A Business Recycling Collection Event is planned for Thursday, July 29th from 11am – 4pm at the Criminal Justice Training Center, located at 19010 First Ave South.

The event is sponsored by the cities of Burien, Des Moines and Normandy Park.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Business Recycling Collection Event.

WHEN: Thursday, July 29, 2010 11am – 4pm.

WHERE: WA State Criminal Justice Training Center, 19010 – 1st Ave South.

COST: There will be fees for computer monitors, TV sets, appliances.

INFO: More details available here, or contact Shanta Frantz at 206-938-8262.

From a flier:

Accepted Materials:

• Cardboard ~ non-waxed or coated, flattened CDs, Floppy Disks, Video Tapes ~ please remove paper or plastic covers
• Cellular Phones ~ phones, batteries, chargers, adapters
• Computers & Components ~ hard drives, monitors ($10 fee-cash only), keyboards, printers, mice.
• Plastics ~ grocery bags, stretch wrap, film, bubble wrap, shrink wrap, garment bags
• Scrap Metal ~ chairs, desks, file cabinets, refrigerators/freezers/cfc units ($25 fee-cash only), telephones, fax machines, type writers, adding machines, copiers, other ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Sealed tanks and drums and metals that are insulated, rubbercoated, contain chemicals, paint, or hazardous materials will not be accepted.
• Toner and Printer Cartridges
• TVSets~TV sets with 36-inch or smaller screens and encased in plastic ($20 fee-cash only). TV sets with larger than 36 inch screens, wood console, sets encased in wood, and big screen TV sets – ($25 fee-cash only).
• Projection TV sets ($30 fee-cash only).
• Wood Pallets and Clean, Untreated Scrap Wood

PLEASE NOTE: Fluorescent lights, tubes, bulbs, and incandescent lights will not be accepted.

Please visit the King County http://www.takeitbacknetwork.org/ for a drop location near you.

Questions? Call (206) 938-8262

Note: Only the types of materials listed above will be collected. No hazardous waste will be accepted. Visit www.lhwmp.org if you need assistance with hazardous materials disposal.

The Local Hazardous Waste Program is conducting a small business hazardous waste disposal pilot project for 2010. Qualifying small businesses can dispose of limited quantities of hazardous wastes at Seattle and King County household hazardous waste facilities. This pilot program is offered at no additional cost to eligible small quantity hazardous waste generators (SQGs) in King County. This is an excellent opportunity for SQG businesses to dispose of their stock pile of hazardous materials. Further information is available at www.lhwmp.org or contact the business waste line at 206-263-8899.

by Scott Schaefer

This weekend, some rude dude named “DEX” dumped a plastic bag containing two large books I didn’t ask for on my front walkway.

That’s right – the new white and yellow pages arrived on my doorstep totally unsolicited on Saturday (July 17). This surprised me, because as I recall, I actually opted out of receiving any more of them last year, since they’re about as useful to me as um, say, the printed version of The Seattle Times.

As you may have guessed, unlike Prince, we’re very bullish on the internet. We get at least 80% of our daily news from it, both on our laptop and iPhone (the other 20% is usually from NPR radio on KUOW). We look things up using Google (sometimes Bing just to try it out), and we have grown tiresome of printed phone books full of ads (even a refrigerator magnet for a plumber is glued to the cover!), as well as the primitive, thumb-staining search technique of having to scan through dozens of listings and ads to find what we’re looking for.

Like newspapers or bound encyclopedias, the obsolescence of phone books is inevitable in this new internet age. But considering that in the US alone, 97% of this $14 billion industry is earned from printed product alone, it’s obvious why these mammoth media dinosaurs want to try and hold on for as long as possible.

Hello? Is there any way that print can duplicate searching online and getting the results you need right away?

The answer is a resounding NO.

What’s worse, I went through this exercise last year and took the time to opt out of receiving these books, which are headed straight to the recycling bin as soon I can pry the fridge magnet ad off the cover and toss it in the garbage (eees nice DEX – not only did you deliver these unsolicited and against my wishes, now you’re making me create more landfill with your damned magnet ad, which is NOT recyclable!).

Receiving these hulking phone books seems to me to be a huge waste of resources – not only the paper (which, I will admit, appears to be printed on mostly recycled paper), but also the distribution costs, fuel, plastic bags (which they claim are made of “45% post-consumer recycled content,” which means that 55% is NOT recycled), not to mention the frustration of customers like me who ALREADY OPTED OUT LAST YEAR.

That’s why I’m tossing out the following idea (pun intended), free of charge, to councilmembers for the City of Burien:

Ban all unsolicited phone book deliveries in the city of Burien.

If someone wants one, make it so they have to call the distributor to get it. But please, stop letting these wasteful folks dump their unsolicited, unusable litter on my property.

And isn’t there a fine for this kind of littering?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go back to opting out of receiving these wasteful piles of dinosaur dung AGAIN – you can do the same here:

1. Go to http://selectyourdex.dexknows.com/SelectYourDex/searchByZipCodeAction.do and enter your zip code.
2. Select “Proceed to Select Your Dex.”
3. Enter your name and address.
4. Select “0″ next to each directory you wish not to receive.
5. Press “Submit” and you are allegedly done.
6. Bookmark this page so when you get another delivery next year, you can try again.

