Happy New Years Eve!

It's Of Paramount Importance
that you have a Happy New Year's Eve! 

Great Blue Heron poses at Thornton Creek Park #6

The world will have to wait while we celebrate making it through the last decade of floods, earthquakes, tidal waves, terrorists, wars, famine, environmental disasters, election nightmares and what all! We deserve a night off! 

Welcome 2011! 

Old Fashioned Rose at Shoreline Historical Museum Garden

While things need doing, so does celebration now and then!

How Does the Tax Deal Passed by Congress Affect Solar for Your Home?

MNN (Mother Nature Network) has the story -
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/politics/blogs/what-the-tax-deal-means-for-your-home

What the tax deal means for your home

You have to dig for it, but there's a deal for those who want to make their homes more energy-efficient. Here are four things you should know.

by

Andrew Schenckel

So what’s in the tax compromise for clean energy? Well, one clean energy proponent says there’s some good things to come — but there could have been more.Kateri Callahan, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, said in a statement that she’s happy some new tax incentives are in the package but adds, “We’re sorely disappointed that Congress did not see fit to make the incentives more generous. That would have increased their use by consumers, to the benefit of our economy, energy security and environment.”

This is just one of the latest in a series of lukewarm endorsements of the tax plan, which probably proves that the compromise was fair but certainly not perfect — no matter how you define perfect.

Here's a list of four of the green energy provisions buried in H.R. 4853, otherwise known as the Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010.

1. Extension of the new homes tax credit for homebuilders

This simple rule extends existing tax credits for any new home that's built to use 50 percent or less energy for heating and cooling purposes. Of course, you have to prove this to be eligible, but the credit system remains in place and is more attractive than just a deduction.

2. A return to pre-stimulus incentives for improving existing homes

The federal government has agreed to keep a federal tax credit capped at $500 to any homeowner who makes approved energy-efficiency improvements. But there's a catch. The types of improvements are categorized and capped within the overall $500 cap. For instance, there is a limit on “building envelope” improvements like insulation, better roofs or better windows. You can deduct 10 percent of the cost of all of these improvements, but the credit cap for these dedications is $200, which can be exceeded pretty darned quickly.

3. Efficient heating systems of all kinds can be tax deductions

H.R. 4853 has something for everyone when it comes to upgrades for home heating and water systems. A $150 credit can be obtained for installing pre-approved natural gas and oil furnaces. The same can be said for propane and hot water boilers. 

4. Energy-efficient building properties

A $300 credit is available for a category called the “energy efficient building property.” Of course the devil is the details in terms of why systems qualify and all that jazz, but the skinny is that the credit comes for homes that are heated by approved electric heating pumps, natural gas systems, propane systems, oil systems, central air systems and biomass heating and water heating systems. To find what systems fit into this category, I suggest you begin your research with a tax specialist before you charge a $20,000 biomass heating system on your MasterCard.

So, that's the scoop on how the new tax deal can help you make your home more efficient. It’s easy to see that more could have been done, but this how deal played out. As for taking advantage of the extended credits, the form for doing that can be found here, but remember: do your research before you buy.

Besides, nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a new biomass heating system under the tree.

Merry Christmas Shoreline Area!

Paramount Park "Upper Pond" in November Snow
Photo credit - Janet Way

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Christmas Day! Peace to All!

Some Good Environmental News for 2010 Holiday Season!

Top 10 Reasons for Holiday Cheer for 

Our Environment at End of 2010
So "Of Paramount Importance" is happy to report a few pieces of good news and progress this year, even though there is never any shortage of things to be concerned and appalled about the in state of our environment.  Let's look at the bright side this Christmas Eve!

• 1 - Good News on Climate and Clean Air from Environmental Defense Fund

• 2 - US Senate Approves START Treaty

• 3 - WA State Regulates Copper Brake Pads - Good News for Salmon and Streams 

• 4 - Food Safety Bill Passes Congress 

• 5 - Electric Cars Are on the Market and Cities are Creating Electric Plug in Networks

• 6 - Bureau of Land (BLM) Management Announces  New 'Wild Lands' policy protects BLM potential wilderness!

