Many Seattle City Councilmembers will be celebrating Earth Day and renewing their commitment to environmental stewardship at events tomorrow and through the weekend.

 

Friday, April 22

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Picnic for the Planet – Join Councilmember Clark at the Pike Place Market
3 p.m.: “Sustainability and Community” discussion – Join Council President Conlin at Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment

Saturday, April 23

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Parks work day – Join Councilmember Bagshaw at the Washington Park Arboretum
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: B-I-G Birthday Celebrations – Join Councilmember Harrell in a tree planting ceremony commemorating Seward Park’s Centennial and Audubon Center’s “3rd B-Earth-day”
11 a.m.: Park Dedication – Join Councilmember Bagshaw at the Hubbard Homestead Park
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Earth Day Celebration – Join Councilmember O’Brien at Gas Works Park
12 – 4 p.m.: Earth Gay 2011 – Join Councilmembers Rasmussen and O’Brien in South Lake Union
The full press release can be found here.

The Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) released its fourth annual Climate Action Highlights Report on Earth Day, April 22, 2011. The report includes case studies that showcase innovative accomplishments in each of the City’s climate action strategy areas: Transportation, Clean Fuels, Efficient Buildings, Waste Reduction, Adaptation, and Community Engagement. Some of the 2010 achievements described in the report include the following:

Making it easier to Walk.Bike.Ride
The City completed pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic flow improvements to Nickerson St in 2010, using the Complete Streets guidelines.

Electric Vehicles (EV):
Seattle is leading the way in the EV arena by working with businesses and property owners to install charging stations that are accessible by the public.

Community Power Works:
In 2010, the City of Seattle received federal stimulus funds to launch Community Power Works, a major new energy efficiency program for homes, businesses, hospitals, and City facilities in Seattle’s Central and Southeast neighborhoods. .

Climate COOLective Program:
Seven organized groups—ranging from non-profits and neighborhood based organizations to a union group and socially responsible physician’s organization—joined OSE’s Climate COOLective program last year to take climate action in their organizations. The program offers seed money, training, and technical assistance to groups to implement an organization-specific climate-change engagement campaign.

Download the entire report here.