Green House Gas Emissions

Atmosphere indicators — GHG emissions

Drivers: Increases in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG's) can be primarily attributed to more use of fossil fuels for transportation and building energy. Vehicle Miles Traveled in King County and energy use in homes and businesses have been on a steady increase.

Status: As of 2002, the King County region emitted approximately 23 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents annually. In 2003 King County government operations generated about 420,000 metrics tons of CO2 equivalents.

Existing response: The King County Executive's Office has developed and forwarded to the King County Council a climate protection plan that seeks to address both community (regional) and corporate (organizational) climate polluting emissions. The actions to reduce climate pollution are aimed at using the county's four levers of change: land use, transportation, environmental management and renewable energy.

Priority new actions: For DNRP operations, the priorities are: beginning processing and using the landfill gas from Cedar Hills, increasing the use of biodiesel in fleet vehicles, and maintaining high rates of biogas capture and re-use at wastewater treatment facilities. Other new actions will include increasing the use of cement substitutes in construction projects, eliminating inefficient light bulbs and improving energy efficiency at buildings and plants.