Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts

Not littering – it’s as simple as using a car litter bag

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Meet the Litter Bag — a handy place to keep waste in your car until you can toss it (in a garbage can or recycling bin, please). 

The Department of Ecology is giving away free litter bags at all WA Fred Meyer stores while supplies last! Just visit the customer service counter to pick one up.

While you are there, take the survey for a chance to win a $100 Fred Meyer gift card. Limit one bag per customer.

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Recycle with Recology at the Shoreline Farmers Market Saturday, September 24, 2022

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

One day special recycling event on Sept. 24, 2022

Don’t throw that in the trash, recycle it at the Shoreline Farmers Market on September 24, 2022! Bring in your small propane canisters, Brita filters and wrappers, fluorescent light bulbs, and household batteries. 

Our partners at Recology will be collecting and recycling these items this particular Saturday. Make sure to pick up information on what you can recycle at home. 

Visit the Shoreline Recology store, 15235 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133,  to recycle other specialty items: textiles, electronics, and Styrofoam. (Note that styrofoam and plastic bags are no longer accepted at the Transfer Station). 

Have more piles of items to recycle? Plastic bags can be recycled at Town and County stores (formerly Central Market). Clean facial lotion bottles and makeup containers can be recycled at Nordstrom stores. 

If you want to promote recycling in your home or office check out Terracycle to get started. It's amazing what you can recycle these days!



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Mural Painting is underway in Lake Forest Park - volunteers prime 188 feet of concrete

Volunteers have finished priming the concrete
Photo by Kim Josund
By Jeffrey Jensen

A new 188-foot “mural with a purpose” is underway at Animal Acres Park! Volunteers gathered in Lake Forest Park on Sunday, September 4, 2022 to prepare and prime the future location of the Lake Forest Park “Save Our Salmon Mural." 

The mural is a collaboration among the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation, local 17-year-old artist Austin Picinich, Urban ArtWorks, ShoreLake Arts, and the City of Lake Forest Park. 

The Save Our Salmon Mural will transform two concrete barriers above McAleer Creek’s culvert from dull concrete gray to a vibrant 188-foot mural of kokanee salmon. This mural site is right outside Animal Acres Park, next to Brookside Elementary.

See our previous story

Next Saturday (September 10th), the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation and Urban ArtWorks will be hosting a “Community Paint Day” to host 160+ community volunteers to paint the mural. 

Volunteer painting slots are already filled, but you’re welcome to visit to watch the painting in action. The Community Paint Day will also be held at the same time as the City of LFP’s “Picnic in the Park” celebration in the adjacent Animal Acres Park, which will include food trucks, music, games, and educational booths on September 10th. Saturday will be a big day at the park!

Volunteers finish up the primer

The design: kokanee salmon in McAleer Creek


McAleer Creek was once home to large runs of kokanee salmon, a landlocked form of sockeye salmon. 

Early Lake Forest Park residents described kokanee ascending the creek by the thousands, but sadly kokanee had disappeared from McAleer by the mid-20th century. In fact, native kokanee in Lake Washington were thought to have been completely wiped out in Lake Washington by the end of the 20th century. 

Recent genetic evidence indicates that native Lake Washington kokanee have survived after all, and still spawn in a few locations in the Sammamish River and its tributaries. 

The goal of this Save Our Salmon Mural is to raise awareness about the history and health of McAleer Creek and ongoing efforts to restore native kokanee to McAleer and other local small streams.

You can learn more at the following links:
Priming the concrete for the mural painting on Sunday September 4
Photo by Kim Josund

Do you want to get involved in salmon research? 

North Lake Washington Salmon Watchers, which was instrumental in the rediscovery of native Lake Washington Kokanee, will be beginning its third season this fall. Volunteers served either as Salmon Watchers, who conduct regular observations on local streams to detect salmon presence, and Salmon Monitors, who have a higher level of commitment that includes walking a section of stream from mid-September through mid-November and potentially collecting samples. 

You can attend one of our training sessions either on Monday, September 12, 2022, 6:30-8:00pm in Blyth Park Bothell, 16950 W Riverside Dr, Bothell, WA 98011 or Tuesday, September 13, 6:30-8:00pm in Pfingst Animal Acres Park in LFP. 17435 Brookside Blvd NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

Training will also be available online.

