Eco-friendly Everett: a Resource Guide

Images by Richard Porter

I love Everett, like, to a ridiculous degree. I love the summer view of the emerald slopes of Mount Pilchuck. I love the impossibly perfect islands in the Salish Sea, clouds reflected in the Snohomish River, and how Lowell Riverfront Park turns misty and green in the spring.

Too nice.

I recently did a bit of international traveling, and I have to say: we’ve got it good here. The air is fresh -- circulated by the sea and filtered through the many trees of the Evergreen State. The soil is agreeable for planting gardens. The drinking water is pure.

I want to keep this place special for my daughters. I want to do my part to create and sustain an eco-friendly Everett. I hope you’ll jump on board, too.

Here’s a guide to stewarding our natural environment.

Solar panels and PUD

As population rates rise in Snohomish County in tandem with climate change, there’s really no chance that energy prices will go down. Consider investing in solar panels. While the vast majority of our county’s energy comes from clean, renewable hydropower, as a community we can still get a good ROI on our collective power by conserving resources.

Pros of solar panels:

-Generate your own energy

-Save money on your power bill

-Take advantage of federal tax credits

-Improve the value of your home

Learn the basics of solar panel installations here.

Eco-friendly consumer-facing businesses

Everett is home to several businesses that have adopted eco-friendly practices -- forward-thinking organizations like the hydrogen-powered airplane manufacturer ZeroAvia, or vertical produce growers Infarm.

As a consumer, it matters where you spend your money. After all, each dollar is a vote for the kind of economy in which you’d like to invest.

Sno-Isle Foods Co-op is technically no longer a certified B Corp, yet still operates under B Corps standards. They measure their waste, intentionally buy from equitable sources, and compost.

Petrikor offers high-quality home goods, rather than expendable easy-to-dispose-of items.

Raise a glass to Bluewater Organic Distilling. Their vodka, liqueurs, Halcyon Gin and Wintersun Aquavit are 100% USDA-Organic, bottled in American glass, and contribute 1% to the Planet.

Electric car chargers

Rolling silent with your battery-powered whip? Nice. Find an electric car charger in Everett. There are plenty to be found these days. Best bets:

The PUD building

Walmart parking lot, Everett Mall Way

Target parking lot, Everett Mall Way

Kindred Kitchen on Broadway

Everett Waterfront

The YMCA

Bicycling and bike routes

State patrol officers recently shut down northbound Interstate 5. Almost immediately, all surface streets and arterials in Everett were clogged with standstill traffic. In that moment, it was apparent to me that our region is narrowly constricted into a car-based commuting system. Since the Everett portion of the regional light rail is quite a few years away, eco-conscious Everettities can help improve local air quality and relieve congestion by hopping on bikes.

Best routes and lanes include 19th Street, California Street, Marine View Drive, Colby Avenue, Hoyt Avenue, the Interurban Trail, and Madison Street.

Find a full online map of Everett bike routes here.

For readers, this is the single best book I’ve read about the positive impacts of bicycling and bicycle infrastructure.

Catching the Everett Transit and employer-backed public transportation incentives

Take the bus. While Community Transit recently announced that they are investing in electric and even hydrogen-powered buses, Everett Transit leads the pack right now with their electric bus fleet. Find a route schedule here.

Did you know? Some employers offer free ORCA cards to their employees as a way to incentivize public transportation. Check with your HR department. You may also be eligible for a monthly stipend or additional perks if you bike to work multiple times a week.

Let’s keep the Evergreen State, well... evergreen.

What are we missing? Drop us a line in the comments section or on Facebook to let the community at large know how you’re contributing to a greener, cleaner Everett.