West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
That’s Neal Chism, whose story we told here last October — the self-described “semi-retired engineer” who is working to help local wildlife by intercepting trash and debris on a stretch of the Duwamish around the West Seattle Bridge. He sent an update this week on how it’s going, and a few new photos, like this one:
That’s a small picture frame full of fishing tackle floats known as “Corkies” that Neal says he recovered from the river over a period of about three days. When we met him in October, he talked about the great “Pacific Garbage Patch” of plastic debris. (Here are photos you may not have seen before.) But the water can contain potentially lethal metals too:
Neal explains that’s a lead-covered water sampler recovered from the river. He says it’s “used by a local university … we are trying to get them to ‘get the lead out’.” So what about the big picture? Here’s the status update he included in his note:
To date, I am up to about 900 e-mails on this single topic since your writeup in the blog. I have several grant proposals in work to transform the small collection experiment started, into a formal program via NOAA and Port of Seattle funds. The actual experiment is going very well, the trash levels are down to very low levels on the river and visibility of the water is very good. The bird population seems to be increasing and it is great to see. So your efforts and attention to this issue are helping to solve the problems we have.
It is a continual challenge to keep the areas clean as you can imagine, and the first month of the year had been very busy, just see my latest reports to the Soundkeepers. [Here’s the direct link.] The warm weather has been helping greatly.
One more photo of what Neal has found along the way – “just one of three large plastic dock lines recovered from the river, each about 50 pounds in weight”:
(2:53 pm note: Neal just sent word the Seattle Channel will feature his work on Feb. 18; it’ll eventually be available for online stream here He added, “If people can, get down to the small pocket parks of T105 and Diagonal Way. They are great for lunchtime sunning and relaxing, and the river is always a busy place with the maritime traffic.”)
Side note: Though this is not officially related to Neal’s efforts, there’s a boat tour of the Duwamish coming up this Wednesday, noon-2 pm, guided by Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, ARCADE Journal, and what the invite describes as “members of Seattle’s design community.” Tickets are available online, here. And watch for details on how to join Duwamish Alive! cleanups with DRCC and others on April 17, marking the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. But in the short run, every day you can take action – by doing everything you can to keep trash and debris out of our waters – that includes taking care about what you flush or put in other drains at your home/workplace.
At left, Eric from Solar Epiphany places a big call after the Red Cup Espresso drawing this afternoon for a $3,000 home solar system (as first reported here). At right, they drafted Tom from nearby JF Henry to pull the winner’s name. And the winner is … Annette G., who answered the phone to learn she’d won. (Thanks to Meredith for the photos!)
Just got an update from Annie Kolb-Nelson at King County Wastewater Treatment Division, who we talked with following the news release they sent around yesterday afternoon about pump-station problems following a tidal surge: She says environmental-lab team members have verified NO sewage went into the water at Murray (Lowman; county file photo at left): “Our water quality samples confirm extremely low levels of fecal coliform in the water off both Lowman Beach and Lincoln Park, indicating no sewage went into the environment, so we’re very happy about that.” When we published their news release yesterday, we mentioned a large dark patch in the water reported to us by a resident uphill and east from Morgan Junction; Kolb-Nelson says the high tides led to “a tremendous number of logs and debris in Puget Sound,” reported firsthand by a boat that had to maneuver through them, and that’s what the resident likely saw.
Tonight when Morgan Community Association meets at 7 pm at The Kenney, the agenda includes an update on the area pump stations operated by King County Wastewater Treatment. That’s been planned for quite some time – but there’s something new to talk about, after this news release sent out by the county today, regarding trouble with a “tidal surge” – read on:Read More
Fast-forwarding – two meetings of note in West Seattle tomorrow night: The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is back in action after skipping December (as do many local community groups), and a hot topic’s on the agenda: A rep from the Seattle Police Traffic Unit is expected at the meeting to talk about issues including red-light cameras (West Seattle has two – 35th/Avalon and 35th/Thistle). That meeting’s at 7 pm, Southwest Precinct (map). Meantime, Sustainable West Seattle also meets at 7 tomorrow night (Senior Center of West Seattle at California/Oregon; map), with Coordinating Council elections plus an appearance by new City Councilmember Mike O’Brien – a full preview of the meeting is on the Sustainable WS website.
A question arrived in e-mail: Where can people go in West Seattle to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service on Monday? We checked a regional database and didn’t turn up anything in West Seattle, except for the Nature Consortium work party mentioned as part of this comment that Monica added to the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:
Nature Consortium is holding Restoration Work Parties all weekend long to celebrate MLK Day.