• 7 - Safe Baby Bottle Act Signed by Governor Gregoire - Bisphenol A banned in WA State! 

• 8 -  Shoreline Begins Installation of Largest "Silva Cell" Tree Project in State on Aurora Phase II Project

• 9 -  Shoreline's Backyard Wildlife Project Achieves SUCCESS!

• 10 - City of Shoreline Requires Mitigation on Aurora Rents project to include signage to commemorate Shoreline Pioneer Judge JT Ronald and meaning of Ronald Place!

Entry Path to Paramount Park
at 12th NE, November 2010
photo creek - Janet Way
Good News on Climate and Clean Air from 
Environmental Defense Fund -
Environmental Protection Agencyended years of delay and announced it would commit to a schedule for establishing legal limits on global warming pollution from new and existing coal-fired and other fossil fuel power plants.

The EPA will issue draft emission standards by July 2011and then a final rule by May of 2012.

The announcement comes as a response to a 2006 lawsuit filed by EDF along with numerous states,Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club.

Polar Bears on Ice Flow -
photo credit- EDF

#2 - US Senate Approves START Treaty - Story from NPR 
and certainly a small step for peace in this time of seemingly endless wars!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/22/132262684/senate-ratifies-start?sc=nl&cc=brk-20101222-1504

US Senate Speech from Sen Robert Byrd a few years ago

#3 - WA State Regulates Copper Brake Pads - Good News for Salmon and Streams 

Story from Stormwater - Journal for Surface Water Quality Professionals

Adopt-A-Stream Logo

#4 - Food Safety Bill Passes Congress - 

Story from ABC News 

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/12/back-from-the-dead-food-safety-bill-passes-senate-in-unexpected-last-minute-move.html

Back from the Dead: Food Safety Bill Passes Senate in 

Unexpected Last-Minute Move

While it may not be perfect, most experts believe that the passage of this food safety bill is a big improvement over the alternative, which was doing nothing.

Lake City Farmers Market - Billy's Produce Stand
photo credit-Janet Way

#5 -  Electric Cars Are on the Market and Cities are Creating Electric Plug-in Networks -

Well it's taken a long time, but finally there are choices available on Electric Vehicles! 

Leading the Pack is the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt.  - Story from  Hybrid Cars 

Electric Cars: A Definitive Guide

Some other offerings which are coming on the market in near future are: BMW Megacity, 

BYD E6 (from CHINA!), CODA Electric Sedan, Ford Focus, Mercedes BlueZero, 

MINI E (from Mini Cooper), Mitsubishi iMiEV and many more.

Shoreline has joined this network via the new City Hall Parking Garage and its policies to comply with WA State legislation (WAC). The garage hook-ups are ready, but need to be made more available to actual electric vehicles to charge. 


#6 - Bureau of Land (BLM) Management Announces 
New 'Wild Lands' policy protects BLM potential wilderness!

In a press conference yesterday, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a new federal policy that requires the Bureau of Land Management to take a fresh look at lands with wilderness characteristics, and set them aside as 'Wild Lands' to protect those characteristics. The Biodiversity Conservation Alliance works on public lands protection issues in the Wyoming area and their efforts have been beneficial to wilderness protection advocates nationwide.

#7 - Safe Baby Bottle Act Signed by Governor Gregoire - Bisphenol A is banned in WA State! 
WA Toxics Coaliton Blog has the story - 
http://watoxics.org/toxicswatch/breaking-news-victory-on-bpa

Surrounded by supporters, Gov. Chris Gregoire returned home Monday to sign key legislation into law.

Robert Whale/Reporter
Buy Photo Reprints
Governor Signs Bill To Ban BPA In Children's Dishware and Sports Bottles

# 8 - Shoreline Begins Installation of Largest "Silva Cell" Tree Project in State on Aurora Phase II Project

Silva Cell elements installed on Shoreline's Aurora Phase II
to provide part of the "natural drainage systems"
required by project as approved by City Council
in 2007

see Of Parmount Importance article from 5/10/10 http://ofparamount.blogspot.com/2010/05/silva-cells-aurora-phase-ii-is-top.html

# 9 - Shoreline's Backyard Wildlife Project Achieves SUCCESS! Shoreline is a Certified Backyard Wildlife City! 

Congratulations to Sustainable Shoreline, WOWTA, SCWHP and all the partners who achieved this goal! WELL DONE!

