About WEC

Washington Environmental Council is a nonprofit, statewide advocacy organization that has been driving positive change to solve Washington's most critical environmental challenges since 1967.

What is our mission?

To protect, restore, and sustain Washington's environment.

What is WEC working on right now?

• Climate & Clean Energy
• People For Puget Sound
• Clean Water & Green Infrastructure
• Environmental Priorities Coalition
• Sustainable Forests
• Voter Education Program 

How has WEC's work impacted our state?

WEC was instrumental in passing (and now enforcing) the foundational laws that help keep Washington's environment healthy: the State Environmental Policy Act, the State Superfund Law, the Growth Management Act, and the Shoreline Management Act.

WEC builds power for the environmental movement in Washington. We bring the environmental community together through the Environmental Priorities Coalition. Each year, over 20 groups that make up the Coalition select up to four issues to advance in the state legislature. Thanks to our focused power, we have been able to achieve groundbreaking solutions - from promoting clean  cars and greener buildings to setting responsible limits on climate pollution to eliminating dangerous toxins in children's products.

Through our Voter Education Program, WEC helps educate and empower environmental voters and tackle ballot initiatives that would have an impact on our environment. We worked to pass the Citizens' Clean Energy Initiative, I-937,  and we worked to defeat Initiative 933, which would have allowed irresponsible development across out state.

How does WEC work?

WEC builds and leads partnerships, mobilizes the public, engages decisionmakers and take legal action to enact and enforce environmental protection policy and ensure a sustainable future. 

What are some recent results from WEC's work?

• Washington has broken ground on action for climate change, with enforceable limits on pollution laid out in statue, smart laws to make our buildings greener and more efficient, and standards to make our cars cleaner.
• Our state's electronic waste recycling program, created by a campaign WEC helped spearhead, collected ad responsible disposed of over 38.5 millions pounds of e-waste in its first year of operation.
• We established a new framework to balance the water needs of farms and fish in the Columbia River Basin.
• In one year, over 10,000 kids from Bremerton to Yakima ate fresh, locally-grown snacks thanks to the Washington Grown Fruits and Vegetable Program, created by a law WC helped pass.
• Our Voter Education program mobilizes Washington's over 500,000 self-identified environmental voters.

Download a copy of WEC's Strategic Plan for 2010 -2014.