Another option is to dial 1-877-243-8339 to opt-out from DEX (and have the chance to yell at a human operator).

Call 1-800-929-3556 to opt-out of receiving Yellow Book directories.

To opt-out of the Verizon phone book, dial 1-800-555-4833.

An electronics recycling event for area residents will be held the weekend of June 18-20th at the South Center South industrial park off West Valley Hwy at 18435 Olympic Ave South in Tukwila.

Like last year, the event allows residences the opportunity to recycle the following:

• All TVs
• PCs
• Monitors
• Laptops

For FREE.

For more information, visit the website at www.ecycleevents.com or call 1-888-880-1254

Here are the details:

WHAT: Electronics Recycling Event for area residents.

WHEN: Friday June 18 through Sunday June 20th:

• Friday the 18th: 9 am – 3 pm
• Saturday the 19th: 9 am – 4 pm
• Sunday the 20th: 9 am – 3 pm

WHERE: American Electronics Recycling Corp, located at 18435 Olympic Ave South Ste B-100 in Tukwila.

INFO: From their website:

American Electronics Recycling will be holding an electronics recycling event for King and Pierce county residences.

This event will be held in the South Center South Industrial park off West Valley Hwy in Tukwila.

Residents are welcome to recycle all TVs, PCs, Laptops, and Monitors for free. A variety of other electronic items will be accepted, but a small disposal fee may be charged.

A full list of the items can be viewed on our website: www.ecycleevents.com

All of our recycling efforts meet the Washington State Department of Ecology standards.

We want to thank our local communities in advance for helping to keep Washington green.

WHY WE RECYCLE:
Every year more than 50 monitors and pcs are estimated to be discarded. A typical CRT can contain 3 lbs of lead. PCs and Macs can contain environmental toxins as well. Many laptops have a small fluorescent lamp in the screen that contains mercury, a toxic material when inhaled or digested.

*computers leaving your home or business may still contain personal, sensitive information. American Electronics Recycling will ensure that your hard drive is handled and destroyed properly

Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center is getting ready to say goodbye to Georgette, a Giant Pacific Octopus that has been calling the center home since November, at a free ceremony during the MaST Center’s Water Weekends at 1pm Saturday, June 5.

The special “release” event is free and open to the public and features cake and refreshments (but happily, no edible octopus).

“To protect Georgette and the octopus population in the Puget Sound, we are releasing her back into her native habitat in time for her to adjust, grow and finish maturing,” said Kaddie Lawrence, director of the MaST Center. “We hope that she will remain in the local population near Redondo Beach for divers to see.”

The Giant Pacific Octopus is one of the 80 species of marine life that call the MaST Center’s nine observation tanks and two touch tanks home. Georgette is being released because the octopus has outgrown the center’s tanks and to minimize the MaST Center’s impact on the local marine life.

“Almost all of our animals at the MaST Center come from the wild and it is important to minimize our impact on the environment,” said Rus Higley, an instructor in Highline’s Life, Ocean and General Sciences department. “By allowing the octopus to be returned, we have only a minimal impact on the octopus population.”

The MaST Center is located at 28203 Redondo Beach Dr. S. in Des Moines. Parking is available on the street or in the municipal parking lot across from the MaST Center.

For more information, call (206) 878-3710, ext. 3135, e-mail mast@highline.edu or visit www.highline.edu/mast.

Here’s a pic of Georgette with a few of her MaST friends:

Local, state and federal agencies and a private cleanup contractor are continuing their efforts to contain and clean up a diesel fuel spill that happened at Dash Point State Park in Federal Way Thursday night (April 29).

The 300-gallon, privately-owned tank is used to fill construction and other work equipment. A worker with Long Painting noticed nothing unusual when he went into a trailer at the equipment site about 7:45 p.m. Thursday. When he left the trailer about 8:35 p.m., diesel fuel was flowing across a parking lot, into a grassy area, soaking into the ground and going into a creek about 700 feet from where it enters Puget Sound.

The spill was reported to Ecology about 10 p.m. The cause and volume of the spill are under investigation, but initial reports indicate an equipment failure on the tank. It had been filled recently, and the spill emptied the tank.

Cleanup contractor NRC Environmental Services was hired to help contain and clean up the fuel. The company launched a boat to deploy boom in Puget Sound, but the fuel was too thin to recover from the surface of the water.

Oil absorbent boom and pads are in the creek to soak up any additional fuel that seeps from the creek bank into the water.

The King County Sheriff’s Office flew a helicopter over the area and used infrared imaging to get a picture of the spill.

The area of the park where the spill occurred will be closed.

Ecology will continue its investigation and will work with fish and wildlife officials to determine what environmental damage resulted from the spill. Cultural resource and archeological officials also will consult local tribes to ensure cleanup efforts do not cause further damage.

Oil was visible in the surrounding water. Oil spilled in water typically forms oily patches that spread out quickly. These oil slicks can cover many acres of water.

