A man and his stream

My hubby is actually part of the local Trout Unlimited Chapter and know this guy, profiled today in the Seattle Times.

If we all just did our bit, persistently over the years, I think we would have salmon back in our streams again, and many other critters too. I think I might walk down to Mill Creek Park and take a look around this weekend.

Photo by the Seattle Times.

Save the Salmon, Shoot a Seal

That seems to be the train of thought. And we're kidding ourselves. Even if we killed off the entire species between Seattle and LA, do you really think that the runs - which were once so thick, like the passenger pigeon, - no one ever thought they'd disappear - will come back.

It will take projects like this, at Titlow in Tacoma. It will take more classes like the one held in my Kent neighborhood, convincing residents near streams not to use Weed and Feed, not to use pesticides, not to dump whatever gunk they have in the garage down the drain.

First they try to remove the sealions from the Columbia, only to have one die, probably of stress. Then they find dead ones, shot by upset (take your pick) farmers, fishermen, etc. This brought some interesting comments on the NYT blog.

I'm afraid we're going to have to change our behavior, and tear down a few dams, cancel more than a few salmon seasons to save the fish folks. Shooting sealions isn't going to do it.

Drawing via the news tribune.

So is a Prius a Good Car, or a Bad one, Greenwise?

That was the questions confronting my family of late, when we decided to dump our old Plymouth Voyager (DONT BUY THESE CARS), which was a lemon, and choose a new car to run until the wheels fell off.

I had narrowed it down to a either a Toyota Camary, Honda Civic or a Prius, figuring with gas prices edging toward $4 a gallon, and my effort to green up my habits, this was possibly a good choice.

But then I heard from a man I was interviewing for a freelance story in Renton, that in fact, there is an entire environmental wasteland outside Toronto that comes from mining the nickle used in the batteries in the Prius cars. OK, hadn't thought about that.

This article in Slate also gave me food for thought. It says the Hummer/Prius comparison is bull. We ended up buying a Civic, BTW.

More Meetings Coming up on Puget Sound Partnership

Got pinged from the Beach Naturalists today on these upcoming meetings.

The Puget Sound Partnership Needs Your Input By March 21

The Puget Sound Partnership will develop an Action Agenda by September 2008 that establishes science-based goals, enchmarks and actions to achieve recovery and protection of Puget Sound by 2020. Your input on what should be included in the Action Agenda is essential to ensure the Partnership develops a bold plan for the Sound. If you were unable to attend one of the community conversations held in late February and early March, please submit your comments on the questions below via People For Puget Sound at http://www.pugetsound.org/primary/act/action/forms/psp_feedback.

People for Puget Sound will deliver your comment sheet to the Partnership by
March 21.

Please answer the questions below for each of the
following topic/issue: biodiversity/species, habitat/land use, water quality,
water quantity, and quality of life/human health. Speaking points for your
convenience are listed on People for Puget Sound’s website at: http://www.pugetsound.org/primary/act/action/puget-sound-partnership/FebMarpubmtgs .

Which topic/issue is most applicable to your Action Area?
What are the known threats to the topic/issues in your Action Area ?
Where are the threats coming from in your Action Area?
What are the potential actions the Action Agenda needs to include to remedy the threats and problems in your Action Area?

Volunteer at the Seattle Green Festival on April 12-13, 2008

Be a part of helping put on an amazing two day event that will educate and
activate people to make choices for a just and sustainable world! Volunteers receive free admission to the event all weekend, an exclusive organic and sweatshop-free Green Festival t-shirt, optional free one-year membership to Global Exchange and Co-op America, and a 10% discount the Global Exchange Store at Green Festivals!

The Green Festival is a 2-day event co-produced by Global Exchange and Co-op America committed to the movement towards a just and sustainable society. The festival features:

Over 300 Socially and Environmentally Responsible Enterprises * Community Groups * Over 150 leading Speakers * Organic Food Court *Local Music * Great how-to workshops * Green films * Green home sessions * Organic beer and wine * Delicious organic cuisine and live music * And thousands of attendees who want to build a just and sustainable world and have opportunities to learn, be inspired, get
active, & have fun!

To volunteer: www.greenfestivals.org/volunteer
Contact: volunteer@greenfestivals.org

Goodbye Trout, Goodbye to An Era

That's what I started to think as I walked around the Springbrook Trout Farm in Renton last weekend.

