While you were either digging yourself out of snow (Spokane), digging yourself out of an alcohol-induced coma (rest of the world) or digging yourself out of Mayor Nickel's salt B.S. (Seattle), here are a few stories you may have missed. 

The Washington State Department of Ecology kicked off a new education outreach campaign titled, "Washington Waters - Ours to Protect". 

"People usually want to do the right thing, but they often do not know what that is," Washington State Department of Ecology director Jay Manning explained in a recent press release.  This new campaign consists of a new website with tips and advice on how to preserve, protect and be better stewards of Washington's waters from the Puget Sound to the Spokane River.  As well as funny and quirky posters that you can print to help remind yourself of the potential damage you are causing Washington's waters. 

Cycling in Spokane in 2008.  From time to time we like to write about bicycling, from a pro- alternative transportation voice to a pro- feeling good about yourself voice, and all the great bicycle events, bicycle people and bicycle news in between.  And when we said last week that we felt 2009 was going to be a big bike year in Spokane we truly felt that.  But after reading John Speare's absolutely brilliant bicycling year in review piece, "Cycling Spokane in Aught Eight" on his blog Cycling Spokane, 2008 will be a hard year to top.  Do yourself a favor and dedicate a good 20 or 30 minutes to read through this post, follow the links, and let soak in how far Spokane has come and where it is going - all on 2 wheels of course.

When the smartest environmental mind in the world speaks, we listen.  Dr. James Hansen, renowned NASA scientist and climate change expert, with the help of his wife, recently drafted a letter to President-elect Barack Obama and wife Michele calling for swift action to deal with carbon emissions, alternative energy, climate change, and other grave issues facing our civilization.  Read the letter HERE. 

The heat goes on. There seems to be a resurgence in wood heating and wood stoves although---compared to polluting models of yesteryear---new ones burn cleaner. According to the AP, shipments of wood stoves and inserts were up 54 percent, and pellet stoves and inserts up were up 212 percent in the first six months of 2008 over the same period in 2007. Libby, Mont.---of all places---is participating in a demonstration project sponsored by the EPA to exchange older stoves for more efficient models. There, pollution from wood stoves was reduced by 28 percent in 2007, and indoor air quality improved by 72 percent. EPA certified stoves released 2.7 micrograms of particulates per hour compared to 30 to 50 micrograms per house for pre-1992 stoves. MORE.

 

Never an easy way out. In Idaho, environmentalists are pitted against environmentalists as alternative energy proposals impact wildlife habitats. It’s a classic Western predicament, that could make some greenzos wince. Laird Lucas, lead attorney for Advocates of the West (he provides lawyers for environmental groups) is skeptical large alternative energy plants in open spaces of the West are the best answer for reducing carbon emissions. "I think there's a chance that these big solar farms and wind farms will be obsolete almost as soon as we develop them," Lucas said in the Idaho Statesman. "We need to somehow get people engaged directly in producing our own energy." Full article HERE.

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