All oil spills cause environmental damage, regardless of size. Oil is toxic to the environment and the damage starts as soon as the oil hits water. A single quart of oil has the potential to foul more than 100,000 gallons of water.

Story and Photos by Scott Schaefer

Members of Boy Scout Troop #375 were busy Saturday (Jan. 2nd), at their annual Christmas Tree Recycling Fundraiser in the parking lot of Herr Backyard Garden Center in Burien.

Troop #375 includes boys from an area that includes Des Moines, Normandy Park, Burien, White Center and West Seattle (for more information, check out their website here).

It’s just $5 to donate your tree(s), and they’ll be accepting more on Sunday (Jan. 3rd) from 9am to 4pm.

“This is one of two major fundraisers we do every year,” said Scoutmaster Mark Ufkes as he supervised the kids. “Along with our annual dinner at St. Francis, the money raised today will go towards scholarships for camps for scouts. And people should know that a kid can be a Boy Scout without having to pay much money.”

Ufkes continued: “To be a Boy Scout, all you have to do is a) be between 11 and 18 years old, b) be an upstanding citizen, c) believe in a higher power, and d) want to spend a lot of time outdoors doing adventures with other kids. Having money is not a factor.”

This event is a “mandatory” one for members of this troop, and we counted at least 12 scouts while we were there Saturday afternoon. Ufkes says that all 20 boys from this troop will help out over the entire weekend, making one wonder:

How many scouts does it take to de-limb a Christmas tree?

To find out, click on Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow below:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

The large truck hauler used at his event was donated by Scarsella Brothers Construction, who help out every year.

Over the last two years, 16 Eagle Scouts have been awarded in Troop #375, which is an unusually high number. The Troop is currently sponsored by St. Francis of Assisi Church in Burien.

According to the Des Moines Historical Society, Boy Scout Troop #375 was formed March 17, 1924 by Rev. Beatty, Scoutmaster, Rollin Case, and Franklin Lowery. In 1923, Rev. Cyrus Gilbert, a teacher at Sunnydale and Highline High School, had established a troop at Sunnydale.

We here at The Waterland Blog highly recommend that all Readers recycle your tree with these kids, because everything stays local, from the donations, which fund scout activities, to the firewood, which will be sold to raise funds, to the mulch made from the tree chippings (which will end up in a local yard).

It’s that time of year again, when the holiday trimmings start coming off, get put into big plastic storage bins in the shed or garage, leaving behind a dilapidated and dried up, dangerously flammable Christmas tree with no place to go.

And not only that, but you probably also have lots of cardboard boxes, Styrofoam and packing materials scattered about as well.

Here’s your Waterland Blog guide on where and how to recycle your holiday crap:

JAN. 11-15 DES MOINES TREE-CYCLING EVENT:

• Allied Waste will be picking up Christmas trees for City of Des Moines residential curbside customers during the week of January 11 – 15 on the normal garbage pick-up day.
• Place trees curbside, cut into 4′ lengths and tie into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• Tinsel, garland, and ornament hangers must be removed.
• There will be no charge for this special pick-up.
• Must be a garbage customer to be eligible.
• Trees need to be cut into 4′ lengths and tied into bundles no more than 2′ wide.
• Call Laura Techico with questions at 206-870-6595.

BOY SCOUT TROOP #375 BURIEN RECYCLING EVENT SAT./SUN. JAN. 2-3:

• Boy Scout Troop #375 will be recycling trees on Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 2nd and 3rd) from 9am – 3pm at Herr Backyard Garden Center on SW 160th near First Ave South, and look for the Boy Scouts and wood chipper device.
• $5 fee per tree.
• Trees must be “clean,” meaning no tinsel, no forgotten ornaments, etc.
• Call Herr Garden Center for more information: 242-2014.

NORMANDY PARK:

• Allied Waste provides curbside collection of Christmas Trees to single-family residential yard debris customers.
• Yard Debris customers can set Christmas trees out on their regularly scheduled collection day.
• Trees must be free of flocking, tinsel, ornaments and metal hangers, cut to 4′ lengths and tied into bundles less than 2′ wide.
• Use biodegradable string or twine – no nylon, plastic or other synthetic materials.
• Flocked trees are not recyclable and will not be accepted – put flocked trees in the garbage.

DO IT YOURSELF:

• Waste Management also takes Christmas trees, but we suggest cutting yours in 4′ lengths and tie it into bundles less than 2′ wide, and perhaps even cutting it up and placing it inside your yard waste container.
• Pacific Topsoils, Inc. in Tukwila allows Christmas tree drop-offs; Call for Hours (206) 772-3091; located at 6000 S 129th Street in Tukwila.
• King County has several options for recycling Christmas trees. Call the King County Solid Waste Division Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

More suggestions from Sustainable Burien’s website:

