Monday, January 28, 2008

Join the bandwagon, you know you wanna

Oh Nature Boy,
This nod doesn’t imply that your commentary is mind-boggling, unique or standout in anyway. Regardless! You have spoken out alongside our cause and for that we thank you. Here’s a link to the Daily Evergreen’s columnist, Fritz Schoepflin. The troubling state of our overconsumption. http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/24522

Organic Food Research at WSU Supported by Strong Organic Market

Last week I wrote an article for my Journalism 425 class about the condition of the organic market in Washington State and corresponding research at WSU. That article will be featured in The Daily Evergreen tomorrow Tuesday January 29th. Check it out on their website at www.dailyevergreen.com.

-Jimmy Blue

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Outdoor winter revelry

With the arrival of finicky winter weather on the Palouse sometimes the drive to the slopes isn't always an option. Often short escapades to local destinations can be an enjoyable substitute to a weekend ski/snowboard-road-trip. Consider trying out something new like snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. These activities are easy to learn, relatively safe, group-orientable, cheap, and allow you to more fully experience the outdoors. Snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals (with poles) average just eight dollars per day. (WSU student? check out prices at the ORC's rental guide. Not a student? Check out the University of Idaho's Rental Center).

Now where? For snowshoers, one gorgeous suggestion is the Elk River Falls recreation area located a few miles west of Elk River, Idaho off of Highway 8 (about 1 1/2 hour drive from Pullman). The highlight of the park is a series of unique waterfalls, which transform into a spectacular cascade of frozen ice in the winter (pictures pending...*sigh* film is old-fashioned). Along with some great views, the park is full of wildlife, including moose, elk, bald eagles, and black bears ( I know from personal witness). The normal road from the highway into the park is snowed-in most of the winter, so it's about 3 miles from the highway to the first set of falls. The hike down from the trail heads is a little rough at times but well worth it.

Skiers, aren't totally excluded however, Elk River Falls offers a variety of great groomed trails for scooting about.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Sustainable Communities Discussion

“Extension Engaged” Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.
Practical approaches to addressing community sustainability will be explored, in addition to outlining community plans of attack. The program will also include videotaped interviews with officials from the cities of Moscow, Idaho and Pullman, Washington, as well as other WSU faculty

Programs Goals:
1. Educate cities about sustainability and issues surrounding community sustainability
2. Establish the importance of planning for sustainability at the local scale
3. Promote sustainability assessment as a tool that cities and counties can utilize to achieve greater sustainability and accountability
.

Disgustingly so, students and student organizations are not invited to attend the event. However, the discussion can be viewed via teleconference at: http://eces.wsu.edu/video/stream.html

Instructions:
Find the program title, scroll down to the bottom of the program description and click on either the Windows Media or RealPlayer icons to launch the video stream. There will not be any signal available until 15 minutes prior to the event.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

How green are you?

http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB227D5BY7VTC

New WSU golf course water issues

This video outlines the problems with the new WSU golf course, the aquifer that we get our water from is diminishing by almost a foot a year, and the new course is going to increase water consumption by 56 million gallons a year, Pullman is expanding, but at what cost?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Climate Change, Get Informed


Focus the Nation, a nationwide teach-in on solutions to global climate change, will be held Thursday, Jan. 31, in Todd Atrium. WSU faculty and students are being sought to participate. Learning opportunities include: presentations, posters and class involvement in afternoon lectures/discussions. For more information visit http://csanr.wsu.edu/whatsnew/index.htm.