Sunday, January 17th: Highland Park Way SW from 10 am to 2 pm
Monday, January 18th: Pigeon Point Park from 9:30 am to 3 pm
Entertainment and refreshments included!RSVP by calling us at 206-923-0853 or e-mail: volunteer@naturec.org
If you know of any other MLK Day of Service events that could use volunteer help, please share the info – others may be looking for volunteer opportunities too!
Perhaps the most unusual contest we’ve seen in a while: “West Seattle’s first hybrid coffee shop” – Red Cup Espresso – and Solar Epiphany LLC (who provided the photo) are giving away a “complete solar installation” (a 350-watt expandable grid-tied installation). Entries are being accepted at Red Cup starting today, and the drawing is at 3 pm January 26th. Red Cup’s Tricia DiBernardo and Solar Epiphany’s Eric Thomas say this figures into their “2010 resolutions of community dialogue and direct action.” Need more info? Drop by Red Cup (4451 California SW) or call Eric at 206-919-3014. (P.S. They say the rooftop installation at Red Cup has generated more than 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the past year.)
(From left, Juliann Everett, Lisa Olson, Natasha Hissong, Tauna Evans)
Story and photos by Mary Sheely
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Michelle Gaither wants you to know that sometimes being environmentally friendly isn’t about what you do, but what you don’t do.
“I don’t know much about oven cleaning in general because I don’t really do it,” she says only half-jokingly to a group of women from West Seattle and beyond who’ve come to High Point’s Bridge Park Retirement Living for a green cleaning demo. Gaither is a technical research coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) and also a member of the group CoolMom, a growing Seattle-based nonprofit that “unites moms to take action on climate change through education, lifestyle change, and advocacy,” which organized the event.
Lifestyle change is the goal of the demo (which happened this past Wednesday night). Gaither explains what she means about cleaning her oven:
(Story continues – with recipes and links too! – after the jump)Read More
During the Seattle City Council‘s first regular meeting of the New Year tomorrow, councilmembers are expected to vote on a resolution asking the state to create a registry you could use to opt out of unsolicited direct mail – like the “do not call” registry for telemarketing. If you have an opinion on this, you’re advised to contact councilmembers — Sustainable Seattle has the info here; to read the resolution they’ll be considering, go here. Supporters cite environmental benefits of lower paper use; opponents (whose views are detailed here) say jobs would be lost and the US Postal Service‘s future would be in danger because advertising mail comprises a third of what it handles.
(West Seattle Elementary fifth-grader Precious Manning pours coho eggs into an iodine bath to disinfect them before putting them in the school’s aquarium)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Youngsters at eight West Seattle elementary schools, plus the Fauntleroy Children’s Center, will soon be the proud parents of 1,850 baby salmon destined for Fauntleroy Creek.
Volunteers Phil Sweetland and Judy Pickens delivered that many eggs on Jan. 6 to students eager to start the process. The state’s Soos Creek Hatchery provided the coho eggs for the Salmon in the Classroom program, which enables students to learn about the development and habitat needs of our Northwest’s iconic fish. The eyed eggs will hatch in just a few days and, if all goes well, robust fry will be ready for release in May.
These fry will join 500 additional ones being raised by volunteer Jack Lawless for preschoolers and others who don’t have their own fish to release (allotted on a first-come basis). Also, monitoring will start soon in the lower creek to see how many “home hatch” resulted from eggs left in November by 18 spawners.
Editor’s note: You can peek at Fauntleroy Creek any time by visiting the overlook across the street (and upslope) from Fauntleroy ferry terminal (map).
Thanks to Jillian for sharing that view of this year’s Space Needle fireworks from West Seattle – one more look as the holiday season winds down this weekend with tasks like taking down the Christmas tree. Since this weekend is prime time for many to, shall we say, de-decorate, we wanted to mention this once more: The city has two ways for you to recycle trees. If you don’t mind some chopping and bundling, there’s curbside pickup; if you’d like to just recycle it in one piece, your tree is more likely to fit the guidelines of what’s acceptable for dropoff at the South Recycling and Disposal Station over in South Park. See the guidelines here; here’s a map to the disposal station (open 8 am-5:30 pm daily).
As pedestrian advocate Chas Redmond puts it, the first version of the West Seattle Trails walking map was “obviously a best seller” – 20,000 (free) copies handed out in 6 months. The map first came out in summer 2008. Now it’s been updated – see the new version here – and just needs to be printed – with one hitch: The matching-fund grant money that was available to get the map printed first time around isn’t at the ready this time, so, Redmond says, “We – the West Seattle members of the project team and Feet First – are seeking support to have this new version printed.” The cost is estimated to be around $3,500; if you’ve got any ideas how to help make the map-printing happen, you can reach him at credmond@mac.com. (Meantime, you can print your own copy of the new map with this PDF.) He’s also involved with West Seattle Wayfinding, which is using Neighborhood Matching Fund money to put up kiosks and signage to help people make their way around West Seattle – at westseattlewalks.org, there’s an update on planning for the five kiosks that are set to go up in the Admiral and Alki areas (see the planned locations here; a round of Admiral meetings already has been held, and Alki meetings will follow, early in the new year). Between the kiosks, you’ll see signposts like this:
Before the planning process got started for Alki and Admiral, meetings in Fauntleroy resulted in decisions about three kiosks for that area – more on that here.
