Author Archives: Thad Curtz

G6.5 Legislative agenda Prioritize climate change in the municipality’s legislative agenda each year. Instruct municipal lobbyist to track and report on climate bills, and to advocate for those bills that will help reduce local emissions. Here’s a summary of the … Continue reading →

A1.1 Manure management Provide education and incentives (grants, loans, technical assistance) to support manure management to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions, such as covered manure storage facilities, manure application practices. Washington currently requires any permitted concentrated animal feeding operation … Continue reading →

A1.2 Nutrient management * Provide education and incentives (ex. grants, loans, technical assistance) to reduce nitrous oxide emissions when managing fertilizer. Washington Grade A milk producers, selling milk to be drunk, are required to have an approved Nutrient Management Plan … Continue reading →

A1.5 Sustainability audits Develop and incorporate mandatory sustainability audits into conservation/farm plans. Develop program and identify funding to reduce energy use and promote best management practices (BMPs). Many of the farm and forestry auditing systems are tied to certification practices … Continue reading →

T1.7 Climate impact fee Investigate and implement options for creating a regional impact fee structure that would incorporate climate impacts of new construction in urban and rural areas, which would be used to fund regional climate mitigation projects. According to … Continue reading →

G1.2 Community based social marketing Develop and run community based social marketing program to reduce consumption and inform consumers about options for reducing their carbon footprint. Doug McKenzie-Mohr’s Fostering Sustainable Behavior: An Introduction to Community-Based Social Marketing argues that a … Continue reading →

T3.14 EV mass purchase discounts * Create a group purchase program for residents to get deep discounts on EVs, other fuel efficient and alternative fuel vehicles. These typically involve a competitive selection process to choose one or more offers from … Continue reading →

B1._ Energy Efficient Mortgages These mortgages are widely available for single family homes; the Department of Energy has an overview of them. Olympia Fed’s Green Choice Lending Program offers mortgages and home equity loans like this, with a 0.5% discount … Continue reading →

G1.4 Career Connects Require a percentage of green jobs in the Career Connects WA program. The 2017-2019 biennial budget allocated $6.4 million to a number of current Career Connect programs providing career connected learning opportunities around the state. The 2019-21 … Continue reading →

G1.3 ClimeTime school curriculum Coordinate the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s ClimeTime K-12 climate education program with local government to bring youth into the feedback and planning process of developing climate mitigation programs and policy. The ClimeTime program, … Continue reading →