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

Twelve years of Forest Restoration at Hamlin Park and volunteers still welcome

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Volunteers of all ages helped with the 2011 forest restoration project

By Oliver Moffat

November 2023 marks twelve years of volunteer forest-restoration work in Hamlin Park. In 2011 EarthCorps and neighborhood volunteers restored a quarter acre of the forest understory. Volunteer-led forest restoration work continues today with work parties managed by the Green Shoreline Partnership.

In 2007, the city of Shoreline hired Seattle Urban Nature (who would later change their name to EarthCorps) to study the ecology of Hamlin Park. 

The study found that approximately 15 acres throughout the forest of Hamlin Park were devoid of understory vegetation. Experimental test plots found the causes were likely poor soil pH, trampling by visitors, and sandy soils lacking coarse woody debris to retain moisture. 

Twelve years after the EarthCorp restoration project, the understory inside the exclosure is vibrant and alive with a diverse understory of native plants. 
EarthCorps recommended that new restoration efforts be fenced off with an exclosure wherever possible to protect plant installations from trampling and other disturbances.

Based on learnings from these studies, the City of Shoreline hired EarthCorps to restore the quarter-acre site located at the top of the hill above the playground. 

In November of 2011, EarthCorps recruited volunteers from the neighborhood to plant more than 3,400 native species (3,207 ground-covers, 139 shrubs, and 60 trees) in the quarter-acre area. Volunteers of all ages helped with the planting, and a fence was installed around the project area to protect it.

The remnants of the fence still stand at the site above the playground. As you walk the perimeter of the exclosure, you notice the contrast between the green and vibrant understory within the exclosure, and the lack of vegetation in the surrounding areas.

Volunteers can help plant native trees, shrubs and groundcovers
on Green Shoreline Day, Saturday, December 2nd

In 2017, a volunteer-led stewardship team started working to restore the forest at the north end of the park. The eight acre parcel at the north end of the park was donated to King County in 1939 and developed into ballfields with resources from the WPA. 

After the ballfields were abandoned nearly twenty years ago, the site became overrun with noxious weeds such as Scotch broom and Himalayan blackberry. With regular volunteer work parties, the community has restored a half acre of the site and are in the process of restoring another half acre.

Stewards will be hosting work parties at parks across the city on Green Shoreline Day, Saturday, December 2, 2023. 

The Hamlin crew will have more than 300 native trees, shrubs and groundcovers to plant across a half acre site. Neighbors interested in participating can find more information and sign up online HERE


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The Sweet Smell of Life

Monday, November 13, 2023

Ethan Bryon of Natural Urban Forests assessing
the soil where the Miyawaki forest will be planted
Story and photos by Sally Yamasaki

Ethan Bryson, founder of Natural Urban Forests, dug into the soil at the Shoreline Historical Museum and grabbed a handful of earth and smelled it. 

"Soil smells sweet when there is life,” he said.

Bryson came to begin the process of preparing the soil for the Miyawaki Urban Forest Planting Day Celebration to be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023 starting at 10:00am at the Shoreline Historical Museum 18501 Linden Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133

Over 100 community members of all ages will help plant and begin the life of our forest.
Vacant Field next to the Shoreline Historical Museum. 1/3 of it will be planted on the Dec. 9th Planting Day Celebration

The intended planting area next to the museum has a history of its own. At one time it was an area used by the Duwamish. Much later it was occupied by a chicken farm. 

Today, it has been a vacant field for some time where the soil has degraded such that when I asked, Bryson, “What does our soil smell like?” 

 He said, “There is no scent.”

