For this year's Sustainability Issue, we took a look at efforts new and old to reduce the harm we do to our planet. This summer, Washington will say sayonara to what we often call "Styrofoam" (that brandname foam is actually a different material used in building insulation, not your soup cup) with a ban on plastic foam to-go containers and coolers. The state is also looking to reduce food waste in a big way, with a new "food center" helping teach people to change their shopping habits. Spokane is shamefully wasteful when it comes to food, so we also highlighted the composting options that are readily available, you've just gotta use them. This fall, Washington voters will also decide whether or not we should keep our cap and invest carbon market in play — it's one of the main tools to force emissions reductions by major polluters, and it's bringing in big money. But not everyone is a fan, as oil companies have been blaming increased prices at the gas pump on the policy. Plus, we took a look at some of the environmental efforts that arose out of Expo '74 to show where we were 50 years ago, and where we're headed.
— SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL, SECTION EDITOR