I was up there to do a story for a local magazine on the farm's opening day. But the "closed" signs everywhere gave me pause. So I called up the owner, Jerry, who said we're closed. Okay, when are you going to open?

"No, we're closed period," he said, although he added later in the conversation he may reopen the 50-year-old trout farm next year if he can't sell the place or can get a permit for an espresso stand.

Jerry bought the farm from the original family that ran it three years ago, but it's been a money losing proposition. People often stole the trout versus pay the $5 per fish fee, and the local wildlife thought Jerry was their version of the Easter bunny. Bald eagles, blue heron, osprey and a family of otters were coming up each night to feast (along with raccoons and opossum).

If this is truly it for Springbrook, it's the end of an age. A decade ago, there about a dozen farms of this ilk in King County, now there is just his. Most closed due to development pressures, or nearby houses fouling the streams that led into the ponds, and killing the fish.

The pressure is certainly evident at Springbrook, where condos have marched up to the property's front door, and just up the street is Valley Medical Center. But if you step inside the boundaries, it's like 40 years falls away, and you come back to a time where you could grab a pole and give a try at many of these small ponds around King County.

Photo by Jennifer Conner

More News on What's Going on Beneath the Surface

This article from Hawaii, true, but since we do have trawlers coming out of this area, I think it's pertinent.

Really, there has to be a better way to get fish.

Want To Have Your Say on Saving Puget Sound, Here's Your Chance

Just received this through the Seattle Aquarium's Beach Naturalist program.

Here's the press release. The first meeting has already been held by the Puget Sound Partnership, but the rest begin next week.

Schedule for a first round of Workshops and Community ConversationsWorkshops and Community Conversation are scheduled at 10 locations beginning February 25
through March 7. For your convenience, talking points are provided at the
bottom of this email.

What is a Workshop?The workshops (1 – 5 PM)
are open to all, but are focused on getting information about the health of the
local area and threats to that health from interested groups, stakeholders and
citizens who have local knowledge about the area.

What is a
Community Conversation? After the Workshop, the Community Conversation (5:30 to 7:30 PM) offers the public a chance to weigh in on what needs to be done, both locally, and Sound-wide to restore and protect the health of Puget Sound.
The Partnership will provide an overview of the Partnership and developing the
Action Agenda, review the results of the local workshop, and have a
discussion.

February 25
Seattle
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: South Central
The Mountaineers
300 3rd Ave W

February 26
Tacoma
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: South Central
Pacific Lutheran University, University Center
Garfield Street S & Park Avenue S
Tacoma

February 27
Friday Harbor
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: San Juan/Whatcom
Mullis Community Senior Center
589 Nash Street

February 27
Everett
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: Whidbey
Northwest Stream Center
600 128th Street SE

February 28
Bremerton
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: North Central Puget Sound
Kitsap Conference Center at Bremerton Harborside
100 Washington Ave

March 5
Port Hadlock
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: Hood Canal Inn at Port Hadlock
310 Hadlock Bay Rd

March 6
Bellingham
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: San Juan/Whatcom
Port of Bellingham
Cruise Terminal
355 Harris Ave

March 7
Olympia
1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: South Sound
Evergreen State College (no concerts with this one tho)
2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW

March 7
Sequim 1 - 5 PM; 5:30-7:30 PM
Action Area: Strait of Juan de Fuca
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, Red Cedar Room
1033 Old Blyn Hwy

Your participation and involvement in the Action Agenda is essential. Here are three ways you can participate on a regular basis between now and September 1, 2008:
1. Attend Partnership workshops and/or Community Conversations session near you. Let us know how it goes by emailing us;

2. Submit your comments and ideas via People For Puget Sound web site and we will deliver your comment sheet to the Partnership.

3. Join the Save Our Sound Campaign for timely updates and calls to action. Please contact Rein Attemann, rattemann@pugetsound.org or 206.382.7007
More information is available on the Partnership’s web site.

Photos by Jennifer Conner and People for Puget Sound and the Associated Press

Finally got ahold of Auburn, and the restoration folks

And in an voice message on my cell phone, the conservationist there said yes, they've received a grant $20,000, I think, to begin restoratin work along Mill Creek, which does begin in Kent, or go through Kent, I should say, but it doesn't include any work in Kent.

