Earth Share of Washington

Earth Month 2007

To celebrate Earth Day on April 22, Earth Share organizations will play host to celebrations and volunteer events throughout Washington.

April 21 & 22, Earth Share of Washington and IKEA will host an environmental fair at the IKEA store in Renton, featuring sign-up for volunteer events throughout the spring and summer, interactive educational exhibits, and fun activities for kids and families.

Go outside, get your hands dirty, and sign-up for a volunteer event in your neck of the woods! See a complete list of Earth Month activities below.

Hiking Trails Slow to Recover from 2006 Storm Damage

- By Lauren Braden of Earth Share organization Washington Trails Association

Massive storm damage to the backcountry washed out roads, trails and footbridges on National Forest and National Park lands throughout the Cascades and Olympics late last year, causing an estimated $67 million in damage. Hikers are being urged to use extreme caution when out on storm-damaged trails this spring and summer.

Storms destroyed dozens of bridges throughout backcountry parks and forests that carried hikers easily across creeks and rivers. Two hikers from Puyallup were killed in late March at Mount Rainier National Park after falling off a makeshift log bridge while trying to cross Ipsut Creek, which flows into the Carbon River.

Spring hiking often carries a unique set of dangers for hikers. Mild weather can turn cold and snowy in an instant. Winter storms can send huge trees down across trails, making passage dangerous or impossible. Streams that are mere trickles in late summer can be full, frothy and dangerously raging in spring when carrying early-season rainfall and snowmelt. Given the unprecedented extent of recent storm damage, the usual dangers to hikers this spring pose even more risk.

Hikers are advised to research conditions thoroughly ahead of time before setting out, and definitely carry the "ten essentials". Hiking poles can be of help on stretches of snow-covered patches, in crossing over downed logs, and in stream crossings. In addition, your car should include a safety kit with chains, warm clothes, radio, food, water, shovel, and first aid kit.

Hikers will have to do a fair amount of research before they set out on a trail this year, starting with whether or not the trailhead can even be accessed, because of all the washed-out access roads. As always, it’s crucial to check ahead with local ranger stations for current conditions on roads and trails, and closely watch weather forecasts. Hikers can find a contact list of ranger stations on the Washington Trails Association website section called "Whom to Ask." This year, WTA's trip report section of its website, www.wta.org, will be even more important than ever; if you’re out hiking on the trails, post a trip report to share with others what conditions are like.

Once hikers reach the trail, they can expect to encounter more damaged bridges, puncheons and trail structures than usual. There are ten known bridges out on the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park. A suspension bridge was destroyed on the Buck Creek Trail over the White River in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Access to trailheads of the Green Mountain Trail, Downey Creek Trail, and Huckleberry Mountain Trail are inaccessible by car because of major washouts on the Suiattle River Road. The Big Four Ice Caves near Darrington are completely inaccessible due to the trail bridge over the south fork of the Stilliguamish broken in three places. The list goes on and on, and much of the specific damage to trails is unknown as it lies waiting to be discovered under a blanket of snow.

In response to the fall storms of 2006, the National Parks Conservation Association, the Student Conservation Association, the Washington Trails Association and the Washington National Park Fund have formed a coalition to facilitate the restoration of Northwest National Parks and Forests. Funded in part by REI, Inc., the groups will facilitate volunteer restoration of trails and bridges throughout the spring and summer. WTA will coordinate five volunteer work days a week from Memorial Day through to Labor Day at Mount Rainier. To volunteer call (206) 625-1367 or visit www.wta.org.

Securing federal funding to repair the estimated $67 million in storm damage to roads and trails is a top priority for Washington Trails Association. Eight member of Washington's congressional delegation have pulled together to draft a letter of support for damage repair funds to Congressman Norm Dicks, who chairs the Interior Appropriations Committee.

"The funds needed to repair this winter's storm damage dwarf the annual budgets of our local parks and forests," said Elizabeth Lunney, executive director of Washington Trails Association. "Washington's delegation must ensure that Congress provides the support necessary to fully address damage to roads, trails and other recreation facilities incurred during the storms of 2006."