On Sunday, we shared news of two language courses in West Seattle starting early in the New Year – Spanish and Lushootseed. This morning, 2 more announcements of chances to learn something new:
GREEN CLEANING: On January 6, CoolMom invites you to a Green Cleaning Demonstration event at Bridge Park in High Point. From the flyer: “Make, get recipes, and take home a few Green Cleaning products and other tips to use with peace of mind – all while saving money and the planet! Please bring empty glass jars with lids and spray bottles for yourself or to share!” Suggested materials fee is $5; RSVPs are requested – you can do it via Evite.
LEARN BASIC FRUIT TREE PRUNING: City Fruit sends word that John Reardon (left), vice president of the Seattle Tree Fruit Society, will lead a class “at his home orchard in the Delridge neighborhood on Saturday, January 9, 10 am to noon. This is a rare chance to learn pruning techniques on well-maintained fruit trees and (fuzzless) kiwi vines.” In the City Fruit announcement, he is quoted as saying, “My goals are to encourage easy picking and to create productive plants. I encourage lots of questions and believe in learning by doing.” The class is $15 for City Fruit members, $20 for nonmembers. You can register by following this link to Brown Paper Tickets.
METRO TRANSIT SERVICE THIS WEEK: That swing week between Christmas and New Year’s can be confusing. Metro wants everybody to know it’s on “reduced weekday service” through Thursday – see what that means, here – then on Friday, not only will Metro run a Sunday schedule, fares also go up.
CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING, AKA TREECYCLING: This week and next, the city has two ways for you to recycle your tree – one via curbside pickup, one via dropping it off at a transfer station. The latter requires a little less pre-processing. Here are all the specifics; the nearest transfer station is just east of West Seattle in South Park – here’s a map.
SOUTHWEST POOL SCHEDULED TO REOPEN … after a weeklong shutdown while the SW Community Center gym floor was being repaired. (Extra public swims are scheduled for the next three days – details here.)
And there’s more on the calendar today – check out the WSB West Seattle Events page.
Take your reusable bows and other package trimmings to Beveridge Place Pub – where Furry Faces Foundation is collecting them, as explained here. (We’ll have more post-holiday recycling info this weekend.)
At the trailhead at 14th and Holly, you can meet up this Friday for a walk with the Nature Consortium, which is headquartered at West Seattle’s Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Here’s the invite:
West Duwamish Greenbelt Guided Eco-hike
Friday, December 18th
1-2:30pmJoin us for a free public guided hike in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest remaining forest. We will explore the hidden treasures of this amazing natural wonder, and hear about the history and the future of the forest from Nancy Whitlock, Executive Director for the Nature Consortium (and forest steward). Difficulty is mild. Inexperienced hikers, seniors, and babies in backpacks are welcome. Special note to Parents of toddlers and preschoolers: please be warned that this hike can be challenging for you if you are with a preschooler or two who walk down the hills but want to be carried up ☺
Please bring your own water bottle. Granola bars provided. Dress in layers for weather. Wear appropriate footwear (some parts of the trail are muddy.) Long pants recommended.
Extreme rain cancels. Be ready for inspiration!
Meet at the trailhead at 14th Ave SW and SW Holly [map]
Call 206-923-0853 or e-mail lisa@naturec.org reserve your spot. RSVP today! www.naturec.org
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency just announced it’s lifted the burn ban because “The current weather pattern has brought improved mixing and dispersion of fine particle pollution. As a result, air quality has improved sufficiently to allow lifting our Stage 2 burn ban.” Maybe that’ll mean a bonfire for the Don Armeni Christmas Ship stop at 7:10 tonight, as originally scheduled? Meantime, here’s the newest forecast from the National Weather Service, as of less than an hour ago:
REST OF TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE 30S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.
TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.
MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW…MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS NEAR 40. SOUTHWEST WIND TO 10 MPH BECOMING NORTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON.
2:15 PM UPDATE: As commenters are noted, a few flakes have been seen – extremely light flurry where we are, with sunshine to boot. One more note – via Facebook, we’re told there WILL be a bonfire at the 7:10 pm Christmas Ship stop at Don Armeni tonight.