““Soils rich in organic matter smell sweet and pleasant, while depleted soils don’t smell much at all. That’s because bacteria in soils survive by feeding on organic matter and some of them produce a substance responsible for that sweet smell, known as geosmin. If you can smell geosmin, you know you have a soil that is healthy and full of microscopic life and very likely, the bacteria which makes us feel good will be part of all that life.” (Gardenzine)

With the soil samples Bryson took, he will analyze what the soil needs. He will then bring in amendments to the soil that will allow it to have moisture, oxygen, organic matter, and minerals – things we all need to grow. This will create an environment where bacteria can begin to work its magic that will bring the museum soil back to life and provide a home for the Miyawaki Urban Forest to grow.

Miyawaki Forest Friend Volunteers talking with Ethan Bryson

Some say, that when soil is healthy, its scent can make you happy. I believe it!

If you are interested in Planting or Volunteering at the Museum, contact us

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Miyawaki Urban Forest History Project at the Shoreline Historical Museum

Monday, October 30, 2023

By Sally Yamasaki

For two years, community members from Lake Forest Park and Shoreline worked together to develop a plan to build a Museum Forest in a vacant field adjacent to the Shoreline Historical Museum. 

Instead of a brick-and-mortar building, they envisioned a Forest that would sequester carbon while they walked a pathway that would guide them through the natural and human history of that area.

On October 4, 2023, their vision of planting a forest became real. 

The Shoreline Historical Museum signed a contract with Ethan Bryson of Natural Urban Forests to help the Museum community plant their Miyawaki Urban Forest. 

Funding for the Forest portion of the project came from an anonymous donor through the SUGi Project.

The Forest Museum will cover 4800 square feet of space that is currently a vacant field adjacent to the museum which is located a few blocks off Aurora Ave N / SR 99 in Shoreline, Washington. 

The Forest will provide a respite for people as well as provide a natural habitat for birds and other wild animals.

Aerial shot shows the section to be planted
Photo courtesy Shoreline Historical Museum

Once the Forest is planted, it will have exhibits incorporating local, natural, and human history as well as ongoing educational programming with the intent to build community.

PLANTING DAY

The Museum’s Forest Planting Day is on Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 10:00am – 2:00pm.
  • At 10:00am there will be a Forest Dedication followed by community forest planting.
  • There will be refreshments, children’s activities as well as museum tours.
  • Those interested in Planting or Volunteering can email: Volunteer@shorelinehistoricalmuseum.org
For more information contact:

Kenneth Doutt (he/him)
Executive Director ǀ Shoreline Historical Museum
18501 Linden Ave N., Shoreline, WA 98155
Tue-Sat 10am-4pm
206-542-7111
shm@shorelinehistoricalmuseum.org

Other resources:
Funder and Landscape designer:

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King county Wastemobile making a stop in Bothell Friday - Sunday, October 20-22, 2023

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Do you have Household Hazardous Waste that needs disposal? 


The King County Wastemobile is making a stop in Bothell this weekend, Friday – Sunday, October 20-22, 10:00am to 5:00pm, to provide household hazardous waste disposal services for King County residents. 

The address is: 18115 Campus Way NE, Bothell, WA 98011.

You may drop off items such as antifreeze, batteries, gasoline, fluorescent lights, and pesticides. 

To view the full list of what you can and cannot bring and learn some safety tips visit the King County Household Hazardous Waste webpage or call the Household Hazards Line with King County at 206-296-4692.

If you cannot make it to the Wastemobile, do not dispose your hazardous waste like cleaning products, batteries, or pesticides in the garbage or down the drain. 

Take your hazardous waste to the North Seattle Hazardous Waste drop-off site for safe disposal. 

North Household Hazardous Waste Facility

Hours: 
  • Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday from 9:00am - 5:00pm. 
  • Closed on July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

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Parkwood Fall Cleanup - Neighborhood Trash Walk

Monday, October 9, 2023

 
Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 10am to noon, volunteers will gather to pick up litter in the Parkwood neighborhood.

Volunteers will gather at the Twin Ponds Park 155th St parking lot to collect cleanup supplies and territories.

Free donuts, coffee, and juice provided!


