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Green Worker Spotlight: Moving Toward a More Just and Healthy City

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The COVID-19 pandemic has made worse many existing inequities across our communities. As we work to build Seattle back better, we have an opportunity to build a more just, healthy, and beautiful city.

Under a Green New Deal framework, we are working to eliminate our city’s climate pollution by 2030, advance environmental justice, and create good, green, well-paying jobs. We are doing a Green Worker Spotlight on three individuals who are not only rising to the climate challenge, but also continuing to lead their communities in solutions for all.

Edwin Wanji – Sphere Solar Energy
Recent solar workforce diversity reports show a lack of diversity in the industry. At Sphere Solar, Edwin’s team is working to make energy accessible and clean, and paving the way for people of color and immigrants in the solar industry to serve all members of the community, especially for vulnerable populations. This includes energy, water and waste infrastructure, transportation sector, supported by an inclusive and diverse workforce.

Solar Sphere has successfully delivered international relief projects in Haiti and Kenya, and are supporting a solar project with a local faith-based organization, leveraging grant funding resources from the local utility, and providing education and training for the historically BIPOC congregation.

Solar Sphere is working to advance a green economy from the clean energy, community resilience, and environmental justice standpoint, and hopes to increase capacity for providing strategic advisory support at the local, national and international level. Learn more here: https://spheresolarenergy.com/

Masra Clamoungou, Black Farmers Collective and Small Axe Farms

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for improved natural resources and access to healthy food and green space where communities can grow culturally-significant foods and medicines.

Farmers and farmworkers play a fundamental role within the green economy by being aware of the ways that natural systems interact and through responsibly managing the use of these systems and resources to produce nourishment for human communities.

Black Farmers Collective is working to reclaim Black and Indigenous relationships with the land, improve BIPOC communities’ food sovereignty, and guide discussions about racial inequality. Learn more here: https://blackstarfarmers.org/

Stuart Vázquez, Eco-Lógica

Bringing information and education to support communities who have been most impacted by environmental injustice get involved in green living is critical for living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Eco-Lógica is the first and only bilingual magazine about environmental and sustainability education totally free in the Puget Sound area. Learn more about Eco-Lógica here, and leave a comment below about how your job helps protect the environment! https://ecologicamagazine.com/

Celebrating the Resilience of Seattle’s Duwamish Valley

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2020 Duwamish Valley Program Update & Progress Report

By Alberto J. Rodríguez (OSE) & David W. Goldberg (OPCD)

Resilient communities have called the Duwamish Valley home since time immemorial — from the fishing and winter campgrounds of the Duwamish Tribe to the first European settlers in the Pacific Northwest, up to the people living in it today. The neighborhoods of South Park and Georgetown are close-knit communities, home to nearly 6,000 people and numerous businesses and industries. Yet these communities have experienced inequities for years, and both climate change and COVID-19 have magnified existing health, economic, and environmental disparities. 

Since 2016, the City of Seattle’s Duwamish Valley Program has been working to create real positive change in the Duwamish Valley and build a more equitable and resilient city. Through collaboration with community organizations and residents, we are working to advance a new model for how city policies and programs can address health, equity, and climate change for our residents and businesses in the Duwamish Valley. But, as you might imagine, things got a little complicated in 2020.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to our local government, ranging from budget cuts to staff emergency response redeployment and more. We are extremely proud of the work we did and for our nimble response to ensure Duwamish Valley stakeholders were connected to and benefitted from the City’s COVID‐19 relief and response efforts. Despite encountering many obstacles and delays due to the pandemic, the Duwamish Valley Action Team (DAT) made progress on implementing the Duwamish Valley Action Plan. We would like to highlight the following:

COVID-19 Relief & Response:

In partnership with Villa Comunitaria, Concord PTA, and Georgetown community leaders, we were able to support 34 South Park and Georgetown families and individuals with rental assistance, utility payments, back-to-school expenses, and healthcare costs. In addition, we were able to provide technical assistance and/or four rounds of protective supplies and gear to 17 women- and BIPOC-owned small businesses in Georgetown and South Park.

West Seattle Bridge Closure:

Residents of the Duwamish Valley have been heavily impacted by the West Seattle Bridge closure because of all the detour traffic moving through the neighborhoods. Community groups have worked closely with the city to identify projects to help with the environmental and safety impacts, such as speed bumps and tree plantings to offset the increased carbon emissions. To date, the city has allocated over $3 million in transportation-related projects to help the South Park and Georgetown neighborhoods.  

