I've been thinking ahead to the next session, and it's time to choose a topic to deliver a five-minute speech, which might be used to develop our policy working groups. There are certainly many issues to choose from, and since I'm no expert, it's time to study up.
I spent most of the day reading up on water issues in Washington state, and there are some sobering statistics to ponder. The last decade has been a dry cycle: lower than average snowpack in the winter months, numerous wildfires and alarmingly shrinking aquifers spell dry times ahead.
53 North Cascade glaciers have completely disappeared since the 1950s, and many of the remaining glaciers have lost between 18 and 32% of their volume since 1983. Most of the North Cascade glaciers are in places so remote that few are aware of them, however, these icy natural reservoirs contain nearly 30% of our region's total water supply, releasing 230 billion gallons of water during the summer months!
What do these numbers mean? Paired with the record growth that we've been seeing here locally, there may well be a time when there isn't enough water to meet all demands. Currently, there are 7,087 water rights on file with the state, excluding reservoirs and power. These water rights represent an existing demand of over eight million acre feet.
Water rights in Washington state are based on the doctrine of prior appropriation. In other words, the first person in line has priority over all others who come later. During water shortages, senior water rights holders have the right, under existing law, to take their full water allotment—even if this leaves junior water rights holders without water.
Water is sacred here in the arid west, and people have come to blows over it in the past century. If projections for the glaciers are accurate, we may be in a world of trouble—a world without water.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
All Eyes and Smiles
The journey has begun and, as I suspect is the case for many classes before, the reality of the experience is ever so much more than can be put into words, though the title, taken from classmate Stephanie's description of how we all met that first day, is pretty apt.
Now, at last I am able to sit down and reflect on the first seminar, entitled Leadership, Communication, and Vision, held October 10-12 in Pullman.
I slept poorly during the nights leading up to Wednesday, and awoke at 5 AM Wednesday to a classic nervous tension dream: I dreamt it was 10:30 and I'd frittered away the entire morning, forgetting I'd promised to carpool with local classmates at 7 AM down at the port offices. As much as I'd prefer not arising at such an hour, it was a relief to find that yes, it was only a dream. I showered, dressed, packed most everything I'd planned to take (though the make-up brush case stayed in the bathroom, and I'd learn to apply makeup with a combination of paper tissues and Q-tips during the week).
I drove into the port parking lot just as Dayle was arriving for work, and my first riding buddy showed up: Jim hadn't indicated that he'd be joining us, but was glad, I think, that there was room in my car, for his pick-up truck was jammed full of the detritus of his life. Soon afterwards, Grant's wife dropped him off (he too was glad of the ride, for his wife was off for a meeting elsewhere). Finally Julie showed up. She'd gotten her wires crossed and was waiting at the Port's old offices, but was well prepared: she fired up her laptop and found my e-mail with the proper directions.
Car packed and ready, we headed out, talking pretty much nonstop until Othello. Grant is new to Washington, so I pointed out various geographic features along the way.
We arrived in Pullman at around 10:45 and checked in to our hotel on the outskirts of town. My roommate, Rachel, was already there. She must have left Brewster punishingly early, for she'd been at the hotel since 9:30.
The hotel had a shuttle, and a local member of a previous Ag-Forestry class was kind enough to run us up to the campus. As many times as Mark and I have been through Pullman, I've never stepped onto the campus, and it's pretty amazing.
We had lunch at 11:30 and plunged right into the agenda, which include a welcome address by Dr Elson Floyd, the new president of WSU. Everyone was, I think, deeply impressed by Dr Floyd and his "out of the box" vision for his university. One phrase he used which may go into the class lexicon is "culture eats strategy," in other words, the best planning can go for naught if you aren't dialed into the accepted norms of the target audience.
We learned about the history of the program and did some ice-breaker exercises which got us learning more about our classmates. That afternoon we had a little wine reception at WSU, then returned to our hotel for dinner and an etiquette session which was fun, funny and humbling (I was so SURE the knife and fork went to 10 o-clock and 2 o'clock on the plate when you're done!).
