Members of the public will have the opportunity to learn how Bainbridge Island’s groundwater might be affected by different land use, population growth and climate change scenarios. Staff of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which has been working with the City to develop a hydrogeologic model of the island’s groundwater, will present the results at a public meeting at Council Chambers from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27.

“Since groundwater is the sole source of drinking water for island residents, it’s imperative that we have a thorough understanding of our aquifer system in order to make sound, knowledgeable management and planning decisions,” said Cami Apfelbeck, Water Resources Specialist and Groundwater Monitoring Program Manager for the City. read more »

Are you an outdoor enthusiast, sport fisherman or conservationist? Are you interested in working with wild salmon and getting up close and personal helping to restore this valuable and precious resource? Did you know that salmon have a direct or indirect relationship that supports the existence of at least 137 species of wildlife? read more »

With green products increasingly going mainstream through the introduction of value-pried options from traditional supermarkets and big-box retailers, consumers no longer feel they have to pay a premium price for sustainable items, the LOHAS Consumer Trends Database (LCTD) has found. This finding emphasizes the importance of investing in product innovation and continuing to surmount hurdles to competitive pricing of eco-friendly offerings, according to Natural Marketing Institute (NMI). read more »

Since the inception of the E-Cycle Washington program statewide, close to 20 million pounds of electronics are estimated to have been diverted from the landfills. According to date from the state Ecology Department, close to 600,000 pounds of electronics have been diverted in Kitsap County alone as of May (about 4 percent of the statewide total).

E-Cycle Washington was the result of a state law passed in 2006 that requires electronics manufacturers to pay for the recycling of laptops, televisions, computer monitors and towers. read more »

Bainbridge Island citizens can get more than permits and public records when they stop by city hall this summer. They can leave home with some free vegetables. Some tomatoes and chard, perhaps.

The produce that is growing on the city hall grounds, tucked between ornamental shrubs and trees, has been planted by volunteers, and is available to anyone read more »

In a period of uncertain and troubling economic times and as the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history unfolds in the Gulf of Mexico, one might ponder how we would avoid similar devastation here in Puget Sound.

On Dec. 30, 2003, about 5,000 gallons of oil poured into Puget Sound in Shoreline. The heavy bunker oil overflowed from a Foss Maritime barge while being loaded from the former Chevron/Texaco terminal. Rules in place at the time permitted such transfers without deploying protective containment boom around the vessel beforehand. read more »

Allyn Technology Group of Allyn is in the process of testing a ‘smart grid’ energy-saving device it has designed. The company is testing the device at several local locations, including the North Mason Chamber of Commerce.

One of the device’s functions is to profile the energy consumption of appliances in homes and business. In the chamber’s case, it is measuring the daily energy usage patterns of the chamber’s hot water heater. The data profile can be used to discover ways for the chamber to save energy and money. read more »

The Great Peninsula Future Festival, August 1-2, 2009, in historic Port Gamble, was conceived as a fun way to involve the whole community in thinking about sustainability and how our lifestyle choices affect the future of our communities, our economy and our environment.

The festival grew out of a 2007 conference on sustainability, involving some 60 Kitsap community leaders. Sponsored by West Sound Conservation Council and led by Rep. Larry Seaquist (Gig Harbor), the brainstorming workshop involved area mayors, legislators, county commissioners and leaders from many Kitsap community organizations.

“Interest was so high, I decided we needed a way to keep the conversation going and involve the rest of the community,” said Kitsap County Commissioner Steve Bauer. “I invited other Kitsap community leaders to join me in organizing an annual festival with sustainability as its theme. The response was amazing. Dozens of community leaders volunteered.” read more »

Representatives from many groups including the Suquamish Tribe, U.S. Navy, Kitsap County, Washington Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (WASLA), Kitsap Trees and Shoreline Association (KiTSA), Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Washington State Departments of Transportation, Ecology, and Fish & Wildlife, Pacific Northwest National Marine Science Laboratory, Coastal Geologic Services, West Sound Bicycling Club, and other experts, came together on April 25 to develop conceptual trail plans for pedestrians and bicycle riders while restoring a degraded shoreline along Sinclair Inlet between Gorst and the Missouri Gate in Bremerton. read more »