Environment
On Saturday, Oct. 24 an international day of climate action will witness thousands of events around the world dramatizing the number 350.
Why 350? This is the number of parts per million of carbon dioxide (co2) that leading climate scientists believe is the safe upward limit in our atmosphere for the continued existence of human life.
Unfortunately, current concentrations of greenhouse gases have pushed this number to near 387 parts per million. So, is the situation hopeless? Only if we fail to act. Hence this wake up call on Oct. 24.
The goal is to alert folks to the problem, and convince them to pressure our elected leaders to pass a meaningful climate bill, something that President Obama can take to Copenhagen in December, where the 10th anniversary and redrafting of the Kyoto Protocol will take place.
Sustainable Ballard will host our own event, “Squash Global Warming” in
Bergen Square at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 24. We will assemble 350 various
pumpkins, acorn, hubbard and winter squash to form the numbers 350.
Photo credit:
Image courtesy Sustainable Ballard
Resolution 30990, the Zero Waste Strategy, which I initiated and which was approved by the council in 2007, includes an array of strategies to prevent or reduce the use of problem products, those that are hard to recycle, are significant elements of the waste stream, or contain toxic materials.
In 2008, the council adopted two pieces of legislation that covered products of concern. The ban on expanded polystyrene ("Styrofoam") food containers took effect on Jan. 1, 2009, and has been implemented with little controversy.
The proposed fee on disposable shopping bags was adopted by the council, but was subsequently petitioned to a voter referendum, where it was defeated, being approved by only 47 percent of the voters, following a $1.4 million campaign against it by the American Chemistry Council.
Through the Port of Seattle's 101 series, the public is invited on Sept. 23 to see the Duwamish industrial area where more than 80,000 people work for an annual payroll of $2.5 billion.
According to the Port, the waterway is essential for jobs and provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife. Government, community and business efforts have combined to make the waterway flow cleaner into Elliott Bay.
Check in at 3:45 p.m. at Bell Harbor Marina, Pier 66. The program ends around 6 p.m. There is only room for 200, so register soon here.
A floating classroom will assist in teaching participants about marine industrial commerce, the legacy of past industrial activities, fish and wildlife habitat restoration and Superfund cleanup plans. Partners include the following agencies: Environmental Protection Agency, Duwamish River Clean Up Coalition, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, Muckleshoot Tribe.
For more information, call 206-787-3009.
Photo credit:
Image courtesy Port of Seattle
Environmental activist B.J. Cummings has navigated the polluted waters of the Duwamish River and the political complexities in which it is steeped for 15 years.
She has been fulltime director of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition for eight years. Her efforts to organize, clean the river and publicize its plight have been documented in the West Seattle Herald over the years. She is now on hiatus.
On Sept. 19 she’ll plunge herself into less familiar waters with her son, Colin, when they travel around the world for nearly a year. They return the end of July 2010.
Starting in Vancouver, B.C, the two will fly to Japan then ferry to South Korea and China, shunpike it to Thailand, fly to southern India, Kenya, Egypt and Greece.
Cummings said they will camp in Japan and Kenya, visit many United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage sites, and do some “WWOOFing” in Europe.
WWOOF, or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is an organization of organic farmers who host volunteers that want to get their fingers dirty learning about organic foods and the farming lifestyle abroad.
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Photo credit:
Steve Shay
(Editor's note: The following article appears originally in Seattle City Council member Nick Licata's newsletter "Urban Politics.")
The city is currently seeking members to serve on the Urban Forestry Commission. Background on the urban forest, related legislation and a description of the duties and membership positions of the Urban Forestry Commission are included below. Information on how to apply is provided at the end of this newsletter.
URBAN FOREST LEGISLATION
Earlier this month the Seattle City Council unanimously passed two measures designed to improve the city’s management of trees and the urban forest canopy: Resolution 31138 sponsored by Richard Conlin to revise city regulations and establish incentives to preserve and plant trees, and Ordinance 116577 that I sponsored to create an Urban Forestry Commission to provide outside expertise to assist the city in protecting and expanding our tree canopy while accommodating growth.