If you’d like to sign up as a Salmon Watcher or Salmon Monitor, or even if you just want to be kept up to date on where salmon are being seen locally, go to the North Lake Washington Salmon Watchers site: https://jsjensenblog.wordpress.com/north-lake-washington-salmonwatchers-2022/



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Dept of Ecology accepting applications for Waste Not Washington school awards

Monday, September 5, 2022

In 2022, the Washington state department of Ecology gave $100,000 in awards to 19 schools across the state to reduce waste and implement sustainable practices. 

They are now accepting applications for our 2023 School Awards program. 

Apply by September 30, 2022. 

The Waste Not Washington School Awards promote sustainability and reward school efforts to reduce waste, recycle, and teach environmental curriculum. A budget of $100,000 per year is available; each award provides up to $5,000.

We encourage schools to be environmental stewards for their students and communities. Across the state, schools are finding ways to carry out their educational missions in a less wasteful manner. These awards celebrate Washington schools for their environmental efforts and help fund their waste reduction projects.

Read about the recipients and learn more at http://ecology.wa.gov/SchoolAwards



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The Cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park Present... Salmon SEEson!

Sunday, September 4, 2022

The Salmon SEEson program helps everyone in the community witness amazing salmon as they migrate upstream at locations throughout King County. 

Check out these salmon viewing locations that provide the chance to potentially see salmon in Lake Forest Park:
Signs are posted in each of the three parks. Check out the Salmon SEEson website for other viewing locations in King County.



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LFP Picnic in the Park on Saturday, September 10, 2022

Thursday, September 1, 2022

Help the City celebrate our Lake Forest Park community on Saturday, September 10, from 10:00am to 3:00pm at Pfingst Animal Acres Park

Bring family and friends and enjoy music, community, and educational booths, a petting zoo, kids’ attractions and activities, food trucks, Public Works “big rigs,” and more!

This year’s Picnic in the Park will also feature a culvert crossing mural painting on the McAleer Creek 178th Bridge adjacent to Pfingst Animal Acres Park! 

The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation, along with the City, ShoreLake Arts, and Urban ArtWorks, are collaborating with 17-year-old high school artist Austin Picinich (https://www.austinsart.net/) to paint a 188-ft-long “Save Our Salmon Mural” around the corner from Pfingst Animal Acres Park. 

The project is a “mural with a purpose” with the goal of raising awareness for salmon restoration in McAleer Creek.

Learn more at the mural’s website: https://www.austinsart.net/salmonmural/lfp.



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Caring for South Woods Saturday, September 10, 2022

Sunday, August 28, 2022

Caring for South Woods
Saturday, September 10, 2022
10:00am to 2:00pm

We invite you to come be in the woods and enjoy the community comradery as we work to refurbish the area where one of the navy buildings had been. In 2005 the Shoreline School District authorized that the woods be designated as an educational environmental park. In 2006, before becoming a city park, the land belonged to the Shoreline School District, the Shoreline Water District and the City of Shoreline.

Now the woods is a unique mature lowland forest rarely found in an urban setting. Amid the trees of South Woods it is easy to be mindful of how the entire forest breathes. The air, water and soil breathe; the functions of respiration and photosynthesis take place.

The role of the respiratory system in humans is to breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This is known as respiration. The cells of our body use oxygen to perform functions that keep us alive. The waste product created by our cells once they have performed these functions is carbon dioxide which we breathe out.

Just like humans, trees also breathe. But, while we as humans inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, trees do the opposite. Their leaves pull in carbon dioxide, water, and energy from the sun to turn into sugars that feed the tree. This process, known as photosynthesis, emits the oxygen that humans need to breathe.

The restoration site at South Woods is located adjacent to Shorecrest High School at 15343 25th Avenue NE, which makes it an ideal outdoor classroom. Enter the parking lot south of the school and meet at the tent set up at the platform on the main path that bisects the woods.