No cozy fire in the fireplace today/tonight: The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has just expanded what was a Snohomish County-only burn ban into King County too. It’s a Stage 2 ban, which the agency says means:
* No burning is allowed in ANY wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves, unless this is your only adequate source of heat. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled.
* Even if your fireplace, pellet stove, or wood stove is your only adequate source of heat, no visible smoke is allowed.
* No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
* Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.
It is OK to use natural gas and propane stoves or inserts during a Stage 2 burn ban.
Tonight, and for most of the weekend, the holiday celebrations kick into high gear. The West Seattle Weekend Lineup is in the works, but first – one of the highlights from tonight’s calendar could be called the greenest holiday party in West Seattle – Sustainable West Seattle, Solar Washington, NW Ecobuilding Guild, EOS Alliance, Seattle Electric Vehicle Association, BALLE, CoolMom and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition invite you to their celebration, 6-10 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse and Cultural Center. The party includes a potluck, so bring something to share; all ages are welcome – kids’ activities are planned, as well as music, dancing and prizes. Tonight also includes holiday open houses (Wyatt’s Jewelers [WSB sponsor] and Husky Deli among them) – check the WSB West Seattle Holidays page for the full rundown.
(photo courtesy General Biodiesel, added Wednesday morning)
While talking to some folks at the county about another story, we were reminded that there’s a West Seattle dropoff spot for recycling used cooking oil – and the county in fact has just put out a reminder that you can use it for free, 24/7. It’s at General Biodiesel at 4034 West Marginal Way (map).
A few people asked about a sizable sludgy mess in the street in the heart of The Junction this morning. We didn’t get a photo before the cleanup was complete about an hour ago, but we did nail down what it was all about, after getting a hint it had something to do with a bus – Metro’s Linda Thielke confirms, “Some power steering fluid spilled from a bus. Metro’s spill response team responded to do the cleanup.”
Turns out a short-lived emergency incident on the 911 log in the 3400 block of West Marginal Way (map) last night involved a sunken tugboat at Terminal 5; one person went to the hospital (but is out already). The state Ecology Department has just reported it, as follows:
The state Department of Ecology, U.S. Coast Guard and NRC Environmental Services (NRC-ES) are actively working to raise the response tug Sea Born that sank Saturday night at Terminal 5 in Seattle .
The NRC-ES tug had an estimated 200 gallons of diesel fuel in its tanks when it sank around 10 p.m. last night after high waves inundated the stern of the vessel. This morning, responders found the tug upright underwater near the location where it sank at Terminal 5.
Earlier this morning, responders spotted a light, unrecoverable sheen of diesel fuel on the water near the location where the Sea Born sank. Oil containment boom and absorbent materials were placed on the surface as a precaution. All petroleum products, including diesel fuel, are environmental toxins.
Divers from Ballard Diving have conducted an underwater assessment of the tug. The fuel vents are small and state, federal and private responders do not anticipate further leaks from the tug.
NRC-ES is planning to lift to the Sea Born out of the water with a crane barge as soon as possible today.
One person was on the tug when it sank Saturday night. That person was taken to Harborview Hospital and later released.
While salmon-watchers along Fauntleroy Creek watch for the next arrival of live fish – the ones who’ve visited so far are doing what come naturally – including dying. But while visiting the creek this morning, we learned from Dave McCoy of Emerald Water Anglers that the one you see above wasn’t a coho after all – but a blackmouth chinook. “Hatchery fish trying to get up here and mix it up with the wild ones,” he explained. We caught up with him, Denny Hinton and Judy Pickens while a class from the Providence Mount St. Vincent Intergenerational Center was getting a lesson about salmon – including the chinook carcass – and then a presentation from Judy (in the background):
Denny and Dave then headed off to check out a report of fish near the creek mouth on Fauntleroy Cove.
(Added Judy in e-mail after we first published this story: “Fauntleroy is a coho creek, so having this type of chinook (king) come in is a first. Instead of migrating to the ocean, blackmouth stay in Puget Sound all year and their black gum line is the reason for their name. This fish was under five pounds – small for the species – and it had no adipose fin, indicating that it originated in a hatchery.” She says the carcass “was returned to the creek where its nutrients will benefit the next generation” and adds an update on this year’s watch: “After several days of no fish, this year’s salmon watchers went home, having documented a total of 18 fish. But more were spotted this morning near the mouth and, with especially high tides through the weekend, spawning season may not be over!”) Great day to be out by the creek, despite the fairly heavy rain – and nearby streets are resembling creeks, like upper Fauntleroy Way north of the salmon overlook:
By the way, the wind advisory is still up, till midnight, and the forecast suggests it may kick up again before then.
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