Environment & Sustainability

Green grass with seed fronds with barbs at the end.

The Urbanist Podcast: Grass Lawns and Foxtail’s Deadly Danger to Dogs

Summertime gets us thinking about a whole bunch of stuff, including grass. In cities across North America, grass yards are often a symbol of...
Dumptruck crossing the Duwamish River Highway overpass.

South Park Organizes To Tackle Highway Pollution

Often after Rosa Lopez picks up her son from school, they walk under a highway and half a mile to the South Park Community...

Op-Ed: Washington State Needs a Cumulative Air Toxics Law

The Duwamish River Valley hosts three freeways, two international airports, an international seaport, and a river so polluted it was declared a federal Superfund...
Bruce Harrell in a suit standing at a lectern. MLK Labor’s Executive Secretary-Treasurer Katie Garrow is to the left and OSE Director Jessyn Farrell to the right. A hazy Seattle skyline is in the background from Queen Anne vantage.

Seattle Releases Plan to Curb Climate Pollution from Buildings

Landlords are pushing to delay implementation schedules and lessen fees. When asked about the causes of climate change, most may picture cars, coal mines, and...
A large tree grows along the streets in between powerlines with a new three-story multifamily development next door.

Seattle Council Expands Tree Protections, Pedersen Dissents

Seeking to grow its tree canopy cover, Seattle -- a city originally built on logging and carved out of towering old growth forest --...
Satellite photo of the Pacific Northwest with cloud cover on May 15, 2023

Climate Change is Influencing Seattle’s Unusual Spring Heatwave 

Twenty degrees. That’s how much higher temperatures in Seattle were during a heatwave this week compared to what we usually experience this time of year,...
Bicyclist in neon jacket and helmet on busy street. Cruise terminal and ship behind him.

Are Cruise Ships Crushing Seattle’s Climate Goals?

Whether pushing for a car-centric waterfront or failing to deliver on electric shore power, the Port of Seattle’s commitment to sustainability is an open...
Maren is smiling and wearing a blue scarf.

Maren Costa Builds Council Run on West Seattle Roots and Climate Organizing

Last week The Urbanist took a peek at how the Seattle's Council District 1 race is shaping up, and former Amazon tech worker turned...