Bring gloves, tarp, loppers, hand clippers, shovels, and share this invitation with neighbors and friends. Shoreline Park maintenance employees will be on hand to help. For questions, call or contact Bettelinn, bettelinn@hotmail.com



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County Council approves requirement for electric vehicle charging in new development

When new development happens in unincorporated King County, much of it will now need to include charging stations for electric vehicles, a nod toward a future shifting away from fossil fuels and toward electric power.

The King County Council recently approved legislation adding requirements for much of new development in unincorporated King County to include charging stations and dedicated parking for electric vehicles. 

The legislation pushes toward one of the key goals of the Council’s Strategic Climate Action Plan.

Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles sponsored the legislation along with Councilmembers Reagan Dunn and Rod Dembowski. 

“As electric vehicles become more common, affordable, and in-demand, this legislation will ensure that eco-friendly infrastructure exists in King County and that individuals are supported as they transition to more sustainable alternatives.”

Specifically, the legislation would require that new or substantially remodeled apartment buildings make 10% of parking spaces capable of charging electric vehicles (meaning they include all needed equipment to connect and charge) and 25% of spaces EV-ready (meaning the infrastructure is in place to install a charger at some future time).

"The pace of transportation electrification is growing exponentially,” said King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski. “This legislation is essential to build the infrastructure King County needs to lead the nation in decarbonizing our transportation network. As we are now seeing, our planet can't wait."

With a countywide target of having all light-duty vehicles sold by 2035 be electric, charging infrastructure is critical to making EVs accessible to more drivers.



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Rally to protect mature legacy forests state-wide September 6 in Olympia

Friday, August 26, 2022

The Center for Responsible Forestry will hold a rally to protect mature legacy forests state-wide. 

On September 6, 2022 at 8:00am, there will be a rally in front of the Department of Natural Resources building (DNR) in Olympia. Groups from all over Washington are working to stop legacy forests from being clearcut on state lands. 

The groups seek a chance to tell the DNR that they want forests on public lands to be managed for climate change and biodiversity, not just for timber profits. The address is 1111 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501.

The State Supreme Court just ruled that the DNR can manage public lands for multiple uses to serve all the people of WA and are not limited to only timber harvesting. The Center for Responsible Forestry will be sharing a “Call to Action” that lays out seven changes that they want DNR to make. 

They invite the public to join them. You may REGISTER or just show up!



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Brown Bear Car Wash celebrates its 65th birthday Thursday, August 25 with FREE “Beary Clean” car washes at 28 tunnel locations

Monday, August 22, 2022

Brown Bear Car Wash turns “65” this year on Thursday, August 25, 2022 and celebrates by offering free “Beary Clean” car washes to customers from 8am to 8pm at 28 tunnel wash locations, including the Brown Bear tunnel car wash at 16032 Aurora Ave N in Shoreline.

Last year’s one-day event added sparkle and shine to 32,639 cars and trucks across the Puget Sound area. 

The Seattle-based, family-owned company has provided 513,157 free “Beary Clean” washes over the past 15 years to celebrate its “birthday” and to honor former and current service members on Veterans Day.

Brown Bear Founder and CEO Victor Odermat opened the company’s first location in 1957 at 1800 15th Ave West in Seattle. Brown Bear owns and operates 54 car washes throughout the Puget Sound area and Spokane.

“This has become a tradition for us, and it’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the loyal customers who have supported us for over 65 years,” said Odermat. 
“It’s a fun and busy day as we celebrate with our customers while benefiting the environment.”

For participating tunnel wash locations and more information about Brown Bear Car Wash, visit www.brownbear.com.

Brown Bear Car Wash is the largest car wash operator on the West Coast and one of the largest in the United States. Widely recognized for its environmentally friendly practices, Brown Bear uses gentle, biodegradable cleaning detergents at all its locations.



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LFP Climate Action Committee update

Saturday, August 20, 2022

McAleer Creek

Earlier this Spring, the City of Lake Forest Park established the City’s first Climate Action Committee with a mission to develop equitable measures to reduce locally-generated greenhouse gas emissions and protect our environment and residents from the harmful effects of climate change.

Extreme flooding and massive storms, unprecedented heat domes and worldwide wildfires, unimaginable widespread droughts and disappearing lakes like Lake Mead, and the ever-concerning rising ocean levels are daily reminders of the issues that the world is facing.

