Seattle's charge toward a cleaner future hit the fast lane as the city rolled out new initiatives to decarbonize its transportation system in 2023. According to a report from the city's Office of Sustainability, emissions from transportation make up a whopping two thirds of Seattle's greenhouse gas emissions, with BIPOC communities bearing the brunt of this pollution.

Under the 2021 Transportation Electrification (TE) Blueprint, the city set an ambitious goal to slash emissions by 2030. The blueprint's second annual action report celebrates significant strides made over the past year. An electric van share program went live in June 2023, marking Washington's first and offering ADA-compliant access, while Seattleites hitched 4.8 million rides on emission-free scooters and bikes, toppling the stated objective of 4 million rides.

The goal of ensuring 90% of all personal trips are zero emissions is also on the horizon. This objective got a significant boost with the launch of the United States’ first electric regional bus, connecting Seattle and Bellingham and expected to cut 109 metric tons of carbon emissions each year. This feat was achieved through a partnership between City Light, WSDOT, MTR Western, and Amtrak. Furthermore, SDOT and King County Metro's 'Flip Your Trip Center City' campaign is wooing commuters away from polluting modes of transport. More than 2,000 individuals have pledged to flip their trips, converting over 13,000 jaunts into greener endeavors and helping to trim personal carbon footprints.

Shared mobility isn't lagging behind, with Seattle ensuring that the expanding services like bikes, scooters, taxis, Uber, Lyft, and carshares are electric and emissions-free. This commitment manifests as the city proudly boasts of its achievement—a 100% zero-emission shared mobility fleet. Seattle is steadily rewiring itself for a greener, more equitable future, showing what determined urban climate action looks like in real life.