Boards & Commissions

This workgroup focuses on ways to reduce greenhouse gases, micro plastics, and particulate matter emitted by the production and use of personal motor vehicles by promoting more sustainable modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling, and public transit.

Through an understanding of building trends and new code requirements the built environment workgroup is exploring ways property owners can make their homes and businesses more energy efficient. More than half of our energy is consumed by buildings. Our goal is to identify cost effective strategies that will help property owners and renters lower their energy consumption and save money on their energy bills.

The Communication group exists to convey the work of the Sustainability Action Subcommittee. It also seeks to understand and impart the impact of climate change on the residents of Spokane. This group's goal is to create engagement and action around the issue of climate change.

Energy heats our homes, cooks our food, and drives our economy; it's also responsible for much of the pollution that impacts human health and our environment. The energy workgroup is exploring ways in which Spokane can accomplish our 100% renewable energy goals, and promote innovation and economic development driven by a clean energy economy.

Social inequities across our community play a significant role in the health outcomes of our citizens. Also referred to as social determinants of health, these disparities are influenced by education, income, race, access to healthcare, and even by the neighborhoods in which we live. Because of this, climate and extreme weather impact our most vulnerable residents more significantly than others. The purpose of our health equity workgroup is to ensure the policies and practices recommended by the SAS address the needs of all our residents without creating unintended harm.

The Natural Resources group is devoted to the protection and restoration of the Spokane Community's natural ecosystems. Our efforts so far have been focused on growing our tree canopy, conserving water, and protecting plants and wildlife.

This workgroup explores opportunities to create more sustainable urban planning practices. We address issues related to all levels of development, from small renovations to large multi-acre projects, with a goal of promoting development that reduces greenhouse gases, lowers consumption of limited resource, improves our tree canopy, encourages the use of sustainable transportation, and more efficiently uses public infrastructure to promote fiscal resiliency.

This workgroup is focused on updating the City of Spokane's 2009 Sustainability Action Plan by considering current and future social, environmental, and economic factors specific to the Spokane region. It is our goal to identify both ambitious and achievable actions we can all take toward creating a resilient and healthy place to live.

The transportation sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Washington State with a majority of emissions coming from everyday driving trips. This workgroup focuses on ways to reduce pollution from the transportation sector by encouraging a transition to cleaner fuels such as biofuels and electricity.

This workgroup is researching practices and policies for the City to maximize composting and materials recovery, minimize landfill disposal, and enable the Waste-to-Energy Plant to function as cleanly and efficiently as possible. To support these objectives we are exploring ways to educate and encourage the public to adopt habits for purchasing, packaging, repairing, reusing, sorting and recycling the materials that pass through their homes and businesses.