05/10/2008 Natural home funerals becoming more common When a loved one dies, a funeral home is the normal routine for many families. But more people are opting to leave the funeral preparations at home. Burials the natural way

05/09/2008 King County to study biodiesel King County Council member Reagan Dunn is calling for a biofuel analysis to see if it's doing more harm than good to the environment. Metro reconsidering biodiesel

Salt water tested as fuel source After much speculation, a process that converts sea water into a possible fuel source is gaining legitimacy. Could this end the energy crisis?

05/08/2008 President signs Wild Sky Wilderness bill Nearly six years after it was first introduced, a bill to create a Wild Sky Wilderness near Sultan, northeast of Seattle, has become law.

Western states rebuff plan to put Italian waste in Utah Eight Western states Thursday rejected a company's plan to ship tons of radioactive Italian waste to Utah by declaring that rules don't allow for foreign loads.

05/07/2008 More people illegally dumping old TV sets Some of region's most sensitive areas are turning into clandestine landfills for the old TVs, and some blame the upcoming transition to High Definition TV. Where to recycle electronics

Necropsy indicates sea lions not shot to death Federal fisheries officials said today that no evidence of recent gunshot wounds was found in the six sea lions found dead in traps near Bonneville Dam.

Sunken oyster dredge leaking fuel in Grays Harbor
The Ecology Department believes about 75 gallons of fuel may have leaked from an oyster dredge that sank at the mouth of Johns River on Grays Harbor.

05/03/2008 Spokane lags in recycling effort Last year, Spokane sent more than 50,000 tons of garbage to a landfill more than 200 miles away because there wasn't room to burn it in the city's trash incinerator.

05/02/2008 Chuckanut Ridge neighbors battle proposed development The development would bring 700 new housing units, but neighbors say it comes at an environmental cost. Developer: Environmentally friendly

05/01/2008 Study: Oxygen-depleted ocean zones expanding Low-oxygen zones where sea life is threatened or cannot survive are growing as the oceans are heated by global warming, a new study warns.

Contaminated sand slated for Idaho dump site
Nearly 80 rail cars loaded with contaminated sand from Kuwait are headed toward a dump in southwestern Idaho.

Feds declares West Coast salmon fisheries disaster It's official: This year's West Coast salmon fishery is an economic disaster.

Baby birds babble, too Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studied the brains of baby zebra finches found that the babies babble away before mastering their adult song. INSIDE: Hear the babbling babies

Investigators: Some recyclers getting greenwashed Many people search for the recycling symbol when they're trying to determine what products to buy, but that triangle of arrows doesn't always guarantee it can be recycled. What can you recycle?

04/30/2008 New advice on eating fish from Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River State health officials are recommending more limits on consumption of fish from Lake Roosevelt and the Spokane River because of pollution.

New device tests mercury levels in Seattle fish Makers of a new mercury-testing system for seafood say it's quick, easy and accurate - and it's now at work in Seattle.

04/29/2008 Congress approves Wild Sky Wilderness bill The measure that will protect 167 square acres in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is headed to the President's desk, where he is expected to sign the bill into law.

Captured sea lion dies at Tacoma zoo Three sea lions who were caught at the Bonneville Dam for eating endangered salmon are headed to the "Lone Star State" tonight, but one of the captured sea lions has died. Headed for Texas

Egyptian shipper pays millions for ocean dumping
An Egyptian shipping company has paid a $7.25 million fine after it was convicted of federal felony charges for dumping waste oil at sea.

