West Seattle, Washington

26 Thursday

59℉

Environment 1837 results

See what volunteer divers brought up from West Seattle waters
April 16, 2023 1:57 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

Those floats off Seacrest were not marking a routine Sunday dive. Today, 20 divers were signed up for an underwater cleanup led by Seattle Dive Tours and SR3. As of our visit to the dock just before noon, they had already hauled up 316 pounds of debris – and that weight doesn’t count perhaps the biggest item, a scooter:

The running total did include a wide variety of smaller items, even a video monitor:

Not available for photography: Divers also found a gun. It had been turned over to Seattle Police by the time we stopped by to check on the cleanup, which should be wrapping up about now. Scott Flaherty from Seattle Dive Tours – which is based in Admiral – says this is the first time they were able to plan this cleanup since 2019 – the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s weekend break made it possible. Along with the diving volunteers, he said more than three dozen people were signed up to clean up on shore, including Girl Scouts!

Share This

COUNTDOWN: 1 week to Fauntleroy Recycle Roundup, 2 weeks to Westwood shredding
April 15, 2023 11:02 pm
|    Comments Off on COUNTDOWN: 1 week to Fauntleroy Recycle Roundup, 2 weeks to Westwood shredding
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Westwood

We wanted to remind you that the net two Saturdays bring opportunities to clear out more clutter:

(WSB photo, September 2022)

RECYCLE ROUNDUP ON APRIL 22: Fauntleroy Church‘s twice-yearly dropoff event is next Saturday, 9 am-3 pm in the church parking lot at 9140 California SW [map]. Drive up, ride up, walk up and drop off anything you have that’s on the list of what they’re accepting; see it here. The church is partnering with 1 Green Planet again this year, as a free service (though donations to help them cover the cost are always welcome), and their main request is that you NOT wait until the last minute, so they don’t have to deal with a line at shutdown time. The previous Recycle Roundup in September brought out almost 500 people to recycle more than 16 tons!

SHREDDING AND FOOD DRIVE ON APRIL 29: Tax season is coming to a close, and you might have realized you have some documents you don’t need to keep any more. So two weeks from today, John L. Scott Real Estate – Westwood (WSB sponsor) is offering free shredding in the northwest parking lot at Westwood Village 2 pm-5 pm. If you can, bring nonperishable food (or a monetary donation) for the White Center Food Bank.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Duwamish Alive! volunteering
April 15, 2023 4:54 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Just two days after serving as the backdrop for a state/local environmental announcement, Roxhill Park got some TLC as part of today’s Duwamish Alive! twice-yearly multi-site volunteer restoration work.

DNDA‘s Nature Team organized today’s event. The park’s endangered bog is the site of the historic headwaters of Longfellow Creek, which connects to the Duwamish River. Other sites where volunteers worked today ranged from the river itself – with a kayak-patrol cleanup – to lower reaches of the watershed in south King County.

Share This

VIDEO: Washington Tree Equity Collaborative launched with Roxhill Park event
April 13, 2023 6:44 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

17 years ago, Seattle’s then-mayor Greg Nickels announced a tree-planting plan to keep the city from losing more of its tree canopy.

Several mayors later, the city is still struggling with stopping canopy loss.

The city is working on a new tree policy. Separate from that – and yet an offshoot of sorts – Mayor Bruce Harrell was among a group of officials and advocates who gathered at West Seattle’s Roxhill Park this morning to announce a new statewide tree initiative: The Washington Tree Equity Collaborative.

This one is a “statewide effort to create tree equity in Washington,” as described by Jad Daley of American Forests, who emceed the event. Daley said his group has studied canopy cover in neighborhoods nationwide – creating this “scoring” tool as a result – and found less of it in neighborhoods where a majority of residents are low-income and/or BIPOC. “This is not just scenery we’re talking about – this is critical green infrastructure,” Daley declared. Before our summary continues, here’s video of the five speakers:

Daley said that getting every neighborhood in the state to even a 75 tree-equity score would take 2.6 million more trees. An even more ambitious goal, getting to 100, would take 13 million trees.

Right now, though, said state Public-Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, the state’s trees are declining in number and health: “Washington is known as the Evergreen State, yet our trees are truly in trouble. … Access to greenspace and shade should be a fundamental right.” Less tree canopy means more heat, and that’s the weather extreme that’s deadlier than catastrophic storms, Franz said. “The answer is so simple – plant more trees and plant them in the right places.” That costs money, she noted, mentioning an $8 million request before the Legislature, and $6 million already secured from the federal government.