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King County Library System receives $133,252 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to develop a Climate Action Plan

Saturday, October 7, 2023

Four of the 30 King County Libraries
Shoreline, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Richmond Beach
Photos by Steven H. Robinson

The King County Library System (KCLS) received a $133,252 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to develop a Climate Action Plan over the next two years under the Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program. 

The KCLS Foundation will match the amount that NEH awarded by July 2024, for a total of $266,504 in grant funding.

NEH supports research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities. The Climate Smart program is one of three new grant programs that NEH created under the agency’s American Tapestry: Weaving Together Past, Present and Future initiative, which leverages the humanities to strengthen our democracy, advance equity for all and address our changing climate. 

The program enables cultural organizations — such as museums, libraries, archives and humanities centers — to develop strategic Climate Action Plans.

In this round of funding, NEH awarded $41.3 million in grants for 280 humanities projects across the country. 

KCLS was the only library system in the nation to receive the NEH grant to produce a Climate Action Plan.

“The NEH grant funds will help KCLS do its part to preserve and protect the environment for current and future generations to come,” said KCLS Executive Director Lisa Rosenblum. 
“We look forward to establishing and implementing our Climate Action Plan to further improve energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint.”

The Climate Action Plan will align with federal, tribal, state, and local climate goals and priorities. KCLS will work with technical consultants to assess current greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy usage, and establish a measurable plan to implement conservation strategies.

The grant funding from NEH and the KCLS Foundation will help supplement green efforts already underway at KCLS, which has long committed to environmental stewardship. 

KCLS has been incorporating green building practices into library renovations and new construction for the past 15 years. In 2022, KCLS partnered with Puget Sound Energy to go carbon neutral at most library buildings. 

And KCLS’ Capital Bond Building Program, made possible by a voter-approved bond measure in 2004, included eco-friendly building designs, green roofs, rain gardens and other features ranging from carpeting to plumbing.

“Our environment and our libraries are two precious resources that must be protected and cared for,” added KCLS Foundation Executive Director Lisa Yamasaki. 
“The KCLS Foundation is looking forward to raising funds to match the NEH grant award. KCLS’ Climate Action Plan will benefit our communities for years to come and it's a privilege to be a part of that.”

Founded in 1942, the King County Library System (KCLS) is one of the busiest public library systems in the country. Supporting the communities of King County (outside the city of Seattle), KCLS has 50 libraries and serves nearly 1.6 million people.


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Three Jumbo ferries to be converted to hybrid-electric power

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to be converted to hybrid-electric

Work has begun on the first of three ferries, the Wenatchee, to convert it to hybrid-electric power.

A $100 million contract was awarded to Vigor Marine who will conduct the work to convert the vessels at its Harbor Island shipyard in Seattle.

The $100 million contract covers the conversion of two Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to hybrid-electric power, with a fixed-price option of $50 million to convert the third vessel in 2025. The contract also includes planned replacement of the propulsion control systems, which will increase reliability and the lifespan of the three ferries.

Vigor Marine will modernize the ship’s controls and other outdated systems. These updates will improve reliability and help ensure these 22-year-old ferries serve our communities for decades longer.

The Jumbo Mark II vessels are the largest in WSF’s fleet and produce 26% of WSF’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. They also serve the most densely populated urban areas in Central Sound.

Vigor Marine has started work on Wenatchee, expected to reenter service next summer. Vigor will also begin converting Tacoma in 2024, with the option to convert Puyallup in 2025.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that $44.6 million (15.4%) of the $290 million project cost of converting three Washington State Ferries to hybrid-electric propulsion systems will be covered by federal funding that has already been awarded.

“This announcement charts a course for our ferry system to be cleaner, more sustainable, and more reliable, using the world-class labor of Washington’s shipbuilders,” said Sen. Cantwell. 
“Converting the fleet’s three biggest emitters from diesel to hybrid-electric power will drastically reduce emissions and fueling costs. Federal funding to improve our nation's transportation system and fight climate change made this milestone possible, covering a portion of the cost of modernizing these iconic ferries.”