Keeping Medicine Out of Our Water

- By Eva Dale of Earth Share organization Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation

What should we do with our expired or leftover medications? For a while we were told to flush them or put them in the trash. Now we know better. We know that toilets, sinks and garbage cans are not the right places to dispose of unwanted medicine. Improper disposal of unwanted medicines increases the risk of environmental contamination, accidental poisoning, and abuse. Earth Share organization Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation is partnering with several agencies, organizations, and pharmacies to provide a disposal solution through a medicine return pilot program. Unwanted medications should be as easy to return for proper disposal as they are to purchase.

Environmental Impact
Studies show that medicines are making their way into Puget Sound and waterways nationwide. A nationwide study performed by the United States Geological Survey showed trace amounts of chemicals found in prescription drugs in 80 percent of the streams surveyed across the country. Medications can enter the water when they are flushed down toilets and sinks or put into the garbage, or when humans and animals pass drugs through their bodies. If disposed of or excreted to the sewer (via sinks and toilets) medicine goes to wastewater treatment plants that offer varying levels of treatment. Regardless of the level of treatment, most conventional wastewater treatment is not effective in eliminating the majority of pharmaceutical compounds. For homes that have septic tanks, medicines may enter the environment through seepage into the groundwater or soil. There is a risk that medicines disposed of at landfills can leach into the soil and water. In the case of modern landfills, leachate is often collected and sent to wastewater treatment plants, also ultimately going into the waterways. How much each source of disposal contributes to the contamination is unknown.

More recently, scientists are beginning to see that some of the same medicines that are showing up as contaminants in the water can have negative effects on animal and aquatic. Of particular concern is the impact on hormone systems regulating such things as reproduction and development. For example, when developing tadpoles are exposed to tiny amounts of the main ingredient in Prozac, they do not develop limbs.

Abuse and Accidental Poisoning
Medications account for the most common poison exposure category in the U.S. The large number of medications available in the home presents a substantial accidental poisoning risk if they are not properly stored or disposed. Also, unsecured disposal to the garbage and stockpiles of unwanted, leftover medicines in the home increase the risk of drug abuse. Access to prescription drugs for the purpose of diversion can be as close as a household medicine cabinet.

Safe, Free, Convenient Return
Washington Citizens for Resource Conservation is working to provide free and safe disposal of unwanted household medicines through participating local pharmacies. This is the first program of its kind in the country. To use the Medicine Return pilot program, leave medicines in their original containers and bring them to a participating pharmacy. Currently there are seven drop-off pharmacy locations in Washington State. This pilot project will be expanding to additional locations soon. To find a pharmacy drop-off location near you, visit www.MedicineReturn.com or call 1-800-RECYCLE (1-800-732-9253).

Items you can return (to participating pharmacies):

• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter medications
• Medication samples
• Medications for pets
• Vitamins
• Medicated ointments/lotions
• Inhalers
• Liquid medication in glass or leak-proof containers

Items NOT accepted:

• Needles
• Thermometers
• Narcotics (controlled substances)
• IV bags
• Bloody or infectious waste
• Personal care products
• Business waste
• Empty containers
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Aerosol cans

No nearby participating pharmacy? If a there isn’t a pharmacy drop-off location nearby or you have unwanted medications that aren’t accepted, the next best option is to follow these steps:
1. Keep the medication in its original container. 2. Modify the contents to discourage consumption. Add water and flour or kitty litter. 3. Seal and Conceal – tape the bottle closed, securely double wrap the medications in a nontransparent bag and 4. Discard in the garbage not in the recycling bin.

For more information about this program, visit www.MedicineReturn.com or call 1-800-RECYCLE (1-800-732-9253). For information on waste reduction or recycling, visit www.wastenotwashington.org.

Earth Share's 20th Anniversary Feature - Washington Foundation for the Environment

To celebrate Earth Share of Washington's 20th Anniversary (1987-2007), we plan to showcase the work of our organizations over the past two decades. Each month, we'll feature a different Earth Share organization, their contributions to making our communities more vibrant & livable, and their efforts to create a cleaner Washington and a healthy planet. In 1987, Washington Foundation for the Environment joined a growing coalition of environmental organizations, known at the time as the Environmental Fund of Washington and later to become Earth Share. WFFE was one of the founding 10 organizations in this young and growing coalition.