Georgetown Flume Off-Leash Area:

The Georgetown Flume is a historic site that transported water from the Duwamish River to the Georgetown Steam Plant until it was decommissioned. The City and community partners are working to convert the land into a new community asset. The eastern portion of the site will be developed into a new off-leash area, and the western portion will be developed into a shared use path for those walking, biking, or rolling between Georgetown and South Park. Learn more about project from our colleagues in the Parks department.

8th Ave. S in Georgetown:

The Georgetown community obtained a Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) grant to develop a conceptual design for Gateway Park North and the adjacent street-end park. This design achieved broad community support, including the abutting property owners. Through this design, the community installed voluntary conveyance swales on a portion of 8th Ave. S and the Port of Seattle committed to stabilizing the bank in 2021. The community also obtained a second NMF grant for additional design and has been very active at pursuing construction funding to improve the park and access to the park along 8th Ave S.

Affordable Housing in South Park:

Working with the Office of Housing and South Park community partners, new affordable homeownership will be developed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, the Office of Housing is in the process of purchasing two parcels for the future development of affordable rental housing (a first for the City!).

Supporting the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center

With support from OPCD, we provided financial support to Duwamish Tribal Services to support the improve access to the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center and programs, which will include an expansion of their parking lot.

Climate & Community Resilience Grant:

The Duwamish Valley Program applied for and received $600,000 in funding to continue developing and implementing the Resilience District concept. Funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation will support the City with developing a Resilience District — a geographic strategy, inspired by global models, focused on adapting to flood risk and other climate change impacts as a key first step towards adapting to a changing climate, while taking a comprehensive approach that fosters community resilience.

And there’s even more!

We would also like to celebrate how the Duwamish Valley Action Team made great progress on all seven priority areas in the Action Plan, including:

In 2021 and 2022, many of these projects will go from planning and design to construction, so you will be seeing on-the-ground improvements. Additionally, in the next couple of months, we will be officially launching our Resilience District work and look forward to co-developing solutions with residents, industries, philanthropy, and other non-City partners that will have a positive effect on our communities’ wellbeing for years to come.

Thanks for your ongoing support. Here’s to a resilient Duwamish Valley!

Alberto and David

Register Yourself and Your Community for a COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment

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Our region and state continue to make incredible progress on vaccinations. As of April 23, an estimated 61.5 percent of Seattle residents have begun the vaccination process, and 34.7 percent are fully vaccinated. This week, the City received 52,000 vaccinations from the county, state, and federal level, which is our largest allocation to-date. If this level of supply and demand continues in Seattle, we could vaccinate 70 percent of our workers and residents by the end of May.

Even with supply breaking loose, the City can’t end this pandemic alone – we need your help. If you haven’t already been vaccinated, sign up for a vaccination appointment today at any of the four City-affiliated sites at Lumen Field, North Seattle, Rainier Beach, and West Seattle.

Details are below:

If you have already been vaccinated, be a good neighbor and help your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers get vaccinated by sharing this link throughout your communities. To end this pandemic – and soon – we need to share registration opportunities far and wide: To our workforce, our neighborhood, and our friends and families. If you have any questions, the City encourages you to review our “What to Expect” website.

And if you know someone 60 or older who hasn’t been vaccinated, take them to our hubs in Rainier Beach and West Seattle, and you’ll both get vaccinated without an appointment. You can find more information on our new Good Neighbor walk-in program here.  

Vaccines save lives. With more variants in our community, you can protect your health and the health of your family by getting vaccinated.

If you’re unable to book an appointment this week, they can sign up for the City’s notification list and get notified via email as soon as appointments are available at any of the four City-affiliated sites.

For more information, including the notification list, visit the City’s vaccination website at www.seattle.gov/vaccine. The site contains vaccination information in seven languages, and in-language assistance is also available over the phone.

Even as more residents get vaccinated, public health measures like social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands remain critical. Please continue to follow all public health guidance, and visit this website from Public Health – Seattle & King County for more information.