• Styrofoam: at the Sustainable Burien collection event on Thursday, Dec. 31st and Friday, Jan. 1 or at Styrorecycle any time. All Styrofoam must be clean. They’ll also take clean packing peanuts of all types. See their Events page for details.
• Christmas Trees: In your yard waste (ornaments and other non-biodegradable items need to be removed, check with your waste collection company to see how much cutting you need to do) or at the above-mentioned Boy Scout Troop #375 tree-cycling event.
• Boxes and wrapping paper: In with your regular recycling as long as you’ve removed ribbons, bows and any other non-recyclable material. Foil wrappings, wrapping with embedded material and other non-paper wrappings are not recyclable.
• Electronics: Under a Washington State law that went into effect Jan. 1, 2009, TVs, computers, monitors and laptops can be recycled for free at many locations. Usable, working items can be dropped off at most charities who will resell them. Dead or out-dated items can be recycled at a number of locations. Personally I suggest taking all electronics to RE-PC in Tukwila or South Seattle. They will resell what they can, and what can’t be sold is recycled properly and locally through Total Reclaim which is important. Some recycling locations ship material out of State or worse yet out of the country for “recycling” and that can cause big problems. See our archived tip for details. If all you’ve got is items that can’t be resold, save a step and take them all to Total Reclaim. Contact them to see what else they’ll take.
• For other Holiday related items: see the links in the top right corner of the King County Solid Waste Page.

The Citizens Against Sea-Tac Expansion (C.A.S.E.) is holding their monthly “Sea-Tac Expansion” Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd from 7pm to 9pm at the ERAC offices, located at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW in Burien

Here are the details:

WHAT: CASE Monthly Meeting

WHEN: Wednesday, September 2nd, from 7pm to 9pm.

WHERE: ERAC (Highline District Adm. Office), located at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. S.W., Burien.

INFO: CASE President Brett Fish will conduct the meeting and briefly update us on a number of actions/issues we have with the Port of Seattle and with the 3rd runway operations. These will include:

• The significant noise Increase resulting from the operations using the 3rd runway is much greater than predicted prior to the construction because of the 24-hour use was not planned. Our State Representative Dave Upthegrove and Des Moines Mayor Bob Sheckler, former Director of the ACC (Airport Cities Coalition), will be available to speak on this subject.
• The multiyear study by the WA State Aviation Planning Council, started in 2005, has been completed and reported to the governor. The results do not identify the next regional airport in Washington as was expected. RCAA Operations Manager Chas Talbot will update us on this subject.
• Construction is still continuing on the re-construction of the #1 runway.
• Questions or Comments will be heard as time allows.

If you have questions or need directions, call 206-824-6589.

Tukwila company American Electronics Recycling Corporation is holding a FREE “E-Cycling” event this weekend (Aug. 7th, 8th, and 9th from 9am – 3:30pm) as part of the state’s “E-Cycle” law that allows for convenient and environmentally-responsible recycling of computers, monitors, laptops and televisions.

Drop-offs are being accepted at American Electronics Recycling Corporation offices, located at 18435 Olympic Ave. South in the South Center South Industrial Park in Tukwila (see map below). There will be signs directing traffic off of West Valley Highway.

Here are the details:

WHAT: FREE e-cycling event

WHEN: Friday, Aug. 7th, Saturday, Aug. 8th and Sunday, Aug. 9th, from 9am-3:30pm

WHERE: American Electronics Recycling Corporation offices, located at 18435 Olympic Ave. South in the South Center South Industrial Park in Tukwila (see map below)

INFO: They will be collecting a long list of electronic items, including all TVs, Laptops, PCs, and Monitors for free. AER is registered with the WA State Dept. of Ecology, as part of the E-Cycle WA program. More info on our company, and a list of the items they will be accepting can be found at http://www.aercorprecycler.com.

Here’s more info from the State of Washington E-Cycle website:

Who can use the program?
Households, small businesses, schools & school districts, small governments, special purpose districts, and charities can recycle electronic products free of charge in this program.

What can I recycle for free?

• Televisions
• Computers
• Computer monitors
• Portable or laptop computers

Please note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program.

Why recycle electronics?
Many electronics, especially TVs and computers, contain toxic materials such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Reusing and recycling electronics keeps these toxic materials out of our landfills and incinerators and also recovers valuable resources. The electronic equipment this program collects will be taken apart and separated into materials such as glass, plastic, metal and toxic chemicals. All recycling will follow performance standards set up by the Department of Ecology.

To find other drop-off points near you, visit this website.

View Larger Map

With the summer months comes heat, late sunsets and of course…an awakened Mother Nature, including predators like coyotes.

WLB Reader Cindy sent us the following email:

Could some type of notification be sent to Des Moines residents that there are coyotes in the area?

I’ve seen them (and heard pups) in the greenbelt between 15 Ave S & 13 Ave S. I’ve seen several people looking for their cats & some have posted fliers. I’ve heard cats screaming at night. I’m sure coyotes and raccoons are getting some, if not all, of them.

Marine View Vet told my neighbors that a cat they found had been attacked by coyotes – it had to be euthanized when it was discovered to also have feline aids.

There’s a clearing south of 22633 15th Ave S where children sometimes play, people walk their dogs & they also pick blackberries. The coyotes and pups have been heard howling just on the edge of the clearing (on the edge of the greenbelt), just feet and maybe inches from where these people have been observed.

I’m afraid someone is going to get hurt if something isn’t done. Please advise.

