Bringing Climate Action & Racial Equity Together
WIN is working towards a just green future. This includes fair wage green jobs, electrified public and affordable housing, ceasing the District’s reliance on methane gas, and building a coalition of DC residents at the forefront of change
What we are working on
Big Picture/Goals
Buildings are the number one driver of climate emissions in the District largely because they still rely on methane gas for heating, cooling, and cooking. WIN is organizing to address climate change and housing affordability at the same time by pushing for subsidies to upgrade and electrify heating systems and insulate homes while preserving units as affordable. We also support the expansion of public transit, especially to connect under-resourced communities to economic opportunity. Specifically for 2022:
- Propose and work with us to pass legislation to divert at least $1 billion from the Washington Gas Subsidy to electrifying and green thousands of units of housing. Ratepayer money should not go toward subsidizing climate polluting energy of the past – but rather a climate-friendly future.
- Green Building Analysis funds. A barrier to greening buildings is the upfront cost to assess what retrofits are needed. We propose a dedicated multi-million fund to help building owners assess what is needed to green their buildings. Similar programs in New York state have helped ease the barriers to retrofits.
- Support public transit. Transportation is the number two driver of climate emissions in the District. If we want to address climate change, we need to get people out of cars and into safe, accessible, and affordable public transportation in all neighborhoods of the District. We want to make it easy and safe for residents to ride transit – especially the bus- open ups educational and economic opportunities. We also are seeking ways to address concerns about safety on public transportation without over-policing. We are organizing with residents to identify places disconnected by public transportation because the wait times for a bus are too long.
- Organizing to unlock climate opportunities through public housing
Over 1,000 public housing units have been deemed unlivable. They are empty, while countless others are in unhealthy conditions and still housing families. WIN leaders want to capture green resources to capitalize on this opportunity to transform public housing into a healthy, clean, and green place to live. Will you gather your neighbors and congregants for training on the intersection of climate and housing? - Connecting Congregations to Resources to Green their Systems.
- Do you have a congregation that would like to explore replacing their inefficient and unhealthy gas appliances? WIN is working with BlocPower, a Black-owned climate organization that has retrofitted over 1,000 buildings in NYC. Will you be part of bringing those opportunities to buildings in DC? We invite your team to begin a conversation on how they can transition the congregation off of gas to be healthier, more energy-efficient, and ultimately cost-effective.
WINs so far
- Passage of Climate Accountability Act
- Passage of Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act
- DC Greenbank stopping rebates for gas appliances, and increasing subsidies for non-gas options
Publication of Gas Leaks Study which found over 400 methane gas leaks across the District
Media/News
- Washington Post: Hundreds of gas leaks found in D.C. — some ‘potentially explosive,’ report says
- Fox 5: What’s that smell? Hundreds of gas leaks reported in DC
- DCist: Hundreds Of Natural Gas Leaks In D.C. Contribute To Climate Change
- Washington Informer: Study Reports Hundreds of Methane Gas Leaks in D.C.
- WJLA: Hundreds of methane gas leaks found across DC, survey says
- Washington Post: Opinion: Gas leaks in D.C. threaten health, safety and the climate
