Earth Share of Washington

Safe Start for Kids: New Online Resource for Parents Seeking Safer Children's Products

- By Maria Mergel of Earth Share organization Washington Toxics Coalition

"What kind of baby bottle is safe to use?" "How can I find the safest crib mattress?" Many concerned parents call Washington Toxics Hotline with questions like these, hoping to avoid the chemical hazards hidden in everyday children's products. Recognizing that parents and others needed a resource to help make smart decisions for children's health, on February 5th we launched www.SafeStartForKids.org, our online guide to choosing safer children's products and creating healthy environments for children.

"I thought that products marketed for children have been tested for safety, but resources like HealthyToys.org have shown that many children's products found in stores today contain chemicals linked with health effects like cancer, hormone problems, and learning disabilities" said Brooke Bell, member of the Toxics Coalition and mother of three young children in Tumwater, WA. "I want the freedom to choose safe, toxic-free products for my children, and Safe Start for Kids shows me how to do that."

Safe Start for Kids features handy tips on choosing children's products including baby bottles and water bottles, crib mattresses, lunch boxes, food containers, clothing, toys, art supplies, and personal care items like lotions, shampoos, and diaper cream. It also offers guidelines for creating a healthy nursery and choosing day care facilities, and provides expecting mothers with tips on reducing exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy.

Knowing how busy new and expecting parents can be, we focused on creating information that is quick to read and easy to use. The product guides in Safe Start for Kids are presented in table format, with one column of products to choose, and one column of products to avoid. For example, a parent searching for information on lunch boxes will quickly find that vinyl lunch boxes should be avoided and that cloth lunch bags should be used instead. Each product table is followed by a few Healthy Tips to help with shopping decisions, as well as links to additional resources. Another feature of our site is Plastics 101, a quick guide to help parents navigate the confusing world of plastics.

Visit www.SafeStartForKids.org, and let us know if you have comments!

My Grandfather's Legacy

- By Anna Fahey of Earth Share organization Sightline Institute

In 1930, when my grandfather was just 19, he drove with his mother from Seattle to Mt. Vernon, Washington, and stood on the county courthouse steps, anxiously watching as a handful of land auction buyers gathered around him. With little money in his pocket, he knew that if anyone else in the crowd intended to bid on the parcel he'd come for, he would walk away with a broken heart.

It was his luck--and our family's great blessing--that only he had come that morning to purchase land on Cypress Island. Part of the San Juan island archipelago in the Puget Sound, Cypress is an island that he'd fallen in love with as a kid. That day nearly 80 years ago, he paid 50 dollars down on nearly 100 acres. That land would anchor our family and shape all our lives.

Recently, I stood with my grandfather--now 97--a few blocks from the same courthouse steps as he, my dad and I signed a conservation easement--another down payment, if you will--that continues our stewardship of that land into the future. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust to permanently limit certain land uses to protect a property's natural characteristics in perpetuity. The easement stays with the land even if ownership changes. Perpetuity is a big word, but this contract is meant to last. Our signatures that day made concrete our conviction that the place is not something to possess, rather a place that we have a responsibility to take care of and a legacy we want to leave intact.

Cypress is a magical spot. The Northern Straits Salish have lived in these parts for more than 11,000 years. A few homesteaders scratched out orchards and gardens on the rugged landscape in the 1890s--but didn't last long. There are a few private cabins on Cypress today. But the island has come through the years largely untouched. It is the biggest undeveloped island in the San Juans--without ferry access, paved roads, or much human impact. Parts of the island have been logged; the forest on the majority of the island today is magnificent and healthy 100-year-old second-growth.

People who know the island, either by exploring its rocky beaches, hiking to panoramic views from Eagle Rock, or circumnavigating it in a kayak, develop a fierce loyalty to it. My family, along with other landowners and concerned neighbors, spent decades working to protect the island's integrity. Starting in the 1960s, developers bought up most of the island, proposing subdivisions and extensive development. Plans were lined up for a 5-star resort that would take up three quarters of the island, including a golf course, air strip, and marina. Overnight, Cypress could have been transformed from a pristine gem to the most densely populated island in the San Juans.