As one of the original ten environmental nonprofit members when Earth Share of Washington was first formed, the Washington Foundation for the Environment (WFFE) lauds Earth Share as it marks its 20th anniversary. We take this time, too, to look back at our own achievements over this time, made possibly largely through the support of Earth Share and its donors, as well as our own active, volunteer board.

For more than 20 years WFFE has been identifying and supporting individuals and groups who are active on the cutting edge of environmental issues in Washington state. That support has taken many forms:

• Monetary grants between $200 and $2,000, towards small, well-focused local environmental projects, such as marine science camp scholarships and tree inventories. This grassroots grant program has been the heart and soul of WFFE for the past twenty years. One of our more recent highlights has been the establishment of a Stewardship Grants program for middle and high school students engaged in stewardship projects. As an example, in 2006, Olympia High student Luca Provenzano received a grant to spearhead a student project to remove invasive species from the campus glacial retention pond and reintroduce native species. The $500 grant was used to buy native species.
• Sponsorship of environmental education projects for students, government agencies, businesses and the general public. In the early 1990’s WFFE produced a curriculum on Washington's environmental heritage for the state's middle and high schools. "Washington's Resource Heritage: Then and Now" included an activity guide, background information, and an award winning video component. It was designed for Washington history classes, and took 7th through 9th graders through the different regions, building awareness of the resources within each, and the connections between humans and these resources, including the impacts we have on them.
• Conferences and Roundtables on crucial issues of environmental concern, such as the Public Trust Doctrine and salmon recovery strategies. One of the most successful conferences was held in 1993. Called "Risk: Creating Conflict or Building Consensus," the conference focused on risk-based decision making. Attendees examined the scientific methods underlying risk estimates and shared perspectives on the value of using risk as a guide for making policy choices. WFFE pulled together people who often can be adversaries and gave them made-up problems to debate and solve where they had to work together in teams and understand each other's perspective. Presentations were also given to the full group on different aspects of risk including risk communication, risk assessments, and how they both are used in risk management and decision making.

Through such efforts WFFE plays a unique and vital role in Washington's environmental community, providing forums for the discussion of current issues and raising money to support the innovative works of others. We all recognize that there are no new frontiers on this planet. It is our mission to educate and inform, to help ensure that our environmental heritage is sustained for generations to come.

Train to Become a Native Plant Steward

Washington Native Plant Society will offer a free ten-week training program in native plant forest stewardship starting April 27. This program offers training on a wide range of topics useful for volunteers restoring and protecting native plants and natural areas in the lowland Puget Sound region. Each week, trainees will learn to identify the plants growing in our region and to understand the Western Washington ecosystems. Topics covered during the classes will include urban forestry, native plant identification, landscaping, forest ecology, plant biology, ethnobotany, invasive plant species, and restoration practices. Trainees will learn hands-on methods to improve the open spaces and native plant habitats remaining in our urban areas.

The ten-week program is free in exchange for a 100-hour volunteer commitment within King County. Volunteer hours will be focused on restoration within a Seattle Park. After the training, teams of Stewards will be assigned to one-acre sites in Carkeek, Ravenna, Interlaken, Discovery, Lakeridge, or West Duwamish Greenbelt Parks. Stewards will fulfill their volunteer commitments by designing and implementing native plant restoration plans.

Class will begin Friday, April 27, 2007 and will run until June 29th, including three all-day field trips on May 5th, May 12th and June 16th. The deadline for applications for the training is Thursday, April 12, 2007. For a copy of an Application Form or more information, contact Jill Politsch at (206) 527-3210 or npsp@wnps.org. Download applications at www.wnps.org.

