I always view the Wall Street Journal with a certain measure of skepticism when it comes to reporting on the U.S. budget. But a new article highlights the hole wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have left on the economy. The price tag: $4 trillion. Christopher…
According to a new survey, elephants have declined by 50 percent or more in the last 40 years despite protection in the savannas in West and Central Africa. More alarming is that populations have become highly fragmented, with several far below the limit of what…
Markus Kayser - Solar Sinter Project from Markus Kayser on Vimeo. The Solar Sinter is a cool art project by Markus Kayser. Yeah, it's not going to replace energy alternatives- but it shows the power of the sun, using the Sahara for this project. If…
This story just won't quit. Japan's damaged Fukushima plant is now holding oceans of contaminated, radioactive water in its storage tanks. Bigger shocker: This water keeps leaking out. Yesterday, the country's Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency said fifteen tons or so of water leaked. Yes, the…
Good news: Today, the City of Spokane received the prestigious PISCES Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for successfully demonstrating innovative stormwater control strategies on West Broadway Avenue. Polluted stormwater now is considered the leading cause of urban water pollution and the largest source…
I've been geeking out on Daniel Kline's film series, The Perennial Plate. It is beautiful to watch- even in its sadness. Last time, he took us to New Orleans and we met residents who returned after Katrina to rebuild their city and started growing food…
I recently posted about Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike and his opposition to the proposed coal export project at Cherry Point near Bellingham. If approved, the proposed terminal would ship 48 millions of tons of coal each year to China but that is just to start.…
Sustainable Resources INW (the organization formerly known as SLIP) is hosting a mayoral candidates forum on June 28th from 6-7pm at the Community Building (doors open at 5:30), 35 W. Main. The group is an educational non-profit, started by Susanne Croft, that focuses on sustainable…
Bad news for Whitewater Park enthusiasts: The Spokesman reports the project lost its $500,000 grant. From the Spokesman: In a 6-1 vote, the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board agreed with a staff decision in April not to extend the expiring grant. Board members rejected the…
Nobody looks to Miss America for intellectual guidance for obvious reasons. However, this funny YouTube clip of contestant answers to the question "Do you think evolution should be taught in school?" is blowing up the internets today. Why? Mostly because a majority of them said…
View Spokane Summer Parkways/South Hill Preliminary Course in a larger map Summer is here and I can't think of a better way to get things started than Summer Parkways, which kicks off on tonight from 6-9pm in the Comstock/Manito Neighborhood. (The idea is based off…
Bellingham’s Mayor, Dan Pike, announced that he will work to oppose the coal export terminal proposed by Peabody Energy and SSA Marine at Cherry Point. In this classic battle of economic growth vs the environment, he stated in his announcement, “I am clear today that…
The Christian Science Monitor has a nice roundup on how the 2012 group of Republicans feel about climate change. Basically, they were against it, before they said they don't believe it exists. Former US Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R) of New York, a strong supporter of…
You might recall the story of Cole Rasenberger. When he was in second grade, Cole was assigned a project to be an environmental activist. He researched environmental causes around him and found that McDonald’s was buying paper that destroyed endangered forests in his home state.…
Protecting the Spokane River takes on a whole new meaning once you paddle it. That's why I urge you to join the Spokane Riverkeeper (in partnership with ROW Adventures) for a trip on July 13th. According to the Riverkeeper, the "annual Spokane River float will…
As mentioned before, the City of Spokane is creating a Pedestrian Master Plan to increase pedestrian safety and mobility, support a multimodal transportation system, and provide guidance on the best use of resources to implement pedestrian initiatives. Here is your chance to get involved. First…
Yesterday, Clarence Clemons, saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, passed away at the age of 69 due to complications following a stroke suffered at his Florida home. Clemens was a member of the E Street Band for over three decades, perhaps the…
The more I've written and thought about social psychology, the more I've come to appreciate the significance of messengers. Human beings are not impartial evidence-gathering and reasoning machines. We are social animals. It matters to us what people like us think -- our tribe, those…
You may recall the Dangerous By Design report, which featured the most dangerous cities for pedestians in America. Now, Transportation For America has a new feature where you can type in an address and a map pops up with data of pedestrian fatalities from 2000…
The Perennial Plate Episode 57: Lord, Lord, Lord from Daniel Klein on Vimeo. Daniel Klein's wild adventures in The Perennial Plate continue with this entry on several different New Orleans residents who returned after Katrina to rebuild their city and started growing food in abandoned…
Our friends at the Spokane River Forum report The Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club partnered with the City of Spokane Valley to greatly improve the aesthetics and functionality of river access at Barker Road. As you may know, this has been a saga of epic…
You may have heard Gov. Chris Gregoire's (D) will not seek reelction in 2012 and Rep. Jay Inslee (D) is emerging as the frontrunner to get the Democratic nomination for the Washington governorship. He has mad cred when it comes to climate change, leading Congress…
Earlier this week, the largest and oldest owner of Idaho's silver mine, Hecla Mining Co., reached a $263.4 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the state to clean up historic mine waste in the Coeur d’Alene Basin. According…
The George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication and Yale Project on Climate Change Communication released a fascinating report from their latest national survey of the American public. Here's what you need to know: “Despite political polarization in Washington D.C., public support for a…