Citizen action and visionary state leadership saved Cypress from that fate. In 1975, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources purchased its first parcel on Cypress. In the late 1980s, the DNR's mandate changed slightly: the state could hold especially unique or fragile land without logging it. These special places are managed as a "public trust" for the benefit of current and future citizens of Washington State. Cypress qualified. By 1996, on the 5,500 acre island, DNR had acquired 4,700 acres.

The easement process led my family to some unusual dinner-table conversations. There was no question about our intentions: To keep the place just as it is. But thinking through the details forced us to imagine the world in 10, 50, 100 years--and beyond. We wound up working through tough questions--and facing tough realities--about our hopes and fears for our family and our region.

This conservation easement is small in the face of larger concerns -- climate disruption, population, economic stability. But any family would benefit from conversations like the ones we had, imagining the world we'd like to leave behind. Because we're all responsible for protecting our grandfather's stake--or whatever place our souls call home.

Anna Fahey lives in Seattle and is the Communications Strategist for Sightline Institute. She wishes to thank her dad, Nick Fahey, for "leading the Friends of Cypress Island for all those years," Bob Rose and the Skagit Land Trust for unflagging "dedication to conservation," and her grandfather, George Fahey, for "being as visionary at 19 as he is wise at 97.

Clean Marina Washington Celebrates Milestone, Goes Statewide

- By Chris Wilke of Earth Share organization Puget Soundkeeper Alliance

In August 2007, the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance-sponsored Clean Marina Washington program officially completed two years as the recognized statewide environmental certification program for marinas as it proudly announced the certification of the 30th marina under the program. The program is based on, and continues to work closely with, the EnviroStars program, which certified its first marina in 1995.

The Clean Marina Washington program certifies marinas that take comprehensive steps to prevent pollution from marina and boating activities including fuel spills, boat maintenance, sewage disposal and stormwater. Clean Marina Washington now has 32 certified marinas, including public and private marinas, full service marinas, yacht clubs, military facilities and marina-resorts. Washington's strongest asset is the seven-member partnership created for the program which includes business interests, government agencies and environmental advocates.

Thanks to a recent Department of Ecology Public Participation Grant, Clean Marina Washington is now funded to operate the program statewide. Even though it has always been a policy to respond to interest throughout the state, this new funding insures that staff will be visiting marinas in every region of the state and offering assistance to marinas that work towards pollution prevention. New aspects of the program include a Dockwalker program to increase boater outreach and a bilgewater collection pilot project to increase the availability of facilities for the proper disposal of oily bilgewater.

For a list of certified marinas and partner organizations go to: www.cleanmarinawashington.org

If you would like more information on the program or would like to get involved as a "Dockwalker" contact Chris Wilke at 206-297-7002.

Announcing King and Snohomish County Native Plant Steward Training Programs

Two exciting opportunities to become an informed and effective native plant steward are being offered this spring. Each program follows a 10-week curriculum of lectures, hands-on workshops, and field trips. Experts will share their knowledge and experience on plant identification, soils, plant care and propagation, wetlands and forests, invasive plants, native plants for urban settings and attracting wildlife, training and leading volunteers, and how to restore and monitor a variety of habitats.

In King County, the Washington Native Plant Society will partner again, as in 2007, with Seattle Parks and Recreation, Cascade Land Conservancy, and the Green Seattle Partnership to train Forest Stewards for Seattle Parks. Applications are due by April 2nd for classes to be held 8:30am-4:30pm on Fridays at South Seattle Community College from April 25 through June 27th, including three all-day Saturday field trips.

In Snohomish County, the Washington Native Plant Society is partnering with Snohomish County Surface Water Management Division and Everett Parks and Recreation to offer the program at Legion Park in north Everett. Applications are due March 12th for classes to be held 8:30am-4:30pm on Fridays, April 4 through June 6, plus three field trips.

The 100 hours of expert training over 10 weeks is free in exchange for a volunteer commitment of 100 hours returned in projects that educate citizens, and protect and restore our regional green spaces. For more details and application forms please see www.wnps.org or call WNPS at 206-527-3210. Since 1996, 350 stewards have donated nearly 67,000 reported hours protecting native habitats in King and Snohomish Counties through this program.