Federal funding for the entire $290 million project is an estimated $44.6 million, 15.4% of the total cost.



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A ‘New Energy’ arrives as Executive Constantine unveils new colors for Metro’s electric fleet

Friday, September 29, 2023

Metro "New Energy" electric bus
Photo courtesy King County

King County Executive Dow Constantine
unveiled one of Metro’s next-generation battery-electric buses wrapped in the new colors of the fleet today at Metro’s South Base. 

Called “The New Energy,” the livery design is a mix of electric yellow and seafoam blue, is a visual representation of Metro’s commitment to helping combat climate change and will be outfitted on all the new vehicles joining the fleet. 

Along with Executive Constantine, Metro General Manager Michelle Allison, King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, and Teague Livery Design Manager Katie Ryan, helped unveil the new design.

“For fifty years Metro has kept this region moving forward. And as we head into the next fifty years, every new Metro bus will carry with it the New Energy, a bold new look for our mobility network,” said Executive Constantine. 
“With each bright new bus rolling down the street, we’re one step closer to that zero-emission fleet. It’s an exciting symbol of our progress and I can’t wait for everyone to experience the New Energy.”

The new design is the first major change for the look of Metro’s fleet since 2004 and is intended to be a visual reminder of the transition away from Metro’s hybrid (diesel-electric) buses to the zero-emission fleet. 

Metro Rapid Ride fleet colors
Photo courtesy King County

There will be two separate designs: a color mix of blues, yellows, and greens across the top of Metro’s standard fleet, and the color purple joining the familiar red that represents Metro’s RapidRide fleet across the top of those buses. Metro’s original zero-emission fleet, the electric trolleys, will continue sporting purple.

"These new colors signal a new era for our beloved Metro Transit System,” said King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski, chair of the Council’s Transit, Economy, and Environment Committee. 
“They mean brighter futures from cleaner, quieter, sustainable coaches that will deliver healthier mobility for our riders and the communities we serve. I'm so proud of Metro and its team members who are bringing the future of cleaner, quieter transit service to King County and for their leadership in advancing King County's climate goals."

The new liveries will be phased in as the new battery-electric buses start going into service, which is scheduled to begin in 2025. The new design will be painted at the factory for new vehicles as they replace the hybrid fleet.


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Three farmers market days left in Lake Forest Park

This Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 10am - 2pm, at the LFP Farmers Market, we welcome back our friends from the Lake Forest Park Climate Action Committee as Day Sponsors. 

Be sure to take a minute out of your market visit to stop by their table and find out how they're helping the city meet its climate goals and how to play your part in reducing emissions.

We've just got THREE markets left, so the countdown is officially on. You don't want to miss a single week because it will be gone before you know it. See you at the market!

The market is held in the lower level parking area by City Hall at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way NE.


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Inslee highlights Washington’s advances in the climate fight at United Nations General Assembly

Saturday, September 23, 2023

Gov. Jay Inslee had a busy week in New York City telling the Washington story of climate action to world leaders, business leaders, and environmental advocates during Climate Week NYC.

At the same time as Climate Week NYC brought environmental advocates and public officials to New York City, world leaders were also gathering there this week for the United Nations General Assembly with a focus on climate change. Washington state was one of only 10 subnational entities invited.

That privilege was earned by the state's demonstrated leadership in climate action. Gov. Jay Inslee represented Washington state at the summit, and he was afforded the rare honor of addressing the assembly as a governor.

"The road to destruction is paved with long-term aspirations," said Inslee. "Today is one hundred times more important than tomorrow on what we actually need to do to solve this problem."

The governor highlighted Washington’s advances in the climate fight. This includes the state’s Clean Energy Transformation Act to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2045, and the Climate Commitment Act’s cap and invest program for slashing pollution and reinvesting in cleaner options for transportation, energy, buildings and more.

