The Washington Blue-Green Alliance is a coalition of labor unions and environmental advocates. The Alliance rejects the notion that good jobs and environmental protections cannot exist together. We are uniting together to fight for policies that enhance Washington's quality of life.
promote economic growth that creates family-wage jobs Our policy agenda will focus on our shared values and goals regarding: fair trade, corporate accountability, human health and safety, workers' safety and environmental protections and justice.
See list of WA Blue-Green Alliance member organizations. Would your organization like to join? Email kathleen.ridihalgh@sierraclub.org.
Working together on issues important to Washington State
• Trade: Since 1999 — when the World Trade Organization met in Seattle and 75,000 people marched in the streets - labor unions and environmental advocates in Washington have been raising public awareness about the disastrous effects of global trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
• Energy: Through the Apollo Alliance of Washington, several members of the Washington Blue-Green Alliance are striving to free America from its dependence on foreign oil, prevent global warming and create millions of family-wage jobs through investments in clean energy. View Apollo Alliance website.
• Transportation: Washington needs positive transportation choices. Unions and environmental groups support repaired and improved highways and bridges, as well as investments in bus, rail, and other public transport options.
• Sprawl: The continued rise of mega box stores such as Wal-Mart, combined with assaults on land-use protections, degrades landscapes and communities. Advocates for working people, rural communities and the environment oppose turning farmland into Wal-Marts and are turning back attempts to undermine land-use protections.
Washington Successes:
* Increased investments in developing wind and solar energy and retrofitting buildings with energy efficient systems, all the while creating more jobs in this burgeoning business sector. Worked to ensure Washington has one of the highest energy efficiency standards for appliances in the country.
* The Blue-Green Alliance fought off attempts to weaken strong community planning standards (so-called, "takings") which could opened the door to irresponsible, oversized development.
* Our partners are working to raise the public's awareness of "toxic trade" -- the result of years of weakening environmental, worker and consumer protections through the "Free Trade" paradigm.
* Released "Washington's Road to Energy Independence" report, detailing manufacturing jobs that investments in alternative energy sources could bring to Washington businesses.
* The WA BGA was the driving force behind the creation of the WA Fair Trade Coalition, which brings blue-green organizations together with social justice, faith, family farmer, students and others in a broad coalition advocating on behalf of "people and the planet" for fair trade policy. View WFTC website.
