That's right. I will be in Thailand for the next ten days, periodically updating Down To Earth. It really depends on internet availability. So yeah, posting will be a bit lighter than usual but what the hell? This is my first real break, ever. I…
There was a lot accomplished during last Monday's City Council meeting including approval of the Transportation Benefit District Program for 2012 and the recommendations brought forward by the Citizens’ Transportation Advisory Board (CTAB). The 2012 projects will be the first to be done under the…
This is a horrible story from Seattle: A semi truck hit a jogger, nearly killing him, and while the jogger is on the ground, the police officers who responded to the accident are busy sneering at him. Why? Because of his decision to not drive…
In continuing 2012 election news, we look at those lame "grassroots" political ads. The ones that show "average Americans" - the Joe The Plumbers, The Soccer Mom Susies, dudes in plaid, etc - who tell you why they support a campaign. Well, if you didn't…
Check out this new map from a volunteer at the Center For Justice. I especially enjoy that it includes borders for the Urban Growth Area. Click here for a larger version. This map is featured on the Spokane River page for the Center For Justice,…
Just in time for the holidays: Last night, the Spokane City Council passed the Complete Streets ordinance in a 5-2 vote. (The same for and against as the vote for the Complete Streets resolution in April 2010.) As Councilman Jon Snyder pointed out in his…
Tonight's the night. After the Spokane Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend adoption of the complete streets ordinance, Spokane City Council will vote at 6pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard. The grassroots support of this ordinance is amazing…
The Keystone XL pipeline isn't going away. After President Obama announced a delay in a final decision on the tar-sands pipeline, there was a Republican shift to speed up that process. But now it's at the point where they are forcing an approval of the…
The Department of Ecology says that our state’s recycling rate increased to 49 percent last year. That is its highest rate ever. Pretty awesome especially since the nationwide average was 34 percent in 2010. In the last few years, we've seen more laws put into…
Two of my favorite things have now been combined: Vinyl and cycling. It plays music when you ride! The Going Going Going Biking blog reports: They designed the bike as part of their Feats per Minute project. The tempo of your bike ride determines the…
This is a great feature from the National Resources Defense Council. It's an interactive map showing all the record weather events from the last year. According to the NRDC, "in 2011, there were at least 2,941 monthly weather records broken by extreme events that struck…
The expected end game of the international climate talks in Durban is shaping up to be a fierce stand off. A showdown has emerged between the EU and other parties over their conditions for agreeing to a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. The…
The climate talks in Durban, South Africa continue as 48 of the world's "Least Developed Countries" have demanded ambitious climate deal from governments around the globe. What does ambitious mean in this instance? Basically, a committment to a level of greenhouse gases that are lower…
I stumbled across a great infographic from The New York Times that breaks down the cost of two home-cooked meals, relative to McDonald's. It's not too shocking the homemade stuff is healthier but the graphic shows, it's also cheaper. Way cheaper.
Here's another reason to love your local credit union: The Spokane Valley’s first 240-volt charging station for electric cars opens to the public when Spokane Teachers Credit Union starts serving members at its new South Valley Branch location on Monday, December 12th. From Dan Hansen:…
Our friends the Spokane Riverkeeper and DOMA Coffee Roasting Company have teamed up to create a brand new blend of coffee to benefit the Spokane River. The title? GOOD COFFEE. It's a match made in heaven since coffee is 98% water and clean water is…
Today's feature is a short and sweet 30-second plea for the improvement of public transportation. It quickly illustrates how public transportation is used by 35 million Americans every day but eighty-four percent of transit systems have raised rates or cut services. The facts remain: Washington’s…
As part of efforts to develop the community’s vision for the Division Street corridor through downtown and the University District, the City of Spokane will host a community workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the WSU Bookie, 410 E. Spokane…
Like many out there, the images of Occupy protesters facing police officers clad in riot gear brings back to mind the "Battle In Seattle" in 1999 during the World Trade Organization meetings. For some perspective, Grist interviewed the presiding police chief at the time -…
Spokane residents have one month left to receive asubsidized home energy audit with local non-profit general contractor Sustainable Works. With stimulus funds running out, the price of home energyaudits will increase to $195 at the first of the year. This is the final opportunity for…
Ouch. I guess we shouldn't be surprised but it's like somebody poured tar sands in my morning coffee. Yesterday Senator Lugar (R-IN) introduced a bill called the North American Energy Security Act, which would require the President to issue a permit for the Keystone XL…
It just gets too easy to blame banks these days - especially with lists like this. When an Chase Banks spends an estimated $22 billion annually on coal investments and JP Morgan funds mountaintop removal, they deserve to be featured on a list called the…
It's always entertainting the way certain politicians talk about environmental issues. This weird exchange in Congress is no different. The scene is a committee hearing on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), a notorious drilling advocate and Rep. Doc Hastings…
It really is thrilling to watch Newt Gingrich run for president or as it should be called his "former presidential candidate" campaign. The moment you dig into his past it's like an old sweater - you pull one one thread and the whole thing unravels.…
Sun People Dry Goods Company is excited to celebrate their first anniversary as a locally-owned, independent retailer in Spokane. The community is invited to join in the celebration on Saturday, December 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be treats, Roast House Coffee,…
The DTE blog is committed to reporting and sharing environmental news and sustainability information from across the Inland Northwest.
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