With the leadership of our stellar co-lead on the climate committee, Vicki Thomas, we have had a busy summer with education and planning on climate issues. Leading off in June with a workshop at the state convention, Vicki’s slideshow “Does this Plastic Make Me Look Fat?” drew a crowd and also interest from several leagues to show the slide show and educate their communities.
All were shocked by some of the facts, especially the abundance of plastic in every part of the human body -- including from the beginning with babies born with plastic to the cadavers in Arizona studies where plastic was found in the brain.
Although the international treaty to ban plastics was not passed this year, thanks mostly to heavy lobbying by the fossil fuel industry, the environmental community is regrouping to continue the fight. Our local coalition, formed last year, will continue to work to hasten the end of single use plastics in our community. You may have seen our op-ed in The Salish Current.
We also worked to get the LWVWA to sign on to a petition from The Friends of the San Juans concerning safety measures to protect the Salish Sea. A big thank you to fast action by our new state president.
On a happier note, check out the September issue of the Whatcom Watch. A new/old idea is featured in our Good Climate News column. Can’t afford solar on the roof top? From Germany comes an idea that is beginning to take off in the US—it is called balcony solar—panels that hang from your balcony or installed in your yard to give you extra protection from blackouts and heat waves at a fraction of the cost.
With the destruction of many clean energy projects and initiatives in our country, it is heartening to note that clean energy is replacing fossil fuels in a good portion of the rest of the world. Join us as we fight for the same in the Northwest.