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Sustainable Podcasts!

Everyone loves a good podcast. Here are some good ones themed around sustainable topics.

Treehugger’s podcast: https://treehugger.libsyn.com/. This is a podcast about ecological restoration

Gravy Podcast: https://www.southernfoodways.org/gravy-format/gravy-podcast/. A podcast from the Southern Foodways Alliance about foodways in the American south and sustainable food topics.

One to Grow on Podcast: https://www.onetogrowonpod.com/. This is a podcast about how food production impacts us and our world as well as agriculture. Topics like Navajo food sovereignty are covered.

Beyond Waste Podcast: https://www.postlandfill.org/beyond-waste-podcast-episode-1/?doing_wp_cron=1614284782.6526749134063720703125 This podcast is made by Post Action Landfill Network about the systemic impacts of various kinds of waste and what we can do about it.

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CRT Television Preservation

CRT Televisions should be donated instead of being thrown away or recycled. They are extremely difficult to recycle because the leaded glass they contain has essentially no profit value and it can cause environmental contamination. They should be donated instead because many people still love CRTs and there are many communities that like to preserve these old technologies for use with old video games, VHS, LaserDisc, and more. A video game’s look and feel can be highly dependent on specific hardware setups like CRTs. Old video games often perform better on CRTs and even some games like the original Duck Hunt only work on CRTs. So instead of throwing away an old television, give it a new home! Read more about CRT preservation here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2018/2/6/16973914/tvs-crt-restoration-led-gaming-vintage

CRTs are the main way to play Super Smash Bros Melee competitively. You will find lots of them at esports tournaments



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Ways to Reduce Stormwater Runoff

What is stormwater runoff? On a forest floor, the rain is absorbed by the soil, but when rainwater falls on the mainly non-permeable surfaces we use like asphalt, gravel and concrete; this rain can mix with harmful substances on the ground like oil. This runoff ends up polluting our waterways and hurting wildlife.

There are many ways to reduce and combat stormwater runoff such as never dumping anything down a storm drain, avoiding pesticides, picking up pet waste, rerouting water from a downspout to help rain soak into the soil, repairing leaky side sewers, and much more. Check out a local stormwater or stream group like SnoKing Watershed Council (http://snokingwatershedcouncil.org/) to learn more and find stream and habitat restoration volunteer opportunities.

Visit this link to learn more about ways to reduce stormwater: https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-and-land/stormwater/introduction/stormwater-runoff.aspx

See if you can get a rebate for installing a rain garden or cistern: https://www.700milliongallons.org/

Check out the Tulalip Tribes resources and virtual library about climate change, salmon, stormwater, and much more here: https://nr.tulaliptribes.com/Topics/ClimateChange

North Creek Park is not just a fun trail to visit, but also is a storm water retention facility. Wetlands like the one in this park act as filters for urban environments. When water reaches the wetland, gravity slowly pulls the water through the soil and plants, which removes fine pollutants like fertilizers and oil.

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Hydroponics and Aquaponics

Hydroponics is a way of cultivating plants in nutrient-rich water instead of soil. Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics with aquaculture( raising fish and other aquatic animals). These create self-sustainable and symbiotic systems which are capable of producing a wide variety of crops from lettuce, herbs, melons, berries, beans, peas, and much more.

This graph briefly explains the symbiotic and self sustaining aquaponics system.

Farmer Frog in Woodinville has a great aquaponics system. There are lots of kinds of fish used such as trout but the main fish are koi. To learn more about Farmer Frog and their aquaponics system, visit their website: https://farmerfrog.org/

To learn more about hydroponics and aquaponics check out these resources: https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/hydroponics and https://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/aquaponics. Also make sure to check out the Everett Clippers Aquaponics article by Crystin Clouser: https://everettclipper.com/13156/showcase/aquaponics-a-solution-for-self-sustainability/

Peppers growing in the Farmer Frog Aquaponics System
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Eat Local First and WA Farm Finder

Visit the WA Farm Finder on https://eatlocalfirst.org/. This is a great application that can be used to find local farms, growers, and producers in Washington State to support. They have online portals for other kinds of farms as well, such as CSA’s. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a style of farming where customers can buy a plot of farmland or shares of a farm’s harvest in advance.

The Snohomish Beet Field during a Food Bank Farm volunteer beet harvest

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Green Cleaning Resources

Included in the PDF file and PowerPoint slides are many recipes for great sustainable cleaning products that can be made at home with simple ingredients such as baking soda and olive oil. The products include toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaner, lemon disinfectant, and many more. Thanks to Washington State University and Snohomish County for crafting the green cleaner booklet and Nancy Vandenberg for the PowerPoint slides.

Green Cleaning It’s in Your Cupboard!Download
Green Cleaner Recipe SlidesDownload
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Sustainable Gardening Classes

On Saturday, February 6th from 10:30-11:30 am PST, Snohomish Conservation District and King County Waste Treatment Division will be hosting a free webinar about easy ways to start a sustainable food garden. Learn the benefits of sustainable gardening and discover a wide variety of resources to help get started in the spring. To learn more about this event and register visit this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustainable-gardening-growing-food-with-ease-and-minimal-impact-tickets-134430550395. Stay tuned for more sustainable landscaping and gardening classes from the Sustainable Yard Care series. You can find the course list on the King County Events Page: https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/wastewater/education/events.aspx

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ORCA Sensors and Student Green Fee

The EvCC ORCA (Ocean Research Academy) program uses a variety of sensors and equipment to monitor ocean temperatures, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, and more. This important data is not only used in the ORCA program, but is also shared with other classes, the scientific community, and the general public. To view live data from the sensors visit this link: http://www.wqdatalive.com/public/609

Mount Baker Terminal Sensor data is represented in this graph.

ORCA recently purchased two new Seabird CTD 16 plus sensors that monitor dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and pH. ORCA was able to purchase these through the Student Green Fee. The Green Fee is an exciting opportunity for students to propose and fund sustainable ideas on campus through college funding. Students can submit proposals but keep in mind that proposals will stop being accepted after January 31st. More information can be found at this link: https://www.everettcc.edu/administration/college-services/facilities/sustainability/evcc-green-fee

A seal next to a sensor
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SEA Club Green Cleaning Class

On January 26th at 1:30, the Students for Environmental Action (SEA) club will be hosting an event about creating homemade sustainable cleaning products. Demonstrations in this event will showcase how to make toilet bowl cleaner, a bleach alternative, and tile/grout cleaning solution. The zoom meeting ID is 859 0333 8413

To follow along with the making of these products during the event, have these ingredients available:

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: baking soda, spray bottle, Castile or other concentrated liquid soap

Bleach Alternative: lemon juice, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, old bleach bottle or 2 liter pop bottle

Tile/Grout Cleaner: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, Castile or other concentrated liquid soap, jar with screw top lid