News items for December 14, 2018

Women Supporting Women by Kelsey Hamlin (license)

• 1. Senate hearing focuses on Native women’s deaths, disappearances

  A hearing was held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in Washington to examine what authorities call a “silent crisis”—the deaths and disappearance of hundreds of Native American women.

  Anchorage Daily News First Nations

• 2. Diversity is great. So why are 89% of WA teachers white?

  As students in Washington classrooms have become more diverse, the teachers who stand before them have remained almost always white. It’s a chasm that has remained stubbornly wide for decades, worsened by barriers to higher education, teacher-credential tests and limited funding to diversify teacher- training programs.

  Seattle Times Diversity, Education

• 3. Fish on the rebound

  It’s a major milestone in the recovery of a fishery that endured major cutbacks and tumultuous changes since it was declared a federal disaster in 2000.

  Oregon Public Broadcasting Conservation, Fish

• 4. OR tops the charts for voter turnout in 2018

  Automatic voter registration, vote-at-home, and online registration pay off.

  Sightline Institute Automatic Voter Registration, New Motor Voter, Right to Vote

• 5. A major step for orca recovery

  With scientists warning that the Northwest’s beloved killer whales are on the brink of extinction, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced dramatic plans to help the population recover—including $1.1 billion in spending and a partial whale-watching ban.

  Corvallis Gazette-Times Endangered species, Orcas

• 6. Putting a stop to ‘renovictions’ in BC

  In BC, one of the most frequently mentioned challenges from renters was unfair evictions, including renovictions and other evictions, based on false claims.

  Westerly News Affordable housing, Housing Shortage, Rent

• 7. The new fight over oil in AK’s greatest wilderness

  Advocates of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are trying to make an end run around the law and the American people. If they succeed, your backyard conservation area could be next.

  Outside Online ANWR, Arctic drilling

• 8. Stronger fish protections ordered for OR rivers

  A federal judge has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite its pollution cleanup plans for Oregon rivers.

  Oregon Public Broadcasting Fish and wildlife, Water pollution

• 9. Unnaturally cheap oil is blocking progress on climate crisis

  Cheap oil erodes the advantages of vehicles that get more miles to the gallon, making consumers less apt to do their share to reduce emissions by buying vehicles that use less fuel—or none at all.

  Green Biz Climate Action, Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Vehicles, Oil

• 10. Jellyfish offer a sticky solution to plastic pollution

  Our oceans are full of microplastics and unnatural swarms of jellyfish. Could these animals possess a secret weapon to help clean up the environment?

  New Scientist Ocean Pollution, Plastic Waste

More News from December 14, 2018

• 4 ways the melting Arctic is wreaking havoc near you

  The Arctic is in the throes of what one scientist called a “death spiral.” As the region’s once abundant ice melts, giving way to a less reflective surface, the Arctic heats up faster—now at a rate that is double the rest of the planet.

  Grist Arctic, Arctic Melting

• Save the leftovers, save the planet?

  To fight exorbitant everyday food waste, you’ll have to break free of beloved culinary doctrines and embrace heresy. That could be way more fun than you think.

  Oregon Public Broadcasting Food waste

• Arctic’s 2nd-warmest year puts on the pressure

  The 2018 Arctic Report Card also shows sea ice reached its second-lowest extent on record, creating more challenges for coastal people and ecosystems.

  Inside Climate News Arctic, Warming