Read — FIELDNOTES

Why You Should (Or Shouldn’t) Use Your Sink Garbage Disposal

The environmental consequences of your garbage disposal come down to your local climate, your local wastewater treatment, and your personal food waste habits.

FieldNotesMarch 3, 2026

World Cup vs. World Impact

Contrasting FIFA’s climate action commitments, the 2026 World Cup is predicted to be the most polluting tournament in the event's history. Cover Photo from Unsplash.

FieldNotesFebruary 27, 2026

Barking Up the Right Tree: Dog Parks & Urban Greenspace

Dog parks are among the fastest growing public amenities, especially in urban areas. This is great news if you’re man's best friend, but is it also the case for the community and surrounding environments?

FieldNotesFebruary 24, 2026

Not So Clear: Tackling Septic System Contamination

The environmental impacts of poorly managed septic tanks is a nationwide problem that goes underdiscussed. Past and current case studies may be able to inform future septic management.

FieldNotesFebruary 20, 2026

Protection from Peril: Securing a Future for the Southern Resident Killer Whales

With their population facing a 40-year low, the Southern Resident Orcas continue to face a severe struggle for survival due to lack of prey, toxic pollutants, and vessel disturbance.

FieldNotesFebruary 17, 2026

Your New Hobby: Seattle's Squidding Scene

On the Seattle waterfront, anyone can catch a squid under the right wintertime conditions. This accessible form of harvesting your own food fills a necessary niche for city dwellers.

FieldNotesFebruary 13, 2026

USDA Cuts a Rule, Plans a Road, but May Not Reap a Harvest: The Disappearance of the “Roadless Rule”

The Roadless Rule has protected forest, watersheds, and wildlife for over 25 years. But with mounting pressure from logging industries, and a new call for widespread wildfire suppression through thinning, will the Roadless Rule survive?

FieldNotesFebruary 10, 2026

Rough Seas for Offshore Wind: The Legal Battles Shaping U.S. Offshore Energy Development

The Trump administration’s efforts to halt the development of offshore wind farms have been met with a swath of legal battles, and even though early court decisions rule tentatively in favor of the energy companies, uncertainty remains as to the extent that the federal government is willing to go to stop these projects.

FieldNotesFebruary 6, 2026

The Battle of the Monarch Butterfly: Difficulties with Migration and Habitat Loss

Monarch butterfly populations are rapidly declining as a result of habitat loss, climate change, and limited food supplies. To secure their future, immediate conservation measures, cutting-edge technologies, and habitat restoration are crucial.

FieldNotesMarch 23, 2025monarch butterfly, monarchs, migration, ecology, milkweed, climate change, mexico, united statesComment

Return of the Little Red Fish

After years of decline, record numbers of kokanee salmon returned from Lake Sammamish to spawn this past winter. Their resurgence is credited to King County’s Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group, recently energized by an emergency order to save the landlocked salmon from extinction.

FieldNotesMarch 17, 2025salmon, washington, lake washington, kokanee, ecology, conservationComment

Predicting UW's Hottest Attraction Using Cherry Blossom Models

UW students develop a model to predict when the university’s famous cherry trees will bloom. Their efforts are producing valuable data for climate research and spring tourism alike.

FieldNotesMarch 11, 2025seattle, university of washington, washington, cherry blossoms, ecology, modeling, environment, university, cherryComment

Don’t Hold Back: Washington’s Shoreline Restoration Embraces the Tide

Much of Washington State’s shoreline is armored against erosion, which degrades important intertidal ecosystems. The funding of sustainable alternatives is making waves throughout the state, converting armoring on both private and public land.

FieldNotesMarch 9, 2025restoration, ecology, sea level rise, climate change, ocean warming, chesapeake bay, seattle, washington, virginia, eelgrassComment

From Ashes to Life: Lessons from the Yellowstone Fire

The 1988 Yellowstone Fires devastated the park but proved that even the most scorched landscapes can thrive again.

FieldNotesMarch 6, 2025wildfire, fire, climate change, policy, environmental policy, yellowstone, yellowstone fire, national parkComment

Too Smart to be Farmed: Diving Into the Octopus Industry

To address rising demand, a Spanish company has begun plans to construct a large-scale octopus farm. Activists around the world question the ethics of farming such intelligent creatures.

FieldNotesMarch 4, 2025octopus, octopi, fisheries, aquaculture, spain, seattle, washington, environment, marine biology, ecologyComment

Tweets over Traffic: Noise Pollution in the Seattle Arboretum

To many, the Washington Park Arboretum is a sanctuary outside the stress of the Seattle city. Scientists now know that birds don’t have that luxury and are facing challenges due to traffic on the 520 bridge.

FieldNotesFebruary 27, 2025seattle, washington, birding, birds, noise pollution, pollution, arboretum Comment

Restoring the Path: Culvert Replacement and its Implications for the “Salmon People"

State agencies are racing against time to restore salmon passages and culverts. What does this mean for the future of salmon and the tribes that depend on it?

Butterflies or Bust: The Debate Over Tropical Milkweed in California

Conservationists and scientists debate over the efficacy of banning tropical milkweed from California backyards.

To Net-Pen or Not to Net-Pen? Debates Over Industry Termination in Washington State

Net-penning has been a long-contested issue, as advocates for its promotion of local jobs and economies clash with those exhibiting concern for marine ecosystem health.

FieldNotesFebruary 13, 2025net pen, aquaculture, ecology, salmon, fish, indigenous, indigenous peoples, puget sound, washington, seattle, washington stateComment

Creating Green Cities: Native Plant Restoration in Urban Environments

Environmental studies student Tess Petrillo shares their experience creating a guide to improve habitat restoration and ecological equity in urban environments.

The Cold Truth of Ice: Is the Canadian Arctic Disappearing?

Two major glaciers in the Prince of Wales Icefield are receding as air temperatures warm, and the implications for global sea level rise are major.

FieldNotesJanuary 17, 2025climate change, global warming, canada, canadian arctic, arctic, glacial melt, glaciers, prince of wales icefield, ice, seattle, sea level riseComment