Environmental stewardship in King County

Volunteer opportunities - Three Million Trees

It's Easy Being Green: let King County show you how
What we eat, what we buy, how we travel and how we connect with nature can positively impact the future of our planet. Small choices can add up to big changes.

Sustainable building
Services and resources for developers, architects, engineers and homeowners to build in ways that are beneficial now and over the long-term.

Land stewardship
King County offers four "tracks" to help you carry out a range of development activities including building or remodeling a house, farming or raising livestock, or managing forestland or other natural resources.
- Rural stewardship planning
  In the RA zone, streamline the permit process and modify some buffer requirements in exchange for a long term commitment to protect natural resources in other ways.
- Forest stewardship planning
  Achieve individual forestry objectives while integrating protection and/or enhancement of forest resources.
- Farm management planning

Environmental education programs and resources
Information for teachers to access King County's environmental education programs and facilities and resources for students to learn about natural resources.

Ideas to reduce greenhouse gases

Be energy efficient at home and work, and energy conscious:
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with high-efficiency, long-lived LED lights;
- If you live in a house, weatherize and insulate it to save energy;
- Order clean, renewable electricity through Seattle City Light or Puget Sound Energy ;
- Offset your natural gas through Puget Sound Energy.
Plant trees that absorb CO2 from our air;
When you can, bus, bike or walk instead of driving, and if flying, find out how to offset greenhouse pollution from your airline.
Do your bit to bend our economy toward lower emissions:
- When faced with replacing an appliance or vehicle, stretch for a high-efficiency design;
  - Consider only Energy Star products to reward good design;
  - Look for rebates on energy efficient heating and cooling from Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy.
  - Learn about electric vehicles from Seattle City Light or Puget Sound Energy ;
- Or, buy used to save money and use things up rather than spend on brand-new energy-wasting products.
Become an EcoConsumer to reduce your consumption footprint;
Aim for zero waste - reduce, reuse, recycle, compost;
Enjoy locally-grown food ;
Green up your home and garden;
Know yourself by learning your carbon footprint;

Refer to a scientifically reviewed list of known climate solutions from Project Drawdown for more ideas.

Northwest natural yard and garden
Earth-friendly tips, tools and resources King County provides to save resources, reduce pollution, and promote sustainability and biodiversity in the maritime Pacific Northwest region that includes King County.

How to set up a rain barrel or cistern
Save rainwater to water thirsty plants later and reduce your stormwater runoff too.
Stormwater runoff pollution and how to reduce it
Find out how you can help keep lakes, streams and Puget Sound clean.

Land conservation
King County has a goal of conserving more than 60,000 acres of high conservation value lands within a generation, including farmlands, forest lands and trails.

Conservation Futures Program
King County celebrates 30 years of land stewardship, funding the protection of forests, farms and recreation areas across King County.

Basin Stewards Program
Professional contacts available to work with landowners and public agency officials to protect local habitats. Basin Stewards are are familiar with specific King County watersheds, their local communities and natural resources.

Lake Stewardship Program
Program offers advice, training, technical expertise and grant sponsorship to help people monitor and manage the County's many ponds and lakes.

As of 2012, 66,072 acres of the land zoned Rural and Agriculture in King County demonstrate stewardship with a farm plan, forest plan and/or enrollment in conservation incentive programs.

Related information

Related agencies

News and announcements

Sep. 23, 2022
Making homes in King County greener, healthier, safer: Executive Constantine’s budget proposal will get more homeowners low-interest loans for heat pumps and clean energy retrofits

Jul. 26, 2022
External article, Seattle City Light Powerlines
Summer tips for staying comfortable without using a lot of electricity

Jul. 10, 2022
External report, Seattle Times
First Foods: How Native people are revitalizing the natural nourishment of the Pacific Northwest

Join the Eastside Climate Challenge and help create a cleaner, healthier community!

Apr. 24, 2021
External article, Seattle Times
How to build a rain garden — a creative, pollinator-friendly way to keep pollution from flowing into Puget Sound

Contact

Please offer suggestions and report errors in the Environmental Stewardship portal to Fred Bentler, webmaster.