Sno-Isle News January 2022

The Trust Land Transfer process is one of the few tools for communities to protect state forestland, having preserved over 125,000 acres in its 30 year history. A new effort is underway to revitalize TLT and we want you to be part of its future success. Please join us to discuss this with Mike Town, State Forest Committee Chair. Watch this recorded Webinar first and come prepared with your questions. 

Register  for the Zoom link

Taking Action During Legislative Session

This year's short legislative session begins January 10 and ends March 10, so it's important to provide input early!  Contact your elected officials, get to know them and their staff. Let them know you are concerned about climate change and social justice, and that you hope to work together with them on those issues.
Find your state Representatives and Senators 

Our Environmental Legislation Priorities

Still Trying to Stop Navy Training in Parks
 

The Sierra Club has joined Not In Our Parks (NIOP) to demand that the Washington State Parks Commission reverse their controversial decision to permit covert military training in 28 of our coastal state parks. Help preserve our parks for people by submitting comments or attending the Parks Commission meeting on January 27 at Fort Worden in Port Townsend.  RSVP.   Send comments to Commission@parks.wa.gov

Martin Luther King Days of Service

Saturday January 15
Remove invasive plants overwhelming native plants at McCollum Park. Sponsored by Forterra.
Read & Sign Up

Monday January 17
Plant Trees to Save Salmon along Segelson Creek and the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River in Arlington. Sponsored by Sound Salmon Solutions.
Read & Sign Up

Monday January 24 at 7 pm via Zoom

350 Everett's speaker will be the Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton, Shackan First Nations, who was the indigenous representative from the Episcopalian Church at the recent meeting of world leaders in Glasgow. A main focus of the meeting was planning how to avert the global climate catastrophe facing our planet. Rev. Rachel will explain the necessity of partnering with indigenous peoples.
Zoom Link

Sound Waters University and Scholarships
Saturday February 5 virtual symposium

Two keynotes and a choice of three presentations will be featured in this Zoom event. Sno-Isle Sierra Club is offering scholarships for students grades 6-12 from Readiness to Learn Langley Teen Division and the Swinomish Tribe, as well as students from South Whidbey High School. Scholarship recipients will be invited to share their experience with the Sno-Isle Sierra Club.
More Information at Sound Waters University

Interested? Contact:
Cynthia.Jones@Washington.SierraClub.org

Funding Energy Efficiency and Resiliency

Thanks to the Snohomish County Council, commercial property owners can now obtain low-cost financing for energy efficiency, natural disaster and fire resiliency upgrades. Financing is linked to the life of the property instead of the property owner. Thank council members Megan Dunn and Jared Mead for their leadership on Ordinance 21-097, which will address climate change by incentivizing green building.

Goodbye to Fish Farming in Puget Sound?

Cooke Aquaculture is infamous for massive accidental releases of Atlantic Salmon into Puget Sound, contaminating Pacific Salmon stocks. Cooke lost their lawsuit against the Department of Natural Resources for terminating their Port Angeles net pen.

Let's thank the DNR ard@dnr.wa.gov and Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz cpl@dnr.wa.gov for their commitment to protecting Puget Sound.

Planting City Trees for Better Quality of Life

The League of Women Voters of Snohomish County and the Delta Neighborhood Association in Everett have begun to recruit homeowners for planting a tree in their yard next fall. They met with Everett City Parks and Public Works to clarify expectations, and LWV will create a flyer publicizing the rewards of planting and caring for trees. Read More
Want to help? Contact info@lwvsnoho.org

Working For Electric Buses on Whidbey

Thanks to efforts by Whidbey's United Student Leaders, supported by Sno-Isle Sierra Club, Island Transit may be moving closer to electric buses. County Commissioners have indicated interest in exploring the feasibility of switching to an all-electric bus fleet.

Clean energy advocates await findings and recommendations from a current study of the Island County Transit System.
Good Read: South Whidbey Record

Many school districts across the country have committed to 100% clean energy. The Sierra Club Clean Schools Campaign wants to bring clean energy to all our schools. In addition to the climate impacts, fossil fuels directly impact students' health and learning. Students riding in diesel school buses breathe diesel exhaust -- up to 46 times the significant cancer risk level.

 
Dress for the weather and bring your boots, sturdy gloves and clippers if you want to work on ivy removal. Ann Posner is recruiting forest lovers to protect trees in Brainer's Land Trust property off East Harbor Road on Whidbey Island. After your work, you will be treated to hot cider or wine at Posner's residence. Interested persons should contact Ann Posner and let her know when you are available: noraposner@gmail.com

Volunteers Honored

During 2021 you may have met some of our volunteers doing work on campaigns such as Clean Schools, Clean Transportation, making political endorsements and taking legislative action.  Our volunteers devoted time and talent to keep our community and local leaders in government and business informed about important issues. Our mission continues into 2022.  

Earth Day 2022 will be another opportunity to honor Island and Snohomish county organizations for their environmental and social justice accomplishments.  We hope you will share your enthusiasm for a local organization with a Nomination!