Category Archives: environment

Cascading climate consequences

In describing climate consequences—the ones more serious than hotter summers—I feel as if I am describing top-down cascading failures. The classic example is the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, which in 2001 had collapsed, floor after floor, down to the … Continue reading

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Infrastructure Bill from AARP WA

Thanks to Rick B.

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Good morning. Is it time to start moving back to normalcy?

From the New York Times. Thanks to Mary Jane F. Ed note: I think in some sense we’re all beginning to adjust to whatever the new normal is. We’re not sure yet, we’re uneasy, but COVID will recede into the … Continue reading

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Timber Poachers Set a Forest on Fire. Tree DNA Sent One to Prison.

Ed note: I never imagined that each tree has its very own unique DNA. This science helped to prosecute tree poachers in our own beautiful Olympic forrests. By Vimal Patel Nov. 10, 2021 in the New York Times In the spring … Continue reading

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Seattle Forest Week

Seattle Forest Week is running from November 6th to November 13th. We have several events happening in Freeway Park this week in partnership with Trees For Seattle for Seattle Forest Week. Today (November 10th) at 1pm we have a virtual … Continue reading

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Steinbeck’s view of Seattle in 1961

In rereading “Travels with Charlie” recently, I came upon Steinbeck’s commentary about Seattle as he and his precocious dog traversed the country. Does his description of our city echo with your views some 60 years hence in 2021? Is he … Continue reading

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Traffic shifts along the waterfront

Thanks to Barb W.

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A welcome visitor at Carkeek Park

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The Cotton Tote Crisis

By Grace Cook in the NYT Thanks to Diana C. Recently, Venetia Berry, an artist in London, counted up the free cotton tote bags that she had accumulated in her closet. There were at least 25. There were totes from the … Continue reading

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Beef Has Issues. This Seattle Steakhouse Agrees.

By Brett Anderson in the New York Times Thanks to Mike C. Published Oct. 19, 2021Updated Oct. 20, 2021, 9:33 a.m. ET SEATTLE — One of the first things you’ll notice about Bateau, a critically acclaimed steakhouse in a city typically associated with seafood, is that it … Continue reading

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Tasty critters could replace beef! 9 PM tonight on PBS

Thanks to Gordon G. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021 From crunchy crickets to nutty fly grubs, NOVA takes a tasty look at insect foods and how they could benefit our health and our warming planet. From Thailand to Texas, insect farmers … Continue reading

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Loving Pike Place Market

Thanks to Mary M.

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Carl Sagan’s Prediction

Thanks to Linda W.

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California Aims to Ban Recycling Symbols on Things That Aren’t Recyclable

Thanks to Diana C. The well-known three-arrows symbol doesn’t necessarily mean that a product is actually recyclable. A new bill would limit the products allowed to feature the mark. By Hiroko Tabuchi and Winston Choi-Schagrin Published Sept. 8, 2021Updated Sept. 9, 2021 in the NYT. … Continue reading

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Webinar on Earthquake Response Wednesday June 16th

Thanks to Mary M. Webinar Series: Seattle’s Earthquake Response Seattle’s Earthquake Response: Wednesday, June 16, 2021, 6 – 7:30pm Staff from the Seattle Fire Department will provide an overview of how the City directs life safety response operations after a … Continue reading

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It’s time to visit Seattle’s rose garden

The roses are now in full bloom. It’s a great time to visit this site located at the main entrance of the Zoo. Enter off of 50th St. This main entrance to the Zoo is closed at present so there’s … Continue reading

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How much can science really tell us about the future of climate change?

There are a few basic facts about climate change that we can be near-certain about: the global temperature is rising, this change is being driven by humans, and it represents a serious threat to a great many living things on … Continue reading

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Tree-Free Paper is rescuing forests and farmers in Washington

From Crosscut. Thanks to Mary M. Tree-Free Paper is rescuing forests and farmers in Washington In 2013, about 20 wheat farmers gathered at a local pizza joint in Dayton, in Washington’s Columbia County, to hear Columbia Pulp CEO John Begley … Continue reading

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The Hoover Dam Made Life in the West Possible. Or So We Thought.

By Timothy Egan in the NYT Mr. Egan is a contributing Opinion writer who covers the environment, the American West and politics. LAKE MEAD, Nev.— Few things force you to confront hubris and genius at the same time as much as … Continue reading

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One Breath Around the World

NEW FILM: Our new short film (12 min) is finally out. Turn out the light, put your headphones and freedive with me around the world From Aeon: One Breath Around the World is the latest aquatic spectacle from the French freediving … Continue reading

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Silky sifaka , MADAGÁSCAR, The Blade Runners

From Wikipedia: The silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus) is a large lemur characterized by long, silky, white fur. It has a very restricted range in northeastern Madagascar, where it is known locally as the simpona. It is one of the rarest mammals on Earth. Thanks to Pam P.

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Progress at downtown’s waterfront

Thanks to Barb W.

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Reverse bucket list

Thanks to Gordon G. And to all those (still living) who tried this list. Keep scrolling down for more)

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Irrational Covid Fears

Ed note: Have you “herd” this? Perhaps in our restricted community of fully vaccinated people, it’s time to start lightening up a bit. A great place to start would be to remove the now unneeded barriers on our dining room … Continue reading

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A rare snow cloud in Nepal

Thanks to Paul T. Even though this looks like snow… it is a CLOUD.  An amazing phenomenon recently captured on video.A “cloud avalanche” occurred near the Kapuche Glacier Lake in the mountains of Nepal, March 2021. That scene is extremely rare, … Continue reading

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