Earth Share of Washington

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities - Earth Month

• April - all month long - Washington Trails Association - Trail Work Calendar, April 2008 - Washington Trails Association (WTA) is the most active hiking trail restoration and advocacy organization in Washington State. In 2007, volunteers contributed more than 81,000 hours of volunteer service restoring hiking trails. Join that effort and be a part of protecting and maintaining trails around Washington State. This month, WTA hosts more than 20 trail work parties. To find a work party in your neck of the woods, please visit the Washington Trails Association website at www.wta.org and signup today!

• April 4 - "State of the Sound and the San Juans" Presentation by Kathy Fletcher - 6:30 am to 8:30 pm
 - The Whale Museum, Friday Harbor
 - People For Puget Sound executive director Kathy leads a discussion on what needs to be done if we are to bring the Sound back to health. For more information or to sign up, please contact Britta Eschete
 at beschete@pugetsound.org

• April 5 Seward Park - Earth Month 2008 Kick Off! - 
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Work with EarthCorps, Earth Ministry, the Green Seattle Partnership, and the Friends of Seward Parkas as they continue to restore Seward Park! Home to diverse wildlife and impressive trees, Seward Park is enjoyed by walkers, cyclists, and those who love the outdoors. English ivy is a threat to the great trees that make call Seward Park home. It is a non-native invasive species with no natural predators or pests to keep it under control. The ivy poses a threat to places like Seward Park two ways, by creating "Ivy Deserts" - areas so dominated by ivy that no other vegetation can survive and by adding weight to trees, making the trees more susceptible to toppling over and to disease. By manually ripping ivy out of the park, we are helping to prevent this invasive species from taking hold and spreading. For more information, contact Chris LaPointe, Volunteer Program Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or email chris@earthcorps.org

• April 12 - Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve Volunteer Restoration Event - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
 - Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve - 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. What to bring: Boots, work clothes, rain gear, and a water bottle. Snacks and drinks provided. For more information or to sign up, contact Stacy Cachules at stacyc@cascadeland.org or call 206-905-6931.

• April 12 & 13 - Seattle Green Festival - Washington State Convention and Trade Center, Seattle. Join People For Puget Sound and the Alliance For Puget Sound Shorelines at THE weekend celebration of the Earth in the Emerald City. Green products and services, over 350 exhibits, see and hear more than 125 speakers on 5 stages. For more information, please contact Amy Hale
 at ahale@pugetsound.org or by calling (206) 382-7007.

• April 18 - Volunteer Event: West Duwamish Greenbelt - 
10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Join EarthCorps and City Year as they continue to restore the largest contiguous greenbelt in Seattle! Volunteers will remove ivy from the ground and installing survival rings around trees, saving them from the ivy's clutches. Volunteers will also be grubbing out invasive blackberry, spreading mulch, and taking care of past restoration sites. For more information, contact Chris LaPointe, Volunteer Program Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or email chris@earthcorps.org

• April 19 - 6th Annual Swinomish Earth Enhancement Celebration - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm - Swinomish Community Center, 17275 Reservation Road, LaConner
 - Join the Swinomish Tribal Community, People For Puget Sound, and Skagit County Public Works for a rewarding day of "Earth Day" activities. Come help with community enhancement projects in the morning, such as a beach clean-up, removing scotch broom, and restoration-type projects. After projects are finished, volunteers are invited to round out the morning with a traditional salmon lunch, prepared by members of the Swinomish Tribal Community. The afternoon will be spent viewing educational displays, meeting traditional artists, participating in cultural activities and enjoying music from special guests. For more information, contact Britta Eschete at beschete@pugetsound.org.org
 or by calling (360) 336-1931.

• April 20 - Pioneer Park - Mercer Island Earth Day Event! - 
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Celebrate Earth Day by joining EarthCorps and the City of Mercer Island Parks and Recreation Dept. to help restore Pioneer Park! Pioneer Park is 113 acres of forested habitat, the largest forested park on Mercer Island. This park is home to over 70 bird species and 12 different mammals, and offers the most extensive trail system on the island. The restoration goals for this park include planting native conifer trees; removing non-native plants, such as ivy, that prevent native plants from growing; and site maintenance activities. For more information, contact Lina Anne Rose, Project Manager at (206) 322-9296, ext. 225 or email lina@earthcorps.org lina@earthcorps.org

• April 26 - Annual Washington Coast Cleanup - Join hundreds of volunteers to remove marine debris from Washington's beautiful and ecologically sensitive coastline. For more info and to sign up visit www.coastsavers.org or contact program coordinator David Lindau, 206.220.4279.

