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HIGHLIGHT: In the Path of the Storm

Four out of five Americans live in areas hit by recent weather-related disasters. Check out our interactive online map showing, county-by-county, which weather-related disasters hit when. Then tell the Obama administration you want strong carbon pollution limits on power plants.

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Solar Works for Washington

Washington’s strong clean energy policies have made it a national leader in wind energy and in energy efficiency. However, the state’s potential for solar power remains virtually untapped. Washington can start taking advantage of its full potential for solar energy by developing its capacity for rooftop solar power.

By 2025, Washington can install more than 650,000 rooftop solar PV systems—equivalent to about 3,200 megawatts (MW) of solar energy capacity. Rooftop solar power can help the state reduce its contribution to global warming and protect our environment. More solar power would also create jobs and boost manufacturing in Washington. Putting policies in place to accelerate the growth of the solar energy market will allow Washington to start reaping these benefits immediately.

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News Release | Environment Washington

New Report Highlights Washington’s Solar Potential

Last week Gov. Inslee signed his first bill into law, one that is aimed at tackling climate change in Washington. One solution the governor has often touted is solar energy. Today, Environment Washington, industry leaders, and city officials joined together to show that solar energy is a viable, yet under-utilized, energy source for Washington. They asked Gov. Inslee to set a goal for Washington of installing the solar capacity equivalent to 150,000 solar roofs in Washington by 2020.

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News Release | Environment Washington

Administration, Businesses, and Public Celebrate San Juan Islands

Yesterday, elected officials, conservation groups, business leaders, and community members celebrated Washington’s newest national monument, the San Juan Islands National Monument. The monument will permanently protect close to 1,000 acres of land in the San Juans, on Monday with the designation of the San Juan Islands National Monument. The region, which will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), encompasses nesting grounds for bald eagles, shorelines where visitors can spot passing seals and orcas, and stands of old growth forest.

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News Release | Environment Washington

President Obama Protects Islands within the San Juans

President Obama is expected to permanently protected close to 1,000 acres of land in the San Juans, on Monday with the designation of the San Juan Islands National Monument. The region, which will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), encompasses nesting grounds for bald eagles, shorelines where visitors can spot passing seals and orcas, and stands of old growth forest.

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News Release | Environment Washington

New Survey: Plastic Bag Bans Big Success

A new survey of consumers and business in Seattle Bellingham shows widespread support of the plastic bag ban adopted in 2012. The survey was conducted by Environment Washington Research & Policy Center, a statewide citizen-based advocacy organization that has supported bag bans across the state. As Thurston County considers its own ban on plastic bags, this report offers insight as to what we can expect.

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Report | Environment Washington

Cutting Down on Plastic

Prior to implementing bans on plastic bags, approximately 290 million plastic bags were distributed Seattle and 30 million in Bellingham each year. In order to determine the success of the plastic bag bans, we conducted a survey of 1,291 consumers and 96 retail stores in Seattle and Bellingham during the month of October 2012. We found that consumers and businesses overwhelmingly support the bag bans there and that eliminating disposable plastic bags has increased the number of people using reusable bags.

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Featured Staff

Katrina Rosen

Field Director

Research & Policy Results

We debunked a chemical industry myth

The petrochemical industy, which profits from making plastic bags, often claims that its unnecessary to ban the bags when we can recycle them instead. Our report, “A solution not in the bag,” showed the fallacy of this argument, noting that plastic bags are notoriously difficult to recycle and than 70 percent of Washington recycling companies want plastic bags out of the waste stream.

New limits on carbon pollution

In conjunction with our national federation, we helped convince the Environmental Protection Agency to set smart new limits on the amount of smog-forming carbon pollution that new coal-fired power plants can emit. It's an important victory for our air quality and for the thousands of Washingtonians who suffer from asthma, which is exacerbated by smog.

Less toxic mercury in our water, air and bodies

After our research helped shine a media spotlight on the health problems mercury can cause for young children and babies in utero, the Environmental Protection Agency ruled that power plants like TransAlta must reduce the amount of mercury they emit by 90 percent.

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Building a greener future

Environment Washington Research & Policy Center gratefully accept bequests, beneficiary designations of IRAs and life insurance, and gifts of securities to support our work. Your gift will assure that we can continue to protect Washington's air, water and open spaces for future generations.

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Environment Washington Research & Policy Center works closely with Environment Washington, a 501 (c)(4) organization. Click here to visit the Environment Washington website.

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HIGHLIGHT: In the Path of the Storm

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