Earth Share of Washington

Earth Share's Day in the Park 2006

Earth Share's Day in the Park - Saturday, July 29, 2006
Presented by IKEA

Grab a friend, a neighbor, or even a team of your co-workers and come out for Earth Share's community volunteer day! Get your hands dirty and enjoy a fun day in the sun while giving back to your favorite parks. Day in the Park expands to five project sites this year:

• Beaver Lake Preserve - Sammamish - Volunteer activities led by Earth Share organization Washington Trails Association.
• Carkeek Park - Seattle - Volunteer activities led by Earth Share organization EarthCorps.
• Golden Gardens Park - Seattle - Volunteer activities led by Earth Share organization Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.
• PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Lynnwood - Volunteer activities led by Earth Share organization PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
• Seahurst Park - Burien - Volunteer activities led by Earth Share organization Volunteers for Outdoor Washington.

Join us in this effort to restore and beautify local parks and learn about the organizations working in your community. Free breakfast, coffee, and snacks provided and giveaways for every volunteer!

Sign up Today at dayinthepark.org
http://www.dayinthepark.org

Ever Wonder What Toxic Chemicals Might Be in Your Body?

- Submitted by Kristin Tremoulet of Earth Share organization Washington Toxics Coalition

The Pollution in People study released on May 23rd has the shocking results from ten Washington residents

Late last year, ten Washington residents agreed to testing of their hair, blood, and urine for the presence of toxic chemicals as part of an investigative study by the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition. We wanted to know what chemicals were getting into our bodies, and at what levels, to better understand the effects of regulation and oversight. The chemicals included: common pesticides such as carbaryl; plasticizers and fragrance carriers found in vinyl, toys, and personal care products; perfluorinated chemicals such as those used to make "Teflon" and stain-repellants found in some food packaging, carpeting, and clothing; toxic flame retardants found in electronics such as televisions, mattresses, and furniture; heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic; and even chemicals such as DDT and PCBs, which have been banned for decades.

Study results were released on May 23rd and they reveal that toxic chemicals have traveled to the worst possible destination: our bodies. Every person tested had at least 26 and as many as 39 of the toxic chemicals we looked for. Perfluorinated compounds, phthalates, PCBs, and mercury were detected in all participants. These chemicals turning up in people come from obvious sources such as food, but exposure to many of them also comes from everyday products such as cosmetics, vinyl, home electronics and furniture, packaging, pans, and even clothing. Product labels often don’t disclose the presence of these toxic chemicals and the retailers that sell them may not even know whether they contain the chemicals.

Even though the study participants expected that some chemicals would be found in their bodies, they were surprised at the numbers of chemicals and the levels of some toxics.

"To find out I have this load of toxic chemicals in my own body and know there isn’t really any way to keep them out is very disturbing," said Allyson Schrier, a children’s book author, and mother of two. Schrier added, "I have a son with learning disabilities and to think that exposure to toxic chemicals may have played a role in that makes me feel angry, sad, and helpless."

"I know on the one hand that there are toxins that persist, but I certainly wasn't obsessing about whether I had these toxins in there, but when I got the results, it was surprising." said Dr. Patricia Dawson, a breast-cancer surgeon at Swedish Medical Center.

Denis Hayes, president of the Bullitt Foundation and a founder of Earth Day, was found to have mercury above a level deemed safe by the EPA. Mercury has the potential for causing learning deficits. "My reaction was relief and alarm -- relief that I'm not planning on having more children and alarm that I'm likely to be buried in a toxic waste dump," said Hayes.

Results of the Pollution in People study are further evidence that we need new chemicals policies now. Most of the nearly 82,000 chemicals in use today are not tested for toxicity. Federal law does not require that chemicals pass basic health and safety testing and Washington state lacks the regulatory structure to prevent harmful chemicals from turning up in products, air, water, and people.

To learn more and get involved in chemicals policy reform, see the Pollution in People web site at ["www.pollutioninpeople.org":http://www.pollutioninpeople.org. The complete report is online, as well as tips for avoiding toxics and actions you can take to call for chemical policy reform. Speakers about the project are available, contact Margaret Shield at the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition, 206-632-1545 ext 123 or mshield@toxicfreelegacy.org to request a presentation for your organization.