• May 3 - Blind Island Work Party - Head to the San Juans for a work party on Blind Island! Volunteers will remove invasive English Ivy and Scotch Broom. Transportation from Orcas provided. To volunteer contact volunteer@wwta.org

Earth Day becomes Earth Month

-By Deanna Matzen of Earth Share organization Earth Ministry

It began in the early 1960s. Rachel Carson's book, Silent Spring, was published in September of 1962, awakening America to the environmental crisis before us. Shortly thereafter, Wisconsin Senator Gaylor Nelson felt increasingly troubled by the lack of political concern for the natural world and began to speak on environmental issues around the country. After six years on the stump, Senator Nelson was inspired by Vietnam-era "teach-ins" to create a day of grassroots protest over what was happening to the environment. This became "the germ that ultimately flowered into Earth Day".

In April 1970, Earth Day became the largest nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment in the history of the United States. Over 20 million demonstrators and thousands of schools and local communities participated. Senator Nelson did not have the time or resources to organize them all, so he hired Stanford graduate Denis Hayes, now president of the Seattle-based Bullitt Foundation, to coordinate them.

Thirty-eight years later, we are still celebrating Earth Day. Once a day to protest, now a day to celebrate, Earth Day has become too small. Somewhere along the way, within the last decade, the idea of expanding Earth Day into Earth Week and then to Earth Month was born. This was an idea whose time had come, and the concept of Earth Month spread though the US, as local municipalities, schools and colleges, public utility districts and clubs began inviting local communities to participate.

But Earth Month is not just for civic institutions. Earth Month is for churches too. At Earth Ministry, we hear more and more about congregations like St. John United Lutheran, who use every Sunday in April to celebrate a different aspect of creation such as water, earth, air, transportation and food. This excitement for people of faith to participate in Earth Month is truly evident in Seattle where multiple events will be happening simultaneously this year.

Seattle's April events calendar epitomizes the growth of Earth Day into Earth Month. The first weekend will provide an opportunity to get your hands dirty at Earth Ministry's restoration event in partnership with EarthCorps on April 5th (www.earthministry.org).

The next weekend, April 10-12, is packed with great speakers and events. The Episcopal National Conference on faith and environment, Healing our Planet Earth, will feature Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Bishop Steven Charleston, Bishop Greg Rickel, Dr. Sallie McFague, and speakers from Earth Ministry. See www.healingourplanetearth.org to register.

At the same time, Brian McLaren, emerging church leader and author of Everything Must Change, will be speaking on how to apply the core message of Jesus to today's global problems (www.deepshift.org). The Seattle Green Festival will also be in town, bringing together socially responsible businesses, environmental, social justice, and community organizations to focus on sustainability. Earth Ministry Executive Director LeeAnne Beres is a featured speaker at the festival (www.greenfestivals.org).

From April 11-15, the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu will be in Seattle for the Seeds of Compassion gathering. Anchored by the deep wisdom of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this community-focused event will celebrate and explore the relationships, programs and tools that nurture and empower children, families and communities to be compassionate members of society (www.seedsofcompassion.net).

Wherever you live, Earth Ministry is recommending a four-part, well-rounded curriculum for celebrating Earth Month:

• Be active - Engage in a physical activity that gets you up close and personal with nature. Go for a hike, join a field trip, volunteer at a community garden, or participate in a habitat restoration project in your area.

• Get inspired - Read a book on faith and the environment. A few suggestions are Sallie McFague's Super, Natural Christians; Matthew Sleeth's Serve God, Save the Planet; Roger S. Gottlieb's A Greener Faith: Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet's Future; or Robert Hamma's devotional, Earth's Echo: Sacred Encounters with Nature. Of course, Earth Ministry's books and publications are also a fine choice!

• Worship - Incorporate creation-honoring liturgy into your church service. Earth Ministry is encouraging churches to celebrate Earth Month in worship on Sunday, April 20th. There is a wealth of liturgical information on Earth Ministry's website to help you plan.

