UW News

October 2, 2012

News Digest: Fish and Wildlife director speaks Oct. 3, Rideshare options in face of bus cuts

DanAshe headshotFish and Wildlife director, a UW alum, speaks Oct. 3
The American landscape is changing – physically and culturally – and with that come changes to America’s wildlife. Driving forces such as an increasingly affluent and urbanizing population, coupled with other phenomena like climate change, makes it challenging to implement protections such as the Endangered Species Act, to avert what some call an “extinction crisis.”

The College of the Environment’s annual dean‘s lecture features Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and alum of the UW School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. He’ll talk about how a networked approach to conservation can ensure the sustainability of North America’s land, water, wildlife and cultural resources.

The lecture “Wildlife in the Modern American Landscape” will be 7-8:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 3, in Kane Hall 120. It is free and open to everyone with advance registration requested.

Ashe was confirmed in 2011 as the 16th director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the nation’s principal federal agency dedicated to the conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats. He previously served as deputy director for policy and as science advisor to the director.

UW Rideshare options in face of Metro bus route cuts
Saturday marked the end of King County Metro Transit’s Ride Free Area downtown and launched what some have called Metro’s most sweeping service changes in history.  The U District, for example, no longer has Metro routes 133, 45 and 46, three direct-to-UW services that were cut.

“To help, UW Transportation Services sent targeted emails out to community members living in ZIP codes impacted by Metro’s service changes and cuts,” said UW’s Rideshare coordinator Sara Brydges. “The emails included information for other bus lines, Metro’s trip planner and carpool and vanpool options.”

UW Rideshare options include:

  • Carpooling, where carpoolers not only save money by splitting gas costs, they receive discounted campus parking. A carpool of three students with U-PASSes, for instance, can park all-day anywhere on central campus for $3 per car, and down at E1 with only two people for only $2 per car.
  • Zimride, which is a secure online network where users login using a UWNetID, lets them post or find rides. Users can even connect their Facebook profiles and use interactive Google maps.
  • Vanpooling, which is for groups of five to 15 people who live at least three miles away from campus, uses vans provided by any local transit agency. The agency pays for van upkeep, gas and insurance costs, and all vanpools park for free on campus. Vanpoolers receive a fare credit through their U-PASS.
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