Large ‘Silicone Valley’ corporations have been testing a new device created to generate power on the spot, without being connected to the electric grid. After almost a decade of development and hundreds of millions in investment, Bloom Energy is coming out with theirs having unveiled their little “power plant-in-a-box” on 60-minutes aired Sunday, February 21. Until now, all journalists were able to garner were “no comments” from their marketing people. read more »

Fall and winter weather in most of the state was unpredictable and dramatic, resulting in record lows and severe storms that posed health and safety risks to people caught in its path. Record rains churned up rivers and caused landslides and floods around Western Washington. read more »

No one likes fossil fuels; thanks to them, the United States is the heaviest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, is dependent on foreign nations for a basic resource, and is on a path that will cause extreme economic harm when oil finally taps out. However, broader use of electricity will further stress the grid resulting in a shortage of energy and even rolling blackouts if not managed and produced at a greater level than we have experienced or are prepared for. read more »

Tacoma — Hosted by the Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE), the all-day conference held Oct. 14 hit the high notes with over 300 in attendance.

Session topics, led by state experts from both the private and public sectors, included: the financial side of sustainable development, managing a project, identifying redevelopment opportunities read more »

The planned workshops, entitled “Water and Prosperity: A Low Impact Approach to Development” will be held Friday, Nov. 6 from 1 - 4:30 p.m. at the Poulsbo Fire Station, 911 Liberty Road, Poulsbo and then on Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 8:30 a.m. - Noon at the Givens Community Center, Kitsap Room, 1026 Sidney Avenue, Port Orchard. Workshops are free but reservations are required to provide a count for room setup and refreshments. read more »

The second annual Brownfields Redevelopment regional conference will take place at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center at 1500 Broadway, in Tacoma on October 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (reception following).

The conference theme of “Building Sustainable Communities” was chosen because of the growing interest by communities read more »

19th Annual Sinclair Watershed Cleanup

The International COASTWEEKS CLEANUP takes place Sept. 19. Last year, nearly 400,000 volunteers collected more than 6.8 million pounds of trash in 104 countries and 42 US states during the 2008 International Coastal Cleanup — the world’s largest volunteer effort of its kind.

People from every continent celebrate a month of activities in September of each year, from nature walks and coastal cleanups to boating events, offering opportunities for individuals and organizations to explore and help preserve fragile coastal resources. read more »

The Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority (KCCHA) received a $173,104 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2007. Grant funds will be used to remove sources of surface and subsurface contamination where a garage formerly used by the Port Orchard Fire Department is located.

The KCCHA is currently requesting public comments for a period of 14 days regarding the Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives (ABCA). The ABCA will be available on the KCCHA website located at www.kccha.org and the City of Port Orchard website located at www.cityofportorchard.us through August 14, 2009. All comments will be compiled and provided to the Mitchell Avenue Brownfield project team for consideration. read more »