The effects of climate change can be felt here at home in Lake Forest Park – remember the dense wildfires of last September and the scorching heat in late June. 

Climate change is impacting not only how we live, but it’s also impacting the quality of the salmon habitat in McAleer and Lyon Creeks, our trees are under stress from extreme heat, and pollinators are challenged by heat induced early blooming.

The Climate Action Committee is working to develop a Climate Action Plan that represents the priorities and concerns of all City residents and we need your engagement. 
Please watch for future neighborhood meetings, surveys seeking your feedback, data collection, and other educational information on how you can help combat the effects of climate change.

Join the Climate Action Committee (CAC) Notify Me list, go to: https://www.cityoflfp.com/list.aspx?ListID=291

Keep your eye out on the City’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and eNews for news and updates. Together we can reduce our contribution to climate change and prepare for its effects.

-The Climate Action Committee

Click here to sign up for the CAC Notify Me list!



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Climate Action Shoreline: What is climate?

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Photo by Lee Lageschulte

By Diane Lobaugh

What is climate?

Climate is the long-term pattern of weather. It can refer to a particular region or the whole planet.

Climate is studied by taking measurements of global temperatures, ocean temperatures, sizes of polar ice sheets and glaciers, snow cover, ocean pH levels, storm frequency and strength, sea levels, and levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The climate is changing regionally and globally. There are high levels of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, causing the earth’s temperature to rise.

Dragonfly photo by Jared Solano
The oceans have absorbed too much carbon dioxide which has led to their acidification. As the ocean warms it expands, contributing to rising sea levels. 

The warming of the earth and ocean is causing polar ice sheets to melt, also raising the sea level. 

Shrinking glaciers threaten the water supply for many lives. There are changes in storm frequency and strength. 

Weather patterns in many regions are becoming less predictable, making growing crops difficult due to temperature and rainfall changes.

All life on the planet is being affected, all over the world. This is all happening very quickly, faster than most people predicted. This is a climate emergency.

Climate change is very hard for many of us to think about, the complexity of the science as well as the heartbreak in seeing what is happening to people, our earth, and the life on this earth. It is hard but important to face that the current crisis is human caused, beginning with the Industrial Revolution, and accelerating rapidly with the continued burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) and deforestation.

Pond in apple orchard. Photo by Phyllis Johnson
Some of us can still somewhat ignore climate change.
Yet the fossil fuels we burn in the globally dominant and more industrialized nations, which is 92% of global emissions, is affecting climate change throughout the planet. 

Countries that have done the least to create the climate crisis are suffering the most damage, such as drought, food insecurity, flooding and lack of safety. 

Many people have a daily struggle just to survive. There are communities in the more industrialized nations that are suffering this damage as well.

In the Shoreline area burning fossil fuels to drive our cars and trucks, and to heat our homes and buildings, is causing the most emissions. 

Snail photo by Lee Lageschulte
Decreasing our personal use of fossil fuels and making a shift to electricity and renewable energy must happen as soon as possible. Not all of us can afford to do this, but many of us can. Governments, institutions, and industries must also make major policy changes in this area, as some are.

We live in a culture of consumerism. My neighborhood has a constant stream of delivery trucks. So many of us are constantly ordering and upgrading, shopping, traveling, looking for great deals… there really is no end to it. And always it feels like I need more. 

There is pollution at every level of production, packaging, shipping, delivery and then the waste. Overconsumption at this pace has contributed to the climate crisis world-wide and is unsustainable.

What if we each decided to make major changes in how we consume, including radically decreasing our own use of fossil fuels, for the next 3-5 years? What if this effort, together with many others, helped to slow climate change?

Photo by Diane Lobaugh
Let’s shift from a culture of consumption to one of connection--to the earth, all life, and every human, next door and across the world.

We have a big project ahead of us. Here we go.

Hope to see you in the neighborhood. Diane Lobaugh

Past Shoreline Area News articles based on the pamphlet from Climate Action Shoreline: Start Over Every Sunday, Fossil Fuel Free Friday, and Supportive Saturday.



