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A renewed look at all that packaging

Posted on January 21, 2022February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

A six pack of soda bottles held together by plastic rings and wrapped with labels. Clamshell containers filled with berries. Two boxes of pasta with miniature plastic windows. A variety pack of single-serving yogurts. Apples and bananas, each with a plastic sticker.

Does it ever feel like a trip to the grocery store is awash in unnecessary packaging? Maybe it also leaves you confused about what can go in the recycling bin and what can’t. Then there’s all the packaging from online purchases and restaurant take-out containers, as well as things like toys that may be packaged with a combination of cardboard and different kinds of plastic that can be hard to separate and sort. Even packaging that is recyclable may end up in the landfill—a 2019 study in Washington found that only 58% of jurisdictions have access to curbside recycling collection.

Small pieces of plastic and other packaging add up—to a mounting pollution problem. Each year, millions of tons of plastic enter our ocean. This waste, much of it from single-use packaging, pollutes coastal ecosystems and harms marine life. Hundreds of marine species, including whales, salmon and seals, ingest plastic pellets or become entangled. Plastic pollution impacts deep ocean ecosystems as well as Puget Sound. Seattle Aquarium research finds that microplastics are ubiquitous in local waters.

We live in an era of plastic and other packaging, all designed for just a few minutes of use. In the next 30 years, we’ll produce even more plastic waste—an estimated four times more than we have now. Globally, only 9% of all plastic ever created has been recycled—the rest has been incinerated or discarded, typically ending up in landfills (or worse, out in the environment). And it’s not just plastic we’re concerned about. All kinds of packaging generate greenhouse gas emissions, end up as litter, and can be hard to recycle in the current system.

How do we solve this pollution problem? One important way is addressing packaging and other single-use products at the source. We can all take steps to reduce our environmental footprint by buying in bulk to avoid single-use packaging or choosing used instead of new products whenever possible. In addition to individual actions, however, a critical policy mechanism can help increase recycling, reduce waste and spark transformative change. This policy is called Extended Producer Responsibility.

How does Extended Producer Responsibility work?

Under producer responsibility, companies that make packaging are responsible for the costs, environmental impacts, and end-of-life of their products. The burden thus falls on those who are designing and making the packaging in the first place—rather than on the end-customer or local government. Those producers have plenty of opportunities to make their packaging more sustainable. They can also label things more clearly and accurately, so people know if and where it’s recyclable or compostable.

Producer responsibility is the norm in Canada and much of the European Union. It’s a proven, successful approach to increase package recycling. Countries with producer responsibility laws have seen recycling rates skyrocket. In 2021, Maine and Oregon became the first U.S. states to pass producer responsibility legislation. Now, Washington has an opportunity to join them.

What is the Seattle Aquarium doing?

Together with our Plastic Free Washington coalition partners, the Aquarium is working to advance the RENEW Act (SB 5697), championed by Senator Das and Representative Donaghy this legislative session to modernize and transform our recycling system and reduce waste. Through producer responsibility and funding to ensure that every Washington resident has access to convenient recycling services, Washington can once again become a leader in responsible recycling and help keep plastic and other litter out of the environment.

The Seattle Aquarium also strongly supports the federal Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, which would establish similar requirements for packaging producers nationwide. The Act would also support reuse and refill programs; ban non-recyclable single-use products like plastic utensils and carryout bags; and put a temporary pause on new plastic facilities because of environmental justice and public health concerns.

Take action!

If you live in Washington, find your WA legislative district and urge your legislators to reduce plastic pollution by supporting the RENEW Act (SB 5697) in the 2022 session. Ask them to support “extended producer responsibility” legislation in our state.
Contact your members of Congress and ask them to help advance the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (S.984/H.R. 2238) to address plastic pollution across the United States.
Choose products with less packaging. Buy used instead of new whenever possible. Buy in bulk rather than singly packaged snacks and other items. Reward corporations that package responsibly.
Check out our Act for the Ocean page for additional ways you can help the ocean and marine wildlife!

Speaking up for ocean health: 2022 priorities in the Washington legislature

Posted on January 18, 2022December 19, 2023 by Emma Leiser

As the Washington state legislative session begins, the Seattle Aquarium is working with partners to advance science-based policies and funding that will protect ocean health. Read on to learn about some of our top priorities for 2022—and how you can take action, too!

Reducing plastic pollution

Single-use packaging represents a major environmental problem—very little of it is recycled. Waste, including harmful plastics, accumulates in the ocean and on our shorelines, putting marine wildlife at risk. We are advocating for the RENEW Act (SB 5697) to modernize and transform our recycling system and reduce waste from this packaging. The RENEW Act would:

Make producers of packaging and paper products responsible for the full life cycle of their products.
Require that by 2031, 100% of the packaging and paper products made in or sold into Washington is reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Ensure all Washington residents have access to recycling services.

Protecting salmon habitat

Salmon are keystone species and critical for Washington ecosystems and communities, as well as for the survival of the endangered southern resident orcas. We are supporting several policies to recover salmon and protect their habitat:

Lorraine Loomis Act for Salmon Recovery (HB 1838/SB 5727) to shade rivers and streams and protect critical waterways, providing salmon the cold water they need to survive.
Identifying and addressing structures like old docks and bulkheads that are either unpermitted or have fallen into disrepair so we can restore nearshore habitat for forage fish and salmon (SB 5885).
Developing a plan to protect and restore at least 10,000 acres of kelp forests and eelgrass meadows by 2040 (HB 1661/SB 5619).
A $50.2 million state investment in the Duckabush River Estuary Restoration Project.

