Sustainability Links for Home and Work
Climate Change
- Washington State's Climate Change Challenge
Washington State Department of Ecology hosted site for Climate Change information in the state. - Western Climate Initiative
WCI is a partnership of Western States and Territories that is developing a regional cap and trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. - Climate Solutions
A regional nonprofit organization focused on accelerating practical and profitable solutions to global warming. - The Climate Registry
A nonprofit collaboration among North American states, provinces, territories and Native Sovereign Nations that sets consistent and transparent standards to calculate, verify and publicly report greenhouse gas emissions into a single registry. - US Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Change Information
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- Washington State's Energy Savings Performance Contracting
General Administration program for facility energy efficiency - Washington State Incentives for Renewable Energy
Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) hosted by North Carolina University - US EPA's Energy Star Program
A joint program of the US EPA and US Department of Energy to provide energy efficiency tools for government agencies.
Environmental Benefit/Savings Calculators
- Environmental Defense Fund's Paper Calculators
The EDF’s calculator helps you quantify the benefits of better paper choices. The Paper Calculator shows the environmental impacts of different papers across their full lifecycle.
- Global Footprint Network's Ecological Footprint Calculator
Global Footprint Network is an international think tank working to advance sustainability through use of the footprinting which are resource accounting tools that measure how much nature we have, how much we use and who uses what.
- Responsible Purchasing Network's Hybrid Vehicle Calculator
Use the Hybrid Calculator to compare hybrid electric (HEV) and conventional vehicles. The calculator includes purchase price, fuel costs, repair and maintenance costs, resale value, and applicable tax incentives, and calculates expected lifetime costs for both vehicles, as well as cost and emissions savings from the HEV.
- Northeast Recycling Council's Environmental Benefits Calculator
NERC's Environmental Benefits Calculator is usable by any state, region, county, town, institution, school and business in the United States. Among the Calculator’s unique features are the environmental benefits of computer recycling and reuse calculator, an energy savings comparison chart, and an emissions savings comparison chart.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
- Washington State's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Resources from the Department of Ecology to help purchasers make more informed decisions. - King County's Environmental Purchasing Program
Established program with case studies. - City of Seattle's Green Purchasing
- City of Seattle's Papercuts Program
- Green Procurement Topic Hub
Hosted by the Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center - Life Cycle Assessment for Purchasing Agents
2001 PowerPoint Slide Show - US EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Website
- Washington State Department of Ecology’s Toxic Free Tips
Includes resources for a safer and healthier home, school, workplace and community.
- INFORM - Purchasing for Pollution Prevention
A website designed to help governments purchase safer alternatives to products containing persistent, bioaccumulative toxic chemicals (PBTs) such as mercury, lead, and dioxins. - King County’s Local Hazardous Waste Management Program
Alternatives to Hazardous Household products
Funding Opportunities
- Washington State's Terry Husseman Sustainable Schools Awards
All Washington State public or private primary and secondary schools are invited to participate in the competition which is administered by the Department of Ecology annually. - Russell Family Foundation’s Environmental Sustainability Grants
The foundation is committed to improving protection of the environment in western Washington, with an emphasis on the waters of Puget Sound. The foundation focuses its grant making in this program on Puget Sound, Environmental Education and Green Business. - US EPA’s Environmental Education Grants
This program supports environmental education projects that enhance the public's awareness, knowledge, and skills to help people make informed decisions that affect environmental quality. - US EPA’s Pollution Prevention Grants and Funding
The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics is responsible for overseeing several grant programs which promote pollution prevention through source reduction and resource conservation.
Green Building
- Washington State Department of Ecology's Green Building Resources
Links to residential and commercial green building resources - Healthy Building Network
Promotes healthy building materials as a means of improving public health and preserving the global environment. - Washington State General Administration's Green Building Resources
- US Green Building Council
Administers the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™ which encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
Green Meetings and Conferences
- Washington State Department of Ecology's Focus on Responsible Meetings Handout
- US EPA's Green Meetings Web Site
Created to help meeting hosts, planners and service suppliers to find the tips, tools and resources to make environmentally responsible choices.
Grounds Maintenance
- Washington State University's Integrated Pest Management Program
Washington State University Extension Office’s well-researched website with links to publications for both agricultural IPM as well as Urban IPM. - City of Seattle and King County’s Plan to Eliminate Hazardous Pesticides
- Municipal Research and Services Center's Pesticides and Integrated Pest Management
MRSC of Washington focuses on IPM information for local governments.
Low Polluting Vehicles
- Washington State Department of Transportation's Commute Trip Reduction
WA State Department of Transportation staffs the CTR Board and provides technical assistance to jurisdictions and employers to help implement the program. WSDOT maintains 14 years worth of CTR data that WSDOT, local jurisdictions, and transit systems use to conduct planning. - US EPA Guide to Green Vehicles
Use this guide to choose the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. Low emissions and good fuel economy are both important choices for the environment. - US Department of Energy’s Fuel Efficient Vehicle Tax Incentives Information Center
Find out how you can save money through Federal tax incentives on your purchase of a new hybrid, lean-burn, alternative fuel, and electric vehicles! - Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition
The Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition (PSCCC) is a voluntary, public/private partnership that works to advance the region's environmental and public health, energy security and economic development by promoting policies and practices that reduce petroleum consumption in transportation
Sustainable Practices
Local
- Thurston County’s Sustainability Policy & Report
- Sustainability in the City of Olympia
- City of Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment
- Sustainable Vancouver, WA
- ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability
- Sustainable Bellingham
State
- Washington State Office of Financial Management's Sustainable Washington website
Sustainability information and resources for State Agencies, Boards & Commissions. - Sustainability at The Evergreen State College
- University of Washington's Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
- Washington State University Sustainability
National
- University Leaders for a Sustainable Future
The Association of University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (ULSF) supports sustainability as a critical focus of teaching, research, operations and outreach at colleges and universities worldwide through publications, research, and assessment. - Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
AASHE is a member-driven, independent 501(c)(3) that provides resources, professional development, and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do, from governance and operations to education and research. - Federal Network for Sustainability
- U.S. Army Installation Sustainability Program
Understanding Sustainability
- Sustainability at the US Environmental Protection Agency
US EPA’s web portal for sustainability initiatives.
- The Natural Step
The Natural Step is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to education, advisory work and research in sustainable development and strategically helps organizations work toward sustainability opportunities, reduced costs, and dramatically reduced ecological and social impacts.
Water Conservation
- Water Conservation Overview
Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) of Washington State - Water: Things You Can Do
US Environmental Protection Agency website. - Arizona Water: Use it Wisely Coalition