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities – Earth Month 2007

• April - May - Iron Goat Trail - Hiking Trail Restoration Calendar - Trail construction begins on the Goat in April! Where trains once thundered, volunteers are now constructing an historic recreational trail in the Stevens Pass area of the Washington Cascades, sixty miles northeast of Seattle. The trail goes six miles through a lovely forests of ferns, alders and evergreens from Martin Creek to the Wellington town site and trailhead. Volunteers will meet at the Scenic Trailhead. Work parties begin at 8:45am and end at 4:00pm. For more information contact Volunteers for Outdoor Washington at info@trailvolunteers.org or visit the Earth Share website for specific volunteer work party dates – www.esw.org/help
• April 7 - Lincoln Park Beach Treasure Hunt - 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Lincoln Park, 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, Seattle, WA - Kick off People for Puget Sound's 2007 Kids For Puget Sound Art Contest with a Beach Treasure Hunt and low-tide walk! Meet at Lincoln Park Picnic Shelter number 4 (on the beach north of the restrooms). Participants will search for hidden treasure while cleaning up the beach; find a treasure bottle and win a prize. Use beach litter to create entries for the Kids For Puget Sound Art Contest, and finish up with a low-tide walk to meet a few of our critter friends who live in Puget Sound. Space is limited -- For more information, please contact Stephanie Raymond at sraymond@pugetsound.org or by calling 206-382-7007.
• April 7 - Ivy O.U.T. at the Strandberg Preserve - 9:00am to 12:00pm - Richmond Beach Strandberg Preserve - Join volunteers for Cascade Land Conservancy and residents of Shoreline at Richmond Beach Strandberg Preserve for this event to battle invasive plants. All ages welcome, kids are welcome with a supervising adult. This is a wonderful event for youth groups and community service credit is available for educational requirements. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided to participants. Please wear appropriate attire. For more information or to RSVP please contact Stacy Cachules at (206) 292-5907 ext. 218.
• April 14 - "Welcome the Whales Day" Parade and Environmental Resource Fair - 10:00am - 5:00pm - Langley Waterfront, Langley, WA - Join in the celebrations to "Welcome the Whales" and make a costume to wear in the "Procession of Species" Parade at 1PM, participate in educational crafts, presentations and learn from informative displays. This annual free and family friendly welcoming takes place on the Langley Waterfront on Whidbey Island, and is organized by Orca Network. People For Puget Sound will have an information display at the resource fair. For more information, contact Britta Eschete at beschete@pugetsound.org or by calling 360-336-1931.
• April 14 - Green Kirkland Partnership Work Party - 9:00am to 12:00pm - Watershed Park, Kirkland - The City of Kirkland and Cascade Land Conservancy launched the Green Kirkland Partnership in an Kirkland work party effort to tackle the growing invasive species problem and promote community stewardship. Please join citizens of Kirkland and CLC volunteers for a morning work party activity. For more information or to RSVP contact stacyc@cascadeland.org or call (206) 292-5907 ext. 218.
• April 18 - Environmental Health Lecture Series - Sustainable Systems - 5:30pm - 8:00pm - Town Hall, Seattle, WA - People For Puget Sound is a co-sponsor of these 4 lectures. Sustainability has been a "buzz word" for decades now, but people have often found it hard to grasp or utilize in practical ways. What does it mean on the ground to create a sustainable future given the complexity of the systems that influence our lives?
  
  John Robinson, PhD, former director of the Sustainable Development Research Institute and current professor in both the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia will discuss how we can effectively apply sustainability theory in "real world" terms. Admission is $15. For more information, contact 
Heather Trim at htrim@pugetsound.org or by calling 206.382.7007 ×215.
• April 21 - Duwamish Alive! Earth Day 2007 - 10:00am - 2:00pm - Join People for Puget Sound as hundreds of volunteers roll up their sleeves to work on eight simultaneous habitat restoration projects along the Duwamish River. Duwamish Alive! is a chance for people to reclaim the river by weeding invasive plants, planting native species, mulching the planting areas, and picking up debris and trash from the riverfront sites. Duwamish Alive! is a coalition of non profit groups and local government agencies joining together to help bring back the river’s health for people, salmon and wildlife. For more information about the day's events, please visit the People for Puget Sound Earth Day 2007 website or contact Eliza Ghitis at eghitis@pugetsound.org or by calling 206-382-7007 ext. 220.
• April 21 - Mima Mounds Restoration Work Party – 10:00am – 3:00pm - Catch some fresh air and stretch your muscles on 625 acres of South Sound prairie at the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve, home to rare birds, butterflies, and wildflowers. Join other friendly volunteers to help restore the prairie back to health by removing invasive scotch broom. Bring a lunch and water and The Nature Conservancy provide the rest! For more info, contact Birdie Davenport at Roberta.davenport@wadnr.gov or (360) 586-0719.
• April 21 - Green Tacoma Partnership Earth Day Celebration at Oak Park - As a part of the Green Tacoma Partnership, Cascade Land Conservancy will be joining volunteers in a large Earth Day work party to restore Oak Tree Park in Tacoma. Oak Tree Park is located at S. 76th Street and Pine in Tacoma. For more information please contact stacyc@cascadeland.org.
• April 21-22 – IKEA Earth Day Celebration – 11:00am to 3:00pm both days – IKEA Store in Renton – Earth Share of Washington and IKEA will host an environmental fair in celebration of Earth Day 2007. Ten Earth Share organizations will feature sign-ups for volunteer opportunities throughout the spring and summer, interactive exhibits, and fun activities for kids and families. Join us to learn more about organizations and activities in your neighborhood! For more information, please contact Dave Manelski at dave@esw.org or by calling 206-622-9840.
  