• Be in community - Consider rounding out Earth Month with a locally-grown or vegetarian meal with family and friends on Sunday, April 27th.

Short Session, Big Wins: 2008 in Olympia

Numerous Earth Share of Washington organizations were active in the short 2008 legislative session, addressing a broad range of environmental issues from local solutions to global warming to promoting sustainable transportation to protecting children from toxics in toys and other products. Here is a summary of just a few success stories this session:

Washington Toxics Coalition - Children's Safe Product Act
After the Senate's 40 to 9 approval of the Children's Safe Product Act on March 7th, the House concurred a few days later with a vote of 92 to 2. At press time, the bill was on the Governor's desk awaiting signature.

"This is a significant victory that will protect children from dangerous chemicals in toys and other products," said Ivy Sager-Rosenthal, Environmental Health Advocate for Washington Toxics Coalition. "This bill is the strongest in the nation and will serve as a model for others to follow."

The bill received critical support from doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, especially in the final days leading up to its passage. The final bill includes the following:

• The strongest lead, cadmium, and phthalates standards for children's products in the nation.
• Requirements for state agencies to identify other chemicals potentially present in toys and other children's products that could harm children's health.
• Critical right-to-know provisions that will provide consumers information on toxic chemical content of toys and other products.

Transportation Choices Coalition - Promoting Sustainable Transportation
Transportation Choices Coalition convened a group of progressive transportation interests with the goal of combining resources behind a short list of legislative priorities for 2008 and a powerful lobby day to capitalize on their political strength. They arrived at five top-priority issues for the 2008 session. Check out their successes:

• Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): Tools for a Sustainable Future - As part of the governor's Climate Advisory Team process, decreasing VMT was a "most promising" strategy at reducing greenhouse gas emission and easing congestions on our freeways. The Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled proposal in HB 2815 will: Set initial state benchmarks to reduce per capita VMT, giving regions tools to succeed and launch a collaborative process to clearly identify key strategies to achieve VMT reduction.
• Transportation Education for Kids & The Matthew Tatsuo Nakata Act - Our local neighborhoods and communities thrive when we all have the opportunity to get around in ways that are healthy and safe. Named for the Seattle City Council aide killed in November by a motorist while crossing a West Seattle street, the Matthew "Tatsuo" Nakata Act (HB 2564) was passed by the House 73 - 22, and the Senate 45 - 2. It would add pedestrian and bicycle safety to the basic minimum curriculum for driver training.
• Local Solutions to Global Warming - The choices made in local land use and zoning plans have a huge impact on global warming emissions. SB 6580, which was approved by the House 58 - 35, and the Senate 30 - 18, will establish a competitive grants program for local governments leading planning efforts; will provide tools and technology to achieve their goals of significant climate reductions; and will launch a stakeholder process to make recommendations for policy changes necessary for local governments to reduce their climate impacts.
• Tolling: Stronger Vision, Pro-Transit Policies - The legislature built a foundation for tolling policy in this year's HB 1773, which was approved by the House 60 - 33 and the Senate 29 - 19. The bill is consistent with our stated principles including:
  • The featured role of variable pricing to achieve reliable movement of people and goods
  • Authority to reinvest tolling revenues into transit service and capital, demand management, better transportation choices, and safety and maintenance in the corridor
  • Consideration of social equity, environmental, and economic issues, as well as making progress towards greenhouse gas reduction goals.

NW Energy Coalition - Boosting Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the cleanest, cheapest and most abundant source of energy available. Recent studies suggest that energy efficient efforts can slash our global warming carbon emissions by half. And energy efficiency makes good fiscal sense, with potential utility bill savings for homeowners and local governments totaling millions of dollars. With this in mind, NW Energy Coalition and other clean energy advocates and environmentalists supported state legislation this year aimed at saving money and energy for Washington consumers and businesses, while cutting climate pollution.

Three pieces of energy efficiency legislation passed out of this year's legislature and have been signed by the Governor. The bills were a fraction of the total package of energy efficiency bills introduced, but are a step forward.

A big win for clean energy and low-income advocates, the passage of SHB 2847 provides sales and use tax exemptions for low-income weatherization materials and services used by community action agencies. The tax relief will encourage more weatherization of low-income residents' homes, cutting energy use, and lowering utility bills.

