Here are inspiring local leaders and organizations who were recommended for recognition by our members for their accomplishments.
Past years: 2022, 2021, & 2020
Clare's Place Everett
Provides 65 units of permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless and vulnerable households in Snohomish County. Catholic Community Services of Western Washington provides supportive services to the residents, with a focus on long-term stability. Take a Video tour of Care's Place, meet residents, and hear their story.
The project was awarded the WA State Housing Trust Fund Ultra-High Energy Efficient (UHEE) Affordable Housing Demonstration funding and demonstrates energy savings and renewable energy systems designed to reach net-zero energy. Some major elements used to increase energy efficiency were ultra efficient heat recovery ventilators, a 230 KW+ solar panel array installed on the roof, and a heat pump water heater with central hot water distribution.
Clare’s Place welcomes volunteers, particularly to help cook and serve meals to residents, host special events (BBQ, birthday party, game night, etc.), or share knowledge through teaching a class. They accept gently used donations of men’s and women’s clothing, household items, and décor. They welcome new donations of hygiene items, paper products, cleaning products, cat/dog food, towels, and bedding. You can also provide needed items on their Amazon Wish List. Contact Alison at alisona@ccsww.org, or call 425-535-4020 and ask for Alison or Paulette.
Derek Hoshiko
Derek is best known to Sierra Club members as the mentor who helped students found the Whidbey Island-based youth-led organization called United Student Leaders. He coached them on running their weekly protests at Freeland banks against their funding of fossil fuel projects. Derek provided the technical skills that enabled the students to conduct their Zoom community meetings which proved so successful in growing the USL group. With Derek’s dedicated commitment of time and energy, the primarily South Whidbey students, year after year, learned the skills and knowledge that helped them advocate for positive changes that benefit all students and the community at large. USL students are able to channel justified anxiety into creative action and, at the same time, develop career skills for the future.
This year Derek is known as the brains and force behind South Whidbey Island’s Kicking Gas project. It has already resulted in over 70 awards for homeowners converting their heating systems to carbon-free ductless heat pumps. Kicking Gas has already passed 2/3 of its 100 home conversion goal by June 2023 and it’s only Earth Day, April – with more than two months still to go!
Derek is a community supported organizer with For The People. He has given presentations about climate with many organization-sponsored events and forums. In 2015 he journeyed 1,100-miles by bicycle to the tar sands in Northern Alberta, Canada while interviewing community members along the way, as part of the storytelling collective The Road to Athabasca. He co-developed multi-media presentations about the threat of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, and later campaigned with Greenpeace USA against tar sands pipelines. Watch the video: The Return to Athabasca.
The Climate Reality Project of Snohomish County
The Climate Reality Project was established by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. You may remember the Academy Award Winning Documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. The movie was an extended version of the presentation trained leaders in the organization have given to the public around the world since 2006. Climate Reality members are engaged in environmental advocacy work in many ways.
Bill Trueit is active in the Snohomish County Electric Vehicle Association, encouraging interest in e-vehicles and hosting informational events. He works with the Sierra Club Clean Schools program and is a member of the Sno-Isle leadership team.
Kimberly Busteed is a founding member of the Snohomish Chapter. A civil engineer specializing in environmental and water resources, she lobbied to get Snohomish County and Everett to transition to 100% clean energy. Kimberly was recently appointed to the Snohomish County Planning Commission for Megan Dunn.
Wendy Ferry is co-chair for the Climate Business Action Team of Climate Reality. Wendy also works with Pollinator Pathway Northwest, a demonstration garden in Woodinville, providing the city with plants and pollinator habitats. She also collaborates with Northwest Ecobuilding Guild teaching building industry members about “green buildings.”
Marilyn and Mike Mallory are a package team. They have made over 60 informational presentations to community groups, Whatcom Community College, and 250 middle school students in the Everett School District. Both lobbied for a commitment to 100% clean energy for Snohomish County and Everett. They have teamed up with the Sierra Club Clean Schools program.
During Earth Week, The Climate Reality Project completed a national training program on the Inflation Reduction Act. The program attracted over 8,000 participants with Washington State generating the third largest number of registrations.
Whidbey Camano Land Trust
The Whidbey Camano Land Trust is a non-profit conservation organization that works to protect the most important lands and waters on Whidbey and Camano Islands.
The Land Trust has protected 135 properties, totaling more than 11,000 acres. These include 51 farms, 106 forestland properties, and 29 wetlands, as well as over 50 miles of trails across 30 publicly accessible sites, and 16 miles of shoreline.
With its dedicated staff and all-volunteer board of directors, the Land Trust actively engages and educates the public about their conservation work and mission. People of all ages and various backgrounds read and see stunningly beautiful photos in Land Trust newsletters about the priceless assets the Land Trust has protected. Each year over 250 volunteers donate over 4,500 hours of time maintaining and improving Land Trust properties and trails at volunteer work parties. And expert guides lead frequent tours through Land Trust forests, wetlands and historic farmlands.
Sunnyside Village Cohousing Community
Sunnyside Village Cohousing is developing the first cohousing community in Marysville, with 32 independent cottages clustered around a Common House. The Common House will be used for community meals and social as well as business activities.
Members of Sunnyside have strong values of environmentalism and reducing their carbon footprint. The Common House will have solar panels, and the shared parking lots will have electric vehicle charging stations. The all-electric, well-designed 1,200 square foot cottages will meet Washington State Four Star Green Built Energy standards, with plenty of insulation and energy efficient appliances including a heat pump.
A community garden and orchard will provide food for community meals.
Groundbreaking is planned for July 2023, and move-in is anticipated for the end of 2024.