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Environmental event at Richmond Beach features visit from the Snohomish Tribe's Blue Heron Canoe Family

Terry and Wendy reading the information boards
Photo by Mike Remarcke

On Saturday morning, August 6, 2022, volunteers with the On Sacred Ground Land Trust met at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and worked to remove microplastics from the marine environment.

Information boards explained landscaping practices that mitigate negative climate change impacts.

Mike Didahalqid Evans, leader of the Blue Heron Canoe Family
and honorary Chief of the Snohomish Tribe, talks to a young volunteer.
Photo by Terry Monette.

In the afternoon the volunteers were visited by the Snohomish Tribe's Blue Heron Canoe Family.

The project was hosted by On Sacred Ground Land Trust using a City of Shoreline Environmental Mini-Grant.





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2021 City of Shoreline Sustainability report now available

Monday, August 8, 2022

The 2021 Sustainability Report provides an overview of the City's achievements last year for five core focus areas and associated indicators, as outlined in our Sustainable Shoreline program. 

Despite ongoing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shoreline community demonstrated resilience and leadership in addressing climate change. 

A few highlights from the 2021 Report include:
  • Improved on 12 of 22 sustainability metrics and achieved three indicators: expanding the City's sidewalk network, increasing walkability, and greatly increasing the number of green residential units.
  • Joined the United Nations-backed Cities Race to Zero Campaign and committed to updated science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets – 60% reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
  • Kicked off an update to our Climate Action Plan by recruiting eleven Community Climate Advisors, launching a public survey, and hosting a series of online Community Climate Conversations to gather community input for the Plan.
  • Completed a recycling contamination project at six multifamily properties with ~890 residents, reducing recycling contamination across all properties by an average of 53%.
  • Hosted weekly online classes with sustainability experts for 385 residents during Earth Day month.
  • Completed several projects to increase safe walking and biking and began updating the City's Transportation Master Plan, including hosting community outreach sessions to gather residents' input. 
  • Partnered with Sound Transit and King Conservation District to increase urban tree canopy by providing trees, shrubs, and planting assistance to residents along the Lynnwood Link light rail corridor
  • Planted over 2,500 trees, added 0.43 acres of new parkland, and installed 13,443 ft2 of natural drainage systems to reduce polluted runoff.
  • Created a Climate Impacts Tool to help capital project managers easily identify current or future areas of vulnerability and opportunities to increase resiliency related to climate change.
  • Funded four Environmental Mini-Grant projects.
You can read the full report at shorelinewa.gov/sustainability. Thank you for playing a part in our Sustainable Shoreline program!

--City of Shoreline



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Ridwell picks up hard to recycle items from subscribers

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Ridwell makes it easy to sustainably reuse and recycle your stuff. They pick up hard-to-recycle items like plastic film, clothing, batteries, light bulbs, and a seasonal featured category right from your front door and get them to a partner that can reuse or recycle them. 

With Ridwell, wasting less and reducing clutter around your home is simple and seamless. 

Ridwell got started in Seattle as a father-son project when Ridwell founder Ryan's son Owen asked him what they could do with all the batteries they had piling up around their house.

On nights and weekends, they offered pickups to their neighbors in Queen Anne to help them waste less. 

This project grew as more and more neighbors wanted to be a part of this new, collaborative way to reduce waste. Eventually this movement turned into Ridwell, a large community of people sharing new ideas and making a difference one pickup at a time.

Ridwell is a subscription service. They pick up a few core categories every pickup including plastic film, clothing, batteries, and light bulbs. 

Members can also arrange for pickups of additional hard-to-recycle items like paint and styrofoam as an add-on to the service.

To help members waste less and positively impact their communities, Ridwell features rotating featured categories seasonally for things like non-perishable food, eyeglasses, bicycles, and more. 

Over 97% of the material Ridwell picks up from members gets reused or recycled. To date, Ridwell members have saved over 5 million pounds of materials from landfills. 

To learn more about Ridwell, head to Ridwell.com To join, just head to Ridwell.com/join 



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Recycling Plastics - Good Luck

Thursday, July 28, 2022

Photo by Brian Yurasits on Unsplash
By Sarah Phillips

Recycling plastics is confusing.

