Making a difference doesn’t stop during this pandemic

We're still working on the issues you care about — but with a few changes to protect community health. | March 25, 2020

Update 3/25/20: The RE Store storefront is temporarily closed, however they are offering online and over the phone sales. Read their update.

These are challenging times for everyone, and our hope is that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe.

RE Sources’ non-Store staff have been directed to work from home and to transition to virtual meetings and video conferences. We’ve closed our Library and Main Room to meetings held by outside groups to protect the well-being of our entire community.

During this period, we are still working to protect the places we all love by…
  • Helping make approved, DIY medical gowns medical workers fighting the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more how you can volunteer for the effort with Bellingham Makerspace here.
  • Preventing pollution: We had to cancel our March beach cleanup, but we’re gearing up for more. See the whole 2020 cleanup calendar. And Kirsten, our Pollution Prevention Specialist, is still going on regular pollution patrols — particularly vital now that there are fewer pollution-spotters working during the pandemic.
  • Recovering salmon and orca populations: The old standard of “No net loss” to habitat was simply not working. Thanks to support from people like you, statewide funding to work on a “net ecological gain” standard in land use regulations was approved to improve salmon habitat. See what other environment-related laws passed in the state legislature this year. Stay tuned for action on habitat protection locally in the coming months.
  • Combating climate change: Our staff helped train 40 Whatcom teachers on how to teach climate science in their classrooms, as part of a statewide initiative called ClimeTime. There will be another workshop in the near future. Learn about it here.

And more!

Valuable COVID-19 community actions below

Thousands of people in Whatcom County are already stepping up to help our neighbors who’ve been hit hardest by these sudden changes. If you want to be a Healthy Helper, or if you have something you need a hand with, click Join on one of these Facebook groups to get connected:

See also: Whatcom County’s FAQ page on the pandemic.

You have a stake in our work, and we can’t do it without you. We are all in this together and I think it’s important to remind ourselves of that during the uncertain days and weeks that lie ahead.

Best wishes for continued good health,

The RE Sources and RE Store family

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Photo © Buff Black