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities

• March 1 - Seward Park Volunteer Work Party - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Work with EarthCorps and the Green Seattle Partnership and the Friends of Seward Park as they continue to maintain their restoration sites, plant native tree and remove English ivy from this stand of old growth forest right in the city. Home to diverse wildlife and impressive trees, Seward Park is enjoyed by walkers, cyclists and those who love the outdoors. For more information, contact Chris LaPointe, Volunteer Program Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or email chris@earthcorps.org
• March 6 - An "Exploring Puget Sound" presentation by Janna Nichols, Underwater Photographer and SCUBA Instructor - 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm - REI Flagship Store, 222 Yale Ave. N., Seattle - Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Janna took up recreational diving and underwater photography in 1999. She became a scuba instructor and is actively involved in doing marine life surveys for the REEF organization, as well as participating in a number of other scientific diving projects throughout the Northwest. She shares her love of our Pacific NW critters in classes, workshops and a website using her photos and experiences from her over-600 dives. For more information or to signup, contact KrisTina Hertz at khertz@pugetsound.org
• March 6 - Art Exhibit Opening - The North Cascades: Mountains of Change - Hosted by the National Parks Conservation Association - 313-A First Ave. South, in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square - "The North Cascades: Mountains of Change" features the work of artist Molly Hashimoto. The show will include framed paintings and field journals featuring landscapes, sketches and quotes from Molly's experiences in the North Cascades. The exhibit run from March 6 through May 17. Admission is free.
• March 8 - Volunteer Event: Mowitch Estuary - 9:30 am - 3:30 pm - EarthCorps and Citizens for a Healthy Bay (CHB) team up with volunteers to restore the Mowitch Estuary of Commencement Bay. Today volunteers will focus on maintaining and expanding the goose exclusion fencing to provide some protection to marsh vegetation on the site as it begins to take hold. For more information, contact Jacobus Saperstein, Project Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 210 or email jacobus@earthcorps.org.
• March 15 - Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve Volunteer Restoration Event - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm - In 1995, Quadrant and Taiyo American corporations donated this 116-acre preserve to Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC). King County holds a conservation easement on the property to ensure the permanent protection of the wetlands. The Plateau Golf Course and neighboring homeowners' associations provide financial support for long-term stewardship of the preserve and CLC manages the property, studies the ecological changes and promotes awareness of the value of the wetlands. For more information or to sign up, please contact Stacy Cachules at (206)292-5907, x218 or email volunteer@cascadeland.org.
• March 17 - Taking the Parks by Storm: Community Support for Restoring Washington's Treasures - 6:30 PM- 8:30 PM - Seattle REI Flagship 222 Yale Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 - A series of storms battered the Pacific Northwest during the fall and winter of 2006 and 2007, bringing major flooding, hurricane-force winds and heavy snows. Washington's national parks - Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades - were severely impacted. The Northwest Storm Recovery Coalition is sponsoring "Taking the Parks by Storm: Community Support for Restoring Washington's Treasures" on Monday, March 17, 2008, to bring members of Congress and representatives from the three parks together to describe the storms' impacts, the current state of repairs at the parks, and how upcoming visits to the parks may be affected. Also, this event will provide attendees an opportunity to ask questions, visit with representatives from each park to learn about volunteer activities, and to find out how they can be further involved. For more information, please visit their website at: http://nwstormrecoverycoalition.blogspot.com/
• March 27 - Featured Speaker - "Healthy Shellfish Farms, Healthy Puget Sound" - 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm - Skagit Valley Food Co-op, 202 S 1st Street, Mount Vernon - Learn about the underwater world of shellfish farming and how shellfish growers are dependant on a healthy Puget Sound for successful shellfish production and harvest. Bill Dewey, Public Affairs Manager for Taylor Shellfish Farms will sharing both local shellfish and "tales of shells" as he weaves a picture of aquaculture here in the Skagit Valley and around Puget Sound. Enjoy some "Skagit Soup" while learning about the connections between aquaculture farming and Puget Sound! Please RSVP so we know how much "Skagit Soup" to prepare! For more information or to sign up, Contact: Britta Eschete at beschete@pugetsound.org.
• March 29 - Ravenna Park Restoration Work Party - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Join EarthCorps and the Green Seattle Partnership and Seattle Parks and Recreation as they work to keep Ravenna Park healthy! Invasive plants like English Ivy threaten to overtake the trees and other native plants in the park. Our projects will include invasive plant removal and preparation of planting sites. For more information, contact Chris LaPointe, Volunteer Program Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or email chris@earthcorps.org.