Seattle & Index Students Express Support for Wild Sky Wilderness

- By Tom Uniack from Earth Share organization Washington Wilderness Coalition (WWC)

More than 50 parents and elementary school kids embarked on an annual pilgrimage to Barclay Lake, surrounded by the proposed Wild Sky Wilderness near Stevens Pass. The easy hike through old growth forests under the shadow of Mt Baring served as the culmination of an art contest sponsored by the Washington Wilderness Coalition (WWC).

WWC has worked with Seattle's Meridian School for the last four years to involve elementary school kids in efforts to protect 106,000 acres of wild forest land near Index and Skykomish, WA – less than 90 minutes from Seattle.

"Each year our kids and their parents look forward to starting the hiking season off with the hike to Barclay Lake," said Ted Holmes, Director of Admissions and Marketing for the Seattle Meridian School. "Even kids that can't make it to the hike are able to show their participation through the art contest."

"This year's contest entries were exceptional," said Tom Uniack, Conservation Director for Washington Wilderness Coalition. "It is great to see the concept of protecting this incredible area as Wilderness bring together both rural and urban school children."

Entries included drawings, poems or essays from more than 71 students from first to seventh grades. Winners for each grade level were determined by a list of notable judgers including Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon, Local Artist Roy Hughes, Seattle Times Columnist Nicole Brodeur, Snohomish County, An Illustrated History author David Cameron and Louise Lindren and Monroe Monitor Columnist Steve Higgins. All of the entries can be viewed on the WWC website and plan to be displayed at the Index Art Gallery in the coming weeks.

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA02) have introduced the Wild Sky Wilderness Act, which is currently moving through the U.S. Congress. Having already passed the Senate and obtained support from President Bush, the bill needs only to pass the House before the end of the year. If passed, the wild Sky would become the first new national forest wilderness area in Washington State in more than 20 years.

To read more about the Wild Sky visit www.wawild.org

Need Help with Your Commute - Find A Bike Buddy

- By Kent Peterson, Commuting Programs Director of The Bicycle Alliance of Washington

A couple of weeks ago I met Koya Tsukiji, an intern working at the Port of Seattle. The Port was having a transit fair for their employees and I was there to answer questions and provide information about bicycle commuting. Koya asked me about commuting from Bellevue to the Seattle waterfront. Koya is new to the area so we didn't have much to work with but I assured him he could do this. "You should have a buddy show you the way. My pal Andy showed me the route when I first started riding from the Eastside to downtown." I then told Koya about the Bike Alliance Bike Buddy program, where we pair up new commuters with experienced riders.

Over the next few days Koya and I worked out the details. It turned out that my daily commute passes fairly close to Koya's home and much of our routes would overlap. We figured out our schedules and set up a meeting place. I would be Koya's Bike Buddy.

We'd planned on meeting up on Wednesday for Koya's first commute but Wednesday was a wet morning and rather than subject him to a soaking on his first commute, we rescheduled for Friday morning.

I left my house at 6:15 AM so I'd be sure to be at our meeting spot by 7:00, as always budgeting my flat tire buffer into the time calculation. As usual, I didn't flat and Koya was a little more than punctual as well. I'd quizzed Koya about lights and knew that he didn't have any, so I'd brought along some of my spare lights for him to borrow.

The route is hard to explain and much easier to show. I punctuated my various hand signals with comments as we went through intersections, cautioning Koya about the hazards of turning cars and a section of the Bellevue trail that tends to be icy even if the air temperatures are a few degrees above freezing.

We followed the trail across Mercer Island and I showed him the handy water fountain. Koya had a bottle rack on his bike but no bottle. I told him that the first time I did my commute I wound up stopping a lot to eat and drink. "The first time is the toughest," I assured him as he gulped water from the fountain.

We rode through the bike tunnel and I guided Koya through the tricky forks in the trail and the bits of urban navigation along Hiawatha, Dearborn and the International District. I showed him where the sensors were in the road and how to trigger the light with the pedestrian toggle if needed.

Koya was leaving work early, so I wouldn't be riding with him on his return trip, but I sent him links to the Gmaps Pedometer layout of my commute, which would give him the info he'd need for his return trip.

Some jobs are just jobs and all you get is a paycheck. Some jobs are a lot more than that. I'm lucky enough to have one of those great jobs.

If you're interested in bicycle commuting and you live in Washington State, drop me a note at bikebuddy@bicyclealliance.org.

