Skamania County builder David Bennett figured developing a subdivision along the Columbia Gorge was a can’t-miss opportunity. But today the lots “won’t sell now at any price,” he says. Seattle Times 10/11/2008
2. More Latinos Running for NW Politics
In Washington, Oregon and Idaho there are nearly 50 Latino politicians in office this year. Eight are running for major state and federal offices this November. KUOW 10/10/2008
3. Man-Made Solution to Salmon’s Man-Made Crisis
Federal agencies, prodded by conservation groups, are moving to remedy the impacts of 13 dams on Oregon’s largest interior river system that have pushed salmon and steelhead to the brink. Their goal: reconnect struggling salmon in the degraded lower river to pristine headwaters above the dams — while leaving the dams in place. Oregonian 10/12/2008
4. Unions Still Big Players in Washington’s Local Politics
Today, Washington ranks fourth, after New York, Alaska and Hawaii in unionization, at 20 percent. Many union members contribute financial support to local politicians, just as they did historically. Vancouver Columbian 10/13/2008
5. Voting for Lights and Heat in Canada
A fading economy and high fuel costs have a lot of Canadians worried about how to save money while staying warm this winter. Politicians running against the Harper government clearly sense the heat. The Tyee 10/10/2008
6. Fiscal Woes Could Delay Climate Change Efforts
The financial crisis and a deepening economic downturn are threatening to delay efforts to deal with another pressing global crisis: climate change. San Francisco Chronicle 10/13/2008
7. Sewage Is Flush With Hidden Energy Potential
Sewage treatment plants can be considered power-generating stations, yet their potential is going largely untapped in the Northwest and throughout the United States, according to energy expert David Parry. Kitsap Sun 10/11/2008
8. Reconciling Salmon and Farmland in Snohomish
An effort to restore salmon habitat in the Snohomish River watershed has run into opposition from farmers. The county, local farmers, and various groups are working on a compromise. Seattle Times 10/13/2008
9. People Pressure: Is Immigration An Ecoissue?
What to do about booming legal and illegal immigration rates is one of the most controversial topics on Americans’ political agendas these days. The nonprofit Pew Research Center reports that 82 percent of US population growth is attributable to immigration. The Christian Science Monitor 10/10/2008
10. Sure, You Want It, But Do You Need It?
Americans are more likely than ever to own computers, more likely to eat out, more likely to stock their homes with an arsenal of appliances. And they’re more likely to define these things as needs, rather than wants — even in laid-back, simplicity-loving Oregon. Oregonian 10/12/2008
Filed under: Community News, National and World News | Tagged: climate change, Columbia Gorge, consumerism, economics, energy, environment, green, habitat, immigration, Latino politicians, politics, salmon, seattleDIRT, sustainability, vote, workers union
