A personal reflection on what Juneteenth means to a Black man in public service, offering context for one of the many communities we serve. And a short list of local Juneteenth events. … More Juneteenth: A Personal Reflection on Freedom, Struggle, and Pride as a Black Man in Modern America
Celebrating Black culture, science and contributions. So many stories to explore! … More Black History Month – Super cool!
Here in the Pacific Northwest, few things are as recognizable as the Puget Sound. The creeks, streams, and rivers that flow into the sound help remind us of our closeness to nature and each other. In fact, across the region greenspaces found throughout our communities give us access to both work and play. We can … More Life of a Drop of Water stormwater art inspires connection and action for clean water and healthier communities
What a difference a year can make in clean water projects, as a one-year snapshot on the impacts of 2022 green stormwater infrastructure shows. And we continue to learn from these projects. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) uses engineering with nature to recreate processes that help clean, slow and capture rain fall and runoff. The projects … More Green stormwater projects for clean rainwater
Some Pacific NW icons to carve or paint on your pumpkins. Just print, cut out, trace and paint or carve.
A recently discovered stormwater pollutant from cars is killing local coho salmon at an alarming rate, but the source might not be what you expect. Fuel emissions? Oil leaks? Dirty car wash water flowing down storm drains into our waters? Worse: a highly toxic rubber preservative in tire wear particles called 6PPD-q. Local researchers, Washington … More Don’t wait to inflate! Checking tire pressure monthly helps drivers stay safer, save money – and save salmon
Salmon…in a school? Schools across the region have a long history of using salmon-rearing programs to teach students about the importance of salmon to the ecology, culture and economy of the Pacific Northwest. These educational programs, where teachers and students maintain a salmon aquarium over the course of a school year, allow students to care … More Salmon Learning in Schools: Students Learn from Raising Salmon!
It’s mid-February, and in many ways 2021 feels like a distant dream from where we’re standing now. Nevertheless, we wanted to take a moment to travel back in time to September 2021, when we celebrated Puget Sound Starts Here Month across the Puget Sound region. Puget Sound Starts Here Month is an exciting time when … More Local Governments and Businesses Team up for Clean Water and Coffee
With three small changes to how we drive and take care of our cars, we can keep pollution out of our creeks, lakes, rivers and Puget Sound. When it rains, pollution from cars wash into storm drains. Storm drains do not lead to a treatment plant but directly to local streams, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. Pollutants like oil, car wash soaps and chemicals, and bits of tire dust are bad for water quality and harm people and wildlife, like salmon and orcas, that depend on clean water to survive. … More Celebrate Clean Water During Puget Sound Starts Here Month
Picture this: It’s a steamy Saturday in August. The thermometer is pushing 90 degrees. There’s no breeze where you live, the nearby park is in full sun, and it’s just too hot for the kids to play outside. Everyone is inside, trying to stay out of each other’s way. The window AC unit is cranked … More Swimmers Beware: What To Know Before Diving In