SHB 3120 requires the Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development to conduct a study on tax incentives intended to encourage green building. The study will be presented to the legislature December 1, 2008. It's hoped that future legislation to encourage green buildings will emerge from this report.

Finally, the small business B&O tax credit, HB 3362, will help small businesses afford certain highly energy efficiency appliances, such as freezers, washing machines, and ovens.

Recent studies have shown that we can meet all new demand for electricity through 2018 with energy efficiency and renewable energy. To meet the Governor's climate goals, we must continue to meet all new demand with clean energy and will need to replace an estimated 7,000 megawatts of obsolete fossil fuel power plants in the region with renewables and energy efficiency. NW Energy Coalition will continue to support and encourage State policies that promote energy efficiency as a mechanism that reduces energy use, consumers' utility bills and climate-changing pollution.

To find out more about the 2008 legislative session, please visit the Priorities for a Healthy Washington website - www.environmentalpriorities.org

Rugged Mailbox Peak Trail Feels the Pressure

- Submitted by Earth Share member organization Washington Trails Association

One of the Puget Sound area's most challenging day hikes, Mailbox Peak near North Bend, is in for a long-overdue facelift.

Mailbox Peak is not typically the sort of hike that is chosen for the casual hiker's easy outing. The summit, which has an actual mailbox at the top, is reached by a rugged trail that climbs three miles and gains over 4000 feet, sometimes at a grade as steep as 40%. The steep, rugged character of the trail makes it one of the most difficult hikes in the I-90 corridor. Mountain climbers, local hikers and even fire fighters have lugged heavy packs up and down for conditioning for decades.

But as the trail's popularity has increased, so have the erosion and resource damage along the trail. Trail braiding, exposed tree roots and steep sections have resulted in broken ankles and lost hikers, leading to more search and rescue missions on Mailbox.

In early April, the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be working with volunteer trail crews from Washington Trails Association (WTA) to improve safety and resource damage along the trail corridor, starting with the first mile of trail.

"There's an allure to Mailbox Peak that has brought far more hikers to its summit than ever before, and the trail is in dire need of some emergency fixes," said Jenni Blake, Trail programs Director for Washington Trails Association. "Volunteers are pitching in to provide a more safe, enjoyable experience for Mailbox Peak's visitors while also helping to prevent further erosion and natural resource damage."

Located on land managed by Washington's DNR, the Mailbox Peak trail's origin dates all the way back to the 1950s. The name "Mailbox Peak" was coined in 1991 by hiker Sally Pfeiffer in a trip report published in WTA's monthly publication, Signpost magazine, because the summit register was located in a heavy green mailbox.

DNR is presently focusing its efforts on the user built Mailbox Peak trail, focusing on trail safety for hikers as well as preventing further resource damage along the trail corridor. One of the first things they'll do to increase safety along the trail is to put a kiosk at the bottom of the trail and a sign warning hikers of the difficult nature of the trail, which will happen in late April. They also plan to further define the trail with white diamond markers as hikers go up and down to prevent people from getting off trail. Later this summer, Washington Conservation Crews will make emergency repairs to the upper half of the trail.

To join a volunteer work crew on the Mailbox Peak trail, contact Washington Trails Association at 206-625-1367 or www.wta.org.

Seattle Named a 'Solar America City'

- Submitted by Earth Share organization Northwest SEED

One of 12 cities to receive the DOE Award for 2008

On March 31, Mayor Greg Nickels announced that the city of Seattle was named a "Solar America City" by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). As a result, Seattle will leverage a $200,000 DOE grant with $200,000 in local funds on a variety of efforts to promote the development of a sustainable solar energy infrastructure.

"Climate change is a very real threat to the future of our city and our planet," Nickels said. "We must expand our options for clean, renewable power. Developing solar energy as a reliable power source will do just that."

With this grant, Seattle will:
* establish strategies to increase the deployment of solar energy technology;
* incorporate both building and community-scale solar standards into planning processes; and
* develop and implement solar education and outreach programs.

Seattle's partners are Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (SEED), which works to establish a clean, diverse, and affordable Northwest energy system based on efficient use of renewable resources, with maximum local control and ownership of energy assets; and the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.