Standing room only crowd talks storm season prep
A record-breaking crowd of 170+ attended the 8th annual Winter Weather Seminar on Oct. 29, hosted by King County Emergency Management and regional service providers. As critical partners in winter weather preparedness, response, and recovery, the event brought together businesses, non-profits, and public professionals to discuss preparations for the coming winter storm season, review lessons learned from “Snowmageddon”, and talk about building partnerships to stay resilient. Fresh on everyone’s mind was flooding on the Tolt and Snoqualmie rivers and forecasts for possible early snow, which may have contributed to the high turnout. Participants were welcomed by King County Executive Dow Constantine… Read More
Metro takes action to address racial disparities and the climate crisis with bold direction from community
Crossposted from Metro Matters Earlier this summer, we asked for your feedback on how Metro can better address the needs of our growing county in a way that is equitable and addresses the climate crisis. King County Metro has been working with the Equity Cabinet, a diverse group of community leaders from across the county, to develop the Mobility Framework. We took the feedback we received from you and other stakeholders across the region to the Equity Cabinet, who finalized their recommendations in early October. The Mobility Framework was transmitted to the… Read More
Recycling program builds relationships between King County and Spanish-speaking communities
Advancing our “We are responsible stewards” value The Recicla más, or Recycle more program, provides information about recycling in Spanish to communities throughout King County. Started in 2011, Recicla más has relied on developing a partnership with facilitadores, or community educators, in the Latinx community to help improve and increase recycling. The Solid Waste Division (SWD), in the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, is further expanding this work with several multicultural/multilingual communities in King County to educate residents and businesses about recycling , composting, and waste prevention best practices. These partnerships ensure that the program… Read More
2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan – All staff workshop, Oct. 31
Advancing our “We are responsible stewards” value We are updating King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan – the five-year blueprint for climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, prepare for climate change, and work with partners and communities on climate. All King County employees are invited to participate in a staff workshop to provide their feedback and ideas. What are the most important and impactful climate actions we can take? Where can the County lead? What can we accomplish in partnership with you? The workshops will take place Thursday, Oct. 31 from… Read More
Featured Job: Health and Environmental Investigator III
Salary: $77,320.88 – $98,008.77 Annually Location: Bellevue, WA Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week Department: DPH – Public Health Job Number: 2019NH10487 Closing: 9/11/2019 11:59 PM Pacific The Environmental Health Services Division is seeking to fill a full-time career services position for an Environmental Health Investigator III (HEI-III). The HEI III will operate within the On-site Sewage System Permitting Program and provides education, inspection and compliance, technical assistance, program process documentation, and regulatory compliance advice to the on-site sewage industry, the real estate industry, the public and the media, and translate… Read More
How can Metro meet the needs of our growing county and help solve the climate crisis? We need to hear from you!
Crossposted from Metro Matters King County is growing quickly. Our economy is doing well, but unfortunately, rising housing prices mean that many people must live farther from work and drive long distances. That’s not good for quality of life, and it’s not good for the environment – transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in King County. At the same time, innovations in mobility services mean there are many more ways to get around than ever before, but many of these services can be expensive and lead to more cars on… Read More
Green infrastructure, aiming for LEED Gold Certification
The recent installation of the rain garden and green roof are the latest milestones at the Children and Family Justice Center. The eco-friendly design and landscaping support the County’s climate change priorities. In addition to being beautiful, the rain garden is one of many sustainable features that will retain run-off stormwater. The garden’s landscape showcases Princeton Sentry trees, Barrenwort plants, and Mexican beach cobble stones around the perimeter of the garden. A unique characteristic to the garden are rain chains, a functional and modern alternative to traditional gutter downspouts. Visitors and staff… Read More
Get Ready for Wildfire Smoke Season
Dear employee, Summer has finally arrived and with it comes the risk that we will once again experience unhealthy levels of air quality due to wildfire smoke. Washington state has declared a state of drought and there have already been a record number of small wildfires across western Washington this year. As a result of climate change, we should be prepared for more frequent and larger wildfires during Pacific Northwest summers. Before the smoke arrives, take steps to protect your health from smoke at home and work. When air quality is at unhealthy… Read More
Volunteer in your community with King County
Did you know that King County has many unique volunteer opportunities ranging from animal services to tackling climate change, and much more? Not only that, many employees can use up to three days of sick leave to give back to those causes. Volunteering with King County is an opportunity to give back to causes right here in your community. Volunteer opportunities include planting trees as part of King County’s effort to plant 1 Million Trees by 2020 to reduce carbon pollution; volunteering with Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) or temporarily… Read More
New King County climate website
The Climate Action Team has recently updated the County’s climate change website! The website highlights what climate change is, how it affects our region, how individuals and communities can act on climate, and how King County is taking action. You can find useful information and materials on the Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP), Partnerships and Collaborations, Initiatives and Programs, and transcreated climate infographics in Spanish, Samoan, Chinese, and Arabic. We have also launched a new public input tool for the 2020 SCAP update.
Employee News 