12/8 Holly, Tokitae, sea lice, Snohomish flooding, greeenwashing, BC logging, oil gas framework, week in review

English holly [Stan Lupo]

English holly Ilex aquifolium
Ninety percent of English holly sold in the United States is grown here in the Pacific Northwest with the majority of which is exported outside of our region.  English holly, also known as “Christmas holly,” is a symbol of the joy of wintertime around the world. In Celtic times (~1200 BC) holly plants represented good fortune and beauty. The Celtic habit of decking the halls with “boughs of holly” transformed into the modern traditions of hanging red and green decorations during the holiday season...Its adaptability, hardiness, and ability to spread are intimidating, but English holly only causes harm when it spreads beyond its intended location and into natural habitats. (King County Noxious Weed Board)

The call of Tokitae
After half a century in a tank, a beloved orca was about to be freed. Then her life ended, and a moment of reckoning began. Caitlin Gibson reports. (Washington Post)

Canada’s Limits on Sea Lice in Salmon Farms Don’t Measure Up
A new study  ranks Canada behind three other countries in responding to parasite outbreaks. Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Why are Snohomish County rivers susceptible to flooding?
The short answer: Geography. Our proximity to Puget Sound and the mountains makes our rivers sensitive to big storms. Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

Canada’s plans to crack down on greenwashing don’t go far enough, advocates say
A new report calls out the oil and gas industry’s misleading marketing tactics, from ‘cherry-picking the truth’ to ‘petro-science fiction’ and vague buzzwords. Carl Meyer reports. (The Narwhal)

The forest beside the clear-cut
Putting cutblocks next to wildlife protection areas may not be the best thing for the animals, but it does help timber companies cut more big trees, and has been B.C. government policy for decades. Tara Carman reports. (CBC)

Federal government unveils what it calls a 'strict' oil and gas cap to curb emissions
The Liberal government announced its regulatory framework for capping emissions in the oil and gas sector Thursday — a national cap-and-trade system that it says will set emissions limits without restricting production. The framework is meant to reduce emissions while letting production increase 12% above 2019 levels. Peter Zimonjic reports. (CBC) 

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/8/23: Hanukkah, LNG growth, false fuel forecast, Treoil penalty, barred owl kill, herring kill, 'forever chemicals' ban

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  334 AM PST Fri Dec 8 2023    
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 11 seconds. A chance of showers in the morning.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft after  midnight. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain after  midnight.  
SAT  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. E swell 6 ft at  9 seconds. Rain.  
SAT NIGHT  SE wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft after  midnight. W swell 9 ft at 13 seconds building to 11 ft at  13 seconds after midnight.  
SUN  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 10 ft at  12 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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