Happy Summer! While summer is often a time of carefree and outdoor fun for many folks, it's also a reminder that for many parts of the country, it's just getting hotter and hotter. A recent Seattle Times article pointed out that even though Washington state warmed the slowest of all the states over the past 30 years, the climate overall continues to warm at an unacceptable rate and we must continue to do everything we can to reduce our impacts.
Jessica Finn Coven, Director
Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment
KEY SUSTAINABILITY UPDATES
Mayor Durkan Releases Environmental Justice & Equitable Development Plan for the Duwamish Valley
On June 27, Mayor Jenny Durkan released the Duwamish Valley Action Plan ((LINK)), setting forth a series of
actions and strategies to deliver measurable community health and well-being outcomes for the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods. More info here.
Becoming a 100% Renewable Energy and Carbon Neutral City
OSE is partnering with Puget Sound Sage, SDOT and Seattle City Light on a 100% Renewable Cities Project -- a three-year effort to develop equity centered climate strategies with members of the Environmental Justice Committee and the community. More info on this work is here.
Fresh Bucks Helping Casa Latina Clients Eat Healthier
The
Fresh Bucks program is working with Casa Latina to provide vouchers for Casa Latina clients to buy high-quality, local produce from any of the 33 farmers markets or six neighborhood grocery stores participating in the Fresh Bucks program in Seattle and King County. This year the program is expanding eligibility to families who may not meet the federal requirements for food assistance programs, but still face hardships when it comes covering their food expenses. This expansion is made possible through funding from the City of Seattle
Sweetened Beverage Tax.
More info here.
Fresh Bucks Helping Casa Latina Clients Eat Healthier
The
Fresh Bucks program is working with Casa Latina to provide vouchers for Casa Latina clients to buy high-quality, local produce from any of the 33 farmers markets or six neighborhood grocery stores participating in the Fresh Bucks program in Seattle and King County. This year the program is serving more shoppers and expanding eligibility to families who may not meet the federal requirements for food assistance programs, but still face hardships when it comes covering their food expenses. This expansion is made possible through funding from the City of Seattle
Sweetened Beverage Tax.
More info here.
The Your Voice, Your Choice vote - where the community gets to vote on neighborhood improvement projects for funding - is open for voting through July 16. This year, the program has an additional $1M in funding and has prioritized advancing equity with these funds. Guided by OSE's Equity & Environment Initiative, the YVYC Steering Committee unanimously decided to designate this additional funding for projects in geographic areas where communities of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low incomes, Native peoples and limited-English proficiency individuals tend to live. More info about this work is here.
Join Us!
We're looking for the next climate superstar to join our team - we're
hiring for a Climate Director. Deadline is July 10.
The Office of Sustainability & Environment collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders to develop innovative environmental solutions that foster equitable, vibrant communities and shared prosperity.
