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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.

Seattle Awards Over $500,000 For Community-Led Projects that Advance Environmental Justice

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2020 Grants Are Largest-Ever Amount Awarded through the City’s Environmental Justice Fund

Contact: Lylianna Allala, Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment, 206-276-4102

The Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment, in partnership with Seattle’s Environmental Justice Committee, is pleased to announce $515,000 in funding will be awarded to 10 community organizations for projects that will advance environmental justice in Seattle. Funding of up to $60,000 will be awarded to projects led by and benefiting those most impacted by environmental and climate issues, including communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and Indigenous people.

“Here in Seattle, we must confront the intersecting crises of climate change, COVID-19, and systemic racism by making real investments in Black, Indigenous and people of color communities,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “The Environmental Justice Fund is investing in community-led projects that honor the lived experience of our residents and get us closer to achieving environmental justice.”

“The Environmental Justice Grant Fund has been essential in supporting our community members during the pandemic, as it has highlighted the struggles that residents and business owners have gone through over the past year,” said Tom Im, Deputy Director of InterIM CDA, and an Environmental Justice Fund grantee. “The City has been supportive in providing our project with additional time and flexibility, especially in light of the crisis we are facing.”

The Environmental Justice Fund was created as part of the implementation of Seattle’s Equity & Environment Agenda. It is overseen by Seattle’s Environmental Justice Committee, a group of dedicated community leaders whose goal is to deepen the influence of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and to help shape Seattle’s environmental policies and work.  

“I was deeply inspired and honored to participate in the community review process, which was both a very gratifying and very difficult process,” said Karia Wong, Environmental Justice Committee member and grant-reviewer. “I was thrilled to read each proposal which showed the dedication and commitment of each community group to advancing environmental justice.

Seattle’s Equitable Development Initiative, managed by the Office of Planning and Community Development, matched $250,000 to bring the total Environmental Justice Fund to $515,000 in 2020, the most-ever awarded to grantees. This funding supports shared goals of both initiatives to close racial disparities in food sovereignty, environmental, and community health, while promoting culturally appropriate healing and methods of community leadership, engagement, programming, and policy development.

“Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, and communities of color are vibrant, creative, and resourceful, and must be centered in developing solutions,” said Lylianna Allala, Climate Justice Director with the Office of Sustainability & Environment. “I am thrilled we were able to double the amount of funds awarded to grantees this year, but the need far outpaces the available funds. We will continue working to identify and allocate resources to support community-led environmental justice projects.”

Overall, 46 proposals totaling nearly $2.5M were received. Proposed projects represented a wide spectrum of ideas and activities, including arts, community education, food access, green jobs, mitigation, climate multi-generational activities, youth leadership and more.

The organizations receiving funding and their projects are:

Black Farmers Collective – $60,000
This proposal will expand organizational capacity and provide watering infrastructure at Yes Farm – a community garden, farmer co-op, and community gathering space – that will expand their capacity to grow food and sustain crops that feed their community.

Chief Seattle Club – $60,000
Sovereignty Farm connects homeless American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Apprentices to green jobs and is linked to the Good Medicine Café – a Traditional Foods Café in Pioneer Square. This proposal supports farming activities as part of their workforce development program. Good Medicine Café will open in October 2021 featuring a Traditional Foods menu, with produce harvested from Sovereignty Farm and ingredients sourced from local tribes and Native Farmers. The Café, a social enterprise staffed by homeless AI/AN apprentices, will educate patrons about indigenous foods, and host a monthly Indigenous Farmer’s Market.

East African Senior Meal Program – $60,000
The Environmental Justice Urban Farming project will resume and expand the East African Senior Meal Program at the Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands which has been on hold due to COVID-19. This program serves East African seniors through weekly opportunities to: grow food using regenerative practices, care for the wetlands adjacent to Lake Washington, share a healthy community meal, access to culturally appropriate foods, and access educational and civic engagement opportunities.

FEEST-$32,700
FEEST will provide living wage stipends for youth leading critical school food work in Seattle Public Schools. Youth will lead solutions at the intersection of health and well-being to address emergency school food response, housing, policing, and coordination with school food partners. FEEST will convene community forums to bring together youth leaders, direct service organizations, community partners, and school food decision-makers to directly address the gaps in food access for low income youth of color and bring forward youth-driven solutions. This funding supports capacity building support to build infrastructure to develop effective digital organizing strategy because of COVID-19 restrictions. 

Got Green – $60,000
This project supports engagement efforts that contribute to community led climate resilience planning and educational workshops at the intersection of climate justice, health, displacement, and emergency.  This work will inform their goal of establishing a resilience network that Black, Indigenous and communities of color can connect with in a climate emergency.

Hmong Association of Washington – $40,000
The proposal will directly address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Hmong farmers through their “Hmong Vegetable Farmers Visibility” Project. This intergenerational project will connect Hmong farmers with Hmong youth to share traditional farming knowledge through storytelling and virtual programming.