Fresh Bucks opens application process to select new retail partners

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The City of Seattle’s Fresh Bucks voucher program is expanding its network of retail partners. Fresh Bucks is a healthy food access program which provides eligible and enrolled households with $40 a month to purchase fruits and vegetables from participating farmers markets, farm stands, and stores. The program currently serves close to 12,000 households and is expanding its retail network to provide Fresh Bucks customers with more fresh produce access points as well as additional locations to shop for culturally specific produce. Interested supermarkets, large and small grocery stores, culturally specific grocers, and/or farm stands are encouraged to apply through one of the two selection processes explained below. Fresh Bucks is accepting applications from supermarkets and grocery stores through April 28 and from small food retailers through May 14. 

Fresh Bucks Retail Expansion 

The City is launching two separate application processes to select new retailers, one for supermarkets, grocery store chains, and franchise stores, and the other for small food retailers. Results from a 2020 survey of Fresh Bucks customers and national data on SNAP usage suggest that supermarkets and grocery stores are important access points for Fresh Bucks-eligible customers. The 2020 survey and feedback from Fresh Bucks community partners also indicated that small food retailers, particularly those that offer culturally specific foods and/or are located in neighborhoods with limited access to fresh produce, are also priorities for customers.  

In addition to meeting customer preferences, Fresh Bucks seeks new retail partners that create environments which are welcoming to all cultures, races, economic backgrounds, and languages, and that consistently provide high-quality produce in neighborhoods where priority populations live and work. Fresh Bucks aims to eliminate racial disparities in access to healthy foods for low-income Latino, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander communities and immigrants and refugees, particularly those with language barriers, through focused enrollment into the Fresh Bucks vouchers program.​​ In 2020, 70% of Fresh Bucks vouchers enrollees were from these priority populations. 

Two Selection Processes 

The deadlines for the two application processes are below, and more information is available on the Fresh Bucks website.  

  • Supermarkets and Grocery Stores:  
    • Applications due Wednesday, April 28 by 11:59 p.m. Click here to learn more about eligibility and scoring criteria, and to access the application.  
    • Register here to learn more about this opportunity and ask any questions at a virtual information session on April 14 at 3:00 p.m.  

Apply to Join the Green New Deal Oversight Board

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The City of Seattle expanded on its history of progressive climate action by enacting the Green New Deal Resolution to help create jobs and advance an equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by prioritizing investments in communities historically most harmed by economic, racial, and environmental injustices.

Seattle City Council voted to form the Green New Deal Oversight Board (CB 119604) to advance the work of establishing a Green New Deal for Seattle. The Seattle Green New Deal Oversight Board is composed of representatives who are passionate about advancing an equitable transition to a clean energy economy, centering frontline communities and workers most impacted by climate change. 

How to Apply:
If you are interested in collaborating with a team of community leaders working on bold and transformative solutions to climate change and racial and economic inequity, we encourage you to APPLY HERE by April 16.

For more information, questions, or assistance with the application process please contact equityenviro@seattle.gov or call (206) 487-0007. 

The Oversight Board will work towards developing a workplan that includes:

  • A definition of what constitutes a policy, program or project that advances a Green New Deal for Seattle
  • Proposals for new policies and programs to advance the Green New Deal for Seattle;
  • Support in planning and implementation of City actions to make Seattle climate-pollution free by 2030;
  • City budget and legislative recommendations;
  • Engagement with departments and existing committees, boards, and commissions.  

The Green New Deal Oversight Board will be made up of 19 members appointed by the Mayor and City Council for a renewable, 3-year term.

  • Eight positions designated for community representatives directly impacted by racial, economic, and environmental injustices (including two tribal members and two individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 at the time of their appointment).
  • Four positions designated for representatives of labor unions.
  • Three positions designated for representatives of environmental justice organizations.
  • Three positions designated for representatives with experience in greenhouse gas reduction and climate resiliency strategies relevant to cities.
  • One position designated for an individual specializing in workforce training.

APPLY HERE by April 16.

For more information, questions, or assistance with the application process please contact equityenviro@seattle.gov or call (206) 487-0007. 

Seattle’s Blueprint for an Electrifying Future

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We are excited to announce the City of Seattle’s new Transportation Electrification Blueprint, a first of its kind, comprehensive City-wide plan that outlines how the City will move toward a clean and equitable transportation system. 

Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint is a comprehensive City-wide plan that outlines how the City will move toward a clean and equitable transportation system in order to reduce climate emissions and air pollution, increase electric mobility options, and create a pipeline of green jobs and workforce diversity.  

“Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint is a comprehensive, cross-cutting effort of multiple city departments working together to set ambitious 2030 policy goals and near-term actions to electrify Seattle’s transportation system. This bold plan is a model for cities across the nation to follow.” 

Amanda Eaken, NRDC, American Cities Climate Challenge

This effort was co-led by the Office of Sustainability and Environment, Seattle City Light, Seattle Department of Transportation and the Office of Economic Development to incorporate a wide range of expertise in climate policy, innovation, infrastructure, transit, mobility, economic development and workforce development. 

The Transportation Electrification Blueprint calls for the City to take immediate action to plan for the policy changes, infrastructure investments, and partnerships that will be required to meet these ambitious 2030 goals for the City: 

100 Percent of Shared Mobility is Zero Emissions 
As shared mobility services like bikes, scooters, taxis, Uber, Lyft, carshare services and others continue to expand in Seattle, the City will ensure those options are electric and emissions free. 

90 Percent of All Personal Trips are Zero Emissions 
To reach our climate goals, by 2030 nine out of ten trips must be taken by walking, biking, electric transit or in an electric vehicle (or avoided all together).  

30 Percent of Goods Delivery is Zero Emissions 
As more and more of the goods we buy and the food we eat are purchased online, we are seeing growing congestion and pollution from transportation. This goal is aimed to spur the transition of private fleets to EVs, following the same goal for personal vehicles, over the next 10 years.  

100 percent of City Fleet is fossil-fuel free (Executive Order 2018-02) 
Continuing to lead by example, Seattle will operate a large municipal fleet with zero fossil fuels by 2030.  

One or more ‘Green & Healthy Streets’ in Seattle  
Seattle will ensure a major area of our city will have zero emissions from transportation including streets or blocks that are closed to cars and promote walking, biking, electrified transit, and electric goods delivery and services. 

Electrical infrastructure required to stay ahead of Transportation Electrification adoption is installed and operational.  
Infrastructure investments will enable a rapid transition to an electrified transportation system. Seattle City Light will work strategically to make sure the grid is reliable and built out to enable rapid adoption for emerging electric transportation technologies and vehicles. 

This work included consulting with the Environmental Justice Committee, community leaders, and is centered on community-identified priorities of expanding electric transit and mobility options, making charging more reliable and accessible, and connecting workforce opportunities to communities who need them the most. 

“Since 2018, the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle has partnered with the City of Seattle on several projects to gather input from various communities on transportation electrification. We are thrilled that our community based participatory research provided the framework for Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint to center community identified priorities. Specifically, increasing electric transit and mobility options, making EVs and charging more accessible and connecting related job opportunities to residents who need them the most. We look forward to continuing this partnership as the City works to implement the Blueprint and loop back with communities to let them know their voices have been heard and how their feedback is being actioned.” 

Jose Chi, Environmental Coalition of South Seattle Project Manager & Environmental Justice Committee Member 

Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint is an opportunity to build on past successes and lessons learned to provide economic and health benefits to traditionally underserved communities through increased mobility options, reducing fuel and maintenance costs, mitigating climate change and improving air quality.  

 “The City of Seattle refuse contract and climate strategy enabled Recology to purchase two of the first all-electric Class 8, rear-load garbage/recycling collection trucks in North America. With Seattle leading the way, other cities are eager to follow and provide their residents with quiet trash service and clean air. We look forward to supporting near term actions outlined in Seattle’s Transportation Electrification Blueprint, specifically working with the City on infrastructure incentives and policies needed to advance electrification of municipal waste fleets in Seattle and beyond.” 

Derek Ruckman, Vice President, Recology  

Seattle’s reliance on cars and trucks is not only increasing congestion and hazardous air and water pollution, but it is also the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions in Seattle – all of which disproportionately harm our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. While the City is committed to reducing car trips and the need for car ownership, these efforts alone are not enough to meet our climate goals – we must electrify everything that moves people, goods, and services in and around Seattle. Right now, as our city and residents recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have the opportunity to build our city back better to prioritize our residents’ health, safety, and quality of life. 

Seattle has a vision for a fossil-fuel free future, where the air is clean and our communities thrive. People will take electric buses, ferries, or light rail to work, shopping and other destinations. A robust bike lane network will make it easy for to use bikes, e-scooters, or walk. Ships at port are plugged in, every package delivered to your doorstep comes on an electric van, truck or e-bike. Silent, clean, electric trash and utility trucks will service neighborhoods. This is a future we all deserve, and through this Transportation Electrification Blueprint, we’re ready to get to work. 

