Mission Statement: Sustainable Tri-Cities provides opportunities for people of the Tri-Cities to learn about and act on ways to protect our environment for a healthy and rapidly changing future.

EVENTS

Dec. 3. TC Chapter Citizens’ Climate Lobby monthly meeting. 7pm. Shalom UCC church and via Zoom. Participate on climate solution teams: Carbon Pricing, Healthy Forests , Building Electrification and Efficiency, Clean Energy Permitting Reform

Dec. 6. 1st Saturday Bird Walks. Bateman Island will NOT be open to the public on Dec 6 for the Lower Columbia Audubon Society First Saturday Walk. Instead, meet at Two Rivers Park in Kennewick in the large parking lot east of the lagoon. 8am sharp. Binoculars are available to borrow.

Dec. 6. Alternative Gift Fair. 1 pm – 4 pm. An afternoon of charitable giving to local, national, and international organizations that work toward the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Representatives from each non-profit organization will be available to answer questions at this festive event. Give the gift of a donation.  Community Unitarian Universalist Church, Pasco.

Dec. 7. Winter Seedball Social. 10:30 am -12:30 pm. Richland Public Library. Event by Columbia Basin Native Plant Society   Make seedballs for use in restoration projects locally while listening to CBWNPS Restoration Chair Alexis Spencer share the results of the bioblitz event held last April on Badger Mt. The native seeds were collected and donated by the chapter members.  If you have native seeds to share, bring them, as well as a reusable mug– warm beverages will be on hand to share. Free event – All are welcome.

Dec. 7. Sunday Distribution. Every Sunday at the Food Co-op, Jadwin, Richland. 1 pm. FREE essential items include fresh and non-perishable food, hygiene supplies, clothing for all ages and seasons, and other necessities, as well as hot meals, by Tri Cities Distribution. Open to everyone – whether you’re looking to volunteer, donate items, or need resources. There is also a place to donate supplies to make sewing kits to distribute: small clean containers, sewing needles (sizes 1-6), sewing pins, and safety pins.  

Dec. 9. Historical Changes in Bird Populations in the Lower Columbia Basin. 6-8 pm.  Stories behind the rise and fall of familiar species, drawing from historical literature, eBird data, and years spent observing in the field.  They will examine how urbanization, agriculture, changes in river systems, and fire have reshaped the region’s bird communities. Discover how these changes may affect the future populations of our local birds. Richland Public Library

Dec. 11. Little Explorers: What’s the Weather? 10am-11am. Learn how to observe our local weather, celebrate all different kinds of weather, and think about how we prepare for them. An interactive hour of learning and fun for preschool-aged children and their caregivers and is included with general admission and free for REACH Museum members.

Dec. 16. Cookie Run. 5:30 pm Community Run with Runners of the Sage. Join these fun folks for a hearty run and then enjoy cookies at the Tri-Cities Food Co-op

Dec.  16th. STC monthly meeting to continue planning ways to participate in shaping the climate element in the city’s comp plans.  and reports on other projects. We are now meeting at 6:30 pm on Zoom. Day of week TBD.

Dec. 26. Boredom Busters: Box Out the Boredom. 1:00–3:00 pm. “Don’t toss those boxes—turn them into art! Build, paint, and create with cardboard in this hands-on crafting session that celebrates imagination over instructions.” REACH Museum

Dec. 27. Christmas Bird Count – 2025. The LCB Audubon Society count circle includes small count teams. The circle is managed by three team leaders representing Richland, Pasco and Kennewick. To participate in the CBC, contact any of the leaders on the LCBAS website.

ACTIONS FOR DECEMBER

Green Your Holidays. Shop local! Choosing to ‘shop local’ helps our neighborhoods thrive. Order gift boxes of local products at the Tri-Cities Food Co-op here by Dec. 6. https://sites.google.com/view/holiday-gift-boxes/work Pictured here is Tea Time Deluxe. Also see the  Eco Friendly gift ideas on the Sustainable TC website. Check your city’s website for tree recycling. For more ideas, see the Green America Green Holiday Checklist.

Who is doing environmental education in our region? See the Sustainable Tri-Cities Resource Directory  and let us know what needs to be added.  

