King County’s Climate Change related Performance Measures
King County reports progress related to achieving its climate change goals each year through its annual reports. Beginning with the 2012 annual report, these will include reporting on the measures defined in King County's Strategic Climate Action Plan. In addition to reporting on those measures, King County tracks several additional climate change-related measures that help King County monitor progress on relevant programs, projects, policies and services. Over time, these performance measures will improve and evolve.
This webpage lists King County's climate change-related performance measures as a reference and for the sake of transparency. For more information, please inquire at climatechange@kingcounty.gov.
*Measures marked with an asterisk are also included in King County's 2012 Strategic Climate Action Plan.
Transportation and Land Use
- Net greenhouse gas emissions impact of transit service*
- Percent of commuters using different transportation modes — transit, walking, biking and driving*
- Percent of annual countywide housing development located in the Urban Area*
- Transit service hours
- Total transit boardings
- On-time transit performance by time of day
- Transit boardings per platform hour
- Commuter vans in operation
- Use of alternative services such as dial-a-ride-transit and car sharing
- Walk Score®, Bike Score®, and Transit Score® (or comparable objective ratings) for King County
- Total number of Regional Trails System miles
Energy
- Energy use by County vehicles*
- Energy use at county facilities*
- Percent of energy used by the County that is renewable energy (produced, used or procured)*
- Transit energy use per passenger mile, per passenger boarding, and per vehicle mile
- Percent of county vehicles using alternative fuels and technologies
- Average vehicle miles traveled per employee in county-owned vehicles
- Percentage of capital projects completing King County's Sustainable Infrastructure Scorecard or achieving LEED Gold certification or higher
Forests and Agriculture
- Privately owned rural acreage with stewardship plans or enrolled in incentive programs*
- King County forests and agricultural lands permanently conserved through easements that remove the development rights*
- Reported annual sales at farmers markets in King County
- Acres of King County owned working forest land and natural area parks
Consumption and Materials Management
- Recycling rates in King County service area*
- Total amount of copy paper purchased (by King County government)*
- Single family home residential recycling rate
- Single family home residential disposal rate
- Percentage of residential customers that have converted from 32 to 96 gallon recycling carts
- Number of mattress and carpet recycling businesses in King County
- Tons of materials collected for recycling at King County transfer stations
- Percent compliance with Puget Sound Clean Air Agency landfill emissions standards
- Volume of wastewater cleaned to reclaimed water standards
- Quantity of wastewater biosolids produced and used beneficially
- Overall waste diversion rate at County facilities
- Percentage of 100 percent recycled content copy paper used in government operations
- Percentage purchase of EPEAT certified electronic equipment in government operations
Preparing for Climate Change Impacts
- Number of homes at risk of flooding or channel migration*
- Climate change addressed in the Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Percentage of critical County-owned facilities that may be affected by sea level rise, flood impacts, or other key local climate change impacts that have assessed and are addressing potential impacts
Outreach, Education, Advocacy, Collaboration, Leadership
- Percent drive-alone rate in King County by employers participating in King County's Commute Trip Reduction program*
- Number of King County cities participating in the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration*
- Number of King County schools certified to GreenSchools Level 1, 2, and 3 certification levels
- Number of King County cities with green building programs
- Number of green certified buildings in King County
- Number of households reached by InMotion program
- Quantity of food wasted in communities targeted by the Reducing Wasted Food project
- Diversity of reclaimed water customers
- Average vehicle miles traveled per capita employee in county owned vehicles
- Percentage of county employees commuting to work by biking, walking and transit
- Percentage of county facilities that have green operations and maintenance plans
Assessment
- Countywide GHG emissions data published
- Key climate change impacts indicators published
- GHG emissions data associated with county operations published