Thursday morning we had a session on developing public policy by Don Schwerin, who was Speaker Tom Foley's legislative liaison. It was excellent, but left some of us with as many questions about the complexity of the process as we began, but ultimately, I think we'll learn by doing.
Everyone enjoyed the next speaker, who gave us some essential listening tools, and this is always an area where I feel I need improvement. Lesson one: don't check your e-mail while talking to somebody on the phone!
After lunch, we had our group and individual class photos, then walked around the campus in the lovely October sunshine (my roommate bought me an ice cream cone) and met at the art museum for a docent-led tour on a very good photo exhibit.
That evening we were on our own, so most of us walked down the hill into town and had a so-do Mexican dinner followed by a really REALLY nice evening at a wine bar in the former Pullman post office, beautifully renovated. Two of our classmates are from Columbia Crest/ St Michelle winery, and treated us to a couple of bottles of good wine, and, even better, told us all about the process and their goals. Juan, the winemaker, is from Argentina, and the second bottle he bought us was from his home area of Mendoza.
Friday we got the results of our Myers-Briggs tests and talked about personality types (We are all over the map, with 15 of the 16 types) Mine, if you're wondering, is ENTP) then wrapped up with what we will be doing in Wenatchee in November, which was my part of the program. Each member of the class takes turns as the emcee, greeting speakers, keeping the agenda running, etc, and one person is chosen from the area where we meet to serve as the overall coordinator. That'll be my role next month as everyone comes to Wenatchee to deliver a five minute speech on a potential policy issue (everyone's quaking in their shoes over this).
Mark and I have talked much since I returned last night (and he deserved some face time, for his birthday was yesterday). He can be a great resource to me in framing my 5-minute speech, and has made several good suggestions about possible topics and people to contact. I'd like to choose my topic, get some background research done, and get started writing and practicing fairly soon. He's also talked some about the media seminar, and what it will be like to have reporters lying in the weeds to trip us up. That is, I'm afraid, exactly how the media operate, and it's better to know going in than stammer and stutter while the tape is rolling.
Now, at last I am able to sit down and reflect on the first seminar, entitled Leadership, Communication, and Vision, held October 10-12 in Pullman.
Wednesday
I slept poorly during the nights leading up to Wednesday, and awoke at 5 AM Wednesday to a classic nervous tension dream: I dreamt it was 10:30 and I'd frittered away the entire morning, forgetting I'd promised to carpool with local classmates at 7 AM down at the port offices. As much as I'd prefer not arising at such an hour, it was a relief to find that yes, it was only a dream. I showered, dressed, packed most everything I'd planned to take (though the make-up brush case stayed in the bathroom, and I'd learn to apply makeup with a combination of paper tissues and Q-tips during the week).
I drove into the port parking lot just as Dayle was arriving for work, and my first riding buddy showed up: Jim hadn't indicated that he'd be joining us, but was glad, I think, that there was room in my car, for his pick-up truck was jammed full of the detritus of his life. Soon afterwards, Grant's wife dropped him off (he too was glad of the ride, for his wife was off for a meeting elsewhere). Finally Julie showed up. She'd gotten her wires crossed and was waiting at the Port's old offices, but was well prepared: she fired up her laptop and found my e-mail with the proper directions.
Car packed and ready, we headed out, talking pretty much nonstop until Othello. Grant is new to Washington, so I pointed out various geographic features along the way.
We arrived in Pullman at around 10:45 and checked in to our hotel on the outskirts of town. My roommate, Rachel, was already there. She must have left Brewster punishingly early, for she'd been at the hotel since 9:30.
The hotel had a shuttle, and a local member of a previous Ag-Forestry class was kind enough to run us up to the campus. As many times as Mark and I have been through Pullman, I've never stepped onto the campus, and it's pretty amazing.
