Seattle Mayor Nickels Climate Change Initiatives

Achieved Zero Carbon Energy, Now Greening Transportation

Sep 6, 2008 Sara E. Lewis

Mayor Greg Nickels told professionals at the 2008 National Center for Bicycling and Walking conference, that an unusually warm and dry period was his "ah-ha" moment.

During his address at the 2008 Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference in September, Nickels said that because the Northwest is normally wet and glaciers feed the city, he thought that climate change would affect dry areas of the Southwest long before they would impact Seattle. But the years 2004 and 2005 made him think how snow in the Cascades is the source of his city’s well being.

Climate Change Initiatives

Mayor Nickels first worked to make changes in Seattle’s electric utility, the largest source of carbon. Today, Seattle's energy utility is the only such utility in the United States to emit no carbon. Next, Nickels is taking on the next largest source of carbon in Seattle: transportation. Nickels is using funds to provide balanced transportation rather than sink available funds into road repairs that will impact motorized transportation only. Instead, he is spending city money on sidewalks for pedestrians and sharroes (shared car and bike lanes) and bike paths.

Although his initiatives have been locally important, he thought that they were only symbolic. So, he has asked the more than 1,000 other mayors of cities with a population over 30,000 who are members of the U.S. Conference of Mayors to join with him to take action to stem climate change. When the mayors join him they will be influencing the emissions of cities that are home to over 80 million people.

Seattle's Burke-Gilman Trail

An early jewel in Seattle’s sustainable initiatives crown is the Burke-Gilman Trail, a recreational and commuter trail for bikers, walkers, and other users of non-motorized transportation, which was initiated by a small group of forward-thinking citizens in the 1970s. The 25-mile trail in a former railroad corridor was the first rails to trails project in the Seattle area. Nickels has proposed spending $8.6 million to complete the trail in urban Seattle by 2010.

At the National Center for Bicycling and Walking convention, Mayor Nickels recognized the individuals who championed the Burke-Gilman trail in the 1970s with an Award of Excellence that thanked them for “recognizing the valuable asset within our cities.” He proclaimed September 3 as Burke-Gilliam Trail Day, a day in which to recognize the value of trails to communities and the environment.

Seattle Recognized as Bicycle Friendly

Andy Clarke of the League of American Bicyclists presented the Mayor with the League’s Gold Level Bicycle-Friendly Community award in recognition of Seattle’s accomplishments. More than 200 communities have applied to be Bicycle-Friendly Communities. Through the application process, a lot of questions are asked about non-motorized transportation planning, programs, and education. Clarke commented that with the attainment of the Bicycle-Friendly Community status Seattle bicyclists are contributing to the Mayor’s efforts toward sustainability.

The copyright of the article Seattle Mayor Nickels Climate Change Initiatives in American Affairs is owned by Sara E. Lewis. Permission to republish Seattle Mayor Nickels Climate Change Initiatives in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Seattle, Washington, from the Space Needle

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