Blog

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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-...

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...

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...

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...

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...