Deric Gruen

Deric Gruen is a writer, researcher and consultant who brings home big global issues like the economy, equity and the environment and from time to time shares his own story too. He a Seattle native, a Garfield High alum, and an graduate from the UW’s Evans School of Public Affairs.
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Deric Gruen. (Photo by The Seattle Globalist)

“How do we conserve and at the same time, share?”

by Deric Gruen
"How do we conserve and at the same time, share?"
Mar 12, 2016

5 Arabic words I wish we had in English

by Deric Gruen
As a second-generation nuss-nuss (“half n’ half”) Arab American who is Lebanese and German,  it was only in my adult life that I took a keen interest in my grandparents’ language. I took a standard Arabic course in Seattle, then traveled to Lebanon to learn the spoken language, only to be evacuated in the summer […]
Apr 22, 2015
Tukwila City Council Member De'Sean Quinn talked about how his city is a "hotspot" where people of color are impacted by climate change and other factors affecting health and economic status of minorities. (Photo via Gov. Jay Inslee's Flickr)

Gov. Inslee’s ‘polluter pays’ proposal a step toward climate justice

by Deric Gruen
Days after the governments of the world convened in Lima to set the stage for the next big United Nations climate change conference, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a plan that would bring our state in line with 39 other programs around the world and put a price on carbon.
Dec 23, 2014
(Photo by Deric Gruen)

The Bristol Local Pound: Inspiration for the Sea-Town Dollar?

by Deric Gruen
Other cities are experimenting with local currencies. Would it work in Seattle?
Jun 16, 2014

Mamnoon brings a fresh take on Middle Eastern food to Capitol Hill

by Deric Gruen
Step off Melrose Street and into Mamnoon, and you could just as well be in the trendy Gemmayzeh neighborhood of Beirut as on Capitol Hill. Mamnoon brings a hipness and class to Seattle’s sometimes tired fine Lebanese/ Syrian dining scene. They’ve got a focus on the “mezze” small plate approach and, most importantly, bread fresh-out-the-oven. […]
Dec 18, 2012

Is the Northwest a Coal Scrooge?

by Deric Gruen
When you go to sleep tonight, Seattle will be visited by three ghosts: the ghost of energy’s past, the ghost of energy’s present and the ghost of energy yet to come. The question is, will we wake up and shape our own destiny? Imagine a mountain of billowing, black coal taller than the Columbia tower […]
Dec 10, 2012

NBA dreams deferred, Seattle players look overseas for court time

by Deric Gruen
As the Seattle city council ponders a vote approving bonds for a new arena that could bring back men’s professional basketball, the summer Olympics proved the game’s popularity is still growing quickly overseas. The U.S. men’s basketball team sped past Spain for a gold medal in the summer Olympics, but other countries showed burgeoning strength. […]
Aug 22, 2012

Tips for traveling the world with a bike and a backpack

by Deric Gruen
The 32nd annual Seattle to Portland (STP) Bicycle Classic is coming up this weekend.  Ten thousand riders will set out from the University of Washington and, after some 200 miles and 43,000 energy bars, end up in northeast Portland. Sadly, the trip has been sold out for months, so if you didn’t register way back […]
Jul 9, 2012