| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2008 12:49 am |
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|||||||||
 News and notes There’s a lot going on in eco-land this month, and plenty of ways to get involved: Some of the county’s Farmer’s Markets will wrap up when the weather turns south, but others will stretch out through the year. Check out a list here. The Snohomish Conservation District, an organization that aids in natural resource management, is on the brink of getting stable funding through a new county tax. The county council will soon consider whether to draft an ordinance for an assessment to tax property on land that could benefit from the conservation district. The organization has proposed a five-year assessment term. A public meeting about the assessment is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thur., Sept. 23. It’s likely that meeting will be held in the county council’s chambers in downtown Everett, but that hasn’t been confirmed. It’s the green season for Snohomish County leaders, but I mean in terms of money, not in terms of the environment. You can do your part to make sure tax dollars go toward green efforts by taking part in the county budget process. County Executive Aaron Reardon is expected to propose his budget today, and a series of public meetings to discuss the budget is underway. Attend one: 6:30 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 10 at Willis D. Tucker Park at 6705 Puget Park Drive in Snohomish, or at 6:30 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 15 at the Edmonds City Council Chambers at 250 5th Ave. N. in Edmonds. Seattle Weekly seems to be fanning the flames of debate that divide the people of western Washington. “Why They Hate Us: Our green ideals aren’t going down so well in rural King County” is the cover story for Sept. 3 – 9, and is illustrated with a painting of a supposed farm boy, wearing a green and yellow John Deere hat, shredding the newspaper’s banner with a pitchfork and glaring at all the city folk. The reporter interviewed farmers who were forced to deal with flooding after King County officials declared the area a wetland. The landowners in the story argue that they should have the right to develop their property as they see fit, especially when county regulations create flooding that drowns trees and hinders fish runs. The article draws a line dividing rural landowners fighting for property lines and urban environmentalists fighting for preservation. The headline and cover illustration aren’t as balanced as they could be, but it’s true that the issues are more hot-button now than ever before. Snohomish County leaders are trying to resolve the same issues, and have planned meetings for rural landowners – and the urbanites who are concerned about preservation – to create a road map for future land codes. Attend! 6:30 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 17 at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds longhouse on Hwy. 2 in Monroe; 6:30 p.m. on Tue., Sept. 23 at Pioneer Hall at 20722 67th Ave. NE in Arlington; 6:30 p.m. on Thur., Sept. 25 in Public Meeting Room #1 at the Snohomish County Camps at 3000 Rockefeller Ave. in Everett. And finally: Sarah Palin. “Americans -- need to produce more of our own oil and gas. And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska; we've got lots of both.” And: “Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines and build more nuclear plants and create jobs with clean coal and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.” What to make of it? Read the entire transcript of her speech Wednesdsay at the Republican National Convention here. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Eco-consumerism Part II Grist, the Seattle-based eco-news provider, is still getting mileage out of its back-to-school shopping guide. It’s hip! It’s cool! It’s expensive! Quick round-up: A New Leaf Think & Smile notebook can be had for $5.99. Even better is the tree-free banana paper notebook, $7.95 for 70 sheets. In the computer department, check out the Lenovo Thinkpad X300. The Green Electronics Council gave it a gold star, but it’ll set you back $1,839.36. That’s on sale, folks, down from $2.725. In the words of Washington Post writer Monica Hesse, “Congregation of the Church of the Holy Organic, let us buy.” Disillusioned, despair not! We have a Martin Luther, and her name is Annie Leonard. You may have already seen her cutesy yet powerful video, The Story of Stuff. It’s only 20 minutes, and moves quickly through a history of consumerism. Leonard takes a fierce stab at standard consumption. Her video is a veritable 95 Theses. But I’m still looking for an organization that rates the green movement on the plethora of products it now markets. If you know of such an organization, comment below or email me so I can check it out and post it here. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Trendy cities like Seattle are scrambling to make it to the top of international “green” lists, but some communities were onto that gig years ago – before Al Gore won the Nobel Prize, before threats of global warming scared the urban masses into action, before it was, well, cool. Polebridge, MT has a year-round population of 12. The hamlet, located just outside the western border of Glacier National Park, is only reachable by 30 miles of treacherous dirt lanes. “It’s the road that tries men’s souls,” one lifelong resident told me after my car bumped and jostled its way into town one weekday morning in July. Hand-scrawled signs greet visitors who approach the town: “Slow down! People breathing.” “Local dogs at large. Leash your pets.” It’s clear that the law in Polebridge is written by the people who live there. There’s also a vague suspicion that the glares residents shoot at anyone who litters are probably more painful than any sentence a judge could issue. There are two places for visitors to stop in town: the Northern Lights Saloon, which set up shop in a small log cabin. Next door is the Polebridge Mercantile and Bakery, a charming general goods store where the owner has been pulling tarts, pastries, brownies and muffins out of the oven for 18 years. The two buildings are separated by an emergency gas pump, selling fuel for $5 per gallon. Tasia, the waitress and bartender in the Northern Lights Saloon who has no problem serving beers to vacationers at noon on a weekday, is the granddaughter of pioneers who settled in Polebridge in the early 1900s. Those early pioneers operated on an unspoken set of rules that are still enforced by sneers and sarcastic comments the otherwise friendly residents have tucked away and at the ready. Here are a few lessons from Polebridge:
E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
