7/13 Chickweed, whale hunt, ship fuel LNG, plastics, wetlands protection, noctiluca, sustainable tourism

Chickweed [Gardening Know How]

Chickweed Stellaria media
Chickweed is an annual and perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world. This species is used as a cooling herbal remedy, and grown as a vegetable crop and ground cover for both human and poultry consumption. It is sometimes called common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants called chickweed. Other common names include chickenwort, craches, maruns, and winterweed. The plant germinates in autumn or late winter, then forms large mats of foliage. (Wikipedia)

Frustration mounts as Makah tribe waits for word on the whale hunt
NOAA Fisheries was expected by the end of June to issue a final environmental impact statement allowing the Makah Tribe to hunt a gray whale but now says the process will likely take a couple more months. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

New emissions targets may sink LNG’s pitch as a shipping fuel
The fossil fuel and shipping industries just got a serious shot across the bow over relying on liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a transition fuel. On Friday, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) finalized stricter global emissions standards for the maritime industry while closing a significant regulatory loophole driving up the use of LNG as a shipping fuel. Rochelle Baker reports. (National Observer)

Solving the world’s plastics problem
Plastic is everywhere. It’s in our refrigerators, in our oceans and even in our bloodstreams. And wherever there are plastics, there are questions over what to do with them. Following the failure of the Washington Recycling and Packaging Act, experts and a key lawmaker discuss next steps. (Crosscut podcast)

U.S. House Dems want data on impact of Supreme Court ruling on wetlands protection
Top Democrats on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asked federal agencies Monday to track possible negative effects from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited federal authority to regulate clean water. Jacob Fischler reports. (Washington State Standard)

Orange phytoplankton blooms more common as temperatures rise
Phytoplankton blooms the colour of cream of tomato soup along the shores of Vancouver Island are becoming more common, likely due to hotter weather, scientists say. It’s the result of a phytoplankton called noctiluca, which occurs with the right combination of nutrients in the water and hot weather, said Svetlana Esenkulova, a biologist with the Pacific Salmon Foundation who is trying to determine if the phytoplankton is harming salmon. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Treading Lightly. Mapping the road to sustainable tourism.
For many years, Washington has been a top destination for adventure seekers. Almost 40 million people pay a visit to one of Washington’s parks every year, according to the Washington Trails Association. More people than ever are setting out to explore the state’s natural wonders, thanks to a combination of increased information online and a common hunger for community after the COVID-19 pandemic. But increased foot traffic wears trails out faster and with more people comes more waste. Hanna Rhody reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  251 AM PDT Thu Jul 13 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 1 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 1 ft at 10 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told