Have you ever stood next to a recycling bin at a home or at a restaurant and wondered?
  • Where do I put this?
  • Why don’t they put pictures of what they actually serve?
  • Where do I put the lid of my coffee?
  • Is this cup plastic lined?
  • Does this get recycled, or does it go in the trash?
  • Can I recycle different things at home than in a restaurant or the supermarket?

Some plastic can’t be recycled at large commercial recyclers like Republic.

Plastic wrap can’t be recycled in our commercial recycling. It is thin and light and gets wrapped around the machinery and stops the process. 

The same thing can happen with small plastics like caps, bread clip sealers — they clog the machinery and can shut down the recycling line.

Plastic bags are lightweight, and they can also clog machinery and float around the recycling facility, so many commercial recyclers do not take plastic bags. The brochure from Republic says “No Plastic Bags.” Plastic bags are collected and recycled at Albertsons, Safeway and other grocery stores. Again, a good alternative is to bring your own reusable bags for both produce and general bagging.

Some plastics are difficult to recycle

Think of a spray bottle. The spray tip is colored red, the trigger is white and contains a metal spring, it has a shrink wrap covering over a plastic container. The symbol on the bottom says recycle HDPE 2, but which part is recyclable? Do I remove the shrink wrap? Remove the spray nozzle? And what does the S inside a circle and A16 mean?

What is easiest to recycle

Drink containers are the easiest to recycle. Drink manufactures are touting the recyclable nature of their bottles. However, the national recycle rate is about 30%. Water bottles are also the easiest to replace with refillable, reusable bottles.

Here is a general rule: Look at the numbers on the bottom of the plastics. Look for #1 and 2. These are the easiest to recycle. Try and avoid 3-7. The higher the number the more difficult it is to recycle.

Plastics are made from fossil oil and gas. Each item may be a unique formulation. The plastic may be made of different amounts and types of plastics. One container can have materials made with different additives and different coloring for each part. 

Plastics can leach into foods, the groundwater, streams and the oceans, and even the air.

What are alternatives?


Ridwell is a subscription recycling company that does collect and recycle single use plastics and plastic bags. The single use plastics is sold to Trex to make plastic boards. 

Ridwell collects plastics, light bulbs and cloth every time they make a collection. Every collection has a special one time item as well, like rubber bands, medicine bottles, electronic cords.

Plastics are everywhere. Plastic free July is a chance to examine your use of plastics. This month focus on the Reduce part of “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Try to replace at least one item.



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Beach clean-up August 6 at RB Saltwater Park with On Sacred Ground Land Trust

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Join us for a beach clean-up at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park!

Saturday, Aug 6, 2022 from 10am-2pm
  • Help remove microplastics from the marine environment
  • Learn about landscaping practices that mitigate negative climate change impacts
  • Observe mealworms composting styrofoam™
Meet members of the Snohomish Tribe's Blue Heron Canoe Family and paddle a traditional canoe

Hosted by On Sacred Ground Land Trust and the City of Shoreline's Environmental Mini-Grants program



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Public invited to comment on rule for Clean Fuel Standard

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Electric vehicles are powered by one type of cleaner fuel encouraged under the new Clean Fuel Standard.

New climate policy will reduce carbon pollution from transportation – Washington’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking public comment on the proposed rule for the Clean Fuel Standard, a new state climate policy effective Jan. 1, 2023.

The Clean Fuel Standard incentivizes fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels 20 percent by 2038, eventually decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in Washington by 4.3 million metric tons a year.

“Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions statewide, accounting for about 45 percent of all our emissions,” said Joel Creswell, Ecology’s Climate Policy section manager. “The Clean Fuel Standard will provide opportunities to quickly lower our greenhouse gas emissions, at the same time stimulating investments in low-carbon fuel production and technology.”

“Carbon intensity” measures the amount of carbon produced throughout a fuel’s lifecycle. Under the Clean Fuel Standard, businesses that produce cleaner fuels can earn credits, while those making high-carbon fuels accumulate deficits. The credits can then be sold or traded to cancel out deficits, incentivizing innovation in the clean fuels market.

The rulemaking also amends the air quality fee rule (Chapter 173-455 WAC) to create a new fee for participants, in order to recover the costs of developing and implementing the new program.