# 10 -  City of Shoreline Requires Mitigation on Aurora Rents project to include signage to commemorate Shoreline Pioneer Judge JT Ronald and meaning of Ronald Place!

Shoreline's Ronald Place (Red Brick Road) eligible
for listing by National Trust for Historic Places

See article from Preserving Shoreline Blog.

http://preserveshoreline.blogspot.com/2010/12/shorelines-ronald-place-aka-red-brick.html

Some might ask why we've included this in our "Top Ten" list.  The reason is that it is significant for Shoreline to recognize it's history in conjunction with a development process.  The history of the Ronald Place is vital to our development of our new Town Center, which will also be significant to our local economy. Sustainable development must recognize historical elements. In fact the SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) requires this recognition in it's SEPA Checklist. 


For the City of Shoreline to make this point, requiring a plaque marking a vital piece of our history is very important. 

Happy Solstice!

Bringing Back the Light!

Moon in the early morning
photo credit-Janet Way

Emerging from one of the darkest "economic winters" of our era, we are glad to have the "light" start to creep back. While we still have a long way to go in this new economy, and facing all the challenges to our earth, we can celebrate the return of the sunlight to our lives.


And celebrate the beautiful moonlight.
Professional Photographer, Steve Schneider offers this description of the eclipse on solstice.

Steve Schneider, Ridgecrest resident and

professional photographer captured this image of

the elusive eclipse last night

2010 Winter Solstice Eclipse

To all who missed the very rare Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse last nite, here is a photo of it. The clouds came and went for most of the beginning of it. Then during totality it was clear. Right after totality, the clouds came back and stayed. Thank you Mother Nature for parting of the clouds. I hope 2011 brings you PEACE and happiness!!



Thanks to Steve for having more patience than some of us, who only waited till 11:30 pm. 


Happy Solstice to ALL!


Cheers,


Janet

Winter Solstice Total Lunar Eclipse TONITE!

Total Lunar Eclipse as seen on Aol News. site

Heribert Proepper, AP

The moon appears totally covered by shadow as the Earth passes between the 

moon and the sun during a lunar eclipse in January 2001.

Tonite's Total Lunar Eclipse will be the first to happen on the Winter Solstice in hundreds of years! http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/17dec_solsticeeclipse/


AOL.News has the story -

Unlike a solar eclipse, eclipses of the moon can usually be observed anywhere in the hemisphere where the moon is above the horizon.

This particular lunar eclipse also may be seen in totality from northern and western Europe, some of northeast Asia, Hawaii and New Zealand, according to Space.com. In total, some 1.5 billion people may have a chance to see the full eclipse, the website reported.

Total lunar eclipses during winter in the northern hemisphere are fairly common, NASA says. However, a lunar eclipse falling precisely on the date of the solstice is quite rare.

Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory inspected a list of eclipses going back 2000 years for NASA.

"Since Year 1, I can only find one previous instance of an eclipse matching the same calendar date as the solstice, and that is 1638 DEC 21," Chester said, according to NASA. "Fortunately we won't have to wait 372 years for the next one ... that will be on 2094 DEC 21."

This year's event will take 3 hours and 38 minutes. The eclipse begins on Tuesday at 1:33 a.m. ET, when the Earth's dark-red shadow will turn up on the edge of the moon, according to NASA. It will take about an hour for the shadow to cover the entire moon. Totality begins at 2:41 a.m. and lasts for 72 minutes. 

If you only have time for a quick look, NASA recommends that you take a peek 3:17 a.m. ET. That's when the moon will be fully covered in an amber light. 

This puts the Lunar Eclipse event timing for us in Pacific Time Zone beginning at approximately 11pm.

