned into humus, a soil-like material that can be used in gardens. Composting helps the Earth in two ways: It keeps wastes out of landfills, and it replenishes the soil. Humus from composting helps retain water and improves the nutritional quality of soil. It makes plants grow better and more easily resist pests. How do you compost? It's simple:

• Choose a bin: For a small yard, use a large plastic or wood container. If you have a larger yard, you can simply create a pile. You can buy a commercial composting bin, but these aren't necessary.
• Rather than have one big bin, consider using several smaller ones. Plastic Rubbermaid-type containers come in many sizes and are easily transported.
• Put mixed yard trimmings into the bin or pile. Mix in food scraps, additional yard trimmings, and other organic materials whenever you have them. When you add new material, make a hole in the center of the pile, then add the new stuff. This helps keep air flowing into the pile, which is a key ingredient for success. Take this time to fluff up the pile with a digging fork or shovel. Mix it around a little.
• After a few months, most of the material at the bottom of the pile or bin will be dark, rich, sweet-smelling soil. The rich soil is ready to be used in your yard and garden.
• Fruit and vegetable wastes are particularly appealing to pests, such as flies, rats and raccoons. To avoid pests, bury these wastes within the pile. If you bury the vegetable wastes in the pile, and pests are still a problem, you may need to place a screen around the pile or keep vegetable wastes out.
• You don't even need a yard to compost. If you live in an apartment, place wastes in a covered container, opening it whenever you add food scraps, paper, or other materials. You can create high-quality potting soil.
• If you're adventurous, try "vermicomposting", composting with worms, which eat the waste, converting it into rich humus. You can buy the worms through garden centers or catalogs. Vermicomposting can be done indoors or out. It also saves your back, because you don't have to turn over the compost to keep it aerated - the worms do all the work!

FACTOID: The birth of modern agriculture started in a compost pile. In the days of hunters and gatherers, there was typically a trash pile near settlements. Since all wastes were organic, this trash pile could really be considered ancient compost pile. Over time, discarded seeds and berries sprouted out of this rich soil and human beings eventually discovered the secrets of agriculture and the wonders of compost!

Residents Say Yes to Producer Responsibility in Washington State!

- submitted by ESW member group Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation

A telephone survey conducted for Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation found overwhelming support for producer responsibility by Seattle area residents. The survey was prompted by increasing public concern about toxics contained in computers and televisions and the limited options for recycling those items. Computers and televisions contain significant quantities of mercury and lead and are difficult to disassemble for recycling. Because of their toxic components, computers, monitors and televisions are in the process of being banned from disposal at landfills and incinerators in many communities in Washington and across the U.S.

The study found that Seattle area residents overwhelmingly believe that electronics manufacturers should be responsible for designing easily recyclable, less toxic products, and for providing a safe and convenient way to recycle those products. In addition, the study revealed that retailers have a role to play. Residents would prefer to take their used computers back to local retailers for recycling. The study also noted that when faced with a "pre-paid" recycling fee added to the cost of the product, residents are highly unlikely to adjust their buying habits. They will still buy their television or computer of choice. But they would prefer to have the recycling fee included in the overall price of the product, rather than presented as a separate fee.

WCRC will be releasing a new publication, A Citizen's Guide to Producer Responsibility, on November 1. The guide provides useful information and resources on the issues of electronics waste and recycling. Free copies of the guide are available by contacting WCRC at 206-441-1790 or info@wastenotwashington.org

The Wonder of the Rainforest

- Written by Joelle Robinson, Campaign Director of Earth Share of Washington, about her summer trek to the Amazon. Upon completing her month long journey, Joelle has returned with these impressions.

The sounds at night were deafening. Crickets, cicadas, birds, and frogs - oh the frogs - and monkeys. Their symphony gently guided me to dreamland.

Earlier that day I saw toucans, a Jesus lizard that really did walk on the water, two beautiful--in an ET sort of way--sloths, and the most brilliant huge fluorescent blue butterflies...

The dragonflies danced ahead of our canoe beckoning us to go deeper into the flooded forest. The pink dolphins leaped to greet us, and the yellow fruit burst in a sour explosion in our mouths.

In the forest there was every shade of green I've ever imagined. From the highest part of the canopy to the forest floor, green, green, green...delicious green. Poisonous vines, poisonous ants and poisonous frogs. Nice froggy... Balanced with myriad medicinal plants and trees - from those they apply to heal cataracts, cure colds, and tame Dengue Fever.

The forest whispers to me. It's alive. It's complete. Everything has a purpose. Nothing is wasted. It provides for the people, insects, plants and animals that call it home. It provides for people all over the world. It's a miracle built on thousands of years of evolution.

Tropical rainforests like the Amazon region I visited in Brazil, account for more than 1/2 of the world's animal species and countless insect and plant species. In the U.S., more than 25% of our medicines are derived from rainforest plants.

If the current rate of deforestation continues, most of the tropical rainforests will be destroyed by 2029. Today, over 100 kinds of plants and animals will go extinct.

Many Earth Share of Washington member organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, are working to protect the rainforests and safeguard their precious, invaluable, flora and fauna. The Nature Conservancy recently helped purchase the last unprotected parcel within Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park, where jaguars roam the lowland tropical rainforest.

Rainforest Alliance, World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International are just a few other Earth Share of Washington members who working to protect our global treasures.

Cool Website

Seattle Public Utilities: Home Resources Profile
http://www.cityofseattle.net/conserve/homeprofile/

Learn about how much energy your home uses, including electricity, gas and water use and learn dozens of helpful tips on how you can conserve. Did you ever wonder how your home energy use stacks up against other members of your community or what you can do at home to preserve our natural resources? This City of Seattle website includes tips on everything from recommended appliances, to how to best water your lawn, to which light bulbs to buy. It's a great service for energy conscious Seattle residents, check it out!

Don't live in Seattle? Puget Sound Energy and other utility companies offer similar services. Feel free to contact us at eswinformation@esw.org and we'll point you in the right direction.