Inslee also joined fellow governors from the U.S. Climate Alliance and the Biden administration Thursday to announce ambitious plans to quadruple heat pump installations nationwide by 2030. 

Collectively the Biden administration and the 25 states in the Alliance will install 20 million heat pumps in the next seven years. Heat pumps can heat and cool homes without releasing carbon emissions and with more efficiency than most heating and cooling systems, reducing energy use and saving consumers money.

Read the full story on Gov. Jay Inslee's Medium


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Seattle Waterfront construction makes sure pollutants do not enter the Sound

Friday, September 22, 2023

Bioretention planters at Seattle Waterfront project
Photo courtesy Seattle Waterfront Project

When people think of Seattle, they imagine rain and for good reason - we get a lot of it! With rain (and occasional snow) comes water that flows across hard surfaces picking up pollutants like oil, grease and metals which eventually lead into the Puget Sound. 

Bioretention planters filter the 
runoff before it enters the Sound
To counteract this, the Seattle Waterfront project has installed Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) facilities to treat stormwater runoff on all new roadway surfaces along Alaskan and Elliott ways.

31 bioretention planters on Alaskan Way between Yesler Way and Pine St plus one large-scale 3-tiered bioretention planter on Pike St have been installed. 

Additionally, filtering catch basins or vaults are used as water quality treatment in areas where bioretention cannot be accommodated. 

With these, we are able to treat an estimated annual average of 10.4 million gallons of total stormwater runoff before it enters Elliott Bay. 

The next time you visit the waterfront, know that it isn't just the flowers and landscaping that are thriving— we do our best to make sure our marine buddies are flourishing as well!


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Washington has a litter problem

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Dept of Ecology
Nearly 38 million pounds of garbage and other debris were strewn across roads, rest areas and state lands last year, according to a new Department of Ecology-commissioned study. That’s nearly 5 pounds per resident annually.

The bulk of the waste – about 26 million pounds – is found on roads and highway interchanges, the report says. Another 10.6 million pounds sullies state and county parks.

More than 8,000 pieces of trash, including cigarette butts, food wrappers, snack bags and glass bottles, peppered each mile of the state’s roadways last spring. That’s well above a national average of about 5,700 pieces per mile presented in a different report.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the most beautiful state in the country marred by litter,” Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement.
 
The overall amount of litter in the last two decades is down, though trash at highway interchanges is up compared to the last two statewide studies conducted in 1999 and 2004. Cigarette butts made up a greater percentage of litter last year, compared to 1999.

Research shows that 75% of Washingtonians choose to do the right thing and not litter – but the biggest offenders amongst the other 25% are men 18-44 years old. 
Why do they do it? 
The most common excuse is simply not having a litter bag in their vehicle or the equipment needed to properly cover and secure their load.

The study sampled 182 sites, including roadways, interchanges, rest stops, parks and Department of Natural Resources and Department of Fish and Wildlife lands across the state. It did not count litter associated with homeless encampments.

In total, the Department of Ecology and the Department of Transportation spent around $12 million last year to clean up an estimated 7.4 million pounds of litter, according to the study. But that is still less than one-fifth of the trash that accumulates each year.

About half of the trash came from people intentionally littering, such as throwing something outside their window while driving. About 39% of the litter came from unsecured loads, and the remaining 13% came from vehicle and tire debris.

“We acknowledge that roadside litter is not just unsightly but also poses serious safety concerns to travelers – including roadside workers and people who walk, bike and roll,” Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Roger Millar said in a statement.

Revisiting the litter tax and other proposals

The study includes a number of proposals for possible future legislation to help reduce litter.

One option is to reconsider the rate of the state litter tax and what items it covers. Currently, the 0.015% tax charges manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers on certain products, including cigarettes, beer, newspapers and plastic.