Building the Team to Advance Climate, Food, and Environmental Justice in Seattle

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OSE is thrilled to announce six new (and returning!) staff members who are joining the team to help Seattle advance climate justice, food access and sustainability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and transportation sectors. New staff include:

Kristin Brown (she/her/hers) – Climate Communications Advisor
Kristin moved into this new communications role in January and serves as the primary media contact and communications staffer for the office.  

About Kristin:
Kristin Brown joins OSE with more than 10 years of experience running digital and advocacy campaigns to support environmental causes and candidates. She most recently was embedded with OSE as a “Climate Advisor” through the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge (Climate Challenge), where she worked to advance Seattle’s transportation and building policies with an emphasis on racial equity and environmental justice. Prior to the Climate Challenge, Kristin served as the Digital Organizing Director for Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s presidential campaign. She completed her Masters of Public Administration specializing in Environmental Policy at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. While pursuing her MPA, Kristin worked as a consultant providing digital and marketing guidance for Rock the Earth and Spark Northwest. Prior to moving to Seattle, Kristin served as the Director of Digital Strategy at the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) in Washington D.C. She is a proud alumna of two UWs — the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin. Kristin loves the outdoors and getting her hands dirty wherever plants and gardens can be found, and loves curling up with her 60 pound rescue “lap dog” named Charlie Brown.

Robbie Carrasco (he/him/his) – Resource Conservation Specialist
Robbie manages energy reduction projects at city-owned buildings.

About Robbie:
Born and raised in Seattle, Robbie grew up in the city but was always finding himself outdoors and in nature. This led him to attend college at Western Washington University where he took classes in environmental policy and energy economics. Robbie continued to pursue outdoor interests such as snowboarding, hiking, and biking. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, Robbie became a river raft guide and snowboard instructor for several years. Robbie then travelled to Asia to work for a Seattle based non-profit called Mangrove Action Project. He worked within the local community organizing volunteers to create sustainable agriculture and fisheries with the overarching goal of mitigating climate change by protecting the mangrove forests along the south shores of Thailand.  After traveling and working in Asia, Robbie returned home to the Pacific Northwest to continue working in the environmental space gaining employment as an Energy Advisor for Seattle City Light and eventually working his way into the Office of Sustainability and Environment where he is happily working on project management of energy upgrades in City of Seattle owned buildings.

Lisa Chen (she/her/hers) — Equity and Environment Manager
Lisa joined OSE in February and will provide strategic leadership to the Environmental Justice Committee, Environmental Justice Fund and the Green New Deal Oversight Board.  

About Lisa:
Lisa has spent more than a decade deeply invested in building power for low-income communities of color around issues of health equity, worker’s rights, immigration and environmental justice. Most recently she was a strategy consultant for local organizations and institutions including: 4Culture, City of Seattle, Seattle Foundation and King County Public Health. She was the Executive Director at FEEST, an organization dedicated to fostering radical joy for youth of color through organizing for food justice in South King County schools. Under her leadership, FEEST’s operating budget tripled in less than 4 years, doubled youth engagement capacity and underwent a major strategic planning initiative. Prior to FEEST, she was an organizer with UNITE HERE, a labor union representing low-wage hospitality workers, predominantly immigrants and refugees. In 2009, Lisa was an immigrant rights advocate at the esteemed Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco where she helped build the nation’s first undocumented Asian youth project, ASPIRE, and organized for both the state and federal DREAM Act. She has a B.A in Political Science & International Studies from UC-San Diego and was a UC Berkley Goldman Public Policy & International Affairs Fellow. When Lisa is not supporting leaders you can find her writing, reading poetry, trying new soup recipes, rock climbing, or attempting to go running with her rescue dog, Odie.

Lauri Jordana (she/her/hers) — Fresh Bucks Communications Specialist
Lauri joined OSE in March and will be with us for several months to manage the communications strategy and implementation for the rollout of both the new e-benefits card and the Fresh Bucks rebrand.