Lake City Collective – $60,000
This community empowerment project in the Little Brook neighborhood will focus on various environmental justice and sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) factors in the area, making this information easily accessible to the community, and creating an Environmental Justice Action Plan through a community-led visioning process to improve social and environmental conditions in Little Brook.

The Doorway Project – $22,300
This proposal will launch Bloom, a new place-based educational internship aimed at developing critical consciousness around food justice and homelessness. An existing youth-led garden at the University District Youth Center will serve as a gathering place for a cohort of young adults experiencing homelessness to learn about food systems, social justice and community organizing through a climate justice framework.

Unkitawa – $60,000
Through Unkitawa’s Indigenous Wellness Program, this proposal aligns food and medicine sovereignty goals. In partnership with the Duwamish Tribe, The Duwamish Longhouse Medicine Garden will be a hub of traditional medicines and knowledge that will serve as a space to gather and share resources. This project will also include a home-based garden component to connect community to gardening practices that center an Indigenous lens.

Villa Comunitaria – $60,000
This project will support ongoing food production through the Salsa de la Vida program located at Marra Farm. Activities include soil remediation and growing the Community Supported Agriculture pilot launched in 2020. In response to COVID-19, production and distribution of traditional herbs will be increased to meet the needs of the Latinx communities in South Park and Seattle via Traditional Medicine Home Kits.

City to Create a ‘Resilience District’ with Award from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

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Seattle Receives $600,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to Continue Community-Led Health, Equity, and Climate Change Adaptation Work in the Duwamish Valley

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has awarded the City of Seattle a $600,000 grant to work with community partners in the Duwamish Valley on a strategy that will improve health, increase community resilience, and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. This work will specifically deliver on key actions identified in the City-community shared Duwamish Valley Action Plan that was released in 2018.

Photo credit: Tom Reese

“This award is a remarkable testament to the excellent foundation of trust and creative solutions the City’s interdisciplinary Duwamish Valley Program and community partners have built over the past few years,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. “We have seen that COVID-19 has magnified health and economic disparities, especially for communities of color. As we address the COVID-19 crisis and begin to recover, we must build a more equitable and resilient city. Through this collaboration, we can help advance a new model of how to address health, equity, and climate change for our residents and businesses.” 

Funding from RWJF 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. Specifically, the award will fund detailed scenario planning for a sea level rise adaptation strategy, research of financial models and equitable investment mechanisms, capacity building and partnership development across government institutions and community stakeholders, extensive communication and inclusive engagement, and implementation of “proof of concept” projects. More importantly, the approach will center the participation and decision-making of Duwamish Valley residents and businesses, embed a racial equity approach in each aspect of the project, and identify sustainable funding sources and investment mechanisms that will help prevent the displacement of impacted communities and foster health and equity.

The project team reviewed successful models of community resilience and scenario planning from across the world. Specifically, the team drew inspiration and lessons from successful projects in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and New Zealand. These projects offer guidance and strategies for sustainable funding mechanisms, tools for equitable distribution of benefits, community and cross-sector collaboration in creating a special planning district, and participatory decision-making in scenario planning—notably in communities that are vulnerable to earthquakes and flooding.

“We join our partners in the City of Seattle to celebrate this great news,” said Paulina López, executive director of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. “For many years, we have worked together to address health disparities and racial inequities in the Duwamish Valley, centering the voice of community in decision-making, planning, and implementation of projects and investments—on issues that directly impact us. The work of this grant will also offer opportunities for equitable investments that will improve health outcomes and advance anti-displacement strategies, flooding prevention, and adaptation to a changing climate. I am really grateful for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s award and commitment to greatly improve living conditions in our community and for their support to ensure this work becomes a model for others to replicate in Seattle, in the U.S., and around the world.” 

The Office of Sustainability & Environment and the Office of Planning & Community Development lead Seattle’s Duwamish Valley Program, a multi-departmental effort to advance environmental justice and equitable development. The interdisciplinary team of 18 City departments is responsible for the ongoing implementation of the Duwamish Valley Action Plan, including the execution of this grant project. Seattle Public Utilities will also be taking on a leadership role in ensuring the success of the project.

“Since 2018, Seattle Public Utilities has been working with community partners to plan and design drainage and water management infrastructure to help alleviate stormwater-related flooding in South Park and Georgetown,” said Mami Hara, General Manager, Seattle Public Utilities. “However, as sea level rises, we will be challenged by overtopping of the Duwamish River, which will require additional mitigation. We are incredibly grateful for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support because it will allow us to lead with addressing needs and aspirations of Black, Indigenous and people of color in Seattle’s lowest lying lands to begin long-term planning to adapt to sea level rise and other projected impacts from a changing climate.”

“Advancing equitable development and environmental equity in South Park and Georgetown has been a priority for the City of Seattle for years,” said Sam Assefa, Director of the Office of Planning & Community Development. “The Foundation’s support will allow us to expand this work by coordinating with industrial stakeholders working on the Seattle’s Maritime & Industrial Strategy. We are looking forward to helping our residential and industrial stakeholders stay and thrive in place despite projected climate change impacts.”

