The light blue dots show 2020 vehicle trips measured in each census tract. The dark dots show the measured emissions — and trace a winding shadow along I-5
The Harrell administration is hoping to use neighborhood information and data to help Seattle prepare for and, hopefully, slow its contributions to climate change with the launch of a new One Seattle Climate Portal.
The new map-based data and visualization site allows users to map measurements including vehicle trips and vehicle emissions, or gas and electricity emissions from buildings measured in each census tract in the city.
One of the clearest measurements can be seen in comparing vehicle trips to vehicle emissions across the city. In the map view, a dark cloud of out-of-proportion emissions dots trace the path of — the not yet lidded — I-5 through the city.
The Climate Portal launch comes after a 2020 report found “a significant, but temporary decrease” in emissions in the city during the pandemic. Officials say that without additional action, the city projects emissions will rebound to pre-pandemic levels and continue upward trends.
In addition to presenting a public-facing measure of the key datapoints, the portal is hoped to eventually include “community led data efforts” as well as “ways to spatially track city-led investments that are informed by budget recommendations from the Green New Deal Oversight Board.”
Researchers, journalists, and community groups will also likely find access to the visualizations and datasets useful.
Beyond new portals and dashboards, the administration is touting its efforts to meet the city’s environmental goals including a $6.5 million “Green New Deal Opportunity Fund” that includes spending earmarked to upgrade a surprising element of the plan — the city’s libraries.
Seattle’s Green New Deal effort was formed out of an executive order in 2020 from then-Mayor Jenny Durkan.
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I’ll stop driving to work when bezos stops flying to dinner. Exploited workers driving to work because its cheaper and easier than the bus are not the problem. Industrial consumer capitalism is the problem. The only hope in the fight against climate change is another global pandemic shut down that keeps us all at home and not traveling to work.
lack of a really good transit system
Seattle folks are too lazy and entitled to take transit.