Thank you,
Cindy

The last known coyote scare in the area that we know of was last August, when fliers were posted in the North Hill neighborhood about missing pets and sightings of these creatures (read the post here on our sister site The B-Town Blog).

Here’s a video from last September of a coyote spotted in Seattle:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apuKlq-v2iE[/youtube]

And here’s one of a trucker in British Columbia feeding a coyote his leftover sandwich:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09eb88XgZDk[/youtube]

Have you seen a coyote? Think they’re a danger to Des Moines? Please take our poll or Comment below…

Thursday, June 18th is National “Dump The Pump” day, an annual event sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association to raise awareness of the benefits of public transit.

Everyone is concerned about saving money and cutting down on expenses these days. And as local gas prices again begin to creep up to $3 a gallon, one of the easiest ways to keep more money in your wallet is to park your car at home and hop on public transportation.

Once again this year, the region’s transportation agencies are urging residents to ride a bus, train, boat, bike, take a walk, or share the ride this Thursday.

National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation to save money, protect the environment, reduce dependence on foreign oil, and improve our quality of life. APTA’s monthly Transit Savings Report consistently ranks the Seattle metropolitan area as one of the top ten regions for potential transit savings.

Community Transit, Everett Transit, Intercity Transit, King County Metro Transit, Kitsap Transit, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and the WSDOT Ferries Division (Washington State Ferries) are joining agencies across the country to ask those who’ve never tried public transportation to get on board with saving and take a new ride on Thursday. Regular transit users are encouraged to make it a “zero drive” day, and only use transit.

“Puget Sound residents have so many great alternatives to driving—buses, streetcars, vanpools, trains, the iconic ferries, and in less than a month we’ll be adding 16 miles of light rail to that long list,” said Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl.

The agencies in the Puget Sound region share a common goal of offering safe, reliable, and low-cost transportation choices. Yet, each offers a unique array services that interconnect with other agencies to create a very useable transportation network for the region.

Some are hosting special activities for Dump the Pump Day, and others are featuring regular services that can help you save money every day.

King County Metro Transit:
Dump the Pump Day also coincides with the start of summer, and King County Metro Transit wants people who are “staycationing” close to home this year to see how much farther their vacation/holiday dollars stretch when they travel by bus.

In addition to bus routes serving the big-city attractions in Seattle and Bellevue, Metro also has regular service to parks, beaches, malls, movie theaters, ball parks, and hiking trails. There are discounted fares for children and families to help make summertime fun more affordable.

Sound Transit:
Sound Transit, the regional provider of commuter rail and express bus service, has been calculating savings to help its customers “ride out the recession.” Riders have responded by sending in their personal savings stories. Here’s one:

“I live in Queen Anne and work for a non-profit in Redmond, about a 40 mile commute round trip each day. Last year, my employer purchased bus passes for employees and sold them to us for $30. Once I started taking the bus to work, I went from spending about $150 – $200 a month in gas to now about $30. I take the bus more than just to work now; I hardly ever even drive my car at all anymore.”

Sound Transit offers commuters throughout the region several ways to dump the pump to save money and help the environment. Sound Transit operates regional express bus service, Sounder commuter rail service, light rail in Tacoma, and on July 18, Central Link light rail line will launch service between downtown Seattle and Tukwila.

In the Puget Sound region, eight public transportation agencies carry more than 500,000 passengers every weekday and serve a population of more than 3.8 million in the five-county area.?c

The Normandy Park and Burien Spring Recycling Event and Rain Barrel Sale is scheduled for this Saturday, May 16th from 9am – 3pm at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center, which is located at 19010 First Avenue South.

At this event you can safely dispose of numerous unwanted materials, some for free, others for a small fee.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Normandy Park & Burien Recycling Collection Event

WHEN: Saturday, May 16th from 9 am to 3 pm

WHERE: Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center

INFO: Recycle these household wastes:

• TIRES: Bias ply, steel belted, and studded tires accepted. Limit 6 passenger tires per household (18 inches and below) free of charge. $1.50 charge for each tire on a rim. $5 charged for each large truck tire and $15 charged for each truck tire on rim (cash only). No oversized tires accepted.
• MOTOR OIL, FILTERS, & ANTIFREEZE: Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, 2-cycle oil, steering fluid, crankcase oil, kerosene, and home heating fuel. Do not mix with antifreeze, solvents, gasoline, or other substances.

Items Must Meet the Following Guidelines:

• LEAD ACID BATTERIES: Car, truck, marine, and motorcycle batteries accepted.
• ALKALINE BATTERIES: AAAA, AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D cell batteries only.
• CARDBOARD: Please flatten. No wax coated cardboard.
• REUSEABLE HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND CLOTHING: Clothing and miscellaneous household items in good condition will be collected by Seattle Goodwill. Mattresses and furniture will not be accepted. Items in need of repair will not be accepted.
• PORCELAIN TOILETS AND SINKS: $5 charge (cash only). Toilet seats, hardware, and base wax rings must be removed.
• PROPANE TANKS: Residential tanks only. $5 charge (cash only).
• CLEAN SCRAP WOOD: Includes milled wood, plywood, pallets, and other untreated and unpainted wood. No peg board, particle or press board.
• BULKY WOOD: Includes large tree branches (minimum 6 inches in diameter), logs, and stumps. No leaves, grass, small branches, sod, or brush. Please lay a tarp under material for ease of removal.
• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT: DVD players, VCRs, stereo equipment, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, cellular phones and computer peripherals such as keyboards and mice. Computer monitors and televisions will not be accepted. You can recycle these items for free at other locations – see the E-Cycle box for more information.

