Seattle is quickly becoming a world-class player so it’s no wonder more and more Millennials are looking to relocate to the Emerald City for work and play. The rainy city is definitely a growing leader in the Urban Lifestyle. As a collective, Seattleites have high environmental awareness and actively seek to preserve ecological surroundings. It’s one of the best cities in North America to take in nature’s surrounding beauty with mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. With the hustle and bustle of a big city but the comfortable feel of a small community, Seattle is a great place to live and work.

Urban Lifestyle And Community

When we think of what makes the perfect Urban Lifestyle we need to take not just sustainability into account but also activities, convenience, and a sense of community. Seattle hits the mark on each of these. The city is a one of the top locations for festivals and events not to mention amazing outdoor activities in and around the city.

Pike Place Market in SeattleKnown for the famous Pike Place Market, the downtown harbor is one of the most scenic places you can imagine for shopping and supporting local business, and is always full of life and energy. Within and just outside of the city are lots of kayaking and bicycling options to experience nature. Seattle also has a walkability of 79% and is one of the top 10 most walkable cities in the United States-making it very convenient for urban dwellers to get around.

City Planning And Green Design

The City of Seattle is progressive when it comes to sustainable urban planning. New resources and permit options are allowing for more micro-housing development, while better tools and incentives are helping residents lower their impact. The city is also a strong proponent of waste management and toxin reduction for a healthier, more efficient place to live and do business.

Other positive initiatives include green transportation resourcesthe Food Action Plan, and energy conservation.

Green Building

Green building has become a widely adopted market in Seattle so it’s no wonder they’re one of the leading cities in sustainable construction. With incentive programs and city-funded resources, residents and business owners alike are strongly encouraged to upgrade or build new to meet green standards. The city is doing a remarkable job of promoting the value of green building and getting locals on board with the new urban lifestyle.

Bullitt Center Foundation in Seattle

Seattle is actually home to the Bullitt Center, boasting the title of “Greenest Commercial Building in the World.” With an impressive vision for the building, the Bullitt Center Foundation wanted to challenge the most rigorous green building standards of today to obtain this elite status.

The Hyatt at Olive 8 is Seattle’s first Silver LEED certified hotel and condo building. With water and energy conservation systems, air quality and lighting control, and a beautiful green roof, residents and visitors enjoy the peace of mind of knowing their building meets high standards of sustainability.

Residents and visitors can take the city’s eco-buildings tour to discover all the leaders in sustainable construction helping make the city become a more livable and healthier place.

Urban Agriculture

Seattle is a great place to get involved in urban agriculture. The P-Patch Community Gardens is a 40 year-old community gardening program educating on new technologies and working with residents and community leaders to feed low income families.

Seattles releaf program plants trees around the city

The Seattle releaf community tree planting program helps and trains residents how to plant trees in and around their homes. Funding is provided to participants to set them up with all the necessary tools and equipment including the trees themselves, to make their planting successful.

Local Leaders

The Emerald City is full of innovators and leaders helping residents come together as a community promoting sustainability. Here are five awesome groups doing their part:

Seattle Urban Farm Co.: This company helps locals design and construct their urban farms, vegetable gardens, chicken coops, and green roofs. They also provide workshops and classes on various topics involving local food production.

Sustainable Seattle: An organization that brings together the community, local businesses, and government officials to share ideas on how to provide long-term solutions on the sustainability of the city. They organize community programs that create buy-in to the green concept.

Green Seattle: This partnership between the public and local private businesses works towards preserving parklands and forests in Seattle. Green Seattle involves the community to raise environmental awareness and engage in conservation.

Seattle skyline

Greendrinks Seattle: This social networking group meets monthly to build awareness and discuss ways of growing the environmental and sustainability community in Seattle. They organize various community events for fun and entertainment, and education and awareness.

Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability: The Seattle based organization provides professional collaborative development for businesses to become more sustainable using strategic and innovative tools. The result is a deeper impact on the local community and the building of long-term success for a new urban lifestyle.