This project is part of a $3 million initiative from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bring the most impactful ideas from across the globe to U.S. cities to address the intertwined issues of health, equity, and climate change. Through six projects funded through this initiative, RWJF is fostering learning and stimulating action in U.S. cities around smart, effective approaches from abroad that mitigate the unequal health risks posed by climate change.

2019 Building Performance Data Published

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The City of Seattle recently published 2019 building energy performance data for Seattle’s largest commercial and multifamily properties. The data is available to view in Seattle’s Open Data Portal along with 2015 – 2018 building performance data. All five years of data can be downloaded and include energy performance metrics such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy use per square foot (EUI), ENERGY STAR score, building type, size, and more. Explore the building data here or summary statistics by building type here. Customized building reports for 2019 data will be available in early 2021 through our online mapping tool www.seattle.gov/energybenchmarkingmap.

Large Buildings Achieve High Compliance with Building Tune-Ups Requirement

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After more than two years of the new Building Tune-Ups policy, the largest buildings have achieved over 97% compliance. Congratulations! The first two ‘cohorts’ of buildings – Cohort 1 (200,000+ SF) and Cohort 2 (100,000-199,999 SF) – have completed 330 tune-ups to date, reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the city and saving money on their energy bills.

Building Tune-Ups optimize energy and water performance by identifying low- or no-cost actions related to building operations and maintenance. When done properly, tune-ups can generate 10-15% in energy savings and contribute to our climate goals. Tune-ups are required every five years for non-residential buildings 50,000 square feet or larger in the City of Seattle.

HVAC Operations Dominate Commonly Found Deficiencies

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) measures dominate the most commonly found deficiencies, for both required and voluntary actions (see below). HVAC set point fixes were identified and made in nearly half of all buildings above 100,000 SF to date. Tune-Up Specialists identified HVAC control issues or sensors that were uncalibrated, not functioning, or located inappropriately in 43% of the buildings tuned-up.

Voluntary Actions Uncover Additional Opportunities to Save

Of the most commonly identified voluntary actions, inefficient lighting equipment was identified in 47% of buildings assessed, with approximately 13% of all buildings voluntarily taking action to improve the efficiency of lighting during or after the tune-up. The second most common voluntary correction identified was the presence of equipment reaching the end of its service life, found in 44% of the approved tune-ups and acted upon in 7% of buildings. These voluntary actions represent opportunities for buildings to achieve deeper energy, carbon, and cost savings.

Smaller Building Deadlines Approaching

Owners of smaller buildings must meet the new Tune-Up mandate, April 1, 2021 for Cohort 3 buildings (70,000 to 99,999 GSF) and October 1, 2021 for Cohort 4 buildings (50,000 to 69,999 GSF). In addition to saving energy and water, conducting a Tune-Up can also help with preparing your building for operation during and/or after the COVID-19 pandemic.

All work associated with a Building Tune-Up must be done by a qualified Tune-Up Specialist, the experienced professionals responsible for conducting the building assessment, identifying required Tune-Up actions, performing those actions, verifying the work is done correctly, and submitting a report to the City. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) has a directory of qualified Tune-Ups Specialists. This is a great resource for obtaining tune-up bids.

Compliance takes time, often between 6 and 12 months. Owners are encouraged to get started now to ensure there is adequate time to complete the on-site building assessment and follow through on required corrective actions.

Passionate About Environmental Justice? Join Seattle’s Environmental Justice Committee!

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Are you committed to centering community needs and improving environmental, health and economic conditions for our communities? Are if you interested in working toward shifting power to community to further advance the City’s environmental work? If so, consider applying to the Environmental Justice Committee!

The Environmental Justice Committee (EJC) centers community ownership in decision-making, environmental program/policy design and Equity & Environment Agenda implementation while enhancing partnerships with City departments and better connecting community-based solutions into government. Members increase their understanding of City environmental programs and receive funding to bring their learnings back to their communities.

Committee members will serve two-year terms from January 2021 to Dec 2022. Members will be provided the option to recommit for an additional year at the end of their term. Members participate in retreats, monthly meetings and leadership development opportunities and commit approximately 10 hours per month. 

Applications are due Friday, December 4 and interviews will take place on January 11 & 12, 2021. Contact equityenviro@seattle.gov if you have any questions.

Managing Seattle’s Urban Forest – Seeking Feedback

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Deadline for public comment is November 30, 2020.

Managing Seattle’s roughly 15,000 acres of tree canopy is no easy task. Urban trees grow on every landscape across the city – including public and privately-owned properties, street rights-of-way, and natural areas – all together making up Seattle’s urban forest. The City of Seattle relies on its Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP) to guide policies and action toward maintaining, preserving, enhancing, and restoring this valuable public asset.

The City’s urban forestry team has been working on updating the UFMP and has solicited input from the community in a variety of ways in the past two years. The new draft plan includes goals and strategies to address racial equity, adaptation to climate change, public health and safety, and more. The draft is now available for public review.

Public input is being accepted through November 30, 2020, feedback can be submitted through the online comment form. Virtual presentations for your group or organization can be arranged by contacting Sandra Pinto at Sandra.PintoUrrutia@seattle.gov.