In 2012, the City released the first Food Action Plan, a 5-year road-map to increasing food security, strengthening urban agriculture and local food economies, and reducing food waste. We’ve collectively made progress on many of the Plan’s recommendations, but, as we all know, the challenges of food insecurity and an unsustainable food system remain.

To reflect the changes in Seattle’s food system and create better alignment with the community and our key partners, OSE is launching an update to the Food Action Plan. Work on this is starting now and will continue through summer of 2020. There will be several opportunities for the public to engage in the update of the Seattle Food Action Plan.

Many of Seattle’s notable food achievements are the result of implementing key strategies of the Food Action Plan. The most recent update of Food Action Plan accomplishments is linked here. Noteworthy accomplishments in the last year include:

• As a result of the Sweetened Beverage Tax implementation, the City’s healthy food access efforts expanded substantially through investments in Fresh Bucks, food banks, meal programs, and the launch of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
  
  
• Sales at Farmer’s Markets increased over 29% since 2017 with local farmers earning $828,631 through EBT (food stamp) and Fresh Bucks purchases.

• 181,307 tons of organic waste was diverted from the landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• 1,772 acres of local farmland, representing roughly 27 farms, were preserved through Seattle’s Transfer of Development Rights partnership with King County between 2013-2018. 

For any questions about the Food Action Plan, please contact Hannah Hill at Hannah.Hill@seattle.gov.  

Lylianna Allala comes to the Office of Sustainability and Environment after serving as lead staff on environment and climate policy and outreach for U.S Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. She is dedicated to working across difference to co-develop solutions that will lead us to a more equitable and just world.

Lylianna is passionate about fostering pathways for young leaders of color into careers within the environmental movement. She helped to create and launch the RAY Conservation Diversity Fellowship; a national leadership program with the goal to increase and facilitate conservation-related career pathways for emerging leaders of color. Lylianna also served on the Community Partner Steering Committee which shaped the Seattle’s Equity and Environment Agenda.

Lylianna’s professional background includes monitoring the endangered Mitchell’s Satyr butterfly, prescribed burning for habitat restoration, trail building in the Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness and leading forest restoration efforts in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, Seattle’s largest contiguous forest.

Lylianna has a B.A in English from Winona State University, a certificate in Non-Profit Management from Georgetown University and a certificate in Wetland Science and Management from the University of Washington. She is a leadership fellow with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation and 2018 Forward Honoree of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition for her contributions to advancing equity in outdoor recreation and conservation.

Lylianna is a lifelong learner and enjoys story telling as a way to develop deeper insights about self and the world around her. She is excited to join the team at OSE to ensure that communities most impacted by environmental injustice are on the leading edge of solutions to secure a healthier future for all.  

Are you passionate about the future of Seattle’s trees and green spaces? Interested in using your personal expertise to help shape the management of Seattle’s urban forest? Help the Emerald City keep its nickname and become a member of UFC, Seattle Urban Forestry Commission!

The UFC was established in 2009 to advise the mayor and City Council concerning policy and regulations governing the protection, management, and conservation of trees and vegetation in the City of Seattle. To gain a wide scope of perspective, the Commission gathers 13 members from a range of personal and professional backgrounds to work on UFC’s goals, including the City’s aim of achieving 30% tree canopy cover by 2037.

Two positions are currently open: Position 9, which seeks an economist, financial analyst, WA State licensed real estate broker, or any other similar professional, preferably with a background in planning or development, and Position 2, which seeks an urban ecologist, preferably experienced in the field of restoration ecology. Both positions last from confirmation until March 31^st, 2020, with the possibility of extending for another 3 years beyond that. 

The time commitment for each position is ten hours per month, with Commission meetings taking place on the first and second Wednesdays of each month, from 3-5 pm. Trees are a vital element of Seattle’s health and identity as a city; help give them a voice through membership with UFC!

To be considered, please send a letter of interest outlining your qualifications to Sandra Pinto de Bader by August 30, 2019.

The Office of Sustainability & Environment is thrilled to introduce the newest member of our team: Ximena Fonseca-Morales is the new Program Coordinator for Seattle’s Equity & Environment Initiative.

Ximena, who immigrated to the Pacific Northwest from Peru in 2003, brings years of experience leading meaningful community engagement and approaches her work through a lens of race and social justice. Her work in the nonprofit and public sectors has allowed her to advance environmental and climate justice as well as health equity. She is constantly reminded of the intrinsic connection we have to the environment, both natural and built, and is inspired by how different communities define the environment. In this role, she is most excited to continue working with community to help elevate creative solutions that help us work toward achieving environmental and climate justice.

Ximena most recently worked for Washington County’s Environmental Health program where she focused on partnership development and led community engagement efforts on a wide range of environmental topics including air quality, water, and food safety. After spending the last eight years between both coasts, Ximena is thrilled to be back in the PNW and to call Seattle home. She holds an MA in Climate & Society from Columbia University and a BA in environmental science from Barnard College.

Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program helps building owners identify smart, responsible ways to reduce energy and water costs. Like cars and bikes, all buildings need to be tuned regularly to keep them running as efficiently as possible. Seattle buildings that are 50,000 sq. ft. and larger are required to complete a building tune-up every five years. As part of Seattle’s ongoing climate leadership, the City committed to completing tune-ups at on City buildings one year in advance of deadlines for the private market. The results of these early tune-ups are starting to come in and we’re pleased to share them with the public.

Building managers at the Seattle Justice Center completed all tune-up actions by last spring. After a year’s worth of tracking and adjusting for weather normalized use, the results demonstrate notable improvements in both energy and carbon savings. Before the tune-up, the Justice Center’s “energy use intensity” (EUI) was 73.8 and now the building’s EUI is 59.8. EUI is a common building energy metric that expresses the measurement of a building’s annual energy consumption relative to its gross square-footage.

The improvements in the Seattle Justice Center’s EUI represent an overall energy savings of 19% and a 25% reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the upgrades will bring an annual savings of $57,000!

For more information on the specific corrective actions that were performed  to achieve these savings, check out the Seattle Justice Center Tune-Up Case Study.