Sound Stewards

August 2022

go with the flow - free the Deschutes!

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Welcome to another issue of Sound Stewards! In this issue, let's chat about summer events, water quality, and meet our new Board Member, Cole Baldino. 

Before we get into it, though, I want to start off by saying thank you to each of you who contributed to our A Community Thrives fundraiser hosted through MightyCause. Thanks to you, we raised $4,360! And, because we were able to meet the threshold of raising $3,000, we were placed in the eligible pool for a grant from the Gannett Foundation.

If we receive this grant, we will be able to: expand our staff to provide internship opportunities, develop more estuary education opportunities for youth, and collaborate with partners on more legislative action sessions. Sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you supporting the #yestuary movement. We're so glad you're here! 

Your contributions directly fund our efforts to facilitate estuary restoration. Currently, we are compiling water pollution prevention and identification resources, meeting with legislators to establish the Deschutes Watershed Council, and meeting with all of you at local events where, together, we envision the future of the Deschutes Estuary. 

If you'd like to increase your involvement in DERT, here's some ways! 

--Three ways to passively donate

--Volunteer Center

--Donate

--Follow us on Instagram and Facebook 

About Cole: 

Cole graduated from SUNY Environmental Science & Forestry with a degree in watershed science and fisheries biology. His passion around fisheries, especially those with cold water and salmonids, originated at a young age. Today, he is a resident of the Budd Inlet watershed and a Salmon Habitat Restoration Manager for the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group. Cole brings experience working the non-profit sector at local, regional and national levels - along with technical assistance in all things restoration design, funding, permitting and implementation to the DERT board. In his free time he can be found on a river with a fly-rod or in a raft running some rapids, but if not by water he's on top of a mountain or in the woods hunting & gathering.

Please consider donating to DERT today. You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the removal of the 5th Avenue Dam to restore our urban estuary.

Are you looking for an opportunity to volunteer* or simply chat with us to learn more about the estuary restoration project? Catch us at these upcoming events:

*Volunteers will need to sign up for events through Volgistics. 

August 20, 2022 

LoveOly Summerfest 

1 pm - 7 pm 

Downtown Olympia, 5th and Washington Ave

August 28, 2022

Tumwater Farmers' Market 

11 am - 3 pm 

Peter G Schmidt Elementary (237 Dennis St SE 98501)

We sure love Oly!

Thank you to the folks to stopped by to chat on August 6th at the first LoveOly SummerFest. We even had a special conversation with a young estuary-enthusiast, who imagined an estuary thriving with life as pictured here.

At our booth you'll find art projects for littles, information on the watershed and the EIS, DERT merch and friendly faces! 

LoveOly SummerFest is packed full of fun and comradery! Find it downtown on the corner of 5th and Washington every Saturday in August. We'll be there again this weekend!

DERT is preparing for our annual Fall auction, and we are looking for item donations!

Past donation items have included: local flour, art, produce, photography, or experiences. We are looking for items that capture the essence and beautiful quirk of the Olympia area. 

If you have something you think would sell or know someone who does, send them our way!

To donate an item, you'll need to fill out this Donor Form.

Questions? Email dertauction@gmail.com

Stay tuned for more information about our hybrid auction on October 22, 2022.

In this new series, we explore just a few of the social and environmental reasons why restoration of the Deschutes Estuary is warranted and necessary for our community. 

Read the full blog post here

When we drive our cars, our tires gradually break down. One particular tire additive, 6PPD, slows the degradation process but, unfortunately, it also becomes highly toxic to marine life when it's exposed to ozone (O3) and transforms into 6PPD quinone. 

6PPD quinone is toxic in small amounts to coho salmon, brook trout, and rainbow trout.  

Resources for learning more about 6PPD and 6PPD quinone:

Study (Science): A ubiquitous tire rubber–derived chemical induces acute mortality in coho salmon

Study (ACS): Substance derived from tire debris is toxic to two trout species, not just coho salmon

Article from Hackaday: Where Pollution Hits the Road: The Growing Environmental Hazard of Rubber Tires

Article from Green Matters: Car Tire Dust Is a Major Source of Microplastics, and It’s Killing Marine Life

US Tires: 6PPD and Tire Manufacturing

Research and proposed alternatives to 6PPD per Department of Ecology

Would you like to support estuary restoration while you run errands? Shop online? Sleep?

Now you can! 

We have three passive contribution options now available. 

AmazonSmile:

When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards: 

Community Rewards makes fund-raising easy by donating to local organizations based on the shopping you do everyday. Shop at Fred Meyers (including gas!) and enter your rewards number at checkout.

Washington State Combined Fund Drive: 

The Washington State Combined Fund Drive (CFD) is the payroll contribution program for state and higher education employees and retirees. This program allows employees to make donations via check, credit card and payroll deduction to their favorite charities.

For more information CLICK HERE

*This tip is for those who use Gmail, but it may be applicable to other platforms.

As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for potential pollution incidents when we are out and about. This page contains a list of who to call to report a pollution source - click the organization name to be directed to their site.