No, the trash doesn't go away

I just love this blog, and usually check with it about every other day. It's called the sustainability blog, and it was a post on trash. And how it seemingly disappears every week, once the trash man comes. Well, it doesn't, as the author notes.

Here at PLU, I'm a little monkish about the trash. I just hate to throw anything away, and indeed, they make it pretty easy, with the cans, paper, composting and glass, not to mention plastics. So the compost sort of composts, until I get over to the University Center, where they take such stuff.

And as for Styrofoam. Any ideas?

Little critters do make a difference

Often, I do feel it's the smallest critters, and their survival or not, that will make the biggest difference in what other species all the way up to the polar bear and the whale, and eventually us. Can't find a plankton photo right now, so one that eats planton will have to do.

Threatened fish in our area? Check out this cool map.

Check out this cool interactive map from the USGS. Aside from the rather alarming news at how many fish are endangered in our area, it does give a clear idea of where the fish are and what streams and/or lakes they inhabit.

Photo of Death Valley pup fish, from Wikipedia.

For fish, swimming is everything.

Especially if your a small fry, according to this article.

I especially loved this quote:

“If you can swim, you can go to areas where there’s more cookies or better food – or you can avoid the bullies,” explains Ryan Stanley, who specializes in marine biology. “Swimming in this environment is everything.”

Hacking at invasive weeds

This weekend, my husband couldn't stand it any longer. He attacked our "garden," well it used to be a garden, that has been overgrown with Himalayan blackberries. They not only swallowed up the corn and the pumpkins, but the herb garden out front. The vines are now trying to cover our neighbor's shed. But since he's walking the picket line for Boeing right now, I don't think he's noticed.

Apparently, we're not the only one fighting noxious weeds, according to this story in the TNT.

Photo by Russ Carmack of the TNT.

Baby beavers? I'm there

I'm planning on going up to the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery this weekend.

Not only to visit one of my best friends, who's the exec. director of their foundation, but to see a baby beaver that's been hanging about. Apparently the little guy got stuck in one of the fish ladders and staff tried to get him (or her?) out with a net.

Said beaver got tangled in the net, and the staff tried to bang him out of it.

"No, no, you're going t kill him," shouted Gestin, my friend, who told the staffer to desist. They finally got him out of the net, but he's back. And I'm taking my camera.

There's also a very hopeful heron, eyeing the 25 pound fish swimming upstream. Gestin wondered yesterday just HOW that bird intended to choke down a fish that big.

A wet trip to Northwest Trek

On Sunday, my hubby declared we hadn't taken a summer trip yet so we had to go somewhere.

So off we headed to Northwest Trek with a reluctant teenager in tow. Unfortunately, once we got there, is just started to dump. And us with no rain gear. Gary, looking at said unhappy teenager, offered to leave, but that is where I put my foot down. Are we Nor'westerners or not? Besides, the animals don't mind the rain, but do mind the heat, so we'll probably see more of them out and about. And that proved to be true, as these pictures show.

Obviously, it was nap time for many, and if not, most were trying to get a good snack. And if some of the images are blurry, Jennifer and I were trying our best to keep them in focus on a moving tram (which would NOT stop by the bison).