Earth Day 2022
SHA’s commitment
Last month, the Seattle Housing Authority signed on to a new U.S. Department of Energy Better Climate Challenge. As a partner, SHA is committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent and energy consumption by 15 percent across all portfolios by 2032.
In addition, the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) has a history of innovative environmental stewardship and social justice activities conducted in partnership with tenant groups, local government, higher education, private industry, and community-based organizations. In 2019, SHA adopted its first Sustainability Agenda - developed in collaboration with over 250 SHA staff, hundreds of tenants, local government partners, and several community-based organizations serving SHA communities. The Sustainability Agenda guides the work of the Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Division and the agency at-large. SHA has leveraged this capacity to partner with and expand services to tenants, reduce impacts on the environment, and deepen the agency’s engagement in local and regional climate change mitigation and adaptation work.
Broad examples of successful innovation in this area include:
- Food and yard waste collection at every SHA-owned, or managed site, diverting over 100,000 tons of food waste from landfills
- A no-cost transit pass program for public housing clients that provides more than 10,000 no-cost trips each year
- Data-sharing partnerships to pre-qualify clients for utility discount programs, resulting in a reduction of more than $2 million in out-of-pocket costs for tenants each year
- More than $7 million dollars invested in energy efficiency and environmental health measures since 2015
- A plan to double on-site solar arrays by 2025 and host more than 250 kilowatts of on-site electricity generation
- A fleet revitalization project that converted all passenger vehicles in the agency’s fleet to Electric Vehicles (EVs) over a 3-year period
- Installation in 2021 of state-of-the-art heat pump water heater technology at a 100-unit building
Events and resources
Black Earth Day
Celebrate Seattle’s rich history of farming, urban agriculture, and environmental justice work within the Black community. There will be garden activities for all ages, healthy meals and snacks from local BIPOC vendors will be provided. Green cleaning kits and plants will be available to take home with you.
Date and time: April 22, 2 p.m.. to 7 p.m.
Location: YES Farm, 713 Yesler Way
Earth Day at Washington Park Arboretum 2022
Help restore the Washington Park Arboretum by removing invasive ivy and weeding the collections. Any volunteer under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult (1 adult per 2 youth). Tools and training will be provided. If you have any questions, email volunteer@arboretumfoundation.org.
Date and time: April 23, 9 a.m.
Location: Washington Park Arboretum, 2300 Arboretum Drive East
Printer-friendly version