If Seattle has to prioritize one thing to start pedaling toward carbon neutrality, what should it be?
The City of Seattle recently adopted an ambitious goal of carbon-neutrality by 2050 and is now updating the Seattle Climate Action Plan to put the City on a path toward achieving that goal.
We all know it takes more than a fancy plan to reduce our climate impacts; it takes on- the-ground actions. So the City wants to hear from you what actions it should prioritize over the next three years to chart our course toward a better future.
Since road transportation is Seattle’s largest single source of climate pollution, accounting for 40 percent our emissions, it only makes sense to prioritize simple, low-cost transportation improvements like protected bike lanes and neighborhood greenways that make it safe, easy and fun for people to get around without burning fossil fuels.
To help update the Climate Action Plan, the City tasked a Green Ribbon Commission with developing climate action recommendations for inclusion in the Climate Action Plan.
The Commission developed a whole suite of recommendations focused on linking our transportation and land use decisions. Recognizing the important role bicycling can play in reducing our climate impacts, the Commission’s recommendations call for the City to “develop a comprehensive, connected network of separated bicycle facilities in the Center City and Urban Villages” and “develop a citywide network of neighborhood greenways on traffic calmed residential streets.”
While these are good ideas (I would even say great ideas!), the Commission came up with lots and lots of other good ideas. In fact, they came up with so many good ideas they need your help to figure out which ones to prioritize for action.
Tell the City of Seattle to prioritize bicycling as it implements the Climate Action Plan.
If you want to learn more about Seattle’s Climate Action Plan and what the City is doing to become carbon-neutral by 2050 join us at an open house on Tuesday,February 12, 6 – 8 p.m. in the Bertha Knight Landes Room of Seattle City Hall, 6004th Ave.
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