Dept of Ecology

The litter tax rate is based on the cost of litter cleanup efforts in 1970, but in 2022, the revenue from the tax only covers less than one-fifth of the estimated litter each year. In the most recent study, about a quarter of the pieces of litter that accumulated were not covered by the tax.

Ecology also said they can use the study to evaluate the effects of recent legislation to ban single-use items, such as plastic carryout bags and service-ware, and determine if more restrictions on single-use items are necessary.

The study also mentions a number of other solutions to reduce litter, including adopting a beverage container deposit-return law, installing more public ashtrays and requiring towing companies to remove all vehicle debris from accidents.


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ACs that bring the heat - information event at Shoreline City Hall Tuesday September 19, 2023

Friday, September 15, 2023


Join the cities of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore September 19, 2023 at 7pm for the third and final event in the free Go Electric! series. 

Experts will talk about the benefits of switching to a heat pump and the discounts and credits that are available to you.

Each presentation in the series will help homeowners and renters find out about rebates available from the federal government. The Inflation Reduction Act provides tax rebates and tax credits for making climate friendly home improvements.

This second workshop will explain why heat pumps are the best way to HEAT and COOL your home and how they can save you money and make life more comfortable. We'll review upfront discounts and tax credits and offer a Q/A with community members who have installed heat pumps at their homes so you can learn from their experiences.

Visit ShorelineWA.gov/GoElectric for more information on electrifying your home so you can be on your way to comfy, healthy, carbon-free living!

The event will be held at Shoreline City Hall 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133.

updated 9-17-2023

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Brown Bear Car Wash will provide free “Beary Clean” car washes on Thursday, August 24, 2023

Saturday, August 19, 2023

Brown Bear Car Wash will provide free “Beary Clean” car washes on Thursday, August 24, 2023 as it celebrates 66 years of serving customers throughout the Puget Sound area, including the Brown Bear tunnel car wash at 16032 Aurora Ave N in Shoreline.

Available at 28 tunnel wash locations from 8am to 8pm, the one-day event continues a tradition by the family-owned, Seattle-based company to say “thank you” to its customers.

Over the past 17 years Brown Bear Car Wash has provided more than a half million free “Beary Clean” washes to celebrate its anniversary and honoring former and current service members on Veterans Day.

“There’s no better way to celebrate this milestone than to dedicate an entire day of free car washes to the public,” said Brown Bear Founder and CEO Victor Odermat. “It generates plenty of smiles, not to mention thousands of sparkling cars and trucks.”

Odermat opened the company’s first location in 1957 at 1800 15th Ave West in Seattle. The Official Car Wash of the Seattle Seahawks, Brown Bear owns and operates 54 car washes throughout the Puget Sound area and Spokane. For other participating tunnel wash locations and more information about Brown Bear Car Wash, visit brownbear.com

Widely recognized for its environmentally friendly practices, Brown Bear uses gentle, biodegradable cleaning detergents at all its locations and recycles and filters the water used.



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Keep Calm and Solar On - free workshop Thursday in Kenmore

Monday, August 14, 2023


Keep Calm and Solar On

Thursday August 17, 2023, 6:00pm at The Hangar at Town Square 6728 NE 181st St in Kenmore

The Cities of Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and Shoreline have partnered together to host a GO ELECTRIC! workshop series!

Each presentation in the series will help homeowners and renters find out about rebates available from the federal government. The Inflation Reduction Act provides tax rebates and tax credits for making climate friendly home improvements.

In the first session, learn from local contractors and neighbors how installing solar panels can save you money, add value to your home, and reduce your carbon emissions.

Learn about the upfront costs, discounts, and rebates available to you!


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Wildfire smoke is coming: Prepare now to protect yourself and your home

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

September 2022 looking east to Lake
Washington and the Cascades at sunrise.
Photo by Mike Remarcke
By John Cornaby – NEMCo Community Outreach Committee

Wildfire smoke this summer and fall could be a major issue. 

