Welcome to Synthesis — a 2-minute read to give you the quick hits of our recent work, to amplify our partners' projects, and to share important environmental stories. 

The 2023 summer issue of our bi-annual publication, Convene, is coming to your mailbox soon! Our latest issue features stories about how salmon connects us all, ecological lessons from the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and highlights from the political and field staffers’ spring road trip to Yakima. This will be our first publication as our new brand, Washington Conservation Action, so keep an eye out for a special delivery! In the meantime, stay up to date on the previous issues of Convene here.

Throughout Pride month, Washington Conservation Action collaborated with QPOC Hikers and Patagonia in hosting a series of community events to promote inclusivity outdoors and to provide a space for queer environmentalists and allies to connect! Our team hiked the Little Si Trail near Snoqualmie, rallied for a neighborhood clean-up in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, and celebrated the community at a fun Drag Brunch! Check out some highlights from the events here.

Orca Action Month in June was a huge success! Washington Conservation Action and other organizations in partnership with the Orca Salmon Alliance hosted numerous family-friendly events, informational webinars, and volunteer activities to honor the Southern Resident orcas and the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.

If it harms tribes, it’s not clean energy. Check out this op-ed by Washington Conservation Action's CEO Alyssa Macy, citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Oregon, about why the permit approval of the Goldendale Energy Storage Project is harmful to Indigenous communities, perpetuates environmental injustice, and is detrimental to social progress.

As you know, Washington Conservation Action fights alongside many partners for holistic climate policies that drive down emissions and center communities most impacted by pollution. The newly released Net-Zero Northwest report from the Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) is a rigorous, clear-eyed analysis and helps advance transformative, economy-wide solutions and an equitable transition to a cleaner energy future. Check it out here.

Together with partners, Washington Conservation Action was selected for a USDA Climate Smart Commodities Grant. This will support a 5-year project to develop climate-smart wood supply chains across the Pacific Northwest. Washington Conservation Action will focus on Pierce County in partnership with Pierce Conservation District.

Coming up: Local elections. Here at Washington Conservation Action, we work to elect environmental champions across the state. For every election, we endorse candidates who will fight for environmental progress as well as for ballot measures that will protect people and nature as one. Check out our first round of endorsements here and see if your candidates are endorsed by us!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join us for the 8th annual Tacoma Earth Gay, the LGBTQIA+ community's biggest gathering to celebrate environmental activism on July 22 at Dickman Mill Park and learn about sustainability and restore a local park. Get tickets now! Free tickets include an Earth gay t-shirt!

“I love the lush, green we experience all year, the closeness to hiking trails and ski hills, and the beauty of all the bodies of water throughout the Salish Sea region.” 

Adri is committed to dedicating her career in environmental protection, and serving in the nonprofit sector has been a dream of hers. She was drawn to WCA because of our unique approach in policy advocacy and political accountability. As a HR professional, her role is essential in supporting WCA staff so they can do their best work in advancing environmental progress in our state. 

An organization Adri would like to uplift is the Lavender Rights Project. 

“All progressive social movements owe so much to Black LGBTQIA+ folks, and supporting this organization is one way to help dismantle white supremacy!”