We had lunch at 11:30 and plunged right into the agenda, which include a welcome address by Dr Elson Floyd, the new president of WSU. Everyone was, I think, deeply impressed by Dr Floyd and his "out of the box" vision for his university. One phrase he used which may go into the class lexicon is "culture eats strategy," in other words, the best planning can go for naught if you aren't dialed into the accepted norms of the target audience.
We learned about the history of the program and did some ice-breaker exercises which got us learning more about our classmates. That afternoon we had a little wine reception at WSU, then returned to our hotel for dinner and an etiquette session which was fun, funny and humbling (I was so SURE the knife and fork went to 10 o-clock and 2 o'clock on the plate when you're done!).
Thursday
Thursday morning we had a session on developing public policy by Don Schwerin, who was Speaker Tom Foley's legislative liaison. It was excellent, but left some of us with as many questions about the complexity of the process as we began, but ultimately, I think we'll learn by doing.
Everyone enjoyed the next speaker, who gave us some essential listening tools, and this is always an area where I feel I need improvement. Lesson one: don't check your e-mail while talking to somebody on the phone!
After lunch, we had our group and individual class photos, then walked around the campus in the lovely October sunshine (my roommate bought me an ice cream cone) and met at the art museum for a docent-led tour on a very good photo exhibit.
That evening we were on our own, so most of us walked down the hill into town and had a so-do Mexican dinner followed by a really REALLY nice evening at a wine bar in the former Pullman post office, beautifully renovated. Two of our classmates are from Columbia Crest/ St Michelle winery, and treated us to a couple of bottles of good wine, and, even better, told us all about the process and their goals. Juan, the winemaker, is from Argentina, and the second bottle he bought us was from his home area of Mendoza.
Friday
Friday we got the results of our Myers-Briggs tests and talked about personality types (We are all over the map, with 15 of the 16 types) Mine, if you're wondering, is ENTP) then wrapped up with what we will be doing in Wenatchee in November, which was my part of the program. Each member of the class takes turns as the emcee, greeting speakers, keeping the agenda running, etc, and one person is chosen from the area where we meet to serve as the overall coordinator. That'll be my role next month as everyone comes to Wenatchee to deliver a five minute speech on a potential policy issue (everyone's quaking in their shoes over this).
Looking Ahead
Mark and I have talked much since I returned last night (and he deserved some face time, for his birthday was yesterday). He can be a great resource to me in framing my 5-minute speech, and has made several good suggestions about possible topics and people to contact. I'd like to choose my topic, get some background research done, and get started writing and practicing fairly soon. He's also talked some about the media seminar, and what it will be like to have reporters lying in the weeds to trip us up. That is, I'm afraid, exactly how the media operate, and it's better to know going in than stammer and stutter while the tape is rolling.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Tick, Tick, Tick
Counting down the hours until we leave for Pullman. I've got my bag packed and about all I'll have to do tomorrow morning is throw my clothes on and go. I've talked a couple of classmates into carpooling down, which will more than alleviate the boredom of the drive between here and Pullman.
I haven't had much time during the past two weeks to think about the first session: in the Amazingly Good Timing Department, our son came home from Iraq for two weeks and departed last Saturday morning. We didn't do a great deal while he was here, besides feed him and love him. He wanted to be a home-body, and after nine solid months of work the likes of which none of us have to face, he had more than earned it.
And now my own adventure begins. There will be long days and probably some longer nights during the next two years, but I am sure we will all rise to the challenge.
I haven't had much time during the past two weeks to think about the first session: in the Amazingly Good Timing Department, our son came home from Iraq for two weeks and departed last Saturday morning. We didn't do a great deal while he was here, besides feed him and love him. He wanted to be a home-body, and after nine solid months of work the likes of which none of us have to face, he had more than earned it.
And now my own adventure begins. There will be long days and probably some longer nights during the next two years, but I am sure we will all rise to the challenge.
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