4/14 Northern flicker, Tacoma warehouse, NW water, heat danger, sewage tales, community solar, BC logs, responsible plastic

Northern flicker [Joseph V. Higbee]

 
Northern flicker  Colaptes auratus
Northern Flickers can be found throughout most wooded regions of North America, and they are familiar birds in most suburban environments. Unlike most other woodpeckers, Northern Flickers are principally ground feeders, though they also forage on tree trunks and limbs. They have a strongly undulating flight pattern, and they can be easily identified in flight by this pattern and their prominent white rumps. Their whinny call sounds somewhat like laughter. They also give a distinctive call that is often transcribed as klee-yer. (BirdWeb)

Controversial South Tacoma warehouse project to get public airing at Thursday meeting
Plans for a multi-building warehouse project in South Tacoma will get a public airing today (April 14). The meeting, to be conducted online over Zoom, is set for 6 p.m. A recording of the meeting will be posted at a later date. The meeting is the result of growing public criticism over the plans, currently in the city’s permit-review process, but the meeting does not constitute a hearing. Debbie Cockrell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

April storm improves 2022 PNW water outlook, drought remains
Climatologists say rare April snow along with rain sweeping across the Pacific Northwest this week could increase water supplies, slow snow melt and lengthen the irrigation season. Washington state climatologist Nick Bond said irrigators will benefit from April storms, but it won’t be enough to end the eastern Washington drought. (Associated Press)

'Heat officer' at TED conference outlines desperate need for cities to cope with rising temperatures
At the TED 2022 conference in Vancouver on Wednesday, Europe's first ever official to be appointed to help her city deal with rising temperatures due to climate change outlined the steps needed to safeguard residents from what she calls the deadliest consequence of climate change. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

What our poop tells us: Wastewater surveillance examines what most of us would prefer to flush and forget
You've probably taken part in one of the new frontiers of public health research: wastewater surveillance. All that's needed is a sample from down the drain: pee or poop. Our feces and urine are helpful indicators in detecting all sorts of outbreaks and infections. And wastewater surveillance can give scientists a preview of new viruses and disease variants, patterns of drug usage, and much more, including potentially assessing the next pandemic. Brandi Fullwood and Libby Denkmann report. (KUOW)

Trouble on the Half Shell
Scientists have discovered a mystery parasite—what will it mean for the future of Washington’s oysters? Carly Cassella reports. (High County News/Hakai Magazine)

New community solar projects targeting lower-income areas
Community solar projects have been part of the clean energy landscape in Washington since about 2005. The idea is to offer ratepayers who don’t have a good place to install solar panels at their homes - or enough funds to pay for an entire system - the chance to purchase shares in a larger project, offsite. They then get credits on their bill for the clean energy produced. Now, the City of Everett and the Snohomish County Public Utility District are partnering for a new kind of community solar project. The revenue it generates will help low income households pay their energy bills. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Log supply in B.C. forests slowly dwindling, warns think tank
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says in a new report that logging companies in B.C. are quickly cutting down available trees in the province, and that supply is dwindling. In the report from the think tank's B.C. office, resource policy analyst Ben Parfitt writes that the amount of wood expected to be harvested in the coming years is half the amount logged 15 years ago.(CBC)

How to make manufacturers more responsible for plastics recycling
Most waste decisions are out of reach of consumers, who have the packaging chosen for them by manufacturers. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Investigate West)

Now, your tug weather--
223 AM PDT Thu Apr 14 2022
TODAY E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming S in the afternoon. Wind
waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 3 ft at 6 seconds. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT N wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NE 5 to 15 kt after
midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds. A
slight chance of rain.

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