Then it was on to the city’s role. Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment director Jessyn Farrell acknowledged that the most recent canopy assessment showed Seattle had lost 255 acres of trees, 1.7% of its canopy, since the previous assessment six years earlier. And relevant to today’s topic, the loss is happening inequitably. She added that addressing the problem means not just planting trees but taking better care of the existing ones.

Speaking next, Mayor Harrell acknowledged that the latest tree-canopy assessment showed that canopy loss on public property is a major problem, noting that he’s ordered that every tree lost on city land be replaced by three new ones.

Bringing it home to the specific piece of public property on which everyone was gathered this morning, Delridge community advocate Willard Brown (above with the mayor) pointed out the plight of Roxhill Park’s bog, a historic wetland that’s been drying out. The area’s status as Longfellow Creek‘s headwaters is priceless, he said – “it’s vital that the creek remains healthy.” Some work is planned later this year, Brown said. He also gently dinged the city for big talk and no followthrough on another West Seattle site, the Myers Way Parcels, which the city promised X years ago would be transferred to Seattle Parks – which has yet to happen.

After the speeches, one question was asked: Local greenspace activist and arborist Michael Oxman asked how the talk of increasing canopy matches with what’s happening in Olympia, with legislators approving upzoning for much of the state, opening the door to more densification. Farrell – a former state legislator – tackled the question, declaring, “There is no conflict between increasing tree canopy and increasing housing.” She said the biggest trouble spots even now are public lands and “neighborhood residential” (formerly “single-family”) zoning, “not so much because of development as because of age and health.” Franz echoed that “we have to address both our housing crisis and our tree crisis,” also contending they aren’t in conflict.

Then it was off to a photo op, mulching trees in the park’s southwest corner. The mayor had moved on by then but Farrell dug in:

P.S. You can check your neighborhood’s Tree Equity Score via the American Forests map here. You can read the Memorandum of Understanding that’s at the heart of the new collaborative by going here.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Shore power finally used at West Seattle’s Terminal 5
April 12, 2023 1:20 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Port of Seattle | West Seattle news

(Photo by Justin Hirsch with ILWU Local 19)

Fifteen months after the first modernized berth at Terminal 5 saw its first cargo call, it’s had another first – the long-delayed first use of shore power. That capability was originally supposed to be up and running by the time the first berth opened; we’ve been reporting on the delays for months, attributed to a variety of factors from labor negotiations to hardware/software problems. Today, the Northwest Seaport Alliance just announced the first plug-in has happened:

The Northwest Seaport Alliance’s Terminal 5 welcomed MSC Brunella as the first vessel to plug-in to the terminal’s shore power infrastructure. On Monday, April 10th, the commissioning phase of the Terminal’s shore power project component was finalized as the nearly 9,000 TEU vessel successfully utilized clean energy from the City of Seattle’s electrical grid to power the vessel while at berth.

Terminal 5 is the first international container terminal in the NWSA gateway with shore power capability, making this inaugural plug-in a significant environmental milestone in the Pacific Northwest.

Shore power infrastructure reduces diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions by allowing vessels to turn off their diesel engines and ‘plug-in’ to the local power grid while being worked at the dock. Seattle City Light has been a critical collaborator throughout this project. …

In addition to needing landside infrastructure at marine terminals, a ship must have special equipment installed to accept shore power. The NWSA is glad to see the cargo shipping industry increasing the number of shore power capable vessels, with more than half of the vessels that call NWSA being shore power capable. Once the infrastructure is fully installed throughout the gateway, the NWSA expects all capable ships will plug-in. …

You can read the entire announcement here.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Another try tomorrow to unclog Fauntleroy Creek culvert
April 11, 2023 8:52 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | Utilities | West Seattle news

(Photos of last week’s SPU work by Tom Trulin)

Seattle Public Utilities workers are expected to return tomorrow to 45th SW, where Fauntleroy Creek – one of our city’s few salmon-bearing streams – goes under the street in a culvert that’s currently clogged. Creek stewards have been keeping us up to date on efforts to unclog it, as the backup has led to ponding.

