At Emeraldology, we believe that community is a key component of the environmental movement. When communities of passionate people who love and care for our planet come together, individuals feel more invigorated to make positive and lasting change for the environment.
For this reason, we’ve curated a diverse collection of social meetup groups in the Seattle area which are focused on environmental activism, sustainable lifestyle, outdoor activities and more. If you know of, or are a part of an active group that’s not mentioned here, or have suggestions or edits for our list, please share in the comments below! We appreciate all feedback and contributions.
Environmental activism
- Seattle Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL) and CCL Bellevue – CCL helps “build the political will to support national legislation to address climate change and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, clean energy-based economy.” They “focus on developing relationships with congressional representatives and the local media through letters, phone calls, and meetings.” Events include monthly meetings, letter-writing, workshops and more.
- 350 Seattle – is a volunteer-powered climate justice organization organized by interest groups called “workgroups.” They make it easy to find ways to let your voice be heard on climate issues through events such as protests, public hearings, and blockades. 350 Seattle part of the national organization, 350.org.
Photo by 350 Seattle
Professional networking
- Seattle Green Drinks – “Part of the international Green Drinks network, Seattle Green Drinks is an informal social networking group built around an interest in the natural environment. All are welcome to join … the second Tuesday of every month, starting around 5:30pm. The goal of [the] group is pretty simple: good times shared among people working in, or interested in, environmental and sustainability issues.”
For the most up-to-date event details, check the Seattle Green Drinks Facebook group events page. - Seattle EcoWomen – “The Seattle chapter of EcoWomen is creating a network of women with personal and professional interests in the environment.” They host happy hours, workshops, outdoor events, and more. For the most up-to-date information on events, you can subscribe to their email newsletter, or check out their Facebook events page.
Image by Seattle Green Drinks
Sustainable lifestyle
- Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA) – SEVA “is an all-volunteer group of Seattle-area folks who are passionate about all things having to do with electric cars… We participate in car shows, educational events and political events having to do with electric vehicle legislation. But we mostly get together to have some plain, old fun at our free monthly meetings.”
SEVA meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene in Wallingford. - Seattle Zero Waste – Seattle Zero Waste is a volunteer-led meetup group formed by passionate “zero-wasters,” with the aim of bringing like-minded people together. “Zero-wasters” are those who aim to create no trash, a concept by Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home. The group has monthly social meetups on the third Wednesday of every month from 6-8pm at rotating locations, and quarterly educational events. This group also has an active Facebook group, serving as an online community sharing tips, tricks, ideas and stories.
To stay up to date on meetups and events, sign up for their newsletter on their website.
Environmental stewardship
- Fremont (Seattle) Garbage Collection Meetup – This meetup group “wants to have some fun with other neighbors and friends while picking up garbage in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle.” They “meet every first and third Saturday of the month at Phinney N. and N 36th, 9am” to “pick up for about an hour and a half, then meet for coffee and compare what we’ve found for ourselves (i.e. necklaces, document organizers, etc).”
Sustainable homes
- Northwest EcoBuilding Guild – is a non-profit organization and “community of builders, designers, suppliers, homeowners, and partners concerned with ecological building in the Pacific Northwest. The Guild empowers people through education to transform the built environment for long term sustainability.”
The Seattle Chapter has monthly meetups and various educational and volunteer events. To stay up-to-date, subscribe to their email list, check out their Facebook events page or meetup.com group. - Curious about Co-housing – Co-housing can be a solution for multigenerational living, lowering housing costs, and lowering energy use and overall ecological footprint. This group is intended for sharing ideas about co-housing and meeting like-minded people in the area. Their first meeting will be Saturday, November 10, 10-11: 30 a.m. at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. To stay up-to-date about future meetups, find them on meetup.com here.
Co-founder of this group, Kim Mulligan is a dedicated environmentalist and realtor who helps clients find homes, with sustainability top-of-mind.
Photo by Christopher Harris on Unsplash
Vegan & vegetarian
- Vegetarians of Washington – A nonprofit organization founded in 2001 with the mission “to help improve the health and well-being of people and the world we live in, both by encouraging mainstream Americans to discover the advantages and pleasures of vegetarian food, and by providing support and service to the vegetarian community.”
They have monthly dinners, an informative and entertaining newsletter (sign up here), nutrition and cooking classes. They even organize a huge annual food festival, Vegfest, and much more.
Their monthly dinners are on the third Wednesday of every month at 7pm. Find details on their website here. - Begin Your Day the Mighty-O Way Meetup – The Mighty-O vegan donut shop on Boren Ave hosts meetups with complimentary treats every Friday morning. “Drop by anytime between 8-10 am to begin your Friday with our organic donuts & coffee. We want to share the love & get to know our neighbors, it’s our treat!”… “Our Core Values- Be truthful. Be innovative. Respect individuals, community & culture. Respect nature & the environment.”
Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash
Hiking & outdoor exploration
- Seattle Outdoor Adventurers (SOA) – “SOA brings people together who love the great outdoors. We hike everywhere from cities to mountains to deserts; go backpacking, biking, and climbing; we ski and snowshoe, sail and swim, and in other ways celebrate nature.”
- Tenderfoot Adventures – one of the few meetup groups with monthly dues, this group has full-time event planners and managers leading Tuesday urban treks, Thursday moderate hikes, and Sunday difficult hikes, as well as other social and outdoor activities. The group is comprised of “mostly retired folks” but they “happily accept active people of all ages.” The group has “a good mix of couples and singles, who love to keep fit physically, socially, and mentally.”
- Explorer Chicks of Seattle – is for “Chicks who dig the Outdoor, Adventurous life and Travel!” This group is sponsored by “Explorer Chick … an Adventure Travel Company that offers Women-Only, Small Group Trips, Work Shops, and Mini’s in the outdoors.” Their adventures include “hiking, camping, rafting, backpacking, road trips, canyoning, surfing and more!”
Photo by Daria Kopylova on Unsplash
Running
- Seattle Green Lake Running Group – This group has extensive collection of weekly and biweekly running meetups at Green Lake and the surrounding neighborhoods. You can check out the full calendar here. “Green Lake is one of the most popular destinations for urban runnings in the Seattle area. The Seattle Green Lake Running Group was created with the intent of creating a running community that supports and encourages a healthy and active lifestyle through group events and participation.”
- Club Seattle Runners Division (CSRD) – “Seattle’s newest running crew. We may be new to the scene, but our crew love is deep. Come join your follow Seattleites for some runs, fun, and goal smashing throughout Washington and across the globe. We’ll be hosting runs and workouts several times a week throughout the city and building a community of running and training partners.” Join their Facebook group for more information!
- Frelard (Fremont/Ballard) Run Club – This group meets “every Thursday evening for a run at your own pace (all levels welcome!), followed by hangin’ at one of the many local breweries in the area.” They urge you to “come out and meet other members of our community who believe that no run is complete without a tasty pint (or 3!) to wash it down. Everyone is welcome, including dogs and kiddos.”
Cycling
- Cascade Free Group Rides – A very active cycling group with free group rides across Seattle and surrounding cities. “Cascade Bicycle Club, the nation’s largest statewide bicycle nonprofit, serves bike riders of all ages and abilities throughout the state of Washington. With a mission to improve lives through bicycling, we teach the joys of bicycling, advocate for safe places to ride, and produce world-class rides and events.”
- Rapha Cycling Club (RCC) – RCC is an international cycling club with a chapter in Seattle. Their Seattle clubhouse is located in Capitol Hill. They host free rides, as well as club rides and other benefits for paid members.
Featured photo by Phil Coffman on Unsplash
© Emeraldology 2018