URBAN FOREST BENEFITS
Mayor Greg Nickels said that the city of Seattle will receive $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to enhance the city’s fleet of green vehicles and install electric car charging stations throughout the city.
The funding is part of a $15 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act awarded to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s Clean Cities Coalition. The grant is specifically for alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles.
Seattle will receive:
- Fifteen diesel/electric work trucks, which will save more than 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year and reduce carbon emissions by more than 112 tons annually. This will also help the manufacturer ramp-up production and drive down the price of hybrid systems in the mass market.
- $500,000 for installation of electric vehicle charging stations at city-owned properties.
Hundreds of volunteers are needed to work at nine restoration sites along the Duwamish River at the semi-annual Duwamish Alive! work day set for Saturday, Oct. 17.
“This is the last big volunteer outdoor event of the year and a great chance for families to get out and pitch in to make our community and our hometown river a better, healthier place,” said Dhira Brown, People For Puget Sound Restoration Ecologist and event coordinator.
More than a thousand volunteers worked at 12 sites at the Duwamish Alive! Earth Day in April weeding, mulching, planting and cleaning up. Volunteers are provided tools, gloves, instructions, and refreshment. Work on Oct.17 begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m..
October work sites include: Herrings House Park, West Seattle Greenbelt, Brandon Street Restoration Area, Gateway Park North, Roxhill Park, Hamm Creek Estuary, Duwamish Riverbend Hill, and Codiga Farm. A cleanup work crew using kayaks will also be organized.
For complete program information and instructions on how to sign up for work crews, click here.
Photo credit:
Photo courtesy People For Puget Sound
Sail Transport Company teamed up with Sustainable Ballard on Saturday, Aug. 22 as they hosted Sail Transport’s docking and produce delivery program at Kick-it Boots and Stompwear on Northwest Market Street.
Established in January, the collaboration between the two groups organizes and leads a team of volunteers who haul an array of organic produce and food from Kitsap County Farmers to the public via Ballard’s Shilshole Bay Marina.
At this weekend’s drop-off point event Ballardites were not only able to pick up fresh produce but were also given the opportunity to learn more about the petroleum-free delivery of organic produce via sailboat from Sequim to Shilshole.
There was also live entertainment from local swing band musicians Casy MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio.
The program’s concept is to mitigate peak oil and climate change. The mission of the company is “natural transport for the local economy and community.”
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Photo credit:
Allison Espiritu
After a community meeting on how the neighborhood would like to update the infamous Troll site underneath the Aurora Bridge, the Fremont Neighborhood Service Center will be teaming up with city of Seattle for the annual Clean and Green in Fremont this coming weekend.
Kristen Scrivner, a Fremont resident, started an effort in early July to name and clean up the park surrounding the Fremont Troll.
“When I started this project about a year ago I mostly envisioned something on the west side because that's the side the sun hits and it’s a more open area that can be converted to a community space,” Scrivner previously told the Ballard News-Tribune. “But there is quite a lot of land there.
At the committee’s July 15 meeting, about 25 people came to show interest in the project.
Scrivner said they discussed visions for both the east and west sides of the green space; possible names for the site, such as “Troll Knoll” and “The Troll’s Knoll." There was also strong support to clean, maintain and improve the area.
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Photo credit:
File photo by Michael Harthorne
The sixth annual Sustainable Ballard Festival is approaching, and festival organizers are looking for volunteers.
Neighbors interested in helping out can fill out an online signup sheet here. All volunteers get swag from local businesses and a free T-shirt.
The Sustainable Ballard Festival is a community fair that showcases the activities and initiatives Ballard residents have been involved in throughout the year.
This year’s festival will feature live music, how-to workshops, educational activities, and local and sustainable businesses.
The festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27 at Ballard Commons Park.
The next volunteer orientation/work party will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 3. The location has not yet been announced.
Anyone who is interested can contact festival volunteer coordinators at volunteer@fest.sustainableballard.org,
In addition to volunteers, festival organizers are looking for donations of seldom-worn T-shirts that can be turned into “logo-adorned festival fashion.”
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Photo credit:
Courtesy of Sustainable Ballard
