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SWS brings together community and sustainability here in West Seattle. Learn more about us!
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West Seattle Tool Library
We Need Your Help!

Ever borrow a tool from your neighbor? Ever wish they had a better selection? Sustainable West Seattle has won a grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and has set up a tool lending library. You can find out more information or check out our inventory!

Get Ready for Night Out: Apply for Small Sparks $1000 City Grant To Help Your Block

Seattle Night Out logoSeattle City Funds are available to help neighborhoods celebrate Night Out on August 6.  The Small Sparks Fund provides matching funds to support community engagement.

 On August 6, Seattle neighborhoods will celebrate the annual Night Out event. If your neighborhood plans to participate, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has a fund available to support your Night Out event and activities.

The Small Sparks Fund provides matching dollars for neighborhood-initiated projects that promote community engagement. Community groups can request up to $1000 to help fund Night ..continue reading

Seattle City Releases Data on City-Owned Building Energy Use

Cover of Muni Bldg Energy UseSeattle Discloses Energy Use of City-Owned Buildings

The City of Seattle is providing the public a closer look at the energy use of City-owned buildings in a new report, Seattle Municipal Buildings 2011 – 2012 Energy Use Performance Report. The report released in May describes City efforts to evaluate the energy efficiency of 6.2 million square feet of City-owned and operated building space. The report also details actions the City is taking to improve the energy ..continue reading

CSA Subscriptions Available From Seattle P-Patch Market Gardens

 high_pt_p_patchThe Seattle P-Patch Market Gardens CSA (community-supported agriculture) program is accepting subscribers for its farm-fresh organic produce. Each week subscribers receive up to 15 items of seasonal produce grown at the NewHolly and High Point Seattle Market Gardens, a city of Seattle program that helps to establish safe healthy communities and economic opportunity in low-income neighborhoods.

The cost ranges from $15 to $25 a week based on size of the share. Prorated shares are available. Two of the ..continue reading

King Conservation District Offers Free Soil Sampling, Up To 5 Samples Per User

Soil_Testing

The King Conservation District provides free soil tests for all landowners in their service area.

Each year you can submit up to five samples to test for  major and micro-nutrients, pH and organic matter. Based on lab results, King Conservation District staff will provide recommendations specific to your plant needs.

This service is available to everyone from commercial farmers to backyard gardeners. Member cities are also using the program to improve soils in their community gardens. Visit KCD’s website to ..continue reading

Seattle Parks Future Embodied in “Parks Legacy Plan,” Public Invited to Comment

Parks Legacy BannerSeattle Parks and Recreation would like to share the first draft of what they’re calling the Parks Legacy Plan, and to invite the public to come to one of the six public meetings planned in May to talk about the services Parks and Rec provides, how efficiently you think Parks and Rec deploys their resources, and your thoughts on the future of the parks system.

The draft plan is available online here: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/legacy/ and the schedule of meetings is below. If you can’t come to one ..continue reading

SWS June Forum: Walk Longfellow Creek Watershed & Learn About Wetlands, Wildlife, Restoration & Development

Dragonfly PavilionJoin Sustainable West Seattle for an urban hike through one of Seattle’s most beautiful watershed environments. The Longfellow Creek Watershed drains almost 3000 acres of West Seattle, and is one of only four waterways left in Seattle which flows freely year-round.

Sustainable West Seattle’s June Community Hike meets at 6:30 pm on Monday, June 17, at the corner of 26th Avenue SW and SW Yancy St.  This is one block west of Delridge Way SW and one block south ..continue reading

Help Create New, Sustainable Organic Community Garden @ Westcrest Park

Westcrest P-Patch Image1Join Sustainable West Seattle on Saturday, May 18, between 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm at the new Westcrest P-Patch.  SWS members and members of the Westcrest P-Patch will be taking knowledge learned from the past two Successful Gardening with Nature forums and applying that knowledge to creating a new permaculture-oriented community garden, the produce of which will go directly to the White Center Food Bank.

The project is called Presto Garden and is possible through ..continue reading

Seattle Sustainability Office Seeks Community Groups for Climate-Reducing Projects, Has $10K Grants Available

SeaCAPThe Seattle Office of Sustainability & Environment is awarding 4 to 6 contracts for community groups and neighborhood organizations for projects that engage the community in reducing climate impacts.

They are interested in supporting efforts that will help people reduce the climate impacts of personal and household choices in one of the categories listed below. Proposals accepted for projects with a budget of $10,000 or less.

In Your Home -There are plenty of ways beyond lightbulbs to save energy in ..continue reading

April Forum: Successful Gardening with Nature II – Designing Perfect Garden

Sustainable West Seattle’s April Forum, a continuation of our Spring series “Successful Gardening with Nature,” will be on Monday, April 15, at the West Seattle Community Orchard.  This time we’re looking at  ”Designing the Perfect Garden.”

Before you start planting, start planning, it’s as simple as that. Successful food gardens are well planned to take advantage of natural features such as sun and shade as well as structural features like walls, concrete and fences. From pathways to the kitchen a good plan benefits plant to plant interaction, pest control, aesthetics, and ..continue reading

King County Water & Land Resources Division Seeks Clean Puget Sound Help, Has Extensive Resources For You To Use

Protect WatershedKing County’s Water and Land Resources Division wants us all to take action to save Puget Sound.

Stormwater, or polluted runoff, is the leading contributor to reduced water quality in Puget Sound.  Sustainable West Seattle and Tox-ick are already working to bring knowledge about stormwater to our members.

Learn more about polluted runoff, its impacts on the environment, how King County is addressing the issue, and how you can help.

To assist, King County has assembled a series of videos on ..continue reading

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