Monthly News Archive:
September 2003
Table of Contents:
- California Takes on PC Waste
- Eleven Frightened Carpoolers - Stories of a Wildlife Release
- Volunteer Trail Maintenance Update from Washington Trails Association
- Environmental Leaders Praise Groundbreaking Global Warming Partnership by West Coast Governors
- Living With Toxins - Real Stories
- Earth Saving Tips
- Open Space Preserved in Bellevue
- Earth Saving Tips
- Wild Sky Wilderness on the Move in Washington Legislature
- Global Warming, Forest Fires, and Infestation of North American Forests
- Financial Risks From Global Climate Change
- U.S. Congress Secures Funding for Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation Enhancements
- Major Logging Company Adopts New Environmental Policy - Conserving Old-Growth Forests
- Columbia River Settlement Good News for Salmon
California Takes on PC Waste
On September 25, Governor Gray Davis of California signed into law one of the most comprehensive computer recycling plans in the country, the first of its kind in the nation. The new law mandates collection and recycling of obsolete electronics, namely old computers. These old electronic devices are known to contain lead and other hazardous materials that typically end up in landfills across the country, posing a risk to drinking water and human health. On paper, this bill appears to be a victory for environmentalists in California and should serve as an example for the rest of the count...Read the full story
September 29, 2003 | 
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Eleven Frightened Carpoolers - Stories of a Wildlife Release
by Kevin Mack, PAWS Wildlife Naturalist
At 4 p.m. on September 9th, I pulled out of the PAWS parking lot in a truck loaded with 11 frightened passengers. The passengers weren't frightened because I was behind the wheel (although some of my friends might tell you that they should have been), they were frightened because they had no way of knowing what was happening to them. This was not the first car ride for any of them, but I doubt that the three Barn Owls and eight Raccoons would get used to the experience no matter how many times they were exposed to it. Unfortunately fo...Read the full story
September 25, 2003 | Comments Off
Volunteer Trail Maintenance Update from Washington Trails Association
It's hard to believe that Labor Day has come and gone and that this wonderful summer weather may finally end, or that trail maintenance in the backcountry is coming to a close for another year. Washington Trails Association (WTA) still has some projects that they're trying to finish before the snow comes but first, here's a brief report from Greg Ball, WTA's Director of Operation on their trail work for 2003:
We started with 5 weeks on or near Lake Chelan and have the Lakeshore in such good shape that for the first time in four years we'll only be there for one week next...Read the full story
Environmental Leaders Praise Groundbreaking Global Warming Partnership by West Coast Governors
A new partnership to reduce global warming pollution by West Coast Governors represents a major step to protect the regional environment and economy, say environmental leaders.
"We can't afford to wait while the federal government fiddles. We have too much to lose as the climate becomes unstable, and too much to gain by taking a leadership role in developing climate solutions," notes K.C. Golden of Earth Share of Washington member Climate Solutions, a Northwest public interest group dedicated to pushing forward regional climate leadership
"The rest of the world's advanced...Read the full story
September 23, 2003 | Comments Off
Living With Toxins - Real Stories
Washington Toxics Coalition author and intern Kari Mosden is a graduate student in the Environment & Community Program at Antioch University. She has been travelling around the state this summer to talk to folks about their experiences with toxic pollution and chemicals. The Stories Project, sponsored by the Washington Toxics Coalition, is aimed at putting names and faces on the pollution problems facing Washington State by telling the stories of people who have suffered health impacts from toxic chemicals and pesticides, and highlighting successful and innovative alternatives to ch...Read the full story
September 22, 2003 | Comments Off
Earth Saving Tips
Easy water conservation tips for your home
Did you know that you could take a long shower every day with the water you might waste while letting the tap run while brushing your teeth and shaving? A household can save up to 20,000 gallons of water by instituting some simple water conservation tips.
Did you know:
- A running faucet puts from 3-5 gallons of water down the drain for every minute that it is on.
- You can easily use more than 5 gallons of water if you leave the tap on while brushing your teeth.
