Sustainable Seattle Programs
Neighborhoods and Rain Gardens: In Seattle’s neighborhoods, we convene and educate community members in around a broad range of topics, install rain gardens and other stormwater management infrastructure, and build dynamic community networks in the process. Through our rain garden program, workshops, and monthly newsletters, we collaborate with local groups that are making great strides in improving their communities and highlight their successes. Topics range from building sharing networks for tools to cultivating community gardens to growing community through discussion. In showcasing these best practices we enable everyone to be involved in making their neighborhood and own lives more sustainable. Learn more and enjoy our newsletters here.
Sustainable Business Programs: Our Tools for Tomorrow Series, brought to the community in partnership with Bainbridge Graduate Institute, hosts workshops, roundtables, and twice-a-year high profile speakers to provide training and networking for business and working professionals interested in the area of sustainability. We see businesses that would like to move towards a more sustainable footprint, but they need solid guidance on how to proceed. In a vibrant format these events provide professionals with tools, resources and leading-edge information, tapping into the collective experience of our area’s experts. Learn more.
Sustainable Community Awards Program: We recognize outstanding achievements that individuals and businesses have made during the year to make Puget Sound Region a more sustainable and livable place. Leadership and innovation awards in the categories of Built Environment, Natural Environment, Personal Environment, and Social Environment are given from a pool of nominees submitted by community members. Our winners and all nominees are truly inspiring in their out-of-the-ordinary accomplishments.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Accomplishments in 2011
- Recognized 29 different business and individuals at our Sustainable Community Outstanding Leadership and Innovation Awards Event in December.
- Installed 5 rain gardens through our Sustainable Rain Program in diverse neighborhoods throughout Seattle and hosted vibrant community workshops at each location.
- Launched the Happiness Initiative in January of 2011, a program that measures community well-being across a broad range of measures using a simple individual survey. The Happiness Initiative was adopted by Seattle’s City Council and the Mayor’s Office and went on to capture international attention, so much so that by the end of the year we succeeded in spinning it off to become its own nationally focused independent non-profit.
- Hosted 15 workshops and trainings throughout the year, on topics ranging from climate change impacts on water resources to grant writing, as well as an international speaker event, featuring authors Paul Gilding and John de Graaf, in conjuction with the University of Washington.
Current Needs
Sustainable Seattle currently needs funding for program development and outreach.