Household Hazardous Wastes can be taken to the Household Hazardous Wastemobile or one of three household hazardous waste collection sites. Normandy Park and Burien residents may use the South Seattle Household Hazardous Waste Facility – 8105 5th Avenue South, Seattle. Open 9:30 am – 4:30 pm, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (except holidays). Volume restrictions apply.

Latex paint is no longer considered hazardous waste and the household hazardous waste facilities in King County (the Wastemobile, Factoria, and two Seattle sites) no longer accept it. Residents who cannot use up latex paint, please dry it out and put it in the garbage with the lid off. Visit the King County website www.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/swd for more information on how to dry out latex paint.

DON’T BRING:

• No Scrap Metal
• No construction/demolition debris
• No plastic toys, hoses, etc.
• No window glass
• These hazardous wastes:
• No oil based paint
• No pesticides/herbicides
• No household chemicals
• No cleaning products
• No fluorescent lights

For event information, call 206-248-7603 or visit www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal/ or call the Household Hazards Line Monday to Friday 9 am to 4:30 pm except holidays at 206-296-4692.

Appliances and scrap metals will not be collected at this event. Appliances and scrap metals will be collected at a similar event this fall. Washington now has a FREE recycling program called “E-Cycle Washington” for computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions. Call 1-800-RECYCLE or visit 1800recycle.wa.gov to find authorized E-Cycle Washington collection locations. In the Burien/Normandy Park area you may drop off computers, computers monitors, laptops, and televisions at no charge at the following E-Cycle Washington locations: Burien Goodwill Store (1031 SW 128th Street, Burien, WA 98146) and Salvation Army Burien Store (16033 1st Ave S, Burien, WA 98148). Please note – drop off locations may change. Quantities accepted are limited. Please also note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program but will be accepted at City Recycling Collection Events.

Rain Barrel & Compost Bin Sale:
To encourage the use of recycled content material and more efficient use of water, the cities of Burien and Normandy Park are offering recycled plastic rain barrels at a huge discount. In addition, start backyard composting with a compost bin to save resources and money. Composting is a natural process that turns yard waste into rich soil. Yard waste—grass, leaves, old flowers—contain mostly water. Once the material decomposes, rich soil is all that’s left.

$20 each. Cash only. While supplies last. No pre or post event sales.

The National Weather Service issued a “Special Weather Statement” Sunday afternoon about a strong, windy weather system that’s predicted to hit the area Monday night.

We’re no Cliff Mass, but one thing that struck us was the mention of the pressure in this storm, rated at 980 millibars. As comparison, Hurricane Katrina was rated at 920 mb (lower is stronger), and the Inauguration Day storm of 1993 was rated between 972-980 mb (for a great read on northwest storm systems, with info on pressures, click here).

While it’s a powerful system, since the storm will weaken as it pushes inland, wind speeds are predicted to be between 20-35 mph, with gusts up to 45. There could be downed trees and power outages though, so you may want to batten down your boat if you’ve got one.

Here’s the statement:

Statement as of 3:51 PM PDT on May 03, 2009

… Very windy conditions are expected to develop in the western Washington lowlands Monday night and continue through Tuesday morning…

A developing storm system in the central Pacific is expected to deepen to around 980 mb as it moves through the Washington offshore waters toward northern Vancouver Island Monday and Monday night. A strong frontal system associated with this low will move through western Washington Monday night.

A storm and frontal system of this magnitude is more typical of late fall or winter than of early may.

At this point it appears that south winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph will develop Monday night as the front moves through and continue through the early morning hours on Tuesday. Many deciduous trees are now leafing. So winds of this magnitude may break some large branches and possibly topple a few trees.

Local power outages are possible.

Monday April 27th saw one of the lowest tides so far this year, a -2.7 at 1:11pm, and Photographer Michael Brunk was on the scene at the beach in Des Moines, where lots of normally-unseen area residents were exposed:

Click to View Slideshow

If you’re interested in meeting more of your normally-unseen neighbors during another minus tide, mark your calendars for:

• A -2.7 tomorrow (Tuesday, April 28th) at 1:58pm
• A -3.65 on Sunday, May 26th at 12:53pm
• The lowest tide of the year will be a -3.91 on Tuesday, June 23rd at 11:52am

Saturday morning (4/25), Des Moines was overtaken by eager and helpful volunteers, young and old alike, wearing orange vests and gloves, filling up their trash bags as Destination Des Moines‘ annual “Earth Day Clean Up” got underway.

