Members of the Energy Hippo team attended a fundraising event in support of Initiative 1631—Washington State’s measure to put a price on carbon emissions. The event was held at EnergySavvy’s offices in downtown Seattle, and featured a panel discussion with leaders from the non-profit, utility, nature conservation, and venture capital sectors.
Initiative 1631 has won the competition for the most expensive ballot measure in Washington State history, largely due to $25 million in donations from just three out of state oil conglomerates. This amount pales in comparison to the $2.3 billion the initiative, if passed, would collect from petroleum companies and utilities in the first 5 years of implementation. The revenue will support transforming Washington’s economy into one that is fueled by clean energy.
Funding in support of the measure comes from individuals and organizations in the technology, engineering, and environmental sectors. Prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Gov. Jay Inslee, Attorney General Bob Ferguson, and organizations such as Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility are all in support of this measure.
Supporters say this tax will raise money for “transformative solutions” that already exist. Turning back the clock on greenhouse gas emissions is no longer physics or a chemistry problem, it is a political and economic problem—Washington needs capital to deploy projects that will protect our air and water for generations to come. Funding will also be invested back into the coal miners that will be directly affected by this economic shift to clean power. In fact, the solar industry has created ten times more jobs than reinvesting in coal; these jobs are not easily automated, so they are here to stay.
Today is the last day to get your ballot in to support I-1631! If you are interested in tracking your company’s carbon emissions, contact support@energyhippo.com to learn more.