Five Great Ways to "Experience Your Outdoors" this National Trails Day

- Submitted by Lauren Braden from Earth Share organization Washington Trails Association

Thousands of outdoor enthusiasts and families will take to Washington's trails to hike, maintain trails, ride a bike, and horseback ride in celebration of the 14th annual National Trails Day on Saturday, June 3rd.

Each year, local groups like Washington Trails Association have been a part of this nation-wide celebration of trails. You can be a part of it, too, by venturing out on one of your local hiking trails on National Trails Day. The theme for this year’s program, Experience Your Outdoors, encourages nature lovers to personalize the day for themselves by exploring trails in a way they may have never before considered. Washington Trails Association hosts five trail work parties for outdoor lovers to experience trails in a new way this National Trails Day.

"National Trails Day is a wonderful opportunity for people to connect with their public lands and celebrate together the wonderful experiences our outdoors gives to us," said Lauren Braden, Communications Director for Washington Trails Association. "Sign up for a trail crew, grab a shovel and spend a day giving back to our trails by volunteering for trail maintenance."

Here are five great opportunities to experience your outdoors on the trails this National Trails Day, hosted by Washington Trails Association. No experience is necessary. All work parties begin at 8:30am and end at 3:30pm, unless otherwise noted. Sign up at www.wta.org or call (206) 625-1367. Volunteers should bring their lunch and water, work gloves and wear sturdy shoes.

Grand Ridge Trail - Join WTA with Redmond REI for new trail construction near the Issaquah Highland development. Within this forest they're helping King County construct a trail that will eventually connect through to Duthie Hill Park. The trail is halfway complete.

South Fork Skokomish Trail - The Olympics are such a special place, and the South Fork of the Skokomish River is no exception, meandering as it does through a truly ancient forest. The trail still needs lots of work, and this a great opportunity to make a difference.

Barclay Lake Trail – The trail winds along the course of Barclay Creek through mossy, shady forest all the way to Barclay Lake. This is one of the most popular non-wilderness trails in the Skykomish district, and because of mud and brush it needs constant maintenance. The current project is converting old and slippery puncheon into turnpike.

Annette Lake Trail – Seattle REI is partnering with WTA to make this a great event. Please join us for a day of maintenance on this popular trail. WTA "regulars" take note - this work party begins at 9am.

Baker Lake Trail – Celebrate National Trails Day in the beautiful North Cascades. This trip is a weekend (Sat – Sun) trip. The Forest Service will ferry the crew across Baker Lake to the trail that goes along the east side of the lake. Volunteers will work on drainage and log-out of the trail, and spend Saturday night camping and cooking out.

National Trails Day, organized every year by the American Hiking Society, is the largest trail celebration in the US and boasts more than 1,100 locally organized events in all fifty states.

Washington Trails Association is the voice for hikers in Washington state. They protect hiking trails and wild lands, take volunteers out to maintain trails, and promote hiking as a healthy, fun way to explore the outdoors.

Stand Up for Your Parks!

- Submitted by Shane Farnor from Earth Share organization National Parks Conservation Association

The national park system suffers from an annual $600 million budget shortfall. Under-funded parks offer fewer interpretive programs, have fewer rangers patrolling the backcountry and leave historic structures in disrepair. This is why the National Parks Conservation Association will be returning to the parks this summer to encourage visitors to stand up for the parks they use and love. And they're looking for volunteers to help them reach these park visitors!

The National Parks Conservation Association will be setting up a tent and table at five Northwest national park units this summer-Mt. Rainier, Crater Lake, Olympic, North Cascades and Lake Roosevelt. As visitors come and go, they'll be asking them to take specific actions on the spot to help protect national parks from chronic under-funding and support strong park leadership. This is a great way for volunteers to see the region's parks AND do something to help protect them at the same time. For more information on how you can be involved, please contact Shane Farnor, Volunteer Coordinator in NPCA's Northwest Regional Office at (206) 903-1444 ×24 or by email at: sfarnor@npca.org.

National Parks Conservation Association was established in 1919 to protect and enhance America's national park system for present and future generations. For more information about NPCA, please visit www.npca.org.