Photographer Michael Brunk was on the scene, and he captured some great moments, as evidenced in this slideshow:

Click to View Slideshow

On Friday (4/24), the King County Housing Authority and Federal Way Public Schools Americorps teams, in conjunction with Washington State Parks, hosted an Earth Day Fair at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, and here’s a photo slideshow, shot by Photographer Michael Brunk:

Click to View

The King County Housing Authority and Federal Way Public Schools Americorps teams, in conjunction with Washington State Parks, are hosting an Earth Day Fair at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines (map below) this Friday, April 24th from 10am to 2pm.

“Be Water Wise” is the theme, and elementary and middle school students will have the opportunity to do interactive activities and visit information booths.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Earth Day “Be Water Wise” event at Saltwater State Park

WHEN: Friday, April 24th from 10am to 2pm

WHERE: Saltwater State Park, located at 25205 8th Pl South in Des Moines (map below)

INFO: This event will allow students to examine the water around them and the life impacted by it. They will learn to play safely in water and participate in fun arts and crafts. Representatives will also be there from a variety of water-related fields planting seeds for future career ideas for students.

So far the tentative schedule and events includes:

• 11am/12:45pm: Beach/forest walks
• 11:45am-12:45pm: Entertainment
• Activity and information booths will be open the entire time
• Explore Careers in Marine Science, National and Community Service, Education and Environmental Science
• Meet Divers, Park Rangers and Marine Biologists

NOTE: They will be able to accommodate a limited number of students for this event. To reserve a spot for you class contact: Malia Delacruz, KCHA AmeriCorps at 206.870.4294 or saltwaterearthday@gmail.com

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Des Moines’ annual Earth Day Clean Up is coming Saturday, April 25th, and here’s your chance to help your community:

WHAT: Des Moines Marina District Earth Day Clean Up Sponsored by Destination Des Moines

WHEN: Saturday, April 25th, from 9 am – 11am

WHERE: Meet at Big Catch Plaza. Clean up will take place between Marine View Drive to the Marina (Dock Street) S. 216th Street – S. 227th Street and everything in between!

INFO: Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves, garden tools, shovel, bucket, and rakes!

CONTACT: To volunteer, please call Leslie Newman at 206-769-8882 or via email: leslienewman@remax.net

For more information go to destinationdesmoines.org

ABOUT EARTH DAY:
Earth Day — April 22 — each year marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

Among other things, 1970 in the United States brought with it the Kent State shootings, the advent of fiber optics, “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Apollo 13, the Beatles’ last album, the death of Jimi Hendrix, the birth of Mariah Carey, and the meltdown of fuel rods in the Savannah River nuclear plant near Aiken, South Carolina — an incident not acknowledged for 18 years.

Participant in Earth Day, 1970. Photo: EPA History Office

It was into such a world that the very first Earth Day was born.

Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda. ” “It was a gamble,” he recalls, “but it worked.”

At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. Environment was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.

Earth Day 1970 turned that all around.

On April 22, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. Denis Hayes, the national coordinator, and his youthful staff organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CRs-7lRlPo[/youtube]

Here’s a way to have fun (in the dark or with candles), save a few cents on your electric bill, and feel like you’re part of something big (very big, as in global) – tonight (Sat., March 28th), from 8:30pm-9:30pm is “Earth Hour,” where you’re encouraged to turn your lights off for one full hour.

“Earth Hour” is sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund, which is asking individuals, businesses, governments and organizations around the world to turn off their lights to make a global statement of concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions.

It is projected that one billion people will go dark for Earth Hour.

Already hundreds of icons and landmarks around the world have signed up to turn their lights off for Earth Hour 2009 including:

• The Eiffel Tower in Paris
• Sydney Opera House
• Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens
• The London Eye
• Perhaps your house?

For more information, check out earthhour.org.

Here’s another video with more info:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2gfq2-ge5U[/youtube]

King County’s “Wastemobile” will be making a major pickup stop at the Des Moines Marina the weekend of March 27th through 29th, and here are the details:

WHAT: Spring Hazardous Waste Recycling Event

WHEN: March 27-29 from 10am – 5pm

WHERE: Des Moines Marina, 22307 Dock Street in Des Moines (map below)

INFO: The Wastemobile is a free service to residents of King County. It travels to many communities to provide household hazardous waste disposal services for King County residents. Bring your household hazardous waste to the Wastemobile collection event in your area.

What happens to your hazardous waste:

• Corrosive Liquids: Such as drain cleaner, pool chemicals, etc. are neutralized at a treatment facility.
• Latex paint: Uncontaminated latex paint can be blended and tinted for reuse, then sold as new product. Latex paint that isn’t recyclable into new paint may be used as an additive in the manufacture of certain cement compounds.
• Lead acid batteries: Recycled at smelters in the US, reclaiming the lead.
• Mercury: Processed through retort and prepared for use in commercial applications.
• Oil-base paints, solvents and thinners: Blended into a fuel mixture for use at facilities such as cement kilns.
• Pesticides and poisons: Kept in their original containers or sealed in a bag if the container is rusty or leaking. Each container is nestled one-by-one into layers of absorbent granules inside steel drums. These wastes are incinerated or placed in a hazardous waste landfill.
• Used Motor Oil: Accepted at the Wastemobile or by private sector businesses is re-refined into new lubricating products or reused as fuel for ships and cement kilns.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Aerosols (if not empty), for others see below
• Automotive batteries
• Automotive products (oil, gasoline, antifreeze, brake fluid, etc.)
• Batteries (except alkaline)
• Fluorescent light bulbs
• Gasoline
• Glues and adhesives
• Household Cleaners (Ammonia, bleach)
• Hobby chemicals
• Oil-based paints
• Indoor & outdoor pesticides
• Products that contain mercury (Fluorescent lamps, thermometers, thermostats)
• Pool and Spa Supplies
• Propane tanks (5 gallon max)
• Road flares
• Thinners and solvents

