Author: Mike O'Brien (Mike O'Brien)

I have been working closely with Council President Conlin to introduce this resolution to adopts new climate protection goals for Seattle, which was introduced yesterday in the Regional Development and Sustainability Committee. The resolution sets bold new targets for reductions in vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse has emissions-including net zero greenhouse has emissions by 2050! [...]

Today the City Council passed two important things related to our Department of Neighborhoods (I chair the Seattle Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee). First, we confirmed Bernie Matsuno as the new Director of the Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Congratulations, Bernie! Council looks forward to your leadership and stewardship of the department. I am especially interested [...]

We just passed a resolution to help Seattle’s most vulnerable low-income residents with their City Light bills. I am proud of this work that Councilmember Harrell and I have been working on since last summer. Here is the press release that went out today: Seattle – Today the Council unanimously passed Resolution 31311, confirming that [...]

Hello blog world! I apologize for my absence from the blogosphere, I recently returned from an incredible rafting trip down the Colorado River, through one of our country’s most spectacular national parks–Grand Canyon. The vacation was great and I enjoyed the time with my family on the river. Just before I left on vacation, I visited Friends of [...]

Last week Jill Simmons (director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment) and I had the opportunity to represent the City of Seattle at the C40 Summit in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  The C40 is a group of 40 large cities worldwide and a handful of associate cities like Seattle that are committed to tackling the [...]

I am lucky to be in Brazil this week for a Climate Conference; so far I’ve seen Bill Clinton and Mayor Bloomberg. I look forward to reporting back to you all upon my return. In the meantime, here’s what happened last week! Last year, the City Council announced achieving carbon neutrality as one of its [...]

This morning the Council received a briefing on the technical analysis of what a carbon neutral scenario would look like for Seattle. The Office of Sustainability and Environment, in partnership with the Stockholm Environment Institute presented their analysis.  They had three primary goals: 1)      Define the carbon neutral goal; 2)      Develop and emission reduction scenario [...]

Please join me this weekend (May 21-22) at the Seattle Green Festival at Qwest Field. My office has been involved in planning two panels and I would love to see you there. Saturday afternoon (4:30pm), Sahar Fathi from my office is convening a panel on arts and the environment. Local artists and environmentalists will work [...]