The real green It’s consumption season! Of course, when is it not? But as our rainy August drip, drip, drips into September, back-to-school shoppers have ever more reason to abandon the beach and hit the mall. According to Planet Green, families will spend about $600 on back-to-school supplies this year. Much of that money will go toward throw-away items, like the 6 billion pens that end up in landfills every year. It’s a bit disappointing when most eco-friendly tips involve just as much spending as traditional shopping lists. Chances are, if everyone followed such tips, spending would increase as buyers shell out more for soy or other eco-trendy paper, and just as much stuff would end up thrown away. Case in point: how likely is it that a child accustomed to using half of his or her notebook on throw-away paper airplanes will suddenly conserve eco-trendy paper in the name of the latest god, Green? Here are some truly environmentally-friendly (i.e., low or no waste) tips:
What else? ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Controversy in Eco-Land If you’re in the market for a new home, pay close attention to the certifications real estate agents tout while you’re taking the tour. Real Estate reporter Debra Smith wrote Sunday that some real estate agents have been listing their homes as “certified” green residences, but few of those homes have been inspected by a third party. Smith found that in a group of 18 homes listed as “certified,” just four had been verified by Built Green, Energy Star or LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The idea of green-certified homes is a relatively new concept in this area, so some real estate agents argue that the definition is open to interpretation. Real estate experts say some agents simply need to be educated, but home buyers can’t ignore the fact that “certified” green homes usually sell for more than standard homes. In King County, certified homes have been found to sell 18 percent faster and for 30 percent more than others. To learn more about green-certified homes and how to avoid getting duped into buying a home that hasn’t bee third-party verified, go to the Built Green Web site. In Snohomish County, check outGreening Properties. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
The cold, hard truth I bought a cucumber on Sunday. It’s seedless, and nicely wrapped in plastic so I don’t have to scrape off the wax-coated peel, where most of the fruit’s nutrients are stocked. The flesh is crisp – perfect for topping a vegetable sandwich on whole grain bread. The purchase felt good – until I entered it into a new online tool from Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. That’s when I discovered that my lovely cuke likely came all the way from Florida. So much for blissful ignorance. There are few things that make a consumer feel more guilty than being faced with the harsh reality of what’s really happening. Check it out for yourself. Let me know if you decide to build your own raised beds or greenhouse. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Learn to raise your own meat at new Everett class Maybe you’re tired of buying beef and chicken that may have be shipped for thousands of miles before landing in the local grocery store’s meat locker. Maybe you just want to know more about how meat animals can be raised responsibly. Either way, if the source of the meat on your family’s dining table concerns you, consider attending “Livestock 101,” a class that will be offered at Everett Station through WSU’s Extension Livestock Advisor. The class is designed to help meat eaters become more knowledgeable about their food, or learn to raise livestock – including backyard-friendly chickens – themselves. The 10-week class is set to begin on Sept. 17. It will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Wednesday through Dec. 10. Topics will include mud, manure, pasture, and other livestock management practices. The class costs $125, but students are also expected to volunteer for 50 hours within two years of completing the class. Once the volunteer hours are completed, students get a $50 rebate. Apply by Sept. 10. For more information, call Joan DeBries at 360-428-4270, ext. 240. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW!
Solar energy: an ugly expense or a lovely necessity? The sun has been shining for the past few days in western Washington, and sometimes that’s all the encouragement needed to turn thoughts toward solar energy. A free brown bag seminar hosted by the Sustainable Development Task Force of Snohomish County is scheduled for Wed., Aug 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Public Utilities District building at 2320 California St. in Everett. Chris Herman, the owner of Winter Sun Design who has harnessed solar energy for green homes for the past two decades will lead the discussion on making solar energy work – even in the dreary Pacific Northwest. The event is entirely free. To RSVP, call Terri Hooper at the PUD at 425-783-8275 or email her. In related news from the New York Times, a progressive town in Germany may have become, well, too green. The Marburg town council recently voted to require solar panels not only on all new homes, but also on existing homes that are renovated, get new heating systems, or are re-roofed. Anyone who doesn’t comply will be fined 1,000 euros. The new code is set to be enacted on Oct. 1, but citizens say the town council has gone too far, and is undermining the rights of property owners. Some citizens also worry that historic structures that have been preserved for centuries will be at risk. The town is already known for its environmentally-friendly practices, including solar lights and heating, windmills and hydroelectric power, but opponents say residents shouldn’t be forced to comply with costly codes in the name of green living. It’s a question of balance. Should homeowners be required to take on a more expensive version of home repairs and renovations if they don’t want to? What about historic buildings and homes? Many of Everett’s landmark residences are used by families, who are honored by committees and commissions for preserving the city’s original designs. Would it be fair to require those homeowners to mar a Craftsman or Victorian roofline with a solar panel? What do you think? ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment NEW! |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
 |
| View all Top Cars |
 |
|
|
 |
| Classifieds |
| Jobs |
| Cars |
| Homes |
| CONTACT THE HERALD |
Elaine Helm, New Media Editor
ehelm@heraldnet.com |
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|Contact Us
|Advertiser Services
|Home Delivery
|Newsstand Locations
|Classifieds
|Feedback
|About the Company
|Work@the Herald
|Site Map |
|