- Washing the dish...Read the full story
September 19, 2003 | Comments Off
Open Space Preserved in Bellevue
Bellevue, WA 9/10/03 -- Last week the Earth Share of Washington member Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the City of Bellevue completed the transaction that conveyed the 25-acre McTavish Highlands in Bellevue's Woodridge neighborhood to city ownership. The property that had been slated for development with continuing opposition from the neighborhood will now be permanently preserved as open space after 12 years of effort by the neighborhood, TPL, and the City.
In addition to protecting the riparian corridors in the Richards Creek and Kelsey Creek Basin, McTavish Highlands offers the ...Read the full story
September 18, 2003 | Comments Off
Earth Saving Tips
We are pleased to offer an exciting new Friday feature, Earth Saving Tips. Please check back every Friday to discover simple ways that you can help protect the planet.
This week, learn how to combat the "throw away culture" of the U.S. These easy tips can help to save a lot of waste from landfills:
- Stop junk mail - Americans receive over 2 million tons of junk mail every year, of which, more than 44% is never opened or read.
To curb junk mail at your household, visit the Read the full story
September 12, 2003 | Comments Off
Wild Sky Wilderness on the Move in Washington Legislature
An excerpt from the Seattle P-I
Efforts to create Washington's first new wilderness area in 19 years moved an important step closer to reality yesterday as a Senate committee unanimously approved the Wild Sky Wilderness Area in Snohomish County.
The action by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee means the measure now moves to the Senate floor where it is expected to pass with ease when the Senate returns from its August recess.
The proposal would protect 106,000 acres of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The same committee approved the...Read the full story
September 10, 2003 | Comments Off
Global Warming, Forest Fires, and Infestation of North American Forests
An excerpt from an article in The Washington Post, dated Sunday, September 7, 2003
"As lightning continues to ignite wildfires across the parched North American West, an unseen armada of beetles, encouraged by warming, burrows beneath the bark of drought-weakened trees, killing vast stands rapidly and transforming them into kindling. Together, climatic extremes and the pests they foster are stalking our nation's forests, threatening habitat, wildlife and even human health."
Read more at the Washington Post website:
Climate Change is Bugging Our Forests...Read the full story
Financial Risks From Global Climate Change
An excerpt from an original Tidepool article, dated Tuesday, September 9, 2003:
At long last, the sweltering summer of 2003 is starting to give way to the cooler temperatures and changing colors of autumn, at least here in the Pacific Northwest. Cloudy skies and rain recently made a welcome return for many folks in the region, unaccustomed to this year's long, hot dry spell.
But climate scientists say we could be in for more of the same in future years, as greenhouse gases and other culprits of global warming play havoc with the world's climate. A gr...Read the full story
U.S. Congress Secures Funding for Bicycle & Pedestrian Transportation Enhancements
The Bicycle Alliance of Washington and other similar advocacy organizations cheered a recent House of Representatives decision to restore Transportation Enhancements funding to the 2004 Federal Transportation Appropriations bill.
This victory restores $600 million in funding that is used primarily to develop bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The win also places bicyclists and other non-motorized transportation advocates in a better position to ensure that funding for these kind of projects continue when TEA-21, the federal transportation legislation, is reauthorized.
In ...Read the full story
September 8, 2003 | Comments Off
Major Logging Company Adopts New Environmental Policy - Conserving Old-Growth Forests
In an unprecedented move by Boise Cascade Corporation, one of the nation's largest logging & wood products companies, they announced that they will phase out logging of old-growth forests by 2004. In addition, and to the excitement of environmentalists, they will discontinue purchasing wood products from endangered forests such as those found in Chile, Indonesia, and parts of Canada. Boise Cascade has long been criticized by environmentalists for these controversial practices but is now being praised as an industry leader and model. It is expected that other logging companies will s...Read the full story
September 4, 2003 | Comments Off
Columbia River Settlement Good News for Salmon
Four Eastern Washington cities will have access to water they want, and river advocates and the state Department of Ecology will have more tools to protect river resources under a settlement agreement announced this week. In December 2002, the "Quad Cities" of Richland, Kennewick, Pasco and West Richland were granted a a permit to withdraw 178 cfs (cubic feet per second or 80,000 gallons per minute) from the Columbia River for use in their municipal water systems. Earth Share of Washington member Center for Environmental Law and Policy (CELP) felt that this ruling could cause great harm to ...Read the full story
September 2, 2003 | Comments Off