  Participating organizations include: Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Climate Solutions, EarthCorps, National Parks Conservation Association, Nature Consortium, PAWS Wildlife Center, Peregrine Fund, Seattle Tilth, and Washington Native Plant Society.
• April 22 - Skagit County Earth Day Celebration - “Our Living and Growing Earthâ€? Birthday Party - 2:00pm - 4:30pm - Children's Museum of Skagit County, 419 South 1st Street, Mount Vernon, WA - 
Celebrate “Our Living and Growing Earth Monthâ€? at the Children's Museum of Skagit County and learn about the earth, and our Puget Sound Region’s water, plants, land and air. Enjoy music by local musician, Dave Nellis, crafts and some birthday cake! This special birthday party for the earth is part of the festivities celebrating “Our Living and Growing Earth Monthâ€?, organized by People For Puget Sound and hosted by the Children’s Museum of Skagit County, thanks to a grant from REI. For more information, please contact Britta Eschete at beschete@pugetsound.org or by calling 360-336-1931.
• April 22 - Mercer Island Earth Day Celebration - 1:00pm - 5:00pm - Join EarthCorps, Mercer Island Parks and Recreation and community members as EarthCorps celebrates Earth Day by working to save this Mercer Island Park. Clarke Beach is located on the shores of Lake Washington and it hosts a wide variety of activities such as swimming, hiking and picnicking. The forested area of this park is threatened by the spread of invasive plants such as English ivy. These invasive plants, if uncontrolled, cover and kill trees, carpet the forest floor, and prevent the sprouting of tree seedlings. This project is part of a larger effort to restore Mercer Island Parks. This spring the work will focus on installing survival rings around native trees that are covered in English ivy. Other work may include removing other invasive plants and continuing stewardship on previously restored areas. Even working for just a few hours contributes greatly, and because you are working in a local park, you can revisit your work for years to come. For more information, contact Bill Brosseau at (206) 322-9296, ext. 207 or email bill@earthcorps.org.
• April 29 – May 5 – Native Plant Appreciation Week – Governor Christine Gregoire recently proclaimed April 29 through May 5 as native plant appreciation week in Washington. This week is a celebration of the amazing diversity of Washington's over 3000 native plant species that inhabit deserts, rain forests, high alpine environments, river valleys, and even backyard landscapes. Native plant ecosystems are critical to sustaining our native wildlife and the quality of Washington's environment. Native plant sales, volunteer events, and guided nature walks will take place across the state. To find a native plant event in your neighborhood, please visit the Washington Native Plant Society’s web site, www.wnps.org.
• May 12 - Cascade Land Conservancy's Conservation Awards Breakfast – Save the date for Cascade Land Conservancy's 12th Annual Conservation Awards Breakfast on Tuesday May 15, 2007 from 7:30-9:00am at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center. Cascade Land Conservancy is pleased to announce that Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire will join as their special guest! The 12th Annual Conservation Awards Breakfast will bring together over 1,800 guests - civic, elected, business and environmental leaders to celebrate innovative, regional leadership. Find out more information at www.cascadeland.org