SustainLane 2006 US City Sustainability Ranking
Seattle: Protecting a Promising Future
In Seattle, landscape and climate are more insistently part of the culture than in many other US cities, so it's no wonder that residents tend to develop an affinity for nature. Located between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, with dramatic sunsets and sweeping views of water, it's hard not to be drawn to the outdoors.
Easy access to sailing, skiing, rock climbing, rafting, spelunking, hiking, and camping are a few of the activities that make the city an outdoorsperson's paradise. This affinity for nature has been translated into leadership in sustainable living and policy.
Seattle's geographic placement also helps explain Mayor Greg Nickels's advocacy on climate protection, which grew directly out of his concern about preserving nearby glaciers and snowpack. In 2005, he was the first mayor to sign the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which advances the goals of the Kyoto Protocol. He challenged mayors across the country to join him, and by May 2006, 232 mayors representing 45 million Americans had done so.
In Seattle, plans are afoot to increase bus service, build more bicycle lanes, and change zoning to support more pedestrian-friendly communities as part of the multifaceted plan to address global warming locally. These moves will also, not coincidentally, create a healthier, more sustainable place to live.
