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Reducing Carbon Emissions in Washington State

1.) After Coal: The future of Washington's emission profile Where do Washington's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from? What are we doing to reduce GHG? Washington legislated GHG reduction targets for 2020, 2035, and 2050. The latest Ecology numbers are available...

Creating the Win-Win: Low Carbon Prosperity

Creating the Win-Win: Low Carbon Prosperity

by Hans D. Stroo on December 1, 2014 Bolstered by growing public support for climate action, international, federal, state, and local governments are considering a suite of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Washington's unique clean and...

A Northwest-Led Solution with Global Potential

A Northwest-Led Solution with Global Potential

Attention has long chased the latest innovations in energy production. Windmills have gone from scorned to sexy. Manure is now fuel at an award-winning Washington dairy farm. Coal-fired plants have the potential to support local agriculture. However, these days some...

Passing Partisanship on the Road to Carbon Reduction

Passing Partisanship on the Road to Carbon Reduction

We encourage those concerned about reducing carbon emissions to take a closer look at SB 5735 and to focus their energy on improving it, rather than tearing it down. Whether the motivation is related to climate change, energy security, air quality, growing the...

Washington State Tax Incentives Target Distressed Regions

Are Washington’s tax policies going far enough to help the state’s economically distressed communities? In the summer of 2010, right at the lowpoint of the Great Recession, Washington State implemented a tax incentive program intended to bolster manufacturing activity...

CLT: Washington State’s Mass Timber Opportunity

CLT: Washington State’s Mass Timber Opportunity

by Hans D. Stroo on May 26, 2016 Four major challenges facing Washington State might be linked by a common solution: an urban planning revolution towards tall wood buildings. First there’s our booming population growth. The Seattle Metro Area, among the fastest...

What is a Dollar of Energy Efficiency Worth?

What is a Dollar of Energy Efficiency Worth?

Several months ago we wrote here about the Community Energy Challenge, a Northwest Washington program designed to save energy and create jobs by making it really easy for homeowners and small businesses to implement energy efficiency improvements in their buildings....

What is the Market Potential for Solar?

Let’s explore solar’s current status and trends in national and international markets. This is important as solar manufacturers and related industries in Washington are actually more dependent on, and subject to, trends developing outside of state boundaries. Solar is...

What’s Growing in Washington State?

What’s Growing in Washington State?

by Hans D. Stroo on September 25, 2014 Agriculture is a major pillar of Washington's economy, and its positive impacts are felt in every region of the state. Washington's agriculture industry has an economic impact of $49 billion, employs over 160,000 residents, and...

Which K-12 Schools are Washington State’s Best?

What are the best K-12 schools and school districts in Washington State? How do Washington's K-12 schools stack up in a national comparison? These are burning and consequential questions for many families deciding where or whether to raise children in Washington...

Which Legislators Champion Career Tech Education?

Career Tech education is rising to the forefront of the conversation on education and workforce reform. "Career Tech education" is a term that refers to classes taught in 7-12th grade & community/tech. colleges that use hands-on, applied methods rather than solely...

Who are Washington State’s Top Carbon Emitters?

by Hans D. Stroo on December 17, 2014 With the announcement of Governor Inslee’s cap and trade greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction plan, Washington residents may be wondering who the state’s top emitters are. The Carbon Pollution Accountability Act projects 130 facilities...

Who Can’t Find Work in Washington State?

Annualized Unemployment Data Viz by Hans D. Stroo on December 29, 2015 The annualized unemployment rate for 2014 was 6.23 percent. However, rates differ markedly across dimensions of age, gender, and race. Youth and unemployment go hand in hand. Residents ages 16 to...

Wine Industry Blossoms in Washington State

Is Eastern Washington becoming the new Napa Valley? Over the past thirty years, Washington’s wine industry has blossomed - hundreds of wineries and tasting rooms have popped up across the state. Washington wine is a fixture found at most fine grocery stores...

Youth Apps Challenge Stokes Comp Sci Skills

www.technology-alliance.com/stemchallenge/youthapps.html The Karaoke team, from Granger Middle School (left to right): Jazmine Mendoza, Esmene Fisk, and Alexus Padilla. On both sides of the Cascades, Washington middle and high school students recently competed in an...