04/28/2008 Gray whales make annual visit to Puget Sound The migratory gray whales are feeding in the shallow waters of the Snohomish River Delta, on their way to Alaska. Glimpse of Gray Whales

04/29/2008 UW buildings get major earthquake retrofit People attending a national earthquake conference in Seattle get a chance to see how the state's largest university is preparing for the big one. Some buildings date back a century

04/24/2008 Low snow levels driving bears into suburbs Even in the areas that have melted, the food plants for bears haven't had time to grow. Neighbors in disbelief

Food bank forced to clean gas thieves' mess Volunteers and the city came to the rescue of the Fishline Food Bank in Poulsbo, Wash. after Tuesday's theft. The poor are the victims

Federal court blocks killing sea lions at Bonneville Dam A federal appeals court authorized Washington and Oregon to trap but not kill hungry California sea lions eating salmon on the Columbia River. Historic trapping begins at Bonneville Dam

04/23/2008 South Whidbey fault bigger than first thought The fault may extend from Victoria, B.C. all the way to Eastern Washington, raising the potential for an especially devastating quake. Longer fault means larger quake

04/22/2008 Tips for green spring cleaning The Brock family of Shoreline has some tips for spring cleaning the Earth Day Way. Emptying the 'closet of doom'

Seattle students mark 'Earth Day' with local, global action Today is Earth Day, and some Seattle students are celebrating big by making a local commitment and trying to take it global.  Students take 'An Inconvenient Ride'

04/20/2008 Residents across Washington tackle Earth Day projects Earth Day isn't until Tuesday, but volunteers across Washington got a head start on it over the weekend by clearing invasive plants, planting native ones and picking up trash.

04/18/2008 Destructive pests found in shipment from China to Seattle U.S. Customs and Border Protection says officers trapped two types of beetles and a species of wasp from Asia that can damage hardwood trees in the United States.

Agencies conduct massive study of Arctic haze Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide have been the focus of climate change. Scientists amassed at Fairbanks and Barrow are focusing on another suspect: tiny floating particles known as aerosols.

04/17/2008 House panel boosts wildfire funding bill Lawmakers stunned by a dramatic jump in federal spending on wildfires say they have found a way to pay for the next disaster.

Portland Airport gives compost to travelers Travelers returning through Portland International Airport Friday will be offered free compost as part of the Port of Portland's celebration of its environmental efforts.

NW drivers cutting back big time on gas consumption A Seattle-based think tank says Oregon, Washington and Idaho drivers have cut back on gas use by a gallon per-person since 1999. AG finds no WA gas price manipulation

Kirkland community fighting invasive plants with goats Kirkland residents are now using hungry goats to save native trees and shrubs at Cottonhill Park from invasive plants. Residents restoring urban forest

4 protesters arrested in front of Weyerhaeuser Federal Way Police have arrested four protesters who chained themselves to a flower pot in front of Weyerhaeuser Co. headquarters, as shareholders were streaming into an annual meeting.

04/16/2008 Bush to propose new target for stopping growth of gas emissions Revising his stance on global warming, President Bush will propose a new target for stopping the growth of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

04/15/2008 Freaky fish washes up near Ocean Shores While walking on the beach near Ocean Shores, Curtis Fowler discovered a strange fish. Local experts have identified it as the Long Nose Lancet.

04/14/2008 White House floats new climate proposal with GOP conservatives The White House has told a group of House GOP conservatives it may be forced to support a limited cap on greenhouse gases and avoid a "train wreck" of regulations involving climate change, sources familiar with the meeting said Monday.

WA looks to cut down on car miles to address climate change With people looking to escape rising gas costs and traffic gridlock, the use of public transportation by regular commuters is expected to increase.

Neah Bay gets year-round tug to prevent oil spills For the first time, an emergency tug will be ready for 365 days to help disabled ships in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

04/11/2008 Green movement generating big business Hundreds of vendors are setting up booths in Seattle this weekend - naturally. They are part of the first Seattle Green Festival taking place this weekend.

West Coast fisheries cancel commercial salmon fishing Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski declared a state of emergency this week after fisheries managers voted to cancel all commercial salmon fishing off the California and Oregon coasts.

04/10/2008 Senate approves Wild Sky wilderness near Seattle For the fourth and what supporters hope is the final time, the Senate has approved a bill to create a Wild Sky Wilderness northeast of Seattle.

Huge snow pack could impact summer recreation This winter's snowfall is going down as one of the deepest on record. Officially, the state has almost 50 percent more snow than in a normal season, but many places have two, three, and even ten times the normal amount of snow.

