Climate Smart Bainbridge

Bainbridge Islanders are helping to reduce climate pollution!

Bainbridge Islanders have reduced 142 metric tons of climate pollution by completing simple actions in the Climate Smart Challenge - that’s equivalent to taking 32 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles off the road for one full year! We can make an even bigger impact by working together within our community, whether it’s challenging your friends and neighbors, or introducing the Challenge to groups you’re involved with. That’s why we’re calling on all Islanders to join our Climate Smart Team Leader cohort!

From October through December, we’ll be highlighting climate smart solutions for transportation, home energy, and more, and providing the resources and support to help you make the greatest impact before the end of the year. All you need is the passion for a Climate Smart Bainbridge and about an hour per week! Ready to get started? Register here to become a Climate Smart Team Leader!

Join the Challenge today! Simply follow the steps below:

Sign up for the Bainbridge Island Climate Smart Challenge.
Complete new actions and watch your carbon footprint decline.

Climate Smart Bainbridge at September Community Events

Stop by a community event to learn more about the Climate Smart Challenge and the end of year Climate Smart Team Leader campaign!

Senior Center Community Resource Fair: Saturday, September 30 from 11 AM - 3 PM at the Senior Center, 370 Brien Dr SE

Have questions about the Challenge? Contact Autumn Salamack, Climate Mitigation & Adaptation Manager, via email.

What is the Climate Smart Challenge?

Bainbridge Island has big climate action goals and we need your help!

We’re working to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% by 2025, and 90% by 2045, compared to 2014. Roughly 40% of U.S. GHG emissions come from five basic household activities: transportation choices, electricity use, heating, food choices, and waste. The great news is there are lots of ways you can take action to protect our environment, save money, and improve your health and the comfort of your home.

The Climate Smart Challenge makes it easy and fun to reduce your GHG emissions. You select the actions specific to your journey and lifestyle, track your progress, and watch your carbon footprint decline as you make changes at home. You can collaborate with your neighbors, share ideas and resources, and work towards your goals together.

Together we can create a Climate Smart Bainbridge!

Join the Bainbridge Island Climate Smart Challenge today!

Youth & School Resources

Climate Action Lessons Plans for Grades 4-12

The City’s Climate Smart Challenge has free lesson plans and activities to help students measure carbon footprints, identify concrete climate solutions, and address climate anxiety. Lesson plans with short videos and slide decks for grades 4-6 and grades 7-12 are available below. *Please right click to open the documents below in a separate tab*

Lesson Plan Outline for Grades 7-12: includes a 40-minute and 60-minute "What is Your Carbon Footprint?" activity and a 45-minute "Climate Solutions Challenge" activity.
Lesson Plan Outline for Grades 4-6

Kids can also download and print these coloring sheets. Post your artwork in a window to show you have a Climate Smart home!

If you have questions about the lesson plans or are interested in a presentation for your classroom, please contact ClimateAction@bainbridgewa.gov.

Climate Smart 4th Graders

The City partnered with Ordway Elementary School in late 2022 to pilot the Climate Smart Youth program. This six-week program helped students measure their carbon footprints, identify concrete climate solutions, and address climate anxiety. This was achieved through games, quizzes, and opportunities for students to serve as Climate Smart ambassadors for their peers. At the conclusion of this program, students were invited to City Hall where they gave a presentation to City staff on what they had learned and what actions they believed staff should take to be more Climate Smart. The Climate Smart Youth program received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both students and staff! The City is continuing this program with other schools in 2023.

If your school, PTO, or other youth representatives are interested in this program (for 4th graders or any other grades), please contact ClimateAction@bainbridgewa.gov.

Schools Participating in the Climate Smart Youth Program:

Ordway Elementary
Captain Johnston Blakley Elementary

Teams Program & Resources

The Climate Smart Teams Program provides a fun and impactful way to learn about actions to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare your homes and families for the impacts of climate change. The Teams program helps you take action, get more connected with your neighbors, and build a more resilient and sustainable Bainbridge Island.

The Teams Program includes a series of meeting agendas that focus on climate and sustainability solutions, emergency preparedness and resilience. You can form a team with neighbors, friends, church members, PTO members, classmates, coworkers - anyone you like! Materials include short videos, guided discussion questions and a celebration to recognize the impact of team members who complete actions in the Climate Smart Challenge.

Register here to become a Climate Smart Team Leader!

Read the Team Leader Guide (PDF)

Learn how to form a team (Video)

Meeting Topics

Click on the links below to review the agendas for facilitated discussions related to the Climate Smart Bainbridge Team program.

Who will be on my team? You decide! Most leaders will invite 2-8 households to join them in taking action. It’s as simple as saying hello and sharing an invite to the launch meeting to get your neighbors involved. You can build an amazing community on your street, get to know your neighbors better, and mutually benefit from a connected block. Or you could work with friends, coworkers, family, members of your book club, running crew, faith community, etc. It's important they live in Bainbridge Island so you can easily meet, share resources, and work together locally.

What will we accomplish? Together, you’ll learn how to help create a Climate Smart Bainbridge by taking simple, affordable actions to reduce your carbon impact and save money and resources, and have a lot of fun along the way.

What are my responsibilities as a Team Leader? It’s easy! All you need to do is invite your friends or neighbors to learn about the Challenge and facilitate an initial meeting. After the first meeting, hosting and facilitation is shared and your team will work together sharing responsibilities. You’ll be provided with everything you need for meetings so this will be easy for all! You’ll also be the main point of contact with us for the Challenge if your team has questions. We’ll be inviting team leaders to join together a few times during the program to meet each other, share stories, celebrate successes, ask questions, and learn from each other. Finally, we’ll be here to help, answer questions, and support you along the way!

For more information, please contact ClimateAction@bainbridgewa.gov.

Climate Smart Leaders

Do you know someone who's going above and beyond to address climate change? Nominate them as a Climate Smart Leader!

The Climate Smart Leaders program celebrates and promotes individuals and groups that are active in the Climate Smart Challenge and taking the lead on climate action in our community. Climate Smart Leaders help to inspire others in the community to join the Challenge - and perhaps become Climate Smart Leaders themselves!

Climate Smart Leaders have achieved one or more of the following:

Earned at least 5,000 points in the Climate Smart Challenge
Participated in the Challenge Teams Program
Completed one or more of the "Big Actions" in the Challenge
Taken other actions to lead on climate action in our community

Leaders can be nominated by themselves or others. If you believe that you or someone you know is a Climate Smart Leader, please fill out this short nomination form. If selected, leaders will receive recognition via social media.

Climate Smart Leaders in the Community

Please help us celebrate our newest Climate Smart Leader, Sarah Daubenberger! Sarah helped initiate the Climate Smart 4th Grader pilot program at Ordway Elementary School, working with City staff to bring this program from an idea to implementation. Congratulations Sara and thank you for your efforts to create a Climate Smart Bainbridge for both today's residents and future generations!