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Environment & Sustainability

Green street trees shade Tacoma sidewalks. Colored dots on the sidewalk represent the values of the cooling effect.

A Tree Grows in Tacoma, But Will It Be There in 10 Years?

Tacoma has the least tree canopy in the Puget Sound Region. Residents experience this reality in higher average temperatures and poor air quality. On a...
People ride bikes along Broadway. The bustling business district in Capitol Hill blends bike lanes, pedestrian spaces, bus service, streetcar tracks, and vehicle traffic.

Seattle Lays Out 2030 Mode Shift Goals in Climate Framework

Questions remain about how the City will get there and how committed it is to overcoming obstacles. Transit would jump from 11% of trips...

E-Bikes Are Taking Off in Seattle

With prices dropping and a state rebate coming soon, e-bike sales are booming. Here are tips for those looking to hop on the e-cargo...
North Bend aerial photo that also shows Mt. Si.

Regional Officials Hit the Brakes on More Suburban Sprawl Near I-90

A meeting of an obscure regional planning body got tense last week as elected officials sparred over the issue of expanding King County's urban growth...

Metro Branding Reveal Draws Ire from Advocates Seeking More Bus Service

The County's cringeworthy move suggests more attention is needed on boosting service and electric trolleys. King County Metro will roll out new light yellow paint...
Mountain range in the background and pink fireweed plants along the road in the foreground.

Alaska Will Not Save Us

Like a giant overhead bin full of cookies and cash, Alaska sits for many as potential salvation. Quietly looming above, it waits as a...
Governor Inslee shakes the hand of a Tacoma high school student standing in front of the state's first electric school bus in 2019.

Seattle-Area Schools Slowly Electrify Bus Fleets 

Washington State has 40 electric school buses so far -- but big plans to change that. Meanwhile most parents drive their kids to school. That...
Purple skin, yellow fruit plums in a white bowl.

The Grandeur of Seattle’s Tiny Plums

Small reminders to celebrate lots of good neighbors. In the short gap of indecisive September clouds between Smoke Season and Spider Season, Seattle experiences one...