Our Sustainable Northwest

Study: Northwest Wildfire Severity Not Getting Worse

The Panther Creek fire is currently burning in North Cascades National Park Photo by Kerry Olson, NPS

To a lot of people, it seems like catastrophic wildfires are getting more common in the Northwest. Now a newly published study on wildfires questions that conventional wisdom. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

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Creative Solutions to Deal with Abandoned Mines

An old abandoned mine in Idaho. Stopping environmental contamination from the historic Clayton Silver Mine costs U.S. taxpayers about $2 million. Photo by Tom Banse.

CHALLIS, ID - Abandoned mines release pollutants into streams and are also draining the wallets of U.S. taxpayers. This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency celebrates a few creative solutions to get new owners to clean up and redevelop old mine sites. Tom Banse reports.

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EPA gives states OK for tougher tailpipe exhaust rules

(Flickr photograph by aliciagriffin)

OLYMPIA, WA - West Coast states can forge ahead with tougher tailpipe emissions rules. The federal government has granted trendsetter California a long-awaited OK. But the Obama Administration’s plans to increase gas mileage standards on a national basis mean West Coast states will not go it alone. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

This Year’s Northwest Cherry Harvest Could Set Records

(Flickr photograph by jen maiser)

Cherry farmers across the Northwest are probably going to churn out a record crop this summer. That’s as long as it doesn’t rain as Richland Correspondent Anna King explains.

In the next month Northwest cherry farmers could make millions, or lose their entire crop. It all depends on Mother Nature. If it gets too hot, cherries ripen cherries faster than workers can pick. Even a small amount of rain can get absorbed into the cherry’s tender flesh and split the fruit. (Full Story)

Small Collaborations: Nanotechnology, Home Design and Living Small

 

(Photo from BlueSky MOD - see below story for more links)

Host lead: Sometimes the best things come in very small packages. Nanotechnology is the the art of manipulating molecular materials to build microscopic devices We're also discovering how thinking "small" can change the way we design our homes and communities. This week on Our Northwest, we consider the potential impact of nano research and how innovative thinking is revolutionizing the building industry.  Listen here.

Ceramic Concrete

(Flickr photo, "Ankor Wat at Sunrise" is by Jon^2 - ceramic cement was used in the construction of the Ankor Wat)

Host intro:  In this segment of Our Northwest Building Green, Sueann Ramella reports on an ancient  building material which competes with concrete, and may be easy on the environment.

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Wood & Straw Materials

(Flickr photo, "Wood Inlay Study" by jlseagull)

Host Intro: You can huff and puff and not blow the house made of straw down…if you use straw based boards. Sueann Ramella reports on building materials that are sustainable in our series, Our Northwest. Listen here.

Toward a Sustainable Building Culture

 

(Flicker photo by LugoLounge, "Philip Johnson Dog House" - more on Johnson here).

Host Intro: As our "Building Green" series continues, correspondent Mary Hawkins explores ways that the construction industry is changing from the inside out.  Listen here.

"Green" Versus "Sustainable" in Design

(Flickr photo, "Orange Architecture"  by  Jeremy Pullen)

Host Intro: Green has become the buzzword for products that are earth-friendly. When we talk about having a low impact on the environment we are usually talking about Green living. But going Green is just the beginning. Sueann Ramella reports on the differences between Green and Sustainable living in our series, Our Northwest.  Listen here.