About Lauri:
Lauri’s career has been mostly focused on Hispanic marketing and communications, and she is excited to now be making a meaningful, local impact to residents in her own hometown! Lauri spent the past eight years as senior advertising manager at T-Mobile, where she managed all national Hispanic advertising campaigns and served as primary stakeholder for all Spanish-language communications companywide. Before that, she had a small firm specializing in Hispanic marketing strategy and communications, Conexión Marketing. In fact, it was there that Lauri served a similar role as today—leading the Latino communications strategy and execution for King County’s Farmers Market Access Project, promoting fresh produce access opportunities for recipients of WIC benefits. Lauri’s undergrad degree is from WSU, in Foreign Languages & Literature, and she earned her MBA from Seattle U. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband Alan and cat Zucca. You may see the cat on calls from time to time, but you’ll never see the camera-shy husband.

José Manuel Vasquez (he/him/them) – Green New Deal
In his new role, José will establish and staff the Green New Deal Oversight Board as well as provide strategic leadership on workforce development & economic opportunity in the climate space.

About José:
José is a displaced immigrant — descendant of the indigenous people from the Mixteco region of Oaxaca, Mexico. His family immigrated to the South Park neighborhood in the early 90’s, where he grew up near the banks of the Duwamish River. José graduated from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and throughout the years has successfully launched and led small businesses, non-profits, and equity initiatives across our city and region. He helped establish and lead the Latino Community Fund of Washington State for close to a decade, spent two years serving as a bridge between our local immigrant and refugee populations and local government through the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and is now joining the amazing Climate Justice team here at OSE. He was deeply involved in the development of Seattle’s Equity and Environment Agenda and establishing the Environmental Justice Fund, ensuring that our communities most impacted by climate change are at the forefront of leading Environmental Justice efforts across the city.
José is also a passionate supporter of the Sounders Football Club, and is a board member of both La Barra Fuerza Verde, the Latinx supporter group and the RAVE Foundation, the official charitable arm of the Seattle Sounders FC.

Alyssa Patrick (she/her/hers) – Strategic Advisor
Alyssa currently wears many hats on the OSE food policy team. Her work ranges from supporting the City’s emergency food response through federal and state policy analysis to leading projects increasing access to fresh fruit and vegetables for students and Fresh Bucks customers.

About Alyssa:
Alyssa’s life and work is deeply rooted in Washington State and a desire for a more equitable future. She grew up in Yakima and her career has included supporting Washington State University economic development efforts through storytelling and legislators and councilmembers through policy analysis.  At OSE, she has had the opportunity to work alongside colleagues and community groups on access to nutritious, culturally relevant food. She earned her bachelor’s from WSU and Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Washington. Alyssa is also on the Jackson Foundation Leadership Committee, where she is helping develop sustainable structures for a growing network of public service-minded leaders. She is also passionate about supporting young people, something she has done through Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Technology Access Foundation. Outside of work you can find Alyssa cooking, nerding out about some food or music podcast, spending time with family and friends, reading, exploring a park, or dabbling in creative writing.



OSE Celebrates Black History Month

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February is Black History Month. In the spirit of celebrating Black excellence and brilliance, and in service to the expansion of our minds to learn from Black thought leaders in the environmental and climate movement, staff at the Office of Sustainability pulled together a reading list highlighting Black leaders at the intersections of environmental justice, climate change, food justice, outdoor recreation, sustainability and more.

Black excellence should be celebrated every day. We hope that elevating these writers can help us expand the canon of “must read” works that guide us as public servants in our mission to support healthy people and planet.

Emergent Strategy:  Shaping Change, Changing Worlds
By Adrienne Maree Brown

Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors
By Dr. Carolyn Finney

The Combahee River Collective Statement
By the Combahee River Collective

Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution and Residential Mobility
By Dr. Dorceta Taylor

Just Sustainabilities: Policy, Planning and Practice
By Dr. Julian Agyeman

The Wrong Complexion for Protection: How the Government Response to Disaster Endangers the African American Community
By Dr. Robert Bullard

Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality
By Dr. Robert Bullard

Environmental Health and Racial Equity in the United States
By Dr. Robert Bullard, Dr. Glenn Johnson, and Angel O. Torres

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis
Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K. Wilkinson

The Home Place: A Memoir of a Colored Man’s Affair with Nature
By J. Drew Lanham

Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land
By Leah Penniman

The Fifth Season
By N.K. Jemisin

The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors
By James Edward Mills

Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry
By Camille T. Dungy

Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement 
By Monica M. White

The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation
By Anna Malaika Tubbs

Earthseed Series
By Octavia Butler

How to be an Antiracist
By Ibram X. Kendi

The Case for Reparations
By Ta Nehisi-Coates

Mayor Durkan Signs Legislation Making Seattle’s Building Energy Code One of Strongest on Climate in the Nation

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Updates to energy code would require all new commercial and large multifamily buildings to use clean electricity for space and water heating and maximize building efficiency and on site renewables

On Monday, February 8, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan signed into law new updates to Seattle’s building energy code, which will eliminate fossil fuels for most space and water heating, increase energy efficiency, and improve access to onsite renewables like solar. After transmitting to City Council in December 2020, Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the proposed updates on February 1. The code covers all new commercial buildings and large multifamily buildings above three stories and will go into effect on March 15.  

“Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air we breathe both indoors and out, especially for children, seniors, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Seattle’s buildings are one of the largest and fastest growing source of this pollution,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “Seattle’s energy code is not only among the strongest in the nation, it prioritizes protecting the health of our most impacted populations and is a critical mechanism to support our City’s transition to a clean energy future.”  

Building energy use is responsible for more than one-third of Seattle’s overall greenhouse gas emissions, with 86% of these building sector emissions resulting directly from fracked gas. Without the code changes, the City expects that greenhouse gas emissions from buildings would be up to 10% higher by 2050.  

“Seattle’s energy code update will continue the city’s longstanding place as one of the strongest in the nation for energy efficiency,” said Nathan Torgelson, Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. “We expect these code changes to result in cleaner and more efficient buildings, making this a better overall investment for building owners and a healthier and more comfortable environment for people living and working in these buildings.” 

The energy code updates do not apply to single family homes or low-rise multifamily homes, as the state prohibits city amendments to the residential energy code. Key changes for commercial and large multifamily buildings through the new code include:  

  • Eliminates all gas and most electric resistance space heating systems  
  • Eliminates gas water heating in large multifamily buildings and hotels  
  • Improves building exteriors to improve energy efficiency and comfort  
  • Creates more opportunities for solar power  
  • Requires electrical infrastructure necessary for future conversion of any gas appliances in multifamily buildings 

The final updates resulted from months of stakeholder engagement with the City’s Department of Construction and Inspections and Office of Sustainability and Environment. A broad coalition of environmental advocates, labor, public health, and affordable housing advocates came together and spoke to the benefits these updates will bring at a series of council hearings in late January.  

“The updates to the Seattle Energy Code are a prime example of how we can confront the climate crisis while creating good-paying union jobs and boosting our local economy” said Nicole Grant, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of MLK Labor. “As an electrician, I know how much work can be done to make buildings more efficient. Starting this work now will pay off 10-fold down the road.”  

“While its no longer possible to legitimately deny that we have an affordable housing crisis, it becomes hard to address this challenge if we don’t have healthy communities within which to make those homes real” said Marty Kooistra, Executive Director, Housing Development Consortium. “Simply stated, we have to care about our planet and this action on energy code is one more step in our journey to get us to achieving stewardship of our collective home for future generations.”  

Updating the commercial building energy code is one of multiple strategies the City is pursuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the buildings sector. Since 2017, the City has helped approximately 600 households convert from dirty, inefficient heating oil to clean, energy-efficient heat pumps, with the goal of eliminating heating oil use by 2028. The City also requires Building Tune-Ups to help building owners find operational efficiencies and low- and no-cost fixes that improve building performance and reduce building energy use 10-15% on average. Seattle’s largest buildings have completed 450 tune-ups to date, reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the city and saving money on their energy bills. 

“The buildings built today will last generations. Strengthening our energy code means new buildings will be efficient and climate resilient from the start and avoid costly retrofits” said Amy Wheeless, Senior Policy Associate at the NW Energy Coalition and Co-Chair of Shift Zero. “Seattle is leading the way for the Northwest, and we look forward to even more action on climate policies.”  

The City of Seattle is receiving technical support in developing the energy code from the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. Seattle is one of 25 cities participating in the Climate Challenge, a program to significantly deepen and accelerate their efforts to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future for their residents.  