Here’s what SPU has to say about what’s going on:

Three weeks ago, when water started to pond upstream, SPU investigated and determined that the culvert was mostly blocked with debris. During this time, SPU has been assessing repair options and actively monitoring and evaluating the culvert and upstream conditions. As soon as (tomorrow), SPU will use a pump and bypass system to attempt to lower the water level upstream of the culvert to better assess conditions in the culvert. During this temporary work, you can expect periodic noise from the pumping equipment and slower traffic in the work area. This work would occur during daytime hours. SPU will continue to perform work at the culvert to eliminate the blockage and may change strategies depending on the culvert and weather conditions.

The culvert needs to be replaced – as we’ve previously reported – and SPU says it’s currently “in the process of developing a design,” but because “there are requirements from State and Federal agencies that must be met and reviewed during the culvert’s design process … the design will not be completed for several years, with construction anticipated to start in summer 2026.” You can see the preliminary design concept on the project website.

Share This

FREE COMPOST: West Seattle giveaway dates
April 5, 2023 4:36 pm
|    Comments Off on FREE COMPOST: West Seattle giveaway dates
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

(SPU photo, 2021)

The dates are set for this year’s opportunities to get free compost in West Seattle: 9-noon Saturday, April 22nd – yes, yet another way to spend your Earth Day this year! – and 9-noon Saturday, May 6th. On both dates, Seattle Public Utilities, ECOSS, and Lenz Enterprises will team up to offer it while supplies last. Bring your own container to the north lot of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).

Share This

Electric-vehicle drivers invited to help others learn about EVs on Earth Day
April 5, 2023 11:27 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | South Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

On Earth Day – April 22nd – again this year, electric-vehicle drivers have the opportunity to help others learn about plugged-in driving, and people with questions about it have the chance to get answers. This year it’ll all be happening nearby, at the Duwamish River Community Hub on the southeast corner of downtown South Park’s main intersection, 14th Avenue S./S. Cloverdale. Organizers include the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association and Express CU – different EV models and even test drives will be offered, noon-3 pm on Saturday, April 22nd. If you’re an EV driver interested in participating, the link is on this page (as well as the link for RSVPs).

Share This

YOU CAN HELP: Four West Seattle options for spring Duwamish Alive!
April 3, 2023 9:09 am
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Four West Seattle options for spring Duwamish Alive!
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

When we first reported last month on plans for the spring Duwamish Alive! multi-site habitat restoration/cleanup event, the full list of West Seattle opportunities was still a work in progress. Now with less than two weeks to go, there are four West Seattle sites still accepting volunteers for April 15th – one of which is for kayakers. Duwamish Alive! is set for 10 am-2 pm that day, rain or shine, at these West Seattle locations (and others further south in the watershed):

Pigeon Point, Seattle with Delridge Neighborhood Development Assn

həʔapus Village Park, Seattle with DIRT Corps

Herrings House Park, Seattle with Green Seattle Partnership

Duwamish River Kayak Cleanup, Seattle with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance

You can go here to find the links.

Share This

West Seattle recycling, shredding events this month
April 1, 2023 3:33 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle recycling, shredding events this month
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Westwood

Now that it’s April, our area’s next two recycling and shredding events are in view:

RECYCLING – Fauntleroy Church‘s twice-yearly Recycle Roundup is set for 9 am-3 pm Saturday, April 22nd. Drive up, ride up, walk up, and drop off your recyclables – here’s the list of what will and won’t be accepted this time. The church is at 9140 California sW.

SHREDDING – Again this year, John L. Scott Real Estate-Westwood (WSB sponsor) is presenting free shredding in conjunction with a donation drive for the White Center Food Bank:

John L. Scott Westwood and Evergreen Home Loans are sponsoring a shred event Saturday, April 29th, from 2-5 PM @ Westwood Village, located in the parking lot (west of) the old Bed Bath and Beyond Building. Please consider a monetary or food donation to the White Center Food Bank – once again they are teaming up with us for this community event. We would love to surpass last year’s $477 in donations and 370 lbs. of food.