Australia’s Lessons On a Carbon Tax

Learn by doing. That appears to be one conclusion from Australia's recent repeal of their carbon tax. The carbon price began on July 1, 2012 at AU$23/tonne. It was levied on Australia’s top emitters and rose to AU$25/tonne, yet on July 17, 2014 it was repealed just...

Better Design, Better Outcomes

Better Design, Better Outcomes

Better Design, Better Outcomes uses lean techniques such as value stream mapping to guide the design of processes underlying stormwater regulation. Examining regulation in this manner helps government ease the burden on business and helps business ease the burden on...

Construction Industry Weigh In

Construction Industry Weigh In

Across Washington’s economy, there’s a growing disconnect between the needs of businesses and output of our education and workforce training systems. That’s true in Washington’s construction industry, which is giving voice to their persistent troubles in filling...

2015 Washington State Legislative Session

Washington 2015 legislative session is humming along, and the endgame is quickly coming into focus as cutoff dates pass. The list of important and viable bills grows shorter. The Washington Business Alliance (WaBA) tracks bills which impact PLAN Washington, the policy...

Lake Whatcom and Water Quality Control 

This lake is valuable for more than recreation, though. It is home to habitat and 23 sub-watersheds that all feed into Whatcom Creek and Bellingham Bay. It is also the source of drinking water for over 100,000 Whatcom County residents. With so many uses and high...

The Economic Development Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight

The Economic Development Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight

Water management is one of civilization's oldest and most universal needs. Homes and businesses must be provided with clean water. Stormwater must be responsibly carried out of our urban centers. A decaying infrastructure must be updated with new technology despite...

West Seattle Duwamish Crossing

Transportation infrastructure projects that the state embarks on now will need to be cost efficient, more resilient, lower carbon and take into account a more complex set of challenges including air and water quality.  In this webinar, news-making retired civil...

It’s Good for Business; Strong in WA

It’s Good for Business; Strong in WA

Human well-being is central to the economic health of employers, employees and regions, and Washington state is a top performer nationally, according to the recently released Gallup-Healthways State of American Well-Being Index for 2013. Washington ranked in the top...

What Are Your Hiring Needs?

What Are Your Hiring Needs?

Over 105,000 King County residents currently work in the manufacturing sector, with an astonishing wage rate 122% higher than the county average. Over 40% of the King County manufacturing workforce is over the age of 45 creating a skills gap that widens each year. The...

What Do Washington Employers Want?

What Do Washington Employers Want?

The labor market is driven by the needs of employers. Yet all too often, workers, training providers, and policymakers are left guessing as to what exactly employers demand at a given point in time. The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) is now...

Washington State’s Mass Timber Opportunity

Washington State’s Mass Timber Opportunity

Four major challenges facing Washington State might be linked by a common solution: an urban planning revolution towards tall wood buildings. First there’s our booming population growth. The Seattle Metro Area, among the fastest growing in the United States, is...

Washington Water Plans Under Scrutiny

Washington Water Plans Under Scrutiny

In Washington State, it’s not safe to eat seafood everyday. The good news is that Washington’s Department of Ecology is hoping to change that. The bad news -- it’s easier said than done. On September 30, the DOE introduced a preliminary draft to update water quality...

Washington Lawmakers Consider Alternative to Student Loans

Washington Lawmakers Consider Alternative to Student Loans

This week a new bill establishing a regulatory framework for alternative college financing options was voted out of the House Business & Financial Services Committee. HB 1923, sponsored by Representatives Hans Zeiger (R-25th), Steve Bergquist (D-11th), Larry Haler...

Washington Maritime Industry Examines Workforce Shortages

Washington Maritime Industry Examines Workforce Shortages

The annual economic impact of Washington’s maritime sector is estimated at $30 billion. It is responsible for creating 57,000 jobs in Washington, and another 90,000 indirect or induced jobs. Beyond the sheer number of jobs, maritime workers are very well compensated....

Washington Moves to Bring Transparency to Health Care

When it comes to health care, soaring costs are top-of-mind for policy-makers and citizens alike. A concept called an “All-Payer Claims Database” (APCD) has caught on nationwide, with many hoping it will lower health care costs. It works by pooling data about prices,...

Washington Policy Impact

A 2014 survey by Solar Washington, published by the CleanTech Alliance, states: “Results from the data show that for every dollar of the Washington State solar incentive redirected to PV system owners, the state sees $2.46 injected back into the local economy. Based...