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities

• Iron Goat Trail - Hiking Trail Restoration - 8 work parties in June – Hiking trail construction on the Goat! Meet at the Scenic Trailhead. Work parties begin at 8:45am and end at 4:00pm. Upcoming Work Parties: Saturday, June 3, Wednesday, June 7, Saturday, June 10, Wednesday, June 14, Saturday, June 17, Wednesday, June 21, Saturday, June 24, Wednesday, June 28. For more information or to sign up, please contact Todd Jennings at todd@trailvolunteers.org.
• June 3 - Lincoln Park Habitat Restoration Work Party - 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - This West Seattle landmark is one of the city's largest and most popular parks. Its 135 acres are home to ballfields, playgrounds, trails, shoreline, and forest. Act now to preserve the forests of the park for the enjoyment of future generations. Invasive species like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry are choking out native vegetation and are bringing early deaths to Lincoln’s trees. Join EarthCorps and the Green Seattle Partnership as they work to make the forests and shoreline of Lincoln Park healthy! Projects will include invasive plant removal, preparing areas for planting native plants, and planting native plants. For more information, contact Elizabeth White, Outreach Project Manager at (206) 255-4160, ext. 221 or email elizabeth@earthcorps.org.
• June 8-9 - "Global Warming in the Pacific Northwest" Seminar - Grand Hyatt Seattle - Global Warming will have a particular meaning for the Pacific Northwest, dependent as the region’s economy and way of life are on the water cycle, on electricity generation technology and fuel choices, and on international trade with predominately Kyoto-compliant partners. Learn the causes, consequences and regional policy choices regarding Global Warming which will affect everyone in this region. To register or to learn more about the event call 800-574-4852.
• June 10 - Host an Information Booth for the Bicycle Alliance - The Bicycle Alliance of Washington will have an information table at Discover Seattle newcomers fair on Saturday, June 10 at the Seattle Center. They need a few volunteers to staff their table. Nothing hard…hand out Bike Alliance brochures, Share the Road license plate info, Safe Routes to School, Bike Buddy, and chat with visitors about what they do! Please contact Louise McGrody at louisemc@bicyclealliance.org if you can help with one of the following shifts: Saturday, June 10, Seattle Center's Fisher Pavillion - 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM, or 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM.
• June 12 – Environmental Sustainability and Security Workshop – 7:00 PM – The Mountaineers, 300 3rd Avenue W, Seattle - How is security related to environmental sustainability? What role do natural resources play in managing conflict? How has globalization transformed our relationship with the natural world? How has resource abuse led to international crime and terrorism? Join the World Affairs Council in welcoming Carter Roberts, President & CEO of World Wildlife Fund to discuss the necessity of sustainability and biodiversity when dealing with global security problems and the future of our environment. $10 Council Members/Students with Picture I.D.; $15 Non-members. Learn more or register on-line at www.world-affairs.org or call the World Affairs Council at (206) 441-5910.
• June 17 - Hamm Creek Habitat Restoration - 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM - 10000 W. Marginal Pl. S - Seattle, WA - Join People For Puget Sound and Sound Stewards at their Hamm Creek restoration site on the Duwamish River. Volunteers will remove invasive weeds such as Himalayan blackberry, Scot's broom, butterfly bush and reed canary grass where they threaten to overtake native plantings. No experience necessary. Children 10 and under must have one to one adult supervision. Bring sturdy footwear, dress for the weather (event takes place rain or shine). Bring your own sack lunch and plenty of water. If you have tools and work gloves, bring them along, but if you don't they will have some to spare. For more information or to signup, please contact Brian Craig at brian.a.craig@boeing.com or by calling (206) 382-7007.
• June 21 - Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future Reading & Book Signing – 7:00 PM– University Book Store, Seattle - Coal has made a comeback. But is it really a welcome one? The dirty-burning, black lung causing fossil fuel that some think can lessen our dependence on foreign oil remains as problematic as ever when it comes to our health and our ecosystem. Why have we turned back to coal instead of some cleaner alternative energy source? Jeff Goodell investigates.
• June 24 - Llandover Woods Restoration Work Party - 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM - Join EarthCorps, the Green Seattle Partnership, and the Friends of Llandover Woods for the day and volunteer to create healthy forests! Llandover Woods is an urban haven located right along the Seattle-Shoreline border. Following its 1/2 mile trail, you can see huge Douglas Fir, giant Big Leaf Maple and forget that the noise of the city is right around the corner! Help them keep this urban haven safe! Work to remove invasive plant species and create areas to plant native plants. Work to make Llandover Woods a healthy forest! For more information or to sign up, contact Elizabeth White, Outreach Project Manager at 206-255-4160 or email elizabeth@earthcorps.org.