WHAT NOT TO BRING:

• 55 gallon drums of household hazardous waste
• Call the Household Hazards Phone Line for a Waste Clearance: 206-296-4692
• Aerosols (empty): Aerosols include paints, pesticides, solvent cleaners, and oven cleaners. Low toxicity products that are typically used for beauty and hygiene uses (hair sprays, shaving creams, deoderant, etc.), and empty aerosol cans may be disposed of in the garbage.
• Alkaline batteries: Information on household batteries
• Biological wastes: Call the Household Hazards Phone Line at 206-296-4692
• Bullets, munitions, gunpowder, fireworks, etc.: Call your local non-emergency police number (DM: 206-878-3301 • NP: 206-248-7600 • Burien: 206-296-3333)
• Computers: Visit the Take it Back Network website
• Empty containers of any type: Treat as garbage, but see our information on gas cylinders
• Explosives: Call the Bomb Squad, 911
• Latex Paint (including latex paint stains): Dry it out and put it in the garbage with the lid off. Use one (1) part kitty litter to one (1) part latex paint or mix with a commercial paint hardener according to directions. Drying out latex paints and latex paint stains may vary depending on the product and time of year.
• Medical wastes (including sharps): See the Public Health information website
• Medications: Leave in the original container and place the container in a closed heavy duty ziplock bag. Place this bag in another plastic bag (so not conspicuous) and place it in the garbage can.
• Oil-contaminated soil: Call the Household Hazards Phone Line at 206-296-4692
• Paint brushes and empty paint cans: Treat as garbage (see above).
• Smoke detectors, radioactive wastes: Call the Household Hazards phone line at 206-296-4692
• Televisions: See the Public Health information website
• Tires: See the Public Health information website

Questions? Call the Household Hazards Phone Line at 206-296-4692.

For everyone’s safety, please remember these tips:

1. Don’t mix products.
2. Keep products in original containers.
3. Label products not in original containers.
4. Secure products so they won’t tip over or leak.
5. Secure the entire load in your vehicle or trailer. Vehicles arriving with unsecured loads at public or private transfer stations in King County can be charged an unsecured load fee. (King County Solid Waste Division)
6. Store products away from the passenger compartment of your vehicle and keep them separate from items you wish to retain.
7. Stay in your vehicle during unloading at the Wastemobile.
8. Site limits:

• For the Seattle facilities and the King County Wastemobile, there is a 30-gallon gasoline limit, and pre-approval is required for large quantities (over 50 gallons), containers over 5 gallons in size, and any unusual wastes. Contact the Household Hazards Line at (206) 296-4692, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., except holidays, for disposal options and procedures.

DIRECTIONS:

Des Moines Marina is located at (see map below):

22307 Dock Street
Des Moines, WA 98198

From I-5 take the Kent-Des Moines Road exit, follow Hwy signs to Des Moines, west on South 227th Street down to the Marina. Site is located in the north parking lot.

If you have a Thomas Guide map, look on Page 684 J-6.

More information at the Wastemobile website.

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The State of Washington now has a new “E-Cycle” law that allows for FREE, convenient and environmentally-responsible recycling of computers, monitors, laptops and televisions, and a local company is open for drop-offs in Tukwila.

Drop-offs are being accepted at American Electronics Recycling Corporation offices, located at 18435 Olympic Ave. S. Suite B in Tukwila (map below).

• Hours are Mon – Sat from 8:30am – 3:00pm.
• They also offer a pickup service for a fee.
• Visit www.aercorprecycler.com for additional electronics that are accepted at this location.
• They are registered with the WA Dept. of Ecology, and are part of the “Take it Back” network for King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties.

Here’s more info from the State of Washington E-Cycle website:

Who can use the program?
Households, small businesses, schools & school districts, small governments, special purpose districts, and charities can recycle electronic products free of charge in this program.

What can I recycle for free?

• Televisions
• Computers
• Computer monitors
• Portable or laptop computers

Please note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program.

Why recycle electronics?
Many electronics, especially TVs and computers, contain toxic materials such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Reusing and recycling electronics keeps these toxic materials out of our landfills and incinerators and also recovers valuable resources. The electronic equipment this program collects will be taken apart and separated into materials such as glass, plastic, metal and toxic chemicals. All recycling will follow performance standards set up by the Department of Ecology.

To find other drop-off points near you, visit this website.

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