7/30 Climate change, aquarium whales, Squalicum cleanup, green diversity, one-crew trains, invasives

(Rich Ross/National Geographic)

Social Octopus Species Shatters Beliefs About Ocean Dwellers
If recent octopus discoveries have taught us anything, it's that these eight-armed ocean dwellers are smart. They can use tools, change color in an instant, and commission their arms to solve problems. But they generally do all this as loners. Now, new research into a surprisingly social octopus is shattering even the most expansive ideas of known octopus behavior. Katherine Harmon Courage reports. (National Geographic)

Gov. Inslee’s Wastewater Plant Tour Highlights Sea Rise Woes
When Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wanted to show the connection between climate change and an unpleasant and costly consequence for his constituents, he decided to tour a sewage treatment plant. Inslee’s visit Tuesday to the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Seattle’s Discovery Park was the latest stop on his statewide tour to raise awareness about the costs of climate change. The problem the governor wanted to highlight: climate change is causing sea levels to rise. And that means homes and buildings that were built a safe distance from the water’s edge are increasingly becoming too close for comfort. Ashley Ahearn reports. (EarthFix)

Vancouver Aquarium's whale program provokes more debate
Dozens of speakers voiced their thoughts on the Vancouver Aquarium's controversial captive whales and dolphins program Monday evening, at a second special meeting convened by the Vancouver Park Board.... Staff from the aquarium also spoke at the meeting on Monday, including CEO John Nightingale, who said if the park board votes to not allow whales and dolphins in tanks, the aquarium will take legal action to recover some of the costs of its recent $50 million expansion, which was approved by the board in 2006... A third special meeting will be held Thursday to allow Park Board members to discuss what they heard during the first two days of the public meetings, but the Board has not said when a decision will be made on the issue (CBC)

Ecology plan calls for $610K cleanup of contaminated Squalicum Harbor site
A decade after a $1.4 million interim cleanup was completed at a contaminated waterfront boatyard formerly used by Weldcraft Steel and Marine, the Port of Bellingham could finish the job with a new $610,000 cleanup plan. The Department of Ecology recently released its plan for the upland portion of the site at 2652 Harbor Loop Drive that was contaminated with petroleum-related metals and chemicals from Weldcraft's boat building, repair and maintenance work between 1946 and 2002. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

New report expounds on old problem: Lack of diversity in green groups
A new report, released [Monday], shows that the staffs of mainstream green groups have been overrepresented with white men despite the groups’ intentions to be more colorful. One of its most damning findings is that “the dominant culture of the organizations is alienating to ethnic minorities, the poor, the LGBTQ community, and others outside the mainstream.” The report, called “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations,” is billed as “the most comprehensive report on diversity in the environmental movement.” It was compiled by a working group of thought leaders on environment and race called Green 2.0, led by University of Michigan professor Dorceta Taylor. Brentin Mock reports. (Grist)

BNSF’s Proposal For One-Person Train Crews Concerns Rail Workers
Railroad workers are speaking out against a proposal by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway to have single-employee freight train crews. They say the idea is unsafe, especially in light of the increasing transportation of crude oil by rail. The controversy stems from a tentative contract agreement BNSF has reached with one of its unions, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Union. If union members approve that deal, BNSF could operate freight trains with just an engineer onboard. That engineer would have help from a so-called master conductor who would not be on the train. Ashley Gross reports. (KPLU)

Whistler invasive plants could now get you a ticket
Whistler residents can now be fined $250 a day if they have invasive plants in their yards. "Most invasives are quite pretty. Things like yellow-flag iris has a gorgeous yellow flower, and when you tell people it's invasive, they're sort of shocked," said Claire O'Brien, executive director of the Sea to Sky Invasive Species Council.... O'Brien's group has been advocating for the bylaw banning invasive species, which was recently enacted by the Resort Municipality of Whistler. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT WED JUL 30 2014
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS. AREAS OF MORNING FOG.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 3 FT AT 6 SECONDS.
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