As we have seen in the national news, the East Coast and Midwest areas of the U.S. have already seen periods of very bad air quality due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, with this smoke even expected to reach Europe. 

In past years, we have experienced very bad air quality due to wildfires in British Columbia, as well as our local area. 

This year, there have already been small fires on the Olympic Peninsula, with projections showing that this season will be extended. 

This means that we can expect to see fires in our region and that now is the time to prepare for the very real possibility of heavy smoke in the air.

According to the Seattle and King County Public Health, when wildfires burn, they produce smoke…
“… that contains gases and fine particles. These fine particles are smaller than ten microns; for comparison, diameter of a human hair is forty to fifty microns. And the particles are particularly bad for human health. 
"They can be breathed into the lungs, where they can act as respiratory tract irritants, and smaller particles can even penetrate deeper into the bloodstream and cause widespread inflammation. Children, adults sixty-five and older, pregnant people and people with lung or heart conditions are particularly vulnerable.“ 
How to build a low-cost air filter

They have several recommendations
on how to protect yourself and your home, including wearing the correct mask and creating “clean rooms.” NEMCo encourages everyone to explore their website for additional ideas on how to ensure you and your family have masks available and a way to take smoke particles out of the air in your home.

The right type of mask is important. The supply of blue medical masks from Covid and even the KN95 masks are not sufficient. You should have a mask that is classified as a respirator, such as an N95 or P100.

A respirator mask should have two straps that go around your head, not just hook over the ears. While N95 masks were in short supply during Covid they are available now. 

You should pick some up before smoke arrives in our area and the rush starts depleting these supplies. P100 masks are very effective at filtering out smoke and gases but are more cumbersome to wear. If you are really sensitive or have existing respiratory issues, it might be something you want to consider.

If you have an air conditioning system in your home be sure that filters have been cleaned or replaced to better filter out smoke particles that get in. If you don’t have a filtering system, you can make one from a box fan and furnace air filter. The University of Washington has a graphic explaining how to do this, which you can see here
 
Again, think about preparing ahead of time instead of trying to find box fans when the heat increases, or smoke arrives.


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Become a Kenmore Water Steward

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Photo by Steven H. Robinson
The City of Kenmore has partnered with the Hamline Center for Global Environmental Education to bring the national Adopt-a-Drain program to Kenmore.

"We are proud to now be one of 15 cities in Puget Sound to participate. Residents, businesses, and organizations can sign up to adopt a storm drain of their choosing."

Simply go to wa.adopt-a-drain.org to see if there is a storm drain near your home, business, school, or favorite park, and sign up to keep it free of leaves and debris. 

By doing so you will be helping to prevent flooding caused by blocked drains and pollution from reaching our streams and lakes. Every little bit helps.



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Rotary Club of LFP gets an update on Operation Pollination project

Friday, July 21, 2023

The goal is to create a Pollinator Pathway
from Eastern to Western Washington
The July 12, 2023 speaker at the Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park was Linda Holman, Horticulture Consultant for the club's new Operation Pollination project.

Linda told the group that "The Environmental Sustainability Committee has begun a project in conjunction with Rotary International’s new program Operation Pollination. 

She said that "We have begun by creating three sites in Pfingst Animal Acres Park which will highlight pollinator and native plants. The goal is to create a healthy environment to sustain our bee population. 

Rotary members have spent many hours working in the pollinator garden

"We are working with Rotary groups both locally and around the country to build this project. The primary goal is to build a healthy bee corridor from Eastern to Western Washington and also to provide education to the community."

Linda Holman, 2nd from left, is in charge of the project

Volunteers enthusiastically met at Animal Acres on July 10th to remove detrimental black tarp and invasive weeds and prepare the soil for native plants.