Share This

Here’s what Seattle Public Utilities crews were doing in Fauntleroy today
March 30, 2023 5:57 pm
|    Comments Off on Here’s what Seattle Public Utilities crews were doing in Fauntleroy today
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

(Photo by Tom Trulin)

No, the Seattle Public Utilities workers near 45th/Wildwood were not there for a water break again. This time, it’s related to Fauntleroy Creek; thanks to creek steward Judy Pickens for explaining. She says they were working on a partial blockage of the culvert that carries the creek underground in the area. Judy says SPU started assessing the situation a few weeks ago, and then came to work on it today. The blockage had resulted in a “duck pond” about 12 feet deep and they needed to drain some of that water away to get to the culvert itself. Creek volunteers have been keeping watch to be sure fry in the creek weren’t disturbed – as Judy notes, “It’s a delicate time for fish in the creek. Smolts have been heading to saltwater earlier than last year and we have lots of home hatch in the lower creek.” She says this culvert has had a blockage before, about a decade ago. SPU has had a culvert-replacement project on the drawing board for years.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Narrower focus for SW Holden Natural Drainage Systems project
March 28, 2023 11:49 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news

As previewed here, a team from Seattle Public Utilities was out at 17th/Holden this afternoon, talking to people in the neighborhood about the SW Holden Natural Drainage Systems project. It’s intended to be both a stormwater-filtering project and also a traffic-calming plan, as the city considers that stretch of Holden wider than it should be for a “neighborhood street.” Dropping in to see what’s new as the plan reaches 30 percent design, we learned they’re now just focusing on the south side of Holden:

That’s for two reasons, the project team said – one, the stormwater from the north side already goes into a system that takes it to the treatment plant, while the south side goes toward Longfellow Creek, so the “natural drainage system” filtering will carry an environmental benefit. Second, the Seattle Fire Department – which has Station 11 just a block away, at 16th/Holden – voiced concerns about narrowing the street too much and making it unusable as a main response route. So at the 17th/Holden intersection, the road will be narrowed to 25 feet from the current 36 feet. Some parking will be lost on the south side, while it’ll be retained on the north side. They’ll also be adding ramps for crossing at 17th/Holden as well as 16th/Holden.

We asked about the ex-substation parcel on the southwest corner of 16th/Holden; the curbcut there will be removed as part of the project, which would have to happen even if/when the site is redeveloped, because the entry would have to be off the alley on its west side.

The plan also will drain more water from the southeast side of the 16th/Holden intersection than originally envisioned, sending it to the “natural drainage” via two “inlets.”

All this is currently under review by SDOT, according to the project team; once that department gives its approval, they’ll move on to the 60 percent design phase, which also will require review and approval. Construction is tentatively expected to start sometime nect year.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Answers to three questions about Seattle City Light’s EV chargers, future and current
March 24, 2023 7:27 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Utilities | West Seattle news

As reported here Thursday, Seattle City Light has confirmed the locations of 31 new on-street electric-vehicle-charging stations around the city, including five in West Seattle. A few questions arose, and we took them to SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang. First – a clarification: The one location we hadn’t already reported, the 6000 block of 16th SW, is not actually on the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus – Strang says it will be on the “west side of 16th Ave SW, opposite the South Seattle College campus. It will be located near the walkway leading to the Duwamish Cohousing complex.” Readers, meantime, asked what’s being done to deter thieves from hitting the new chargers’ cords, as they have with others. Strang says, “The curbside Level 2 chargers have charging cables that automatically retract.” And that led t the question, what’s going on with the still-not-back-in-service chargers on 39th SW south of West Seattle Bowl? Strang explains, “In early March we installed two cables on the chargers at 4535 39th Ave SW, and our technician was unable to get the chargers to deliver a successful charge. Following various attempts to troubleshoot the issue with the manufacturer, it was determined additional parts are needed. We are waiting on the delivery of parts to continue troubleshooting the issue with the 39th Ave SW chargers and to complete repairs on the other chargers that had cables stolen.”

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Here’s what people dropped off during spring West Seattle recycle/reuse event, and what’s next if you still have stuff
March 23, 2023 12:01 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, last Saturday)

Thanks to Waste Management for sending the totals from last Saturday’s recycle/reuse/shred event at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). By the numbers:

TOTAL HAUL: 17,230 pounds of items dropped off by 417 participants
ELECTRONICS: 9,252 pounds
PAPER TO SHRED: 5,560 pounds
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS: 1,532 pounds
STYROFOAM: 550 pounds
BATTERIES: 171 pounds
LIGHT BULBS: 100 pounds
PROPANE CANISTERS: 65 pounds

Along with WM, this free event was presented by were the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Seattle Public Utilities, Friendly Earth, Northwest Center, Seadrunar, and Styro Recycle.

