Find Out What You Can Do for Tacoma Climate Action

There are many individual choices we can make as consumers and community members to help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. For Tacomans, it is particularly impactful to buy less stuff if we don’t need it; limit air travel; carpool, walk, bike, or take public transit instead of driving alone; eat a more plant-based diet and buy from local farmers; and choose electric, efficient options when changing our homes and vehicles. All of these actions add up and help encourage others to do the same.  

That being said, the pace and scale of climate action that Tacoma needs ultimately depends on transformational changes to our institutions and systems. The CAP outlines what transformational steps the City and our community needs to take to mitigate and prepare for climate change. Indeed, this change also relies on all of us, as members of an engaged community.

Here are a few ways you can help implement the Tacoma Climate Action Plan:

1. Hold the City accountable. Show up at City Council meetings or contact your Tacoma City Council representative to let Council know that climate action is important to you and ask them to prioritize funding for climate action. Find your Council representative here.

2. Get involved in City decision-making and budgeting. Participate on a City committee, board, commission, neighborhood council, or future participatory budgeting process. Find open positions on committees, boards, and commissions here.  Get involved in your neighborhood council! 

3. Connect with local public organizations to advocate for more climate action, dense affordable housing, electrification, public transit, and pollution prevention. Learn more about and engage with: Pierce County, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Tacoma School District, Pierce Transit, Metro Parks Tacoma, Port of Tacoma, Washington State Learn about local environmental events and opportunities by joining the EnviroNews email list.

4. Talk to your friends, family members, and neighbors about climate change, the local impacts we are experiencing, and the solutions available to us. Simple, everyday conversations can go a long way in increasing awareness and action on climate change. Find resources on local climate change impacts here. 

5. Bring partners and resources to our shared cause by engaging at the state and national level:

• County Council: Representatives

• State and national representatives: Find Your District

• Port of Tacoma Commission: Representative

• Pierce Transit Board: Representative