People For Puget Sound: 1991-2012

Environmentalists around western Washington were shocked this week by the announcement of the end of People For Puget Sound. The 21 year old water quality activism group will close at the end of this month.

As a former employee of People For Puget Sound I heard this was coming, but I'm not here to try to make excuses for them or gloss over problems. People For Puget Sound's internal problems are like those faced by ANY nonprofit, business or public agency when they reach a certain age. The dynamics of a group of people trying to work together toward a broad, long term goal is not a reflection on the capabilities of the individuals -- all of whom are in some way outstanding in their areas of expertise.

Cameron Emptor

An August 2, 2012 article about the three leading PRT systems in a forum called Smartlinks certainly reads well.

Its subject is the race between Ultra and 2getthere to put their first pod systems into service at Heathrow and Masdar City, respectively, as well as a brief history of the Vectus program.

It's a straightforward piece of writing, full of facts and reasonable prose. However, the author byline at the bottom of the story renders the whole thing dubious:

Validation of our views on Masdar PRT plan error

The backpedaling typical of massive capital projects continues.

A recent Fast Company state-of-the-effort article on Masdar City includes these conclusions by project managing director Dr. Sultan Al Jaber about the city's 12-pod Personal Rapid Transit (PRT), scaled back from a huge citywide pod fleet --

"We’re not in any way saying the PRT solution will not be a viable solution going forward. Based on our lessons and experience, the development of PRT technology is going to take a little longer than we originally anticipated..." -Fast Company

Washington oyster hatchery opens -- in Hawaii

Scientists have known that continued dumping of CO2 into the atmosphere would be absorbed by the oceans, lowering pH.


That is acidity, and one way it impacts the food chain is that it interferes with calcium carbonate in seawater, hampering the ability of shellfish to form shells.


Here is Craig Welch's report on how Goose Point Oysters of Willapa Bay is giving its oysters a headstart in higher pH Hawaiian waters.

"Willapa Bay oyster grower sounds alarm, starts hatchery in Hawaii" http://ow.ly/1O83s6

Also: Danny Westneat - "Acidic step" http://ow.ly/1O82I1

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TWIP Archive (2008): " Are machines the CO2 answer?" http://ow.ly/1O83Pq

June is Orca Awareness Month

Governor Gregoire has declared June 2012 the 7th annual Orca Awareness Month. If you haven't taken some personal action to lessen impact on Puget Sound and our Southern Resident orca whales, why not start now.