Third Thursday Meeting & Social
December 15, from 7 to 8 pm.
Join friends and other environmentally concerned people on Zoom to celebrate our environmental champions and their valuable efforts of the past year.
Register to get the Zoom link. |
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Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Saturday, Dec. 17 in Edmonds
Saturday, Dec. 31 in Everett and Marysville
Help count birds in the field or in your neighborhood. You can also step up to an area coordinator role. Training and information will be provided.
Use these contacts for questions or to volunteer:
Edmonds area: director@pilchuckaudubon.org
Everett/Marysville: cbc.waev@pilchuckaudubon.org |
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Exposing Wildfire Misinformation
Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 11 am
A panel of independent scientists exposes the truth behind what's happening in our forests. They will also explain how this is impacting future forest policy as well as our forests themselves. Join the John Muir Project for the fifth installment of the webinar series Understanding the Science. |
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Enjoy In Your Own Time and Place
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Conservation Volunteers in Action
In Case You Missed It Last Month
Margie Van Cleve, state Sierra Club conservation chair, reviews priority issues volunteers have been working to support, such as the wild and scenic river bill, state forest management, and Lower Snake River dam removal. Susan Kane-Ronning of the state Wildlife Committee describes work to protect wildlife such as wolves, bear and deer, with an emphasis on providing wildlife corridors. Both Margie and Susan describe how to get involved and join the action.
We thought this talk was so important that we recorded it for others to hear. |
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Thought Provoking Reading Suggestions
Have you read these books that people are talking about?
The Ministry for the Future is a climate fiction novel by American science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson, published in 2020. If you are interested in a book discussion group, contact Ann Posner: noraposner@gmail.com
Silent Spring Revolution, by bestselling author and historian Douglas Brinkley, chronicles the rise of environmental activism under the leadership of presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon (yes, Nixon).
Listen to the author discuss his findings: |
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Video: The Future of Forests
Join the father of ecological forestry, Dr. Jerry Franklin, as he explains why we must stop cutting mature and old growth forests. He explains what ecological forestry is and how we can help restore forests to be more resilient to climate change impacts.
Ecological forestry offers an innovative approach to logging that restores forest complexity and biodiversity. |
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How Did They Save Whidbey Island?
Just 20 miles away from Seattle, Whidbey Island has managed to retain its fields, forests and a rural way of life. This is mainly thanks to a history of grass-roots conservation campaigns led by a pair of dedicated environmentalists. This beautiful film documents the results of work by Marianne Edain and Steve Erickson with the Whidbey Environmental Activist Network (WEAN). Password: 4 WEAN. |
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There's Still Time For EV Tax Credits
December is the last month that many are eligible for a 30% federal tax credit for installing an electric vehicle home charging unit. Starting January 1, 2023, the same federal tax credit will only be available to residents in low income and rural areas. Note that there is no Washington State sales tax on charging unit installations. Some electric utilities offer discounts on EV charging units. |
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Goodbye to Salmon Farming Net Pens
Finally, after the disastrous 2017 net-pen break and a history of non-compliance with contract agreements, Cooke Aquaculture is finished in Puget Sound. The state Department of Natural Resources decided not to renew the last of the company's fish farming leases on net pens in Puget Sound. |
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Heat Pumps Now Required for Homes
Washington State building codes now require that new homes, as well as commercial buildings, help reduce carbon emissions by electrifying the heating systems. Heat pumps are an energy-efficient alternative to gas furnaces and air conditioners. They use electricity to transfer heat by pushing heat outside your home during hot days and pulling it in during cold days.
Such systems save money over time, and installing heat pumps in new construction can be cheaper than extending a gas line. |
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Working Together for Common Goals
With multiple Edmonds area groups working on similar environmental objectives, it became clear that working together would make each one more effective.Therefore the Edmonds Environmental Alliance has been established with a starting group of nine member organizations, representing hundreds of environmentally concerned citizens. These allied groups share information and collaborate on action items. Much more information is available on the website. |
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Enjoying Ebey's Trail System Walk
by Ann Posner from Freeland
I recommend that every walker consider a visit to Whidbey Island for a hike in Whidbey Camano Land Trust's Ebey's Trail System. Stitching together State and Island County parks, the Price Sculpture Forest, and other preserved places, Ebey's trail system opened for public enjoyment just this fall. On a recent three mile hike through forest and pasture lands, I saw panoramic farm scenes and spectacular views of Mt. Baker as well as a glimpse of Hurricane Ridge. |
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Snohomish County Board of Health
Interested community members are invited to apply for a board position that begins in January. The board works to develop, approve and revise countywide policy on public health issues such as opioids, immunizations and climate change. |
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Alone we can do so little;
together we can do so much.
~ Helen Keller
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