HyleBlog - Friends of the Hylebos

Escape From The Office!

I got out of the office today. Started off the day meeting with Rep. Mark Miloscia to talk about the upcoming Legislative session. Then, it was off to Seattle to meet with former Stream Team Coordinator Katie Akyuz (nee Moller) to talk about urban forest health issues. Katie, of course, remains a very special friend of the Hylebos and it's always a treat to spend time with her. (plus, I always learn a lot!)

Other Things On My Mind
The PI had a good editorial on the Puget Sound Action Agenda and the need to see some funding for the plan. I'm not quite convinced the PSAA is the entire solution the Sound needs, but it contains some very important actions for reversing the decline of Puget Sound.

Also, Andrew C. Revkin of the NYT blogs about what a "moon shot for energy independence" might look like. Interesting stuff there.

Nice to see a huge, heartless bank show some real progressiveness on a nasty environmental issue like mountaintop mining. You go, BOA!

Has the Mainstream Media grown tired of The End of the World As We Know It (aka, global warming)?

In today's papes (that's papers for those of you not fully versed in HyleSpeak), I read mention of a possible "Car Czar" for the federal auto industry assistance and a Cybersecurity Czar for a federal computer security initiative. A quick Google search also showed "School Czar," "Anti-Corruption Czar," "Czar Power," "Energy Czar" (presumably the Secretary of the Dept. of Energy?), and Isn't it about time we just drop-kicked czar from our government policies? I think so. First off, we're celebrating a 19th century tyrant in a democratic system of governance. I say dissonace. But more practically, if our czars keep proliferating, we'll need to adopt a position of Czar Czar just to manage them all.

(BTW, I am still available for the position of Hylebos Czar, if that one comes open. Call me.)

More on Plans for Puget Sound

More on the draft Puget Sound Action Plan here, here

Topping the list of actions needed are buying ecologically critical lands and beefing up efforts to rein in pollution flowing off hard surfaces such as streets and parking lots after heavy rains. The list of steps proposed by the Puget Sound Partnership looks far beyond the shores of the Sound itself and spans the spectrum -- from actions as simple as scooping dogs' poop to undertakings as complicated as overhauling state water law.

Some were mildly critical of the lack of accountability:

"They're largely in the ballpark on the things that need doing," said Kathy Fletcher, executive director of the environmental group People for Puget Sound. "The part that is probably most crucial and still needs to be fleshed out is the funding, and the who's-going-to-do-what part, and how will they be held accountable.

others were perturbed at the lack of action:

Asked Seattle environmental activist Fred Felleman, "We're going to study how to restore herring, instead of restoring them?"

Tom Holz, a planner who has joined scientists in criticizing the partnership's early efforts as too lackluster, said he lost count of the number of times the draft plan spoke of convening a new process or study of some kind.

"The (partnership) must build a fire. They haven't even got the kindling lit," Holz said in an e-mail.

Oh, and work continues on the Friends' ark...