About Climate Lab

Climate Lab is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project illuminates the impacts of heat waves, drought, wildfire and flooding and examines government and industry actions, to help the public better understand how greenhouse gas emissions are changing our lives.

The Northwest is known for its temperate climate, stunning mountainscapes, expansive forests and coastlines, inland fjords and rivers and cherished wildlife. But human-caused warming is already bringing change.

Washington is also one of the states aggressively setting policy that will influence how we power our cars, homes and economy. To meet clean-energy goals, we’ll need more transmission lines, solar arrays, windfarms and batteries throughout the West. Where these projects go and who pays for them deserves ongoing scrutiny.

Climate Lab explores these issues and more, with a focus on what has a chance to improve our warming world.

Climate Lab is a Seattle Times initiative that explores the effects of climate change in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The project is funded in part by The Bullitt Foundation, Mike and Becky Hughes, University of Washington and Walker Family Foundation, and its fiscal sponsor is the Seattle Foundation.

Our team — editor Benjamin Woodard and reporters Amanda Zhou, Isabella Breda and Conrad Swanson — welcomes your help in guiding our coverage. Send us your thoughts, tips, story ideas and questions about climate change to climate@seattletimes.com.

Meet Our Team

Conrad Swanson, reporter, covers climate change and its intersection with environmental and political issues. Before joining The Seattle Times in 2023 he covered politics and the environment for The Denver Post. He is originally from Iowa and as such has strong opinions about corn.

Amanda Zhou, reporter, covers climate change, the environment and energy. She joined The Times in 2021 as a general assignment reporter and previously covered policing at The Charlotte Observer. She is originally from New England and proudly carries an umbrella.

Isabella Breda, reporter, brings her wide-ranging experience, from killer whales to salmon to kilowatts, and curiosity about all things Northwest to the climate team. She grew up paddling the waters of Hood Canal, and joined The Times in 2022.

Benjamin Woodard, editor, joined The Times in 2015 and oversees environment coverage. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, spent a few years reporting news in Chicago and is raising two daughters between the mountains and the sea.

Ask a Question

Climate change is complicated. There’s the jargon (what does carbon neutral mean, anyway?). And then there’s dense scientific research. And all the ways we might need to change how we live, like shutting windows in the summer when smoke arrives or building our own air filters.

We want to help you understand climate change's expansive influence on our lives.

The Climate Lab team is ready to answer your questions. Fill out this form to pitch us, and we could select your question for our next Climate FAQ.