CONTENTS 9/16/2020
Smoke Today
Smoke Background
Map Your Neighborhood
Strong Backs
Garage Rental Needed
Shopping?
Radio Free Fl!p: The Farthest Field
SMOKE TODAY
Just looked again at various sites. We’re in the 140- 150 – high orange to red zones – unhealthy. Hang in folks, and keep staying inside. It’s interesting to me that the rain isn’t a fix for the smoke. I hope it helped with the fires!
SMOKE BACKGROUND
A couple things to consider on the air quality front:
1) The pm2.5 concentrations in Bellingham have dropped considerably. At midnight last night our in-town regulatory monitor reported a 1-hour average concentration of 187 ug/m3 and our most recent 1-hour concentration is 83 ug/m3. For context, the national ambient air quality standard (designed to be protective of health) is a 24-hour average of 35 ug/m3. So, we’re still not in a great place, but we’re A LOT better than we were. This is largely attributable to improved ventilation today and some of the weather that moved in last night, though pm2.5 removal by rain isn’t as helpful as one might think.
2) It’s worth considering watching the regulatory monitor, which is reported many places, but I track it here: fire.airnow.gov. The PurpleAir monitor network (and other low cost sensor networks) can give a sense for patterns and can often report concentrations that are close to correct, but they are far from perfect and work is actively being done to develop correction factors to improve their reliability (example here: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=CEMM&dirEntryId=348236). The most reliable data is still the regulatory monitors if you have one nearby. Here’s hoping that those concentrations continue to decline! ~ Tim Sturtz (professional air quality engineer)
MAP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
With an election looming and our country as polarized as I can remember it (at age 70), here is something we can each do to repair our community. Invite your whole block to a single 90 minute zoom meeting to plan for earthquakes. What you learn and organize among yourselves will make a difference in the current mess as well. I will volunteer to come facilitate your meeting, and will mentor you as you gather your neighbors. My dream is to have every single block in our neighborhood meet to do this exercise. I would love your help to do it before the election. Let’s start rebuilding our world, starting from home, one block at a time. We can do this! Love/Fl!p flip@columbianeighborhood.org 360-671-4511
STRONG BACKS?
We’re looking for a couple of strong backs to dig up and move two large bushes. Need it done within the next 1-2 weeks. Please call 360-738-7875 or email saras23@comcast.net Thanks! ~ Sara Stamey, East Maplewood Ave
GARAGE RENTAL NEEDED
Snowbirds going South need to rent garage space for 1 car ASAP. Timed needed for September 22, 2020 – June 26, 2021. Please call: 425-765-7050 or email: psulham@gmail.com. Thank you, ~ Priscilla Sulham
WINCO OR SMARTFOODS?
If anyone is going to either, we’d love to piggyback on your trip. Fl!p 360-671-4511
RADIO FREE FL!P: THE FARTHEST FIELD ·
Cindy Kallet, Ellen Epstein and Michael Cicone, By David Dodson. It always comforts me to hear voices blend. This is what democracy sounds like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpJdKCYwmTk
Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511 2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org
If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.