Real Results For Washington's Environment
1. State Action On Global Warming
In 2007, Environment Washington worked with the governor and Senate leaders to establish state goals for greenhouse gas reductions, a strict limit on new sources of greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production, and a major expansion in the production of bio-fuels in Washington state.
2. Cleaning Up Puget Sound
In 2007, we worked with a broad coalition of health and environmental advocates to make Washington the first state to phase out the use of toxical chemicals known as PBDEs. PBDEs impact human neurodevelopment and are responsible for depleting marine wildlife populations in Puget Sound.
3. Healthy Oceans
In late 2006, Environment Washington played a critical role in helping pass new federal protections for ocean habitat that will reduce overfishing and protect endangered fish and sea mammal populations.
4. Building A Clean Energy Future
In 2006, voters approved Initiative 937, which requires utilities to get at least 15 percent of their power from renewable energy and to increase energy conservation programs. Environment Washington worked with a broad coalition of labor, religious, business and environmental organizations to bring the question to voters.
5. Defending Our Waters
A judge ordered the Oeser Company to reduce its toxic discharges into a tributary of Bellingham Bay after Environment Washington and the Washington Toxic Coalition filed a lawsuit in 2003.
6. Bringing Clean Cars To Washington
The 2005 Clean Cars Act, backed by Environment Washington, will require automakers to sell cleaner, less polluting cars in the state, starting in 2009. The law will cut emissions of toxic chemicals by 25 percent and global warming pollution by 30 percent.
7. Promoting Energy Efficiency
Washington will save an estimated 1.7 billion gallons of water and $500 million on electricity bills by 2020, thanks to a 2005 energy efficiency law spearheaded by Environment Washington.
8. Phasing Out Toxics
In 2005, Environment Washington helped convince legislators to fund the state’s program to eliminate discharges of persistent toxic chemicals like mercury, lead and dioxin. In 2001, we helped create the program, the first and only of its kind.
9. Preventing Dangerous Mercury Exposure
Washington took another step toward eliminating mercury pollution when Environment Washington, working with the Washington Toxics Coalition and Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, won passage of a new law in 2003, banning the sale of certain consumer products that contain mercury.
10. Finding Transportation Solutions
Thanks to Environment Washington’s advocacy, in 2005 legislators approved a transportation budget that focuses transportation funds on replacing aging infrastructure rather than building new highways. The new budget also puts a new emphasis on bus transit, commuter and intercity rail, bike lanes, sidewalks and commute trip reduction incentives.