Reminders…………………………………………………………………

BFCOG Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) survey This is our region’s long-range blueprint for transportation over the next 25 years and it only gets updated every five years. It guides how Federal, State, and Local funds are invested in roads, transit, biking, walking, and freight to support growth and keep our communities connected. The survey should only take about five minutes and is due December 31, 2025.

Send your events and volunteer opportunities to SustainableTricities1@gmail.org  so we can post them on our website and put them in this newsletter.

WHAT WE DID in NOVEMBER

Tabled at Chief Jo Middle School Science Fair. Nov. 5. Focused on conserving water, energy and native plants by explaining the eco-friendly yard model. Included live examples of beneficial arthropods.

MCCFC workshop Nov. 12. – Attended a presentation on Urban Forestry by Drue Epping, director PNW American Forests. Drue emphasized the many ways trees can help with climate problems, including our health. Benton Co. tree canopy report and WA State tree equity analyzer tools are available for cities to use. We need collaboration & shared goals among the cities.

Heritage Garden Installed at the REACH museum. Jenni sold the idea to the museum then planted a ‘Pollinator Patch’ at the museum entrance. It is the start of a demo garden at the REACH to inspire cities and homeowners to save water by planting natives instead of lawns. Contact Jenni if you would like to helpkeep it going.

Richland Comprehensive Plan  Open House Wed. Nov. 12. Includes climate planning. Bill attended. Good turnout. Started with overview, then break out groups where people shared hopes and dreams for Richland. City said they want to get actionable items and to go beyond minimum requirements. We will share the public meetings schedule soon.

STC Monthly Meeting. Nov. 14. At the Caterpillar Café and on Zoom.  Discussed local comp plan climate element planning, updating the STC website, and other business, then went to the Food Co-op to take the BFCOG transportation survey. Monthly meetings will now be at 6:30pm; special meetings at other times.

Attended CCL Electrify Now presentation. Nov. 21. Save money, reduce carbon emissions and help clean the air.All federal (IRA) tax credits expire Dec. 31, but there is still time to get a contractor for a new heat pump or water heater. If a home energy audit is required first, such as with adding insulation, you might need to wait and take advantage of what the state is offering. Find it on your city or PUD website. If you would like to see the slides, send message to sustainabletricities1@gmail.com .

Local High School Student Project. We were contacted by a local HS student working on a project to research how humanity has affected the Earth’s environment, and who wants to know how to help the community make smart choices to improve our environment.  Recommended watching the PBS series Human Footprint, learning from reputable sources, and getting involved with a local organization.

NEWS and THINGS to READ

Can data centers just demand power in the Pacific Northwest?  Opinion By Steve Ghan. Tri City Herald November 16, 2025.

Boots in the Basin – December Tumbleweird magazine

Pg. 20. Digging Deeper with Ernie Crediford by Jenny Rieke. Local plant expert and conservationist Ernie Crediford leads many wilderness hikes and outdoor educational activities here in the Columbian Basin.

Pg. 22. Jane Goodall was right. By Mike Lilga, Tapteal Greenway. “She would tell us being of service to your local community, helping out, making even a small improvement is the path to hope and change.

Pg. 35. Make the Climate Commitment Act more durable. By Steve Ghan. “To survive another repeal effort, the CCA therefore needs to deliver more of its considerable income to those most sensitive to fuel cost.”

2024 Cap-and-Invest compliance information now available. On November 1, businesses subject to Cap-and-Invest were required to turn in compliance instruments (allowances and offset credits) for 30% of their 2024 covered emissions. Once again, 99.9% of required compliance instruments were submitted Summary report at the bottom of The WA Dept. of Ecology’s compliance webpage. 

‘Tis the Season for a warm fire. Check for a burn ban first! When the air outside is smoky or hazy this time of year, it’s likely from wood stoves and fireplaces. Wood smoke can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems. If you are a Benton County homeowner and have an old woodstove, it may qualify for replacement by the Benton Clean Air Agency. Program ends June 30^th, 2027, or until funding runs out (whichever is first).

Holding Space for All Climate Emotions: Anger, Grief, and the Power of Inner Work By Anne Therese Gennari. “As the days get darker and we naturally turn inward, this episode invites you to explore the often-overlooked emotional dimension of climate work. We reflect on how feelings like anger, grief, anxiety, and fear are not obstacles but essential tools for our personal and collective healing.”

For more news and events, see the Sustainable Tri-Cities website  www.alsctc.org/events and Like the Face Book page.