• Air Miles Traveled --- Since 1990, CO2 emissions from international aviation have increased 83%.

• Work Commute Choices --- The proportion of commuters in King County who drive alone decreased slightly from 1990 to 2003. The proportion who carpool, use public transportation, bike, walk or use other means to commute to work remained relatively steady during this period.   (view data graph)

• Consumer Environmental Index --- Through their purchasing decisions, Washington consumers have increased their total environmental impacts by 24% since 2000. Even on a per capita basis consumption impacts have gone up 17%.   (view data graph)

• Energy Consumption by Source and Per Capita --- Total energy consumption in King County increased nearly 10% from 1996 to 2005. When adjusted for population growth, per capita energy consumption increased less than 1% in the same time period.  (view data graph)

• Green Building Stock --- The number of green buildings in all categories are increasing: LEED Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, and BuiltGreen Homes to the 3, 4, and 5 star level in King County.  (view data graph)

• Urbanization and Impervious Surface Changes --- The number of acres of urban land, clear-cut, and regenerating forest have increased in King County since 1986. Acres of grass and deciduous, mixed and coniferous forest have decreased. Acres of rural forests and privately owned working forests have declined in recent years  (view data graph)

• Median House Size of New Construction --- Median house size of new construction has increased over the past decade with consequence for climate change, resource consumption and housing affordability.   (view data graph)

• Vehicle Miles Traveled --- In 2007, VMT for the Puget Sound region increased by 0.6 percent over 2006, continuing an almost 30-year trend. Annual VMT has decreased only three times since 1980 when the first estimates became available.  (view data graph)

• Annual Spring Snowpack --- Snowpack levels are decreasing. In the North Cascades, 53 glaciers have disappeared since the 1950s.   (view data graph)

• Average Annual Air Temperatures --- Puget Sound's average annual temperature has increased at twice the rate of the global average air temperature during the 20th century.   (view data graph)

• Stream and River Flows --- The median of the "flashiness" index scores across all streams measured in King County has increased between 1945 and 2007.   (view data graph)

• Frequency of Flood Events

• Freshwater Habitat Index --- Overall freshwater quality in King County is below standards except for lakes. These findings are based on 2007 monitoring results for rivers, streams, groundwater, and lakes. Of the total sampled stream sites in King County in 2006-07, 45 percent were considered moderate to high water quality, and 55 percent were rated to be of high concern. This was a decrease in the number of sites considered moderate to high water quality from previous years.   (view data graph)

• Wild Salmon --- Many of Puget Sound's salmon stocks have experienced substantial declines over the past 50-100 years due to overfishing, dams, and habitat degradation. Although the number of mature, adult chinook salmon returning to their stream of origin were almost twice in 2006 as high as 2005 levels, they comprised only 25 percent of the long-term chinook population target.  (view data graph)

• Urban Growth Trends --- As of 2003, 85 percent of the region’s total population and 96 percent of its jobs were located within designated urban growth areas. The data show that over time each county, and the region overall, is making progress in directing a greater proportion of new development to the urban growth areas.  (view data graph)

Limiting the effects of global warming and minimizing our collective carbon footprint will require cooperation from all levels of society, including governments, industries and individuals. Cleaner production, greener building practices, and responsible resource use are all critical to the protection of the environment and controlling climate change.

• Clean and Sufficient Water

• Climate Protection