Unfortunately, we may be still engulfed in clouds in our Northwest winter weather tonite. But, we can always hope for a break in the clouds, and it is certainly worth a look at 11pm to see if the weather might cooperate. If you have kids, it is worth staying up late this one time to have a look.

I have a memory from long ago about this phenomenon. When I was about 10 years old, I remember my dad waking my sister and I up at about 2am to sit and look out the window one night at a lunar eclipse. 

It was a special little moment that helped us appreciate the world of science and space. This was just about the time when America was transfixed by the space flight mania which was about to begin. Ironically, my Dad and Mom are coming for a visit tonite from back east. 

So, give your kids and grandkids an event to put in their memory banks. How cool that it is happening on the Winter Solstice? 

From Space.com, a handy list of TOP TEN LUNAR ECLIPSE FACTS!

Enjoy!

Memorial to a Creek Steward

Brian Bodenbach Shares some photos he's taken at the event
with Carrie MacArthur and son. Carrie now works as an environmental consultant
so you might say that Steve's values were passed on to his descendants.

A hardy group met today at Thornton Creek Park #2 in Victory Heights Neighborhood to commemorate
the lifetime of stewardship of North seattle Resident, Steve MacArthur.

Steve passed away a few months ago and today Thornton Creek Alliance, Family and Friends met to
plant some trees and install a small memorial plaque in Steve's memory.

Steve was a watchdog for Thornton Creek, because his family home was on the North Branch near Lake City.  He was one of the founding members of Thornton Creek Alliance and a member of the Thornton Creek Watershed Oversight Committee.

Family members and friends shared how Steve was fiercely protective of the creek and would ensure that anyone who violated it, heard from him. They also shared his great sense of humor and fun.
The night the creek overflowed on New Years 1996, he called other creek stewards together and everyone kept an eye on it, while sharing beer and stories.

Steve MacArthur's Grandchildren "helping" out with
tree planting

Today though was about planting some native trees and installing a lovely memorial plaque near Thornton Creek's southbranch at TC Park #2.

Steve's Memorial Plaque

And Thornton Creek rolls on below, splashing and gurgling towards Lake Washington. The urban creek still has it's problems, but it also has people like Steve MacArthur who care.

Thornton Creek at Park #2

                                                

Sustainability IS the Goal, but the Journey is also the Point

Interpretive Signage at Cromwell Park

Shoreline and many cities in the northwest are making sincere attempts at sustainability. Let's give ourselves credit for the work we've done.

• Sustainability Strategy Adopted by Shoreline City Council 2008

Councilmembers meet with Congressman Jim McDermott

at his Wash DC office, discussing projects including

Solar applications, photo credit-Steve Schneider

• Green City Hall

Solar Array at City Hall created in partnership with Shoreline Solar Project

Spring 2010

• Four new Parks.  Southwoods, Kruckeberg, Off-leash Dog Parks and Kayu Kayu Ac and major restorations at Cromwell and Richmond Beach Saltwater Park.

Southwoods Park dedication plaque

Cromwell Park Restored Wetland

• Greener Aurora Phase II

Worker sorts "Silva Cells" for tree pit installations

"Silva Cells" Technology being installed on Aurora Project

to provide a better natural drainage strategy

• Green Street Project

17th Ave NE is transformed into a "Green Street
with pervious sidewalks and bioswales

• Shoreline's Community Backyard Wildlife Project

Shoreline's Backyard Wildlife Project Certified this year

And great work being done in the private and non-profit sectors

North King County Green Business Conference 2008

sponsored by Shoreline Chamber and City of Shoreline

at Shoreline Community College

We still have much work to do clearly, but we are making a serious attempt to 

address sustainability.  Tree Preservation is one area that LFP has made great progress on and

Shoreline needs to catch up.

Street Trees Were Removed on 15th NE this Spring
Before Working with Neighborhood

And Historical PRESERVATION is clearly an area needing better work! 

Ronald School at risk now due to SSD Plans

But we have very active citizens who want Sustainability to be our "Watchword"! 

Let's focus the energy of these citizens and get to work on the challenges we face!