Earth Share of Washington

The Western Climate Initiative and Why it Matters

By Kerry McHugh, Washington Environmental Council

This summer, action in our state on climate change is heating up. Citizens are getting organized and making their voices heard, while Governor Gregoire’s Climate Action Team is making recommendations on issues ranging from green building to reducing vehicle miles traveled. A lesser known group called the Western Climate Initiative
(WCI) is working on climate emission reduction at the regional level. The WCI is made up of seven Western states and four Canadian provinces working together to reduce our region’s output of global warming pollution. Because these jurisdictions are home to over 80 million people, and because the WCI is considering policies that could be the most advanced in North America, it could set the stage for big steps forward in climate policy.

During the summer of 2007, the WCI set overall global warming pollution reduction goals. It recently released initial recommendations for how to achieve those goals through a market-based mechanism (better known as a cap and trade system). Throughout this process, WEC and partner organizations have advocated for the strongest design by providing feedback as the process has moved forward.

A cap and trade system could be a major step forward in our fight against climate change, putting a price on global warming pollution and turning our economic engines towards reducing that pollution. However, it has to be done right.

Doing it right means pollution permits under a cap and trade system are auctioned – not given away to companies for free. The point of the system is to make sure that it’s economically smart for companies that are pumping the most pollutants into the air to change their behavior and by doing so, save money. We also need to include pollution from transportation in the initial cap and trade system. Transportation produces half of Washington’s global warming pollution, so ignoring it leaves us that much more work to do in the future. Finally, the system should be set up to benefit the public, not corporations. That means investing revenues in programs to benefit low and middle income consumers, green jobs training, and energy efficiency programs.

A cap and trade system is not a panacea to our climate ills, but it is an important step in the right direction. WEC and its partners plan to continue to engage in the WCI process and advocate for strong climate action.

Wild Sky Backers Celebrate Washington’s Newest Wilderness

By Tom Uniack, Conservation Director for Washington Wilderness Coalition

More than 200 people gathered at REI’s flagship store in Seattle to celebrate the designation of Wild Sky as Washington’s newest wilderness area. The evening was focused on celebrating the work and dedication of Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen, other local elected officials and countless community members, businesses and organizations that helped make the preservation of Wild Sky Wilderness possible. Washington Wilderness Coalition organized the event along with the core group of conservation and recreation organizations and individuals that have led the Wild Sky effort over the past 9 years. Limited edition prints from Snohomish Artist Roy Hughes were presented Congressman Jim McDermott and representatives from the offices of Senator Maria Cantwell and Representatives Jay Inslee, Norm Dicks, Dave Reichert, Adam Smith and Brian Baird, who co-sponsored the legislation.

As part of a short program, 60 conservation staff and volunteers were honored with one of two awards recognizing their significant contributions to making the Wild Sky Wilderness a reality. The Mt Baring Award recognized individuals for their participation in the Wild Sky Working Group over the past nine years, while the Paradise Meadow Award recognized other contributions such as writing letters-to-the-editor, ground-truthing roads and trails or organizing key supporters.

WWC’s Conservation Director, Tom Uniack, recognized a number of key local stakeholders who endorsed the Wild Sky proposal and attended the event. They included local elected officials like former Index Mayor Kem Hunter and Index City Council Member Bill Cross, former Gold Bar city council member Steve Higgins and Bellevue city council member John Chelminiak. REI CEO Sally Jewel, Mountaineers Books Publisher Helen Cherullo and Wild Lily Bed & Breakfast owner Barak Gale (Index, WA) represented the business community. Other stakeholders in attendance include Mike Reedy and Bob Shonka from Backcountry Horsemen of America, Washington Chair of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Gregg Bafundo, Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington Director Paul Benz, American Whitewater Board Member Jennie Goldberg and Republicans for Environmental Protection Policy Director Jim Dipeso

Grab your Camera! Northwest Exposure Photo Contest 2009

Hit the trail and grab your camera! It’s time for Washington Trails Association’s sixth annual Northwest Exposure Photo Contest.

Washington’s wilderness landscapes are extremely photogenic, with moss-draped forests, wildflower displays that resemble fireworks, jagged granite peaks, and lots of cascading water.

Northwest Exposure draws attention to the beauty found from Washington’s hiking trails.

What makes an award-winning outdoor photo? Take a few tips from the experts on taking better outdoor photographs:

• The frame game: Know what your subject is, be it a mountain, animal, flower or person. Its placement in your frame should be deliberate. Try setting the main subject off center, with something of secondary interest opposite the main subject.
• Get a little closer: Experiment with letting your subject nearly fill the frame. Details are often more interesting than a wide view.
• Watch your borders: Check the edges of your picture before you click to make sure something is not cut off or distracting. A picture should start and end gracefully.
• Work with the light: It should flatter your subject. Take advantage of interesting light in the early morning and late evening. Overcast skies help bring out contrast in forests and waterfalls.
• Don’t forget that you can take a vertical shot. It’s natural to take horizontal pictures because that’s the way we see things. But a lot of times, your best viewpoint is vertical.
• Bend at the knees: Don’t just stand there and push buttons. Crouch down to get a different angle of that bird on a limb. Try to see the subject for several different angles to see what works best.
• Respect your subject: Don’t endanger your subject or cause a distraction among wildlife. Remember, a camera doesn’t give you a license to disturb nature.
• Practice all of these tips and techniques in your own yard or city park to sharpen you skills—-it will show in the quality of your trail photographs.

Here’s your chance to show off your fantastic photos of hiking locations in Washington - and help Washington Trails Association protect them for future generations to enjoy. Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in five different categories and a grand prize winner will appear on the cover of the January/February 2009 issue of Washington Trails magazine.

Photographers may submit only one photo in each of four categories: Wilderness Landscapes, Hikers in Action, Flora and Fauna and Offbeat Outdoors. Photographers 17 years of age or younger may also submit one photo in the Young Photographers category. The contest is open to all photographers, except for Washington Trails Association employees, contest judges and their families. Photographs must be taken in Washington.

Category descriptions, prizes, contest rules and online submission form can be found online at www.wta.org. All entries are due no later than Friday, October 17, 2008.