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Sammamish commission plans Earth Day outreach and a 100‑household GreenPower push
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Summary
The Sustainability Commission brainstormed April 25 Earth Day booths at Beaver Lake Park and agreed to support Puget Sound Energy’s GreenPower enrollment drive to add 100 community sign-ups this year — an effort that would earn the city a $10,000 solar incentive if reached.
The Sammamish Sustainability Commission used its Feb. 12 meeting to plan Earth Day outreach at Beaver Lake Park and to coordinate with Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) GreenPower subscription program.
Staff said the city is aiming to secure 100 additional GreenPower enrollments by the end of the year; PSE has pledged $10,000 toward a municipal solar array if the goal is met. Rose, the city’s Natural Resource and Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, told commissioners the city has already enrolled all city facilities in GreenPower and is now seeking resident sign-ups to meet the incentive goal.
Commissioners discussed how GreenPower works and the affordability questions that often surface. A commissioner summarized the program as an opt‑in subscription that asks customers to pay extra on their utility bill to increase the proportion of renewables in PSE’s portfolio. Commissioners said enrollments can start at small amounts (staff said GreenPower enrollments are available "for as low as $4 a month"), and community solar enrollments also count toward the city’s target.
The commission developed practical outreach plans for April 25: two commission booths (one focused on education and one on community feedback), coordinated activities for children and adults, multilingual materials, pledge cards, and low‑barrier sign‑up options. Commissioners recommended getting official one‑page handouts or talking points from PSE so ambassadors can provide accurate answers at the event and referred specific follow‑up items to staff, including a direct PSE handout and a sign‑up link for booth use.
Commission members emphasized making outreach affordable and low‑pressure. ‘‘If people can enroll at any level and cancel any time, that helps with uptake,’’ Rose said during the discussion. Commissioners proposed visual incentives — a public progress ‘thermometer’ or tally board to show incremental enrollment gains — and suggested raffles or sustainably sourced prizes to collect pledge cards and contact information.
The meeting also flagged related logistics: confirming booth staffing with sustainability ambassadors and partners (Energy Smart Eastside, Republic Services), ensuring language access at high‑traffic events, and requesting a bike rack at Beaver Lake Park so attendees can bike to Earth Day activities.
The commission asked staff to coordinate PSE’s presentation at the March meeting and to return with enrollment breakdowns and materials the group can use at Earth Day. Staff said a finalized outreach plan will be presented at the March meeting.