The Clean Fuel Standard will work alongside other state climate policies, including the Climate Commitment Act and the Zero Emission Vehicle Standard, to achieve Washington’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Oregon and California already have similar clean fuel policies, and Washington is required to, wherever possible, align its new standard to provide consistency across West Coast states.

Provide input

Ecology invites the public to learn about the proposed program rule for the Clean Fuel Standard and share input from July 18 through Aug. 31, 2022.

Submit comments online, by mail, or at a public hearing: Comment online

Mail to:

Rachel Assink
Department of Ecology Air Quality Program
P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Public hearing 
Ecology will hold a virtual public hearing at 10am August 23, 2022. At the hearing, Ecology staff will provide an overview of the Clean Fuel Standard and the proposed rule, followed by a question-and-answer period and public comment.

Register here

Learn more


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Plastic free July – Your laundry

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Microfiber wash bag
By Sarah Phillips

Every second breath we take is made by the ocean. Oceans are the lungs of the earth. Microplastics are killing off the plants in the ocean that are making the air we breathe.

Microplastics are in our clothing. Anything made from polyester, nylon and acrylic or fleece contains microfibers. 

When synthetic clothing is washed, the fibers can become loosened and that’s when the microplastics get in the wash and eventually in our oceans.

There are things you can do to help prevent the plastic microfibers from being released into the wash water.

A wash bag made to capture microfibers is one way. When doing the laundry just put all your synthetics in the bag. Another solution is a laundry ball that collects microfibers.

A full load of laundry saves water and energy. Apparently, it creates less friction between the clothing items and that too reduces the amount of microplastics being released. The amount of microplastics decreases after each time the clothing is washed.

Laundry detergent sheets
Washing new clothes also releases more of the plastic microfibers than your old clothes. Research shows that more microfibers are shed in the first eight washes. 

That means extending the lifespan of the garments you already own helps keep microfibers out of the wash.

Perhaps the best way to prevent microplastics from getting into our oceans is to install a filter on your washing machine. 

Some filters have been reported to capture 90% of the microfibers from your laundry.

Being conscious of microfibers in our laundry is one way to reduce plastics and save our oceans. 

Then of course there is laundry detergent. Liquid detergent is mostly water, and to hold all that liquid, it often comes in a large plastic jug. Yet, if we eliminate the water, we can have liquidless eco sheets, detergent packets. 

Earth Breeze and Tru Earth are two brands of detergent sheets. They’re available at lots of stores and can be part of a subscription service. Best of all, the cardboard container they come in can be composted.



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Plastic Free July - Bathroom

Monday, July 11, 2022

Plastic-free toothpaste
Photo by Sally Yamasaki

By Sarah Phillips

How can you be plastic free in the bathroom? 

Shampoo bottles, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, and brushes, liquid soap containers, body scrubbers — all plastic.

Shampoo bars photo by Sally Yamasaki
Shampoo is easy
.
 
There are shampoo bars. Here is a link to shampoo bars https://www.almostzerowaste.com/eco-friendly-shampoo-and-conditioner-bars/

Be careful about shipping internationally, as that just adds to your carbon footprint. There are several US and Canadian companies. Ace Hardware and Rite Aid sell shampoo bars.

Toothpaste can contain microplastics

How do you know if there are microplastics in your toothpaste? If your toothpaste has little balls or specs of glitter, those are microplastics or microbeads. 

Check the label for these ingredients 
  • Polyethylene (PE) 
  • Polyethylene glycol, 
  • Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) 
  • Polyethylene terephthalate. 
Proctor and Gamble has removed microplastics from their products. It takes more work to find tooth cleaning products that do not come in a plastic tube.

Bamboo toothbrushes photo by Sally Yamasaki
Bamboo toothbrushes
are widely available. Rite Aid has them available. They cost about the same as the plastic ones.

Body Scrubbers come in all shapes and sizes. The net ball, loofa, and silicone scrubbers all work. So does a washcloth.

Liquid soap comes in a plastic container. This is the easiest of all changes, just use a bar of soap. A bar of soap is easy, inexpensive and long lasting.

The bathroom is full of plastics—jars for creams and lotions, try to figure out how to replace just one,


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