Climate Change

WEC’s climate and clean energy work is as multi-faceted as the challenge of climate change itself. It is time for action and solutions, and we and our partners are working hard to deliver.

National Work

Because a cap on global warming pollution is so central to solving climate change, WEC is helping organize citizens to call on our congressional delegation for action. From visiting Senator Murray and Cantwell’s offices, to writing letters to the editor, to joining 350.org’s national day of action, WEC’s supporters are ensuring that our elected officials know that Washingtonians want action. We will certainly celebrate when Congress adopts a cap on global warming pollution, but our work will be far from done. Key pieces of the climate and clean energy equation are fundamentally state-based.

State Action

In the 2010 Legislative Session we helped pass the JOBS Act, which will provide $505 million in state bonds to make energy efficiency upgrades to public schools if voters approve Referendum 52: Healthy Schools for Washington this November. R-52 specifically seeks to modernize aging and unsafe schools with energy saving retrofits, which would cut pollutants and create healthier learning environments for our students while creating thousands of jobs.

Also this session, the environmental community maintained the strength and integrity of Washington’s Clean Energy Initiative, I-937, for the second year in a row. Passed by voters in November of 2006, the initiative sets minimum requirements for the state’s major utilities to invest in clean energy and energy efficiency.

Making a difference

The coherent thread through this multi-layer work is you. Repowering our society to run on clean energy and reducing pollution are huge challenges. Like major changes of the past, from worker protection laws to civil rights, these changes won’t happen until the public demands them. When you attend a public meeting, call your legislator, vote, or write a letter to the editor, you are helping create a healthier, safer, and more just future. We look forward to continuing to partner with you to create a clean energy future.