“Mayor Durkan and Seattle’s City Council have demonstrated tremendous leadership today in the fight against climate change,” said Kelly Shultz, program lead for the American Cities Climate Challenge at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Reducing the use of fossil fuels in buildings doesn’t just reduce emissions, it also improves air quality and lowers energy bills, which is important for all residents and particularly low-income communities who are hardest hit by climate and health risks. Through the American Cities Climate Challenge, Bloomberg Philanthropies is proud to support cities like Seattle in implementing effective and innovative climate change solutions that are keeping communities on track to offer a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable future. ”  

“Seattle is taking a big step forward in demonstrating how cities can lead the transition to pollution-free buildings,” said Elizabeth Stampe, a city strategist with the Bloomberg Philanthropies American Cities Climate Challenge. “By powering new commercial buildings and large apartment and condo complexes with efficient appliances that run on clean electricity, we can reduce air pollution and utility bills at the same time. Seattle’s climate leadership will hopefully inspire more cities to make the switch from polluting fossil gas to efficient, electric buildings that are healthier, safer, and more affordable.”  For more information about the energy code updates, including the code language, visit the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections energy code web page.

City of Seattle and King Conservation District Community Partnership Grant Program Awards $426,000 to Six Community Organizations

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The City of Seattle and King Conservation District are continuing their longstanding collaboration to invest in natural resource improvements that are led by or in deep partnership with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted these communities, but has not changed the need for improved natural resources or access to healthy food and green space. Instead, it has amplified that need.

Nearly 30 proposals totaling over $1.8M were received. Proposed projects represented a range of activities and ideas including, community education and empowerment, green career pathways, youth leadership, arts, food sovereignty, food access, soil remediation, urban forest restoration, and many more.

This year, the King Conservation District and City of Seattle are thrilled to announce awards to the following community organizations:

African Community Housing & Development: Farmers Market for the Delridge African Diaspora Immigrant & Refugee Community

ACHD seeks funding for a new farmers market in the Delridge neighborhood, designated by the City of Seattle as a “Low Economic Opportunity/High Displacement Area.” The market will prioritize BIPOC vendors, and feature culturally-significant foods for the African community. They will leverage grant funding from other sources to purchase food at full price from farmers to provide free healthy food to food-insecure families.

Black Star Farmers: Walker Street Aquaponics Gardening Lab Project

Black Star Farmers in partnership with Black Farmers Collective will revitalize the Walker St. Aquaponics Gardening Lab by incorporating stormwater management and infrastructure, sustainable environmental design elements and renewable energy technologies in an effort to develop a renewable food system for the local First Hill, Rainier Valley and south Beacon Hill community. This project will include funding for a community member to serve as onsite management of the aquaponics and greenhouse system.

Hip Hop is Green: Cherry Street Farm, Lab & Culinary Anthropology Project

Cherry Street Farm, Lab & Culinary Project is a food security, food justice, health equity oriented, urban farm/teaching lab with greenhouse, onsite kitchen and community gathering space. Through a STEM lens, paid BIPOC youth interns learn to be environmental stewards while building community through a hands-on, immersive experience in building a garden, taking Culinary Anthropology cooking classes, communing with nature, and growing and sharing food with people in need via food box distribution.

iUrban Teen: Resilience, Innovation and Sustainability in a Changing World Project

Students will learn about soil sampling and soil remediation at YES Farm (continuation of last year’s KCD grant) at Yesler Terrace (three cohorts – 24 students). Students will learn about Climate Change and GIS Mapping and use AI as tools to research solutions (two cohorts – 24 students). They will partner with GirlTrek and Outdoor Afro to create four educational nature hikes for teens focusing on watersheds and creek restoration (four hikes with 12 students each hike).

Na’ah Illahee Fund: Daybreak Star Restoration for Sovereign Futures Project

Na’ah Illahee Fund (NIF) will partner with United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and community members to restore surrounding land, waters, and gathering areas of Daybreak Star in Discovery Park. Through revitalizing land, plant life, preserving sacred foods and medicines, and addressing park maintenance for increased accessibility, they will create a space for cultural preservation, learning, and activities for our communities.

Villa Comunitaria: Salsa De La Vida Project

This food access and food security project in the South Park neighborhood is organized and implemented by resident farmers called Promotoras. Funding will support farm infrastructure, soil remediation, farming, CSA distribution, traditional medicine kit distribution and cooperative development costs of the Salsa De La Vida Project located at Marra Farm.

This year’s grant process was delayed in order to hear from previous grantees about how the pandemic was impacting their projects. Based on this feedback and guidance from the philanthropic community, we shortened the application process, offered more opportunities for one-on-one support, and provided applicants the opportunity to give an oral presentation in addition to the written application. We also connected organizations to each other and gave them an opportunity to share lessons learned.