Next up: Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) hosts its spring Recycle Roundup 9 am-3 pm Saturday, April 22nd (here’s what will be accepted); John L. Scott Westwood (WSB sponsor) hosts a shredding event Saturday, April 29th, 2-5 pm in the northwest lot at Westwood Village (bring a donation for White Center Food Bank). More on both events as they get closer.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Cleanup continues at encampment by 1st Avenue South Bridge, as governor visits
March 21, 2023 9:33 pm
|      53 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Safety | West Seattle news

(Governor’s office photo)

That’s Gov. Jay Inslee, during a visit this afternoon to the encampment cleanup on what’s mostly state-owned land by the (also state-owned) 1st Avenue South Bridge. This was the second day of an extensive cleanup at the site; workers at the site this morning told us they expected to be there two or three more days.

(WSB photo)

The governor used his visit to focus on the fact that 30 people had been living there and have been placed in shelter/housing, and to repeat his criticism of the State Senate for not allotting as much money on housing as he wants them to.

Share This

Next step in city’s ‘natural drainage system’ plan for part of SW Holden
March 21, 2023 12:29 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Back in October, we reported on a city plan for a new “natural drainage system” – basically stormwater-filtering landscaping – along a stretch of SW Holden in Highland Park. As we subsequently learned, the project is also meant to assist with traffic calming on what the city considers a too-wide section of the street. Seattle Public Utilities has announced the next step in the project – an on-site opportunity to talk with city reps one week from today, at 17th/Holden, 2:30-5:30 pm Tuesday, March 28th. The city website says the plan is just getting to 30 percent design and is still not expected to go into construction before next year. You can review and comment on early design concepts at next week’s drop-in event, SPU says. The city has already installed “natural drainage systems” in other areas, including a section of 17th further south, between Kenyon and Henderson.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: Cleanup begins at encampment near 1st Avenue South Bridge
March 20, 2023 12:29 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Safety | West Seattle news

Streets are blocked off around the area beneath the south end of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, as the encampment cleanup begins. We reported last week that the long-planned cleanup was scheduled for this week, so we went down this morning to see if it had begun. We couldn’t get close because of the closures, but heavy equipment and hauling trucks were in view:

So were State Patrol vehicles (much of the area is WSDOT land):

As for the people who had been living at the encampment, we reported last week that outreach workers said 30 had been connected with shelter/housing. City Councilmember Lisa Herbold had a few more details on this in her weekend newsletter, quoting the Regional Homelessness Authority, which told her:

I’m pleased to share with you that KCRHA and our partners at PDA, WSDOT, and the City have completed the work with individuals at the encampment located at SW Michigan and the 1st Avenue bridge.

As of today, 30 individuals moved into shelter or emergency housing placements. Three individuals who have a shelter match have not been at the location for several days and their whereabouts are unknown. One individual declined services. One individual encountered issues when arriving at their referred shelter location, and that person is not at the program or the encampment.

Share This

YOU CAN HELP: Duwamish Alive! volunteer registration begins
March 20, 2023 9:13 am
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Duwamish Alive! volunteer registration begins
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

One simple way to help orcas and other marine life – join in the one-day, twice-yearly work parties that comprise Duwamish Alive! Registration has begun for some of the sites where volunteers will be working during this spring edition. Here’s the announcement from Sharon Leishman of the Duwamish Alive! Coalition:

Duwamish Alive! Celebrating Earth Month
Sat. April 15 10:00 – 2:00 at Multiple Volunteer Sites

Duwamish Alive! is a collaborative effort in improving the health of our river and its watershed. Starting at 10:00 am volunteers will be restoring native habitat in multiple urban parks and open spaces in the ongoing effort to keep our river alive and healthy for our communities, salmon and the Puget Sound. Proving that many individuals working together can make a substantial difference in improving the health of our region.

Volunteers’ efforts include a river cleanup by kayak, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and native forest revitalization. To volunteer, visit DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and register for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org

Share This

HELPING: Westside, Explorer West students team with Seola Pond steward for restoration work with native plant
March 18, 2023 7:49 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Seola Pond [map] has new native plants courtesy of steward Scott Dolfay and students from Explorer West Middle School and Westside School (WSB sponsors). Scott says the annual restoration event happened last Saturday, and this time a King County grant program provided $3,500 to help make it happen.

