Sustainable Rain

Sustainable Rain is a collaborative project in the Seattle area that provides local businesses with free training in and evaluation of sustainable practices. The project uses the Whole Environment Building (WEB) program developed by Sustainable Seattle, a regional sustainability indicator organization, to assess businesses' efforts across four areas of sustainability: the natural world, the built environment, community engagement, and personal wellness. Owners of the selected businesses are interviewed about their current practices and receive analyses of their businesses' sustainability, opportunities for improvement, suggestions for local partnerships, a newsletter, and a decal. The project also installs a free rain garden on the property of each selected business.

In 2011, Sustainable Rain selected one business from five Seattle neighborhoods (Beacon Hill, Central District, Duwamish, West Seattle, and White Center) to participate in the program.

The goal of Sustainable Rain is to create opportunities for businesses to lead a tangible sustainable landscape project, as well as to increase community awareness of sustainability.

By participating in community outreach programs surrounding the rain gardens, businesses actively engage with local organizations and youth. The Sustainable Rain project also teaches participating businesses and the local community about other sustainable practices through community meetings, educational outreach, and video presentations.