Whistle Pigs

Where to Hike with Marmots in Washington

Hear that? It’s the Northwest’s cuddliest furries. Take these trails to find them.

05/20/2026 By Allison Williams

Dry Out

Waterproofing Is Different These Days

Environmental changes mean that Gore-Tex and its peers have a new composition, but rain jackets still do their job.

03/04/2026 By Allison Williams

Feature

The Tree of Life Is Falling Down

How one death-defying spruce became the mascot, tourist trap, and spiritual center of the Washington coast.

07/02/2025 By Allison Williams Photography by Mac Holt

Death By Air

Why Have We Had So Many Serial Killers Here?

A new book connects two ugly chapters of Washington’s history.

06/10/2025 By Eric Olson

Into the Woods

Why Are We So Scared of Bears?

The animals are not actually deadly, until they are.

05/08/2024 By Allison Williams Photography by Carlton Canary

Good Catch

The Underwater Guide to Seattle Seafood

02/16/2024 Edited by Allison Williams By Eric Nusbaum, Allecia Vermillion, and Allison Williams Photography by Sarah Flotard Styled by Suzy Bichl

Good Catch

Salmon’s New Symbolism

King (or Chinook) salmon is part of our heritage. On the plate, it gets complicated.

02/15/2024 By Allecia Vermillion

Bogged Down

Can Annie Proulx’s New Book Meet Climate Crisis Urgency?

The former local’s book on environmental history—Fen, Bog and Swamp—aims to revitalize our views of wetlands.

09/27/2022 By Stefan Milne

Garden Variety

How Your Yard Can Protect Puget Sound

A little landscaping can help curb a major source of pollution in the Salish Sea.

12/13/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy

Green Field

A Seattle Therapist Sees the World's Climate Anxiety

Andrew Bryant’s practice at North Seattle Therapy and Counseling has drawn interest from near and far.

08/12/2021 By Benjamin Cassidy

Climate Change

Environmental Justice Arrives in Washington State Law

Communities closest to pollution have sounded the alarm for decades. This year, Olympia finally said: We hear you.

05/17/2021 By Erin Wong

Spark Notes

Seattle's Move to Electric Heat Won't Kill the Gas Stove (Yet)

The city's poised to join a climate-conscious club.

12/14/2020 By Christy Carley

Feature

Will Northwest Seaweed Farming Finally Take Off?

The potential is vast—for the environment, for nutrition, for Indigenous food sovereignty.

11/16/2020 By Stefan Milne

Mindful Breathing

How Has the Coronavirus Shutdown Affected Air Quality?

A couple new studies show that, well, it’s complicated.

06/29/2020 By Stefan Milne

Earth-Approved

Seattle's Eco-Friendly Stores We Can't Get Enough of

Fast fashion is falling out of favor as conscious shopping gains momentum in the Emerald City.

11/13/2019 By Courtney Cummings

Pizza Piety

World Pizza Introduces a Reusable Pizza Box

Cardboard boxes are a staple in the pizza tradition but they usually end up in the trash. The International District's World Pizza is hoping to change that.

08/13/2018 By Grace Madigan

Light a Fire 2018: Promoting Health and Human Happiness

How Puget Soundkeeper Is Keeping Our Water Safe

Armed with hand nets and bags, 2,300 volunteers take to the water each year.

05/22/2018 By Rosin Saez

Explainer

How to Save an Orca Whale

The governor has assembled a task force to address Washington’s killer whale crisis. But saving our shrinking orca population is no small task.

04/20/2018 By Allison Williams

Explainer

Why the Hanford Nuclear Cleanup Is Still Happening 73 Years Later

And what the project stands to lose thanks to budget cuts.

03/27/2018 By Hayat Norimine

Snap Judgment

How Should Washington Spend Its Volkswagen Settlement Money?

The automaker owes the state $112.7 million for violating the Clean Air Act with cars that cheated emissions tests. While the Department of Ecology sketches a spending plan, locals weigh in on what we should buy.

02/27/2018 Photography by Trevor Keaton Pogue