Scott says he started this work in 2017 and it’s become an annual event, “always with neighbor volunteers and students & teachers from at least one of the 3 schools near the pond; Explorer West, Westside, and The Bridge School.” Scott says the weather was perfect – they did the planting a bit later this year so it wasn’t quite as cold.

Before students got to work, he walked them around the pond “explaining about native vs. invasive plants, the pond’s fauna, and the history of the effort.”

After the students left, he had other visitors: “As I was cleaning up, Mr. Darrell Wallis walked up. He has been mowing the grass with his riding mower on the west and south sides of the pond for years. He announced it was his 86th birthday that day. When I started in 2017 he was skeptical but has been won over seeing the results. Later, two separate elderly bird watchers showed up, happy to see to new work now on the south side.” Scott added, “I could have used at least twice the number of plants but it’s a good start. We planted several trees including one good sized Bosnian pine, I know, not native, but a great tree. As other grants come up I’ll apply so in time the area will be filled in.”

Share This

WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Recycle/reuse event wraps up
March 18, 2023 12:39 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

We’re just back from the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) north lot, where organizers and volunteers have just wrapped up three hours of free recycle/reuse dropoffs and shredding. Our photos show some of what they received.

As we noted when visiting at the start, there was a big line in the early going, but volunteers say that by 11 am, it was “no waiting” mode.

Also, they say there was plenty of truck capacity this year, so none of the dropoff stations had to close early

Partners in making this happen were the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Seattle Public Utilities, and Waste Management, Friendly Earth, Northwest Center, Seadrunar, and Styro Recycle. They’ll be tallying up the numbers in the days ahead and we’ll publish a followup when that’s available.

P.S. If you missed this, the Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup, also a free dropoff event, is happening on Saturday, April 22nd, 9 am-3 pm. And if you’re looking for other options regarding some items that don’t just go in your regular solid-waste carts or dumpsters, see this page on the SPU website.

Share This

READY? Two days until first 2023 West Seattle recycle/reuse/shred event
March 16, 2023 9:18 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

(March 2022 WSB photo)

One more reminder – two days remain to get ready for this year’s first free dropoff recycle/reuse/shred event in West Seattle, 9 am-noon (or until the available trucks fill up) Saturday (March 18th) in the north lot of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). For the list of what will and won’t be accepted, see this flyer. Organizers include the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Seattle Public Utilities, and Waste Management, Friendly Earth, Northwest Center, Seadrunar, and Styro Recycle. The college is at 6000 16th SW – if you’re driving, approach the lot entrance from the northbound side of 16th.

Share This

West Seattle Meaningful Movies digs into ‘Saving Native Plants to Save Ourselves’
March 14, 2023 7:39 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

This Thursday night, West Seattle Meaningful Movies (and a few of its counterparts elsewhere in the city) are taking on the topic “Saving Native Plants to Save Ourselves.”

We are showing a couple of short videos on Zoom and hosting a discussion about how and why to ditch your grass and plant native plants.

Join us for a conversation about the movies INSECT APOCALYPSE and WHY LAWNS MUST DIE. You can choose to watch these two short videos on your own, in advance of our event, or you can watch them with us as a group at on March 16th. Join us on Zoom at 6 PM for a quick introduction and then we will watch the short videos together. Afterwards, at approximately 6:30, we will have community conversation about the films. We will be joined by climate activist and native plant hero Andrea O’Ferrall and native plant experts Marcia Smith, Chris Fuentes, and Bibi Powell. They will share tips on how to get rid of your grass, and suggestions for native, waterwise plant options. Afterwards, we will all have a discussion about what we can do to support a healthy environment in our neighborhoods and backyards.

Share This

ALSO 1 WEEK AWAY: West Seattle’s first recycle/reuse/shred event of 2023
March 11, 2023 12:42 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, 2022 dropoff event)

Another one-week-to-go reminder today: We are exactly a week away from the year’s first big free dropoff event for recyclable/reusable items that aren’t part of regular weekly pickups. Shredding will be offered too. It’s happening 9 am-noon (or until the available trucks fill up) Saturday, March 18th, in the north lot of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Organizers include the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Seattle Public Utilities, and Waste Management, Friendly Earth, Northwest Center, Seadrunar, and Styro Recycle. To see what will and won’t be accepted, check out this flyer.

P.S. If you can’t get to this event, the next Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup – also a dropoff event (but no shredding) – is set for Saturday, April 22nd. More details on that as it gets closer.

Share This