Another Green Monday
Dark was the night Saturday when for an hour DTE lit a candle and went primitive to make a statement of concern about climate change and to exhibit our commitment for working towards action and change. It was sobering however to look out over the Lilac City and see the lights of our cityscape.
Hopefully there isn’t an Earth Hour 2010, but if there is it would be nice to see Spokane step up and make a commitment to participate. For now is the time that our local government needs to take serious steps towards addressing our immediate future in regards to climate change, energy conservation, and overall sustainability. And sometimes big generalized displays of hope, and optimism and “rah rah rah” are all it takes to inspire the change for which we all want. We saw it last November and we saw it last night. Here in Spokane we have the opportunity to see it again – with the report just finished by Mayor Mary Verner’s Sustainability Task Force – the culmination of a one-year study funded by a state grant that aims to lay out guidelines for a more sustainable future for Spokane.
Though it reads more of recommendations than actual mandates, this report should serve as a catalyst for future change – immediate change. Tonight, the City Council will vote on the report – it will be a true test of how much sustenance we can expect to get from this broad display of hope and optimism and change. But never forget that the question shouldn’t be what, but when. Now is the time, now is the only time – Si se, puede.
In the meantime, check out some stories you might have missed last week...
Sustainability Action Plan - When Mayor Mary Verner announced in early 2008 that she was assembling a Sustainability Task Force for the city it validated the reason many people put their faith in her to lead Spokane. But to many, the behind the scenes work of the Task Force, made up of local sustainability experts, went unnoticed. But now, a year later – their report is finished and the real work begins. The task force was the result of a one-year, $75,000 GMA Planning Grant from the Washington State Dept. of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED). When it was first announced, there was a misconception that Mayor Verner was creating a new entity of her administration. That couldn’t be further from the truth. As it stands now, the Sustainability Task Force is little but a memory and the Sustainability Action Report is the remnant of their diligent work. Now it’s in our local government’s hands to implement it and for us citizens to drive it. “This plan clearly lays out guiding principles for the City to follow as we continue on our journey to greater sustainability. Just as following strict fiscal principles has helped the City weather the current economic storm, adhering to these sustainability principles will help us avoid problems in the future,” says Mayor Mary Verner in a letter preceding the report. We urge you all to read the report, all 23 pages of it, and see for yourself what needs to be done. There is a little something for everyone in this report – from greener infrastructure and renewable energies, to smart transit and education, to local organic farming and water conservation; and of course there are the ties that bind us – this is our city, and it’s our sustainable future. Read the report (pdf) HERE.
Becoming the Northwest's wind capital. It's likely those living in Klickitat County don't do much complaining when the wind picks up. With 14 wind-farm projects either built, in construction, or in the planning process, Klickitat County is getting a serious surge to their local economy. According to the Yakima Herald, "No one knows exactly how many temporary construction jobs have been created, but if current plans are borne out, the wind farms will ultimately start an estimated 535 permanent jobs and generate nearly $15 million in annual property taxes." DTE has seen the future - investing in clean, alternative energies isn't just the most environmentally sustainable approach but, from an economic standpoint, a no brainer. Read more HERE.
Dear Science: Freeman Dyson. According to Dyson, one of the most revered scientists of the 20th century, climate change might be a good thing because it helps plants grow. Also, if C02 gets too high, it could be “soothed by the mass cultivation of specially bred ‘carbon-eating trees.’” Somebody needs to watch this guy because Dyson has broken away from his chain of command. Flying solo. Suffering from pressure induced psychosis…and the trees are talking to him. Full story in the NYT HERE.
“The Dirty Dozen.” The Environmental Working Group has a new list of fruits and vegetables most exposed to pesticides with recommendations on choosing organic products. The dirtiest, non-organic: peaches, apples, and bell peppers. The good: Onions, avocado, and sweet corn.
From the EWG: "The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of some pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides."
"The Shopper's Guide has been developed by EWG based on data from nearly 87,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2007 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. First produced in 1995, the 5th edition has been updated to reflect the latest information about pesticides on produce."
Check out the list and download the guide HERE.
