EVENTS

Oct. 4 – STC monthly meeting at noon on ZOOM. Report on our Sustainable Showcase survey and planning for Riverfest and future “SMART” projects.

Oct. 3- WA. Dept. of Ecology Air Quality Grants – final online information session Oct. 3, 2pm – 4pm (Zoom). Ecology is working to improve air quality in Washington communities that are historically overburdened with health, social, and environmental inequities and are highly impacted by criteria air pollution, such as ozone and fine particles. They are offering a new grant to organizations serving overburdened communities and Tribes.  Get technical assistance and register for a session HERE.

Oct. 5- Riverfest- 10 am – 3 pm at Columbia Park, Kennewick. Although “RiverFest pays tribute to the many benefits of the Federal Hydropower system with a focus on the lower Snake River Dams”, and we may not all support these dams, this is a great opportunity to reach out to the public with our mission.

Oct. 6 – Leveraging the National Climate Assessment to Empower Communities- Workshop. You will receive relevant links if you attend virtually.  Register here. This is one virtual event you won’t want to miss: 1:30–2:00 PT pm Short Dialogue: Communicating on Climate Change. Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy.

Oct. 6- How Sweet It Is Tri-Cities, and Kids for Urban Trees Fundraiser. 2-4 pm. Lewis and Clark Elementary Kids for Urban Trees will be there with goods for sale including freshly spun cotton candy. 710 George Washington Way Suite E, Richland.

Oct. 25. Screech at the REACH. 5:30-8 pm. See Oct. Tumbleweird article by Pauline Schafer pg. 33.

Oct. 27- Sowing Resilience with Native and Drought Tolerant Plants– Workshop. The Heritage Garden Program, 312 Thayer Dr, Richland. 1 PM Meet and Greet, Heritage Garden updates and Short Presentation 1:45 -3 PM Planting Practicum Activity and Skill Share.

Oct. 23 –TC Chapter CCL monthly meeting. There are many ways to be involved with others working to fight climate change. Contact Steve.

ACTIONS for OCTOBER

Oppose I-2117. Write an LTE; educate everyone you know to help save the Climate Commitment Act- Washington’s primary tool to reduce carbon emissions.  Pledge to vote no at https://no2117.com/ Please also vote against  Initiative 2066: Related to the Restrictions on Access to Natural Gas .

Help at the STC Riverfest booth: The STC booth is #28, the CCL Booth is #83 and BFHD is #79. Hopefully we can trade spots to be together. STC will show the landscape design model and has a coloring sheet to go with it for children. We will also have information on trees and our Sustainability Showcase. Contact Lora if you can help. 10am-3pm.

Help pass the Explore Act. The bipartisan EXPLORE Act is one of the most consequential outdoor recreation acts proposed since 1963. It’s designed to enhance and expand outdoor recreation opportunities across the nation, from adaptive trails to long-distance biking to rock climbing and beyond. Learn how to help HERE.

WHAT WE DID IN JULY

The Urban Heat Resilience working group of STC submitted our landscape design model to the Ben Franklin Council of Governments Art contest (BFCOG). Winners will be announced soon.

At the September STC monthly meeting, Molly Williams, Pollution Reduction Grants Section Manager, and team members Kaitlyn Kelly, and Kesley Smith, Air Quality Program, WA Ecology met with us to discuss the WA Ecology Air Quality/ Overburdened Communities Grant. Bill Barlow is applying for the grant and has met with the BF Transit who has agreed to work together on it.

Had a table at REI Sept. 7 with BFCOG for International Clean Air Day and provided information on air quality and protecting people from wildfire smoke, and ozone, as well as educating about I-2117.

The regional Climate Opportunity Action Plan team is meeting monthly and will soon be joining the regional jurisdiction’s planning meetings with BFCOG.  Bill Barlow and Jim Coleman participated in the second Prosser Comp Plan Climate Element formulation. STC’s interest is to have better understanding of climate change in a predominantly rural/small town environment as opposed to the regional suburban Tri-Cities climate impacts. They have excellent consultants guiding the study and data collection.

Made sustainability connections at CBC, and Boy scout Merit Badge Extravaganza on Sept 28, 2024.

NEWS AND THINGS TO READ

Climate Scientist: WA can’t afford I-2117- Tri City Herald Op Ed by Steven Ghan. Sept. 22, 2024.

Initiative 2117 would gut the Climate Commitment Act. – by Steven Ghan. Tumbleweird magazine, Oct. 2024, pg. 22.  

California, Québec and Washington to begin linkage [shared carbon market] agreement discussions. Department of Ecology News Release – September 23, 2024.