Washington State College Scorecard

The U.S. Department of Education has published an enormous amount of outcome data via its new College Scorecard platform. The numbers should be illuminating for anyone weighing postsecondary education options in Washington State. Or if you've already invested in a...

Washington State Excelling in the “New Economy”

Washington State Excelling in the “New Economy”

TIME magazine, May 30, 1983 U.S. state economies are intricate and evolving ecosystems. The most successful states are those which can adapt to the constant disruptions of the new economy. The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation’s (ITIF) 2014 State New...

Washington State Falling Short on Open Data Opportunity

You can directly impact Washington’s open data policy by filling out this short survey Washington has a reputation for forward-looking governance and a political culture that values transparency, yet our state is lagging when it comes to the new gold standard of...

Washington State Freight Network At Risk

Any rush hour commuter that has to use I-5 in Western Washington, especially near Seattle and Tacoma, is all too familiar with traffic congestion. It means getting up a little earlier, arriving home slightly later, anger management exercises, and sometimes even having...

Washington State Legislators Push for K-12 Computer Science

Washington State Legislators Push for K-12 Computer Science

Two bills in the Washington State Legislature aim to incentivize and expand access to computer science programs in Washington’s K-12 schools. These bills have made it past the first cutoff in the legislative session. SHB 1445, sponsored by Representatives Chris...

U.S. Oil By Rail Boosts Economy, Independence

This is part of our "Opposing Viewpoints" series. Check out its counterpoint "Oil Trains in Washington: Bad for Business, Unacceptable Risk." In less than a decade, the United States is expected to be energy self-sufficient - no longer dependent on oil and natural gas...

UW Start-up Developing a Better LED Bulb

UW Start-up Developing a Better LED Bulb

by Matt Rosenberg on May 28, 2014 For the University of Washington's UW360 video news series Carolyn Douglas recently reported on an R&D stage start-up called LumiSands, born in the University of Washington's electrical engineering program when graduate students...

WA Technical Colleges Reinventing Adult Education

WA Technical Colleges Reinventing Adult Education

Some of Washington State’s workforce development programs have been shown to deliver big rewards to participants and taxpayers. Unfortunately, other programs like Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) fail to deliver value for either...

WaBA Advances Bipartisan Carbon Reduction Bill

WaBA Advances Bipartisan Carbon Reduction Bill

Today, SB 5735 passed the Washington State Senate. This bill represents unprecedented movement towards carbon reduction with support from both parties. The support of 5735 demonstrates that, whether the motivation is related to climate change, energy security, air...

WA’s Stevens Pass Scenic Byway

Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar and - our favorite - Startup all have their charms. The Sultan Shindig the second weekend of July. The Reptile Zoo, hard by Old School Barbecue. Roadside produce stands selling glorious Rainier Cherries for a fraction of the price in Seattle....

Washington Aims for More Higher Ed Completion

Washington Aims for More Higher Ed Completion

As the U.S economy becomes more global and technology-driven, higher education attainment is increasingly vital to cut unemployment, minimize the skills gap, fill high-demand occupations, and maintain competitiveness. The nation must produce 62 million two- and four-...

Washington Business Leaders Discuss the Future of Carbon Policy

Washington Business Leaders Discuss the Future of Carbon Policy

What’s next for carbon reduction policy in Washington State? Voters in the 2016 election rejected Initiative 732. The federal Clean Air Rule is being challenged in the courts. The state legislature will convene in January 2017. In this context, leaders from across...

Washington Can Do More to Attract FDI

Washington Can Do More to Attract FDI

This year’s Annual Economic Forecast Conference was all about global engagement -- how to attract trade & foreign direct investment (FDI)  and leverage it into sustainable, high quality growth. The collective opinion of the presenters was that the Puget Sound region...

Take the State Open Data Survey

Take the State Open Data Survey

You can directly impact Washington’s open data policy by filling out this short survey Washington State is lagging behind when it comes to open data. The impact and use of open data (for citizens, businesses, and government agencies) is poorly documented and the...

Things Every Employer Should Know About Mental Health

Things Every Employer Should Know About Mental Health

32.4% OR 75 MILLION AMERICANS EXPERIENCE A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION EACH YEAR. Research conclusively shows that depression and other mental illness and substance abuse disorders are a major cause of lost productivity and absenteeism In the US an estimate of 217 billion...

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