Imperfections - Spring ‘22
Dear Reader,
“Imperfections” may seem like an odd theme for The Planet. In spring 2022, the world appeared to be emerging from the pandemic while the brightening days and blooming flowers brought a sense of renewal to campus. So, why focus on such a seemingly pessimistic theme?
I won’t bore you with every detail of the spirited debates the editorial team had as we crowded around the newsroom whiteboard and shouted out ideas. Instead, I’ll tell you this: We chose this theme because after the last two years, we had faith that wherever flaws appeared, someone would rise up to fix them.
It’s easy to forget with all the doom and gloom in the news cycle that people are always fighting for solutions, and oftentimes, they’re winning.
Whether it’s community members embracing the messy but rewarding permaculture lifestyle of a local farmer working to get his beloved milk back on shelves in a sustainable way, this issue is filled with people recognizing and overcoming imperfections.
I encourage you to relish the little victories that can be found in every story from this quarter and look for your own when they arise in your life. No, we haven’t solved climate change or revived every endangered species, but there’s plenty to celebrate within these pages and beyond.
The amount of work and care the reporters, photographers and editors poured into these stories cannot be extolled enough. It can be especially hard to buckle down during spring quarter when the promise of summer break inches closer every day, but this group remained doggedly motivated toward producing compelling journalism.
I’m especially grateful for this team because it is my last quarter with The Planet and at Western. Goodbyes don’t get easier, especially after working with these wonderful people, but I couldn’t be prouder to have this issue as my farewell to The Planet.
So here’s to new beginnings and all their imperfections.
Best,
Kaleigh Carroll
Spring ‘22 Editor-in-Chief
Stories
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When a dead gray whale washed onto the shores of Camano Island, scientists sought answers to questions like “Who was this whale?” “How did it die?” and “What lessons can we learn from it?”
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After years of advocating on behalf of great blue herons, local community members have finally secured new and protected habitat for the birds.
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Permaculture, the practice of cultivating an ecosystem-like farm, is spreading in Bellingham thanks to the work of community members like Paul Kearsley.
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The Tulip Festival promises endless rows of perfect flowers, but reporter Sydney Vasquez’s journey was filled with long lines, lots of litter and a lot fewer tulips than you would expect.
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Customers and cows worry for the future of Twin Brook’s milk in some Bellingham grocery stores.
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City Sprouts Farm is welcoming Western Washington University students to get down in the dirt and learn real farming skills while they connect with their community.
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April Katz, founder of the AIROW project, is working to help people with disabilities embrace and enjoy the outdoors.
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Local business owners and advocates in Bellingham are helping the community transition away from single-use plastics with convenient and novel solutions.
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When a patch of forest near Lake Whatcom was slated for clearcutting, Bellingham community members and organizations rallied to save it.
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As European green crabs invade Puget Sound, experts are considering a new method for detecting the sneaky crustaceans: eDNA.
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For Western Washington University students, composting off-campus can seem out of reach. Students at the Outback Farm are working to increase awareness and accessibility of existing composting options.
Read More
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Western students are turning to local parks and green spaces for food, friends and an escape from hectic college life.