The decaying seawall along Seattle’s waterfront is providing scientists with an opportunity to improve long-lost habitat for migrating salmon. It could also show the way for habitat enhancements to crumbling infrastructure worldwide. One University of Washington researcher describes the project. Read more about the Seattle seawall in Salish Sea Currents.
October 9, 2014
Citizens now the leading cause of toxics in Puget Sound
The latest issue of Salish Sea Currents reports that some of the greatest dangers to Puget Sound come from our common, everyday activities. These pervasive sources of pollution are so woven into our lives that they are almost invisible to us, but it’s becoming impossible to ignore their effects. Read the article in the Encyclopedia of Puget […]
June 12, 2014
New York Times features PSI’s forensic stormwater research
A June 12th article in The New York Times features a collaboration between the Puget Sound Institute and the City of Tacoma to curb stormwater pollution. PSI’s Director Joel Baker describes how “the forensic work of the scientists and the city have changed the ability to enforce antipollution laws.” Scientists at PSI and the Center for Urban Waters have been working closely […]
May 29, 2014
PSI researchers collaborate with sewage-sniffing dog
A story in the May 29th Skagit Valley Herald features a study by PSI researchers to see if dogs can sniff out chemical contaminants in sewage. Dogs can tell the difference between human waste and that of other animals, and PSI researchers want to know if they can also identify the presence of human-created chemicals such as […]
April 15, 2014
Associated Press features caffeine tracer research
A recent article in the Kitsap Sun features a PSI-related study that uses caffeine as a tracer of human contamination in Puget Sound. The article was distributed by the Associated Press to dozens of news sites around the country. PSI and the University of Washington Center for Urban Waters have been collaborating with Kitsap County […]
April 10, 2014
Socio-cultural values associated with salmon in the Quinault Indian Nation
A 2014 report from the Puget Sound Institute describes a study of socio-cultural values associated with blueback salmon in the Quinault Indian Nation. The blueback salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) is a unique strain of sockeye that returns primarily to the Quinault river system. The report was prepared by Kelly Biedenweg and Sophia Amberson of the University of […]
December 6, 2013
Green roof staves off the cold at PSI
The current cold snap is no match for the green roof at PSI headquarters. Our own Kurt Marx has been monitoring roof conditions here at the Center for Urban Waters and gave us this graphic showing temperatures about 5 degrees Celsius warmer under the surface. Read more about the LEED Platinum Center for Urban Waters. Related item: […]
November 22, 2013
New paper applies invasion biology to social networks
Jeff Rice Social media now proliferates across almost every sector of the Web, from commercial enterprises like Facebook to crowd sourcing of science and medical data. New online communities are created constantly, but not all of these efforts succeed, and the Web is littered with failed attempts and false starts. How can you tell which […]
October 31, 2013
Developing Human Wellbeing Indicators for the Hood Canal Watershed
The Puget Sound Institute and Stanford University have released a final report describing the process of developing human wellbeing (HWB) indicators for the Hood Canal watershed. The report, written by PSI’s Kelly Biedenweg and Adi Hanein of the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, will serve as a guide for establishment of HWB indicators […]
October 8, 2013
PSI’s Biedenweg co-author of environmental education ebook
PSI’s Kelly Biedenweg is a co-author of the new ebook Across the Spectrum: Resources for Environmental Educators. The publication looks at foundations, strategies and trends in the field, from 18th century philosophy to present day standards-based education. The book is published by the North American Association for Environmental Education, and can be freely downloaded, shared and copied.