Only the Auburn portion. I drive past these sites almost every day, and the animals and birds seems to like them. It's too bad that the entire creek can't be preserved and restored.

Mill Creek Restoration Project

Was going to go up north to a watercolor class, but an overturned school bus nixed that. So on the way back, I decided to drive down the West Valley Highway, and try to find out more about the Mill Creek Restoration Project from that sign I keep passing on the bottom of Peasley Canyon.(hence, this monet type shot I took of one of the projects.)

It was mentioned in the Auburn State of the City address, in rather dull wording. They are continuing with restoration around the creek (which I think goes all the way to Kent, I've put in a call. )

And here is another link that seems to give an update and gives a phone ## if you wish to get involved in restoring what natural area is left in the Green River Valley. (It's also mentioned in the mayor's blog, but I couldn't find it.) The birds do seem to like it. I had to take two swipes past some areas to shake off people riding my bumper.

One was to take a picture of a red tailed hawk, that was perched on a tree by 15th Street in Auburn, when I went back around, no bird. Then I realized it was on the ground on top of something just off the median. He jumped up on a sign right in front of me, giving me the eye, and then the camera shy raptor flew away.

By the by, the Rainier Audubon Society will be having its next meeting in Federal Way this Monday. I plan to come, and pay my membership fee, finally.

Photos courtesy of Audubon (the bad one is mine.)

Do you want paper or plastic?

First, let me just confess this up front. We going out and cutting a real Christmas tree this year. Always have, my guess is, always will. But are we doing right by the environment? And are we anachronisms? My daughter said she was only one of two kids in her group that hang out at middle school that were going "real" green this year with the trees.

As it is, we've had to go further and further afield for to search out Christmas tree farms; and I fear this will be the last time we use that one that is next to Auburn Mountainview High School. It's now surrounded by development.

Anyway, the debate goes on in blogs, PR land, as well as in news articles and press releases about what is the real environmental choice. It seems tho, that the troops prefer the real deal.

They're baaack. Goats that is.

While shopping around the Auburn Supermall a few weeks ago, I looked over across from Sports Authority, and behind the fence, were a bunch of goats, nibbling at blackberries and studying me, while I was trying to whip out my camera phone to take a picture of them.

This summer, and next spring at PLU, where I work, the campus, which prides itself as being as green as possible, had out Healing Hooves, from Eastern Washington. Craig Madsen and his herd of 250 ruminants were on the campus for two weeks, eating every blackberry bush in sight, as well as all the tansy and morning glory they could find. Here is a story and flash/audio slideshow I produced on it.

I see today in The News Tribune, more goats, this time from Rent-a-Ruminant, based in Vashon Island. This company was created by a burned out paramedic, it seemed, who started the company as a joke. In Healing Hooves case, Madsen decided he was through with the environmental bureaucracy and wanted to try something new.

At first, his friends thought he was joking. But no, he now has such clients as the Port of Seattle, the City of Tacoma, PLU, natch, and King County Metro.

The goats somehow eat the invasive weeds, leave the native plants be, and fertilize while they are at it.

Photo taken by PLU Photographer Jordan Hartman.

I'd rather be eating a Heritage turkey than a Butterball; sorry mom

But, to be honest, a Butterball, one of those genetically crafted freaks, will probably grace my mom's dining room table in Everett tomorrow (although, with all due respect to mom, I'm sure it will be delicious).

I do remember, growing up in New Mexico however, when my bro and father went out in the bush to bag the Thanksgiving turkey the hard way. These wild birds are very smart and fast - they can reach flying speeds of up to 40 mph for short distances. (The wild ones look like this pic,courtesy of The New York Times.) We had to be careful when chewing to make sure we didn't swallow buckshot. But the bird tasted like something, versus the white meat off the Broad-breasted white.

These poor birds can barely waddle and can't even mate without help according to this Seattle times article on Heritage birds. Recently, the New York Times had a fine piece on a farmer who wrote his flock of Heritage turkeys into his will, to make sure they'd be cared for after he died.

Now, hours before the Thanksgiving feast, I'm sure it's too late to find one of these birds, but next year, I'll be searching for a farm in King County. If anyone knows of one, let me know. The Thundering Hooves farm is a possibility.

Photo Credit: Wild turkey shot by Miki Cullins for The New York Times. Close up by Alan Berner of The Seattle Times.