Greener Living Classes From City of Bellevue!

Greener Living Classes From City of Bellevue!

Learn how to live more sustainably!

City of Bellevue Utilities are pleased to offer free, interactive Greener Living in-person and live-virtual Zoom classes.  Participants are welcome to attend a single class, any combination, or all of the classes.  Attendees will receive a digital kit of resources, tips, and tools after each virtual class or tools to take home from in person classes. All ages are welcome; however, these classes are geared towards adults and children over seven. 

Registration is required to receive the link to the class.

To register contact the City at recycle@bellevuewa.gov or 206-949-1787. You may also find more information at www.bellevuewa.gov/greener-living-classes

Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum

Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum

Hello fellow climate activists.

Thank you all very much for your support of the Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum on Tuesday! If you were not able to make it to the event, you can watch the recording below.

Together we made this event a huge success!  

• Together, we got over 100 people to attend in person!

• Together, we showed future council members (plus mayor Robinson, who was in the audience) how important climate change and the environment is to Bellevue residents!

• Together, through our questions, we helped to educate five of the seven future city council members on some important details of our concern!

• Together, through our questions, we also helped to educate the audience! 

Please also consider the future power of the coalition that we formed. Together we can do a lot more!

For example, right now, Bellevue city officials are updating the comprehensive plan for future growth. Together, we can influence how this update is tailored to address climate change and the environment.  We urge you to email city officials in support of the attached comp plan recommendations which People for Climate Action Bellevue sent to city officials in August.

Here are the email addresses that we suggest people send their supporting comp plan messages to:

Planning Commission:    planningcommission@bellevuewa.gov

City Council:                  council@bellevuewa.gov

City Manager:                  bmiyake@bellevuewa.gov

Planning Dept. Director:  mkatterman@bellevuewa.gov

Asst. Planning Director:   eaking@bellevuewa.gov

Watch the recording of the Bellevue City Council Candidates Climate and Environment Forum

Save Coal Creek Update

Save Coal Creek Update

Wilson’s Warbler in Coal Creek Natural Area by Andy McCormick

Eastside Audubon and Save Coal Creek supporters are thrilled to report that King County will award a $9.2 million 2024 Conservation Futures grant to the City of Bellevue for the purchase of several properties near Lakemont Boulevard in south Bellevue, including the Milt Swanson property. This purchase is the long-desired goal of Save Coal Creek. The generous grant requires a 25 percent funding match by the city of Bellevue.  

Eastside Audubon was the first organization, after Issaquah Alps Trails Club started the Save Coal Creek initiative in 2019, to advocate for preserving the Milt Swanson property because of the value of its wildlife corridor. The property is wedged between King County’s largest park, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, and Bellevue’s largest park, the Coal Creek Natural Area. A developer, Isola, has proposed a 35-home development for the privately-owned parcel, making acquisition urgent.

In summer 2020, Eastside Audubon’s Andy McCormick, Peter Marshall and others wrote a detailed comment letter about expected environmental impacts of the proposal for 35 homes, and requested that the City of Bellevue require an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement). Andy McCormick of Eastside Audubon also used birding records to document the presence of 38 species of birds in the Swanson property area in 2022 and submitted this information to both the King County Council and the Bellevue City Council. Numerous other letters were sent to the city from the general public and other organizations, including the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. 

American Dipper in Coal Creek Natural Area by Hilary Barnes

Save Coal Creek steering committee chair Sally Lawrence reports, “As of this writing [August 17], we have not yet heard a legal decision on our SEPA [State Environmental Policy Act] appeal of the city’s January 2023 determination that a full EIS would not be required for the Isola proposal. However, even without a SEPA decision, this huge County grant provides a compelling path forward. Bellevue has enough parks levy money to make the match. 

“Please thank our King County councilmembers Claudia Balducci and Reagan Dunn for their amazing support for the County grant,” Lawrence said. “And please, write to City Council counciloffice@bellevuewa.gov to stress the importance of providing matching funds for this important conservation effort. This purchase is a no-brainer - a win for Coal Creek, its salmon and other wildlife, the hiking public, for local coal mining history, AND for the developer.”

Bellevue City Council 2023 Candidates Climate Forum

Bellevue City Council 2023 Candidates Climate Forum

If you live in the Bellevue area, there is an important election coming up that needs your support!

60% of the Bellevue City Council will be elected in November, and there is a Forum being held on September 19th at East Shore Unitarian Church to get to know the candidates and their priorities for the future related to Climate Change and our Environment before voting begins. Unless we act quickly and decisively today to curb Greenhouse Gas emissions, climate impacts will get much worse. The well-being of the climate and future generations is in our hands.

Attendees of the event will have a chance to enter in a drawing at the Door for some fun prizes, including:

• Two $500 coupons toward purchase of heat pump water heaters

• One $100 and four $50 vegetarian restaurant coupons

• A month subscription to Ridwell

We need a real live audience for this event. If you plan to attend, register HERE.

WHAT - Get to know the candidates for Bellevue City Council and their priorities for our future!

WHEN - September 19th, 2023 from 7-8:30pm

WHERE - East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue, WA (Sanctuary Bldg.)

WHY - This is a very important election as 60% of the Bellevue City Council will be elected in November and we need as much support to help address Climate & Environmental issues in Bellevue.

Become a Bellevue Climate Change Leader

Want to be a Climate Leader in Your Community?

If you’ve been concerned about the climate disasters happening around the globe this summer but not sure how to take action, the City of Bellevue is launching a new program for you. They are recruiting for their first ever cohort of Climate Challenge Team Leaders. Community members in the program will become climate leaders by guiding a team of their choice through the Bellevue Climate Challenge. Team Leaders will meet with city staff monthly throughout the program for training, resources, and support. The first cohort will begin in October 2023, and run through June of 2024.

To become a Team Leader, complete our enrollment form by September 30.

If you have questions about the Team Leader program, please reach out to Sofia Fall, Sustainability Coordinator at sfall@bellevuewa.gov.