--Photos courtesy Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park


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County Council opposes state timber sale over climate impacts

Wishbone forest. Photo from Center for Sustainable Economy 

A majority of the King County Council, including District 1 councilmember Rod Dembowski, on Thursday sent a letter to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Board of Natural Resources (BNR) requesting they defer auction of the Wishbone Timber Sale scheduled for July 25.

Located off Stossel Creek near Duvall, the proposed timber sale includes older dense forests that – due to their size – are powerful carbon captors that help bolster the county’s resilience to future climate impacts associated with heat waves, drought, fire, and flooding.

Initiated by a proposal from Council Chair Dave Upthegrove, the letter also requests that DNR work with King County to protect the mature legacy forests within this sale area and throughout King County for their climate and biodiversity benefits.

DNR has managed the state forest trust lands within King County to balance economic, environmental, and recreational interests for nearly 100 years. 

But the agency’s logging of older, carbon dense forests has sounded the alarm bells for many engaged with the state’s climate action agenda.

“In order to have a healthy sustainable economy, we need to keep our region a great place to live,” Upthegrove said. 
“That is why we want greater consideration of the carbon impacts of clearcutting the remaining mature legacy forests in King County. The harmful economic impacts of climate change require us to fundamentally revisit the old way of doing things.”

King County’s letter comes on the heels of lawsuit filed by the Center for Sustainable Economy (CSE), Legacy Forest Defense Coalition and Save the Olympic Peninsula against the Wishbone sale, citing DNR for its continuing failures to disclose the climate impacts of its mature legacy forest logging program under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). 

Last fall, plaintiffs won an identical case against two timber sales in Jefferson County.

“This is what real climate leadership looks like,” said Dr. John Talberth, CSE’s President and Senior Economist “We applaud the King County Council for its efforts to hold DNR accountable for the climate impacts of logging mature and old growth forests and its duties under SEPA.”

King County has clear climate goals, and its forests provide benefits to human health, salmon habitat, and water quality and quantity, in addition to the economic benefits of sustainable timber. 

There are substantial carbon and climate benefits to maintaining, protecting, restoring, and expanding the more than 811,000 acres of forest land in King County. A small portion of these forests – about 14,800 acres – are considered mature legacy forests, which due to their carbon capture potential and their risk of loss due to wildfire, insects, and disease rank them among the highest priority for protection in the county.

King County is interested in creating and implementing a vision for the future of state-owned forest lands, which produces world-class lumber and other forest products, while at the same time enhancing carbon storage, and providing a multitude of ecosystem services of value to the people of King County.

In addition to its opposition to the Wishbone sale, the King County Council expressed interest in collaborating with DNR on forest-management strategies that wholistically account for the economic and climate impacts of these decisions.

The Wishbone sale auction is currently scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, 2023.



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To Save a Majestic Tree

150 year old Western Red Cedar

Story and photos by Glen Milner

About three miles south of Lake Forest Park, in the Seattle Wedgewood area, is a scene many of us are familiar with— involving the clearing of substantial trees on a residential lot for new housing. As in our area, urban density and affordable housing concerns are pitted against ecologically sound tree management.

Over 200 people gathered at the construction site on July 18th

At a rally on July 18, 2023 over two hundred people met with organizers and participants who addressed their concerns at the construction site. 

Organizers did not blame the developers, arborists, and builders as much as Seattle city managers who have not done enough to protect large trees—in this case a 150 year-old Western Red Cedar.

Most remarkable is that as the residential lot was cleared for six new housing units—young activists decided that the time to act was now—to save the tree and to save ourselves.

Activists are living in the tree, while supporters place signs on the construction fence.

Please visit the site at 3849 NE 88th Street in Seattle. Go south on Lake City Way to 35th Ave NE and then south to NE 88th Street.

Activists are currently camped at about 40 feet above ground in the tree — halfway up the 80-foot tree. These activists, along with their ground support, are there 24 hours a day. 

Signs express demonstrators concerns

In a world where we are told that there is nothing we can do to make a difference—these people are.

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