"Carbon Cap" wearer at climate rally.

Over the last two years, the Cool State Campaign has accomplished many great things. Take a look at what we've been doing. None of this could have happened without the dedicated work of our volunteers and the public outcry for solutions to the global warming crisis. Sign up today to help make a difference with a fun and effective group of like-minded people.

Lead the way for Washington State to set greenhouse gas reduction goals

• Governor Gregoire set greenhouse gas reduction goals, green job goals, and launched the Climate Advisory Team (CAT) to develop a roadmap for Washington to become a Cool State! Her Executive Order, which as passed into law, commits the state to create a statewide climate action plan to reach 70% reductions below current levels by 2050. The State conducted an inventory of GHG emission sources. To ensure the Governor and her team knew about the public's desire for strong standards, we conducted huge grassroots efforts. We held the Climate Action Rally during one of the CAT meetings (August, 2007). 200 people gathered in the Cool State Action room and signed hundreds of photo petitions, video testimonies, written comments and letters to the editor. A rally was held -- the program included a grandmother, a business leader, a Sierra Club rep (also a new mom), and a person of faith.   We left invitations and photo albums with our Cool State message and photo petitions at each CAT member's chair. During a break in the meeting, we passed out cookies that had different Cool State messages written in the frosting. The CAT member representing Microsoft read the message on his cookie to the entire room before biting into it—"80% by 2050."  At the end of the meeting our Transportation Chair, Tim Gould, presented the 15 foot long public comment banner along with the 150+ public comments.  
• Governor Gregoire, along with five other western state governors, established the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative to collaborate in identifying, evaluating, and implementing ways to reduce GHG emissions. We will work to ensure it is the strongest program possible.

Cool Cities/Cool Counties

• Local volunteers expanded the Cool Cities/Cool Counties program with the additions of Bellevue, Mercer Island, Camas, and Battle Ground as well as King County.
• 27 of Washington's largest cities have signed onto the U.S. Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement.

Stopping the Coal Rush 

• We put a hold on the coal rush in Washington by halting the Kalama coal-fired power plant in SW Washington.

 Transportation Transformation 

• Advocated for specific transportation investments that satisfy the twin principles of cost-effective mobility and the tangible reduction in GHG emissions. Gov. Gregoire highlighted the need to move people and goods and not vehicles. We defeated a roads and transit ballot measure because it would have increased global warming pollution, and are now working on positive solutions.

Engaging our Youth

• In June 2007, Sierra Club and 65 students and teachers from Redmond High School and Lake Washington High School gathered in RHS's courtyard to express their vision for a "cool state." The environmental club's project, led by 17-year-old junior Kate Catlin, collected nearly 600 photo petitions and postcards urging Governor Gregoire to commit to an 80 percent reduction by 2050. Speakers at the event included RHS teacher Mike Town, Redmond Mayor Rosemarie Ives, and Department of Ecology's Rhonda Hunter. Seattle's listener powered radio station, KEXP, invited Kate into their studio to talk more about their efforts to fight global warming. The next day, at a tri-county meeting on climate change, senior staff with the Department of Ecology mentioned our event and praised the students for their work.

Step it Up 07

• For Earth Day 07, we rocked downtown with Seattle's first Step it Up rally. More than a dozen environmental organizations and over 25 community members worked to create a single event that could act as the launch pad for large community demand and engagement in smart climate policy in our state. To make this happen, labor unions, businesses, universities, schools and faith congregations were asked to "step up" and create a broad demand for the implementation of global warming solutions. The Sierra Club led the way and the result was a monumental 2500+ person rally and march—one of the largest events in the country!