Last night I watched the inspirational documentary "A Convenient Truth" and I can't recommend the film enough. The film sends a positive message: Cities should be a solution not a problem for human beings. Curitiba, Brazil is the setting because it has successfully shown for…
We're fortunate to have a robust network of farmers markets. From Cheney to Liberty Lake, South Perry to Millwood, take a look at this local market map, courtesy of my dear friends at SpoCool: View Spokane County Farmers' Markets in a larger map The demand…
The rising gas prices are affecting everybody with the Energy Information Administration estimating the average U.S. household will spend more than $4,300 on gas in 2011. Just last month gas prices in Washington state have jumped almost 40 cents a gallon. I have a one…
This photo has made the rounds of national sites, including I Can Haz Cheezeburger and even the Times Of India. It's John Waite. He's the owner of Merlyn's. He's running for City Council. I'm proud to say he's my friend. (We played Hoopfest together in…
I spend a lot of time at Down To Earth discussing Complete Streets. It's a concept I believe in and it's a movement that is growing around the country so my hope is to educate folks here. According to a survey by the Spokane Regional…
Who doesn't like to color? Well, you must be under 18 to participate. Beginning this Saturday, Down To Earth and Huckleberry's are partnering for a coloring contest, the official drawing date will be Saturday May 21 , 2011 4 :00 PM. What is the grand…
Here's one ethical difference between Facebook and Twitter: Twitter announced they are taking up offices in San Francisco, a decision that contrasts the move being planned by Facebook. Its new headquarters will be out in San Mateo County, continuing a pattern of sprawl in the…
I've always wanted to see the Tigris River. It's the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopatamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq. It has the same problems that plague our…
Coal: It's the safest energy there is. This is Onion worthy. Did you hear about Peabody Coal's unconscionable new site, Coalcares.org? It's bad. Real bad. They're offering Dora the Explorer and Justin Bieber-branded inhalers to kids living near coal plants. There's even a "Kidz Koal…
The Spokane Regional Health District is inviting you to a training to learn more about how you can make your community a healthy community. The training will consist of two sections: Healthy Planning in your Community and Opening your Community to Play. Robert Ogilvie will…
Calling all GreenDrinkers. It's beautiful outside making tonight's event the perfect setting: The rooftop above Isabella's in the Saranac Building (25 W. Main) is the place to be come 5:30pm to whenever for GreenDrinks and the Spokane Riverkeeper. They will be giving away Riverkeeper shirts…
Does the average American really know what the global population is? Watch this telling video: How Many People Are In the World Today? from Population Action International on Vimeo. As Population Action International explains to the interviewees in this clip, the world population will hit…
The Spokane Riverkeeper wants you to click on this video as many times as possible to help them win a viral video competition and "with the money we'll take care of the hard part - cleaning up and protecting the Spokane River. As part of…
Perfect. Climate change could keep you from reading Down To Earth. According to a new report from the United Kingdom, climate change could threaten WiFi internet access. Higher temperatures can reduce the signal range, increased rainfall can affect reliability, and more severe storms could lead…
Bike To Work Week is almost here folks. It's easy to register and an important important way of being counted so policy makers know we’re here and we need infrastructure. As mentioned, there are a few changes this year as Bike To Work Spokane is…
This is some nasty news. Senate Republicans introduced legislation to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency - which was established 40 years ago by President Richard Nixon to give Americans clean air and water. The bill was introduced by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). The plan is…
The paranoid fantasy continues. Idaho has officially declared a "wolf disaster" and has just obtained an Endangered Species Act pass to allow for a controlled hunt. The wolf hunt is supposed to be about protecting sheep, because sheep ranchers experience the greatest wolf predation losses.…
Do you have a car to buy groceries or go to work or school in Spokane? In a recent Getting There column, Mike Prager reported Spokane has 650 miles of streets that lack sidewalks and most residential areas do not have handicapped ramps at intersections.…
Beer. Bikes. Zines. What else do you need to know? Futurewise's Kitty Klitzke is asking you to join her for happy hour at one of the best bars in town - yes, that would be Jones Radiator, 120 E Sprague - and pick up Issue…
Cue Alanis Morissette because this is more ironic than having 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife. (I tried.) But House Republicans are forming a coalition to talk about energy priorities. They're calling it the House Energy Action Team, or HEAT. Zing! The…
“What’s important about Bobby Kennedy is that he challenges each of us to become personally invested in protecting our waterways. It’s our elbow grease and our willingness to fund and be part of projects like the Spokane Riverkeeper and the Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper that…
Taking the train is a cheap, eco-friendly way to travel, producing nineteen times less greenhouse gas emissions than flying and probably the most relaxing form of transportation. So I'm sad to report that on Amtrak's 40th birthday, it's a weaker version of what it once…
Greenwashing is defined as the practice where a business tries to make it seem like it’s greener than it really is. For consumers to post and rank environmental advertisements in the hope of differentiating the misleading ones from the honest, we suggest The Greenwashing Index…
One of my favorite historical gardens, The Moore-Turner Heritage Gardens will open for the season on Saturday, May 14, 2011. Located in Edwidge Woldson Park, the Gardens are owned and operated by the City of Spokane Parks & Recreation Department. Re-discovered in 1998, the Gardens…
The DTE blog is committed to reporting and sharing environmental news and sustainability information from across the Inland Northwest.
| Dec. 2011 | Nov. 2011 | Oct. 2011 | Sept. 2011 |
| Aug. 2011 | July 2011 | June 2011 | May 2011 |
| April 2011 | March 2011 | Feb. 2011 | Jan. 2011 |
