How to Travel Green in Sustainable Seattle
Our climate-conscious way of life makes it simple to enjoy an environmentally friendly trip.
In Seattle, green is more than just the color of the trees that blanket the landscape. It’s a commitment to sustainability that is seen, felt, and experienced in practically every part of our city. That’s why Seattle consistently ranks as one of the most sustainable cities in the United States. Here are just some of the ways that you can feel good about your trip.
Stay Green
Many Seattle hotels take environmental initiatives seriously to ensure a cleaner, healthier planet. You’ll notice that in little ways like compostable serving ware, paperless check-in, options to reuse towels and bedding, and plentiful recycling bins. But you’ll also notice that in bigger ways. Hotel 1000 is working toward net-zero emissions and features electric-vehicle charging, reusable bathroom products to minimize plastic waste, and responsibly sourced food and drinks. Both W Seattle and the Sheraton Grand Seattle are Green Seal certified for their environmental practices. And citizenM in South Lake Union and Hyatt at Olive 8 are certified LEED Gold and Silver, respectively, by the , which means the buildings themselves are designed to reduce energy needs, conserve water, and reduce landfill waste.
Eat and Drink Green
Many local chefs embrace a farm-to-table mentality, using ingredients grown, picked, caught, or produced in the Pacific Northwest. This not only ensures the freshest, highest-quality foods but also the most sustainable by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced from transporting ingredients. See some of our favorite farm-fresh restaurants in town. Another easy way to make your trip more sustainable is to bring or buy a to make the most of the city’s high-quality water—tap water is more than safe to drink here. Many businesses, hotels, and transportation centers have easy-fill water stations so you can stay hydrated and reduce single-use plastic bottles.
Get Around Green
SDOT
As a compact, highly walkable city, Seattle is leading the way when it comes to environmentally friendly ways to navigate around town. There are a variety of electric scooters and bikes available to rent, as well as a robust public transit system that uses electricity for light rail as well as some hybrid and all-electric buses. Additionally, the Port of Seattle, which manages the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, reuses collected rainwater for its toilets, uses electric vehicles for its ground support, and has upgraded its lights, heating, and cooling units to be energy efficient and save 43.2 million kilowatt hours per year.
Play Green
You can enjoy Seattle’s outstanding entertainment offerings and still follow an eco-conscious path. One great example is Climate Pledge Arena, the world’s first net-zero-carbon certified arena. This world-class venue at Seattle Center operates entirely off renewable electricity and regularly hosts concerts and sporting events with recyclable cups, paperless tickets, and other ways to feel good about your night out. And Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion expansion, which is scheduled to open in 2024, is the first aquarium in the world to pursue the Living Building Challenge Petal Certification, with a goal of zero waste by 2025 and 100 percent fossil fuel–free operations.