TIMES: Record snowfall means rosier outlook for water supply A snowy winter and cool wet spring have left the snowpack in Washington in good shape to supply water this summer for drinking, farms and dams.

Frog without lungs found in Indonesia
A frog has been found in a remote part of Indonesia that has no lungs and breathes through its skin, a discovery that researchers said Thursday could provide insight into what drives evolution in certain species.

04/09/2008 Deadly bacteria threatens Western Washington bees State beekeepers are taking emergency action to head off bacteria that's wiped out almost all of the hives in Western Washington.

Yakima Valley growers pull crops to make way for hops Some Yakima Valley hop growers are pulling other crops to plant the beer-flavoring ingredient and planting new acreage in response to a worldwide shortage that caught everyone - brewers, dealers and growers - by surprise.

Portland, Seattle rank high for hybrid car buyers According to Cars.com, shoppers on the west coast are the most likely to search for hybrid cars online.

Critics dispute cutting of trees at Seattle high school A big dispute is brewing over the cutting of more than 60 mature Douglas firs and red cedars to renovate Seattle's Ingraham High School.

04/07/2008 Poor spellers vandalize coffee shop Possible eco-vandals busted out windows and left a spray-painted message to the owners of The Woods Coffee in Bellingham, Wash. Message misspelled

West Coast salmon fishing ban considered The stunning collapse of one of the West Coast's biggest wild salmon runs has prompted even cash-strapped fishermen to call for an unprecedented shutdown of salmon fishing off the coasts of California and Oregon. Tough times ahead for fishermen

04/05/2008 How to keep bears out of the backyard A 1-year-old bear spotted in Puyallup's Bradley Lake Park this week surprised a lot of people, but experts say the sightings are becoming more common. Keep food away

California salmon collapse could lead to NW fishing ban The Pacific Fishery Management Council meets in Seattle this week and will likely vote to impose the most severe restrictions ever on West Coast salmon fishing.

04/03/2008 Dangerous mussel found on boat in La Conner The Conrad's False Mussel, a close cousin of the feared zebra mussel, was spotted on a western Washington boat, setting off an emergency reaction.

04/02/2008 18 states suing EPA over global warming Washington, Oregon and 16 other states are taking the EPA back to court to try to force it to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that rebuked the Bush administration for inaction on global warming.

Seattle mayor calls for fee on disposable grocery bags Mayor Greg Nickels proposed a 20-cent "green fee" on bags and a ban on foam containers. Mixed reaction What's your take on the fee?

UW prof studies newly discovered crawling fish
A University of Washington professor says a recently discovered fish that crawls instead of swimming could be part of an entirely unknown family of fishes.

03/31/2008 Private forest makes a nice tax shelter The Amber-Oliver family in Stanwood signed up for a forest stewardship class that could potentially save them thousands and help them make their forested land healthier and more beautiful.

Growing cruise ship industry impacting air, water quality The 2008 cruise season sets sail April 1, and while the local businesses prepare to feast on the proceeds, the environment may be left holding the tab. Seattle expects 211 cruise ships this year

Yakima Valley orchards monitored for drifting pesticides Monitoring stations have been set up at some central Washington orchards to measure whether pesticide sprays are drifting toward homes or schools.

03/29/2008

Lights go out Saturday night in Seattle
The Space Needle and Qwest Field were among Seattle landmarks that went dark for one hour in observation of Earth Hour, a global effort to conserve energy.

03/25/2008 Suit filed to halt killing of sea lions in Columbia River The lawsuit filed Monday had been filed in federal court in Washington D.C. last week but was withdrawn when the fish conservancy group asked to join it.

03/24/2008 Plea deal with Makah whalers charged in rogue hunt falls apart A plea agreement involving five members of the Makah tribe who killed a gray whale during a hunt last September fell through after federal prosecutors said in court they might seek to curtail the defendants' hunting rights.

Environmentalists sue feds over endangered species
WildEarth Guardians claims the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's promises to whittle down a backlog of plants and animals being considered for endangered species protection amount to "smoke and mirrors."