Earth Share of Washington

Business Leaders and Underprivileged Youth - Coworkers for the Environment

- submitted by Executive Director Steve Dubiel from ESW member EarthCorps

Seattle, WA - On Tuesday, August 19, 2003, EarthCorps youth leaders from Seattle, Guatemala, Russia, Japan and Argentina led REI CEO Dennis Madsen and 20 REI managers; Safeco CEO Mike McGavick and 20 Safeco managers; along with 20 Latino youth from Consejo Counseling Services in restoring Seattle's Thornton Creek.

Safeco and REI teams paired up with Consejo youth in a teambuilding exercise that resulted in habitat and creek restoration in Thornton Creek Park 6. Led by EarthCorps members, the managers and youth together removed invasive plants, sheet mulched (to stop the spread of invasive plants), and cut back overhanging vegetation. This project presents an opportunity for underprivileged Latino youth and corporate managers to work together, learn from each other, and provide meaningful service to one of Puget Sound's best preserved lowland forests.

EarthCorps has worked at this site since 1997. Work has included construction of a bridge that spans Thornton Creek and planting of cedar trees that have grown to 15-20 feet tall. EarthCorps continued work at Thornton Creek Park 6 through October 2003: Large woody debris and rocks were added to a 350' long stream channel to add structural complexity and stabilize banks. Invasive species were removed from the riparian zone and replaced with native vegetation.

EarthCorps is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging youth and community volunteers in restoring local parks and open spaces. EarthCorps leads 10,000 volunteers in providing 100,000 hours of service in the region annually including salmon habitat, shoreline, riparian, and wetlands restoration; hiking trail construction; invasive plant removal; native plantings; and logging road obliteration. To learn more about EarthCorps, visit www.earthcorps.org.

Carbon Dioxide Mitigation in Washington

- submitted by Lisa Noble for ESW member Northwest Energy Coalition

Residents of the Pacific Northwest have long benefited from abundant and relatively cheap hydropower. Currently hydropower provides about 70 percent of Washington's electricity, but cannot be counted upon to satisfy additional future demand. Unfortunately, our remaining energy needs are being met primarily with coal and natural gas, fouling the air we breathe and causing more damage from global warming.

Climate change already is reducing the amount of water available for power generation and other Northwest needs, such as irrigation, recreation and wildlife. Proposed new power plants threaten to emit millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary global warming pollutant, to Northwestern skies.

In 1997, Oregon became the first state to regulate CO2 emissions from new natural gas power plants. Now, after several years of effort by clean-energy advocates, Washington is poised to establish its own standard.

Sadly, the draft rule developed by Washington State's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) is no better than Oregon's long-outdated standard. Though Governor Gary Locke called for offsetting 20 percent of new CO2 emissions, EFSEC has set the price of mitigating carbon so artificially low that in reality, less than 10 percent of emissions will be offset. "Mitigation" can mean removing an equal amount of CO2 from the atmosphere -- through a tree-growing project, for example. It also can mean funding a renewable-energy project that generates power without producing CO2. Either way, that mitigation costs about $2.75 per ton. EFSEC's draft rule, by comparison, would charge polluters just 87 cents per ton.

When many other states are considering real and significant emission reductions, the EFSEC proposal falls short of curbing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.

EFSEC is accepting comments from the public through the end of November. To learn more about CO2 mitigation or to get involved in public commentary visit: www.nwenergy.org.

Earth Saving Tips for Fall (Part 2 of 2)

HEAT YOUR HOME WITH GREEN ENERGY

As the autumn leaves make way for winter's chilly winds, the warm summer sun will soon seem a distant memory. But even if it's cold outside, sun and wind can play a role in keeping you warm - by harnessing renewable energy to heat your home.

"Green" energy comes from sunlight, the power of wind and water, and the earth's internal heat. Buying green energy provides a wealth of benefits: environmental (using fewer fossil fuels that contribute to global warming), economic (sending fewer dollars overseas to import oil), and social (renewable energy creates jobs). It also provides energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil supplies.

How do you buy green energy? Some things to know:

• In Washington, you can support green power through Green Power Programs offered by your local power company. These voluntary monthly payments go towards the development of green power in Washington.
• Don't worry: electricity will still be reliable when the sun isn't shining or the wind blowing. The green energy you buy doesn't go directly to your home - it's mixed with other energy in the local electric grid.
• Buy Green Tags to supplement your power bill. Green Tags are created when wind power or other renewable energy is substituted for traditional power. The result is a shift away from our dependence on burning fossil fuel to produce electricity. Using clean renewable energy is friendly to the environment and reduces emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Green Tags represent the real savings in carbon dioxide and other pollutants that occur when green power replaces burning fossil fuel. Dozens of green power producers offer these nominal supplements to your power bill to offset your CO2 usage.
• As with any other consumer product, you want to be sure the power you're getting is as good as advertised. The Green-e certification program (www.green-e.org) was created by a coalition of environmental groups to establish environmental standards for renewable electricity products. Make sure to check with Green-e before purchasing any renewable energy to make sure that products is certified.

Neighborhood Stormwater Stewards - Protecting Puget Sound One Block at a Time

- submitted by Jim Dawson from ESW member People For Puget Sound

Have you ever wondered how you can help protect Puget Sound on your own property? It just so happens that the largest new source of pollution into Puget Sound is from stormwater, which is rainwater that runs off of rooftops, landscaped areas, and pavement. This runoff picks up all kinds of pollutants left on the ground, such as dog poop, pesticides, and oil, and is then piped (often completely untreated) either directly into Puget Sound or into a water body that drains into Puget Sound. So even if you live 50 miles from the Sound, fertilizers applied on your lawn could end up in Puget Sound.

Which is why People for Puget Sound has developed a new program, with the City of Olympia, to educate citizens about simple steps they can take to reduce their stormwater pollution. The program, Neighborhood Stormwater Stewards, includes workshops on topics such as least toxic gardening methods, landscaping with native vegetation, and building your own rain barrels. Not only are these approaches good for Puget Sound they can also save you time and money, reducing the amount of water used on your landscape and the need to purchase expensive chemicals.

During the first year of the program we will be focusing most of our efforts in Olympia. We are able to make presentations throughout the region. If you would like to learn more about the program or about setting up a presentation in your neighborhood contact Jim Dawson in the South Sound Office of People for Puget Sound at 360-754-9177 or jdawson@pugetsound.org.

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