Addressing climate change

Alongside the commitments in our new sustainability master plan, such as building our new Ocean Pavilion to be all electric and offsetting embodied carbon for all construction projects, we are also supporting:

Strengthening building energy codes (HB 1770/SB 5669).
Expanding energy performance standards for large buildings (HB 1774).
Creating a reporting system on embodied carbon and other impacts of the structural materials used in state-funded infrastructure projects (Buy Clean and Buy Fair, HB 1103/SB 5366).
Developing a transportation system that prioritizes equity and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Requiring local governments to incorporate climate resilience into comprehensive plans (HB 1099).

Working with partners and advancing environmental justice

As a member of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, we also support the other EPC 2022 priorities and Partnership Agenda, including Energy for All (HB 1490), led by Front and Centered.

Raise your voice!

If you live in Washington state, speak up about your priorities for ocean and environmental health. Email your elected officials or call the toll-free legislative hotline at (800) 562-6000 (TTY for hearing impaired [800] 833-6388) between 8am and 7pm, Monday through Friday, to leave a message for all three of your legislators at once.
Share your WA legislative district with us so we can reach out to you about supporting targeted policy actions where your legislator could cast a key vote.
Sign up to receive occasional action alerts on ocean-related policy issues.
Discover additional ways you can help the marine environment by visiting our Act for the Ocean page.

Duckabush Estuary: An important opportunity for recovery

Posted on December 16, 2021February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

In discussions about conservation, certain habitats tend to come up as particularly important to restore and protect. Coral reefs and mangroves often immediately come to mind but feel far away from us here in the Pacific Northwest. However, there are critical aquatic habitats found right here in Puget Sound, including estuaries! Estuaries are tidal wetland environments where rivers meet salt water; these junctions are important environments for all sorts of species, from migratory birds to juvenile salmon. We now have a chance to restore a key estuary in Washington: the Duckabush River estuary.

Critical habitat

Juvenile salmon spend months in estuaries undergoing a process called smoltification, when they grow and develop a tolerance for salt water. This is a rare superpower—few aquatic species can survive in both salt and fresh water—and the estuarine habitat, at the junction between river and ocean, is needed for salmon to adapt!

Unfortunately, development has eliminated or degraded 75% of river delta tidal wetlands in Puget Sound. This enormous loss is especially problematic for juvenile salmon and other fish and wildlife that rely on estuaries. Many of those species are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Salmon are keystone species, meaning their loss would reverberate throughout their ecosystems. Predators of salmon, such as orcas, birds, bears and people, are directly impacted by declining salmon runs, while other species are impacted in less direct ways. When salmon die after spawning or while traveling up rivers, for example, their bodies provide nutrients to trees and other plants along the riverbed. These trees then provide shade and keep the water cool enough for salmon eggs to survive and provide safe habitat for young salmon as they journey down the river. Trees also sequester carbon and provide habitat for many other animals. This intricate ecosystem interdependency is beautiful, but it’s at risk due to human impacts.

Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project

The Duckabush River estuary is located on the western shore of Hood Canal. Highway 101 runs right over it, giving drivers access to the Olympic Peninsula. When this segment of the highway was designed in 1931, 12 feet of fill was used to support the new roadbed. Most of us probably aren’t thinking about what’s under the road we drive on, so long as it’s flat and stable. Unfortunately, all the fill, dikes and road infrastructure block water channels and limit critical habitat that fish rely on, including threatened Hood Canal summer chum and mid-Hood Canal Chinook salmon. Water bottlenecks created by the current highway also cause seasonal flooding.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group, has proposed a project to elevate the highway and restore the estuary so that it is once again prime habitat for fish and other species. There is a unique opportunity for a federal-state partnership to share the cost of this project: $50 million in state funding would unlock $30 million in federal funding. Check out this video from WDFW to learn more about what’s being planned.

For this important project to move forward, we need Washington legislators to secure funding in this state legislative session.

Join us in taking action!

Updated February 2023: If you live in Washington state, please call or email your state legislator and ask them to support a $41 million state investment in the Duckabush River Estuary Restoration Project during the 2023 state legislative session! Email your elected officials or call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-562-6000 (TTY for hearing impaired 800-833-6388) between 8am and 7pm, Monday through Friday, to leave a message for all three of your legislators at once. This is an opportunity to make a real difference for threatened salmon and a vital ecosystem.

Help protect endangered orcas from ship strikes

Posted on June 16, 2021February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

The Seattle Aquarium works on policies to reduce noise and disturbance impacts on the endangered southern resident orcas, which currently number only 75. Quieter waters will make it easier for the orcas to communicate with each other and find scarce salmon, while we all work to restore habitat so that those salmon are more abundant.

We have supported new requirements for slow-speed zones and vessel distance, measures to reduce oil spill risk, and state funding for the Quiet Sound program to encourage large ships to voluntarily slow down, and we’ve asked the Navy to do more to mitigate the potential impacts of sonar testing on the orcas. The Seattle Aquarium is also one of the shore-based marine mammal viewing spots along the Whale Trail.

But there is more that we can do to make the waters safer for the endangered orcas, and we invite you to join us in taking action when you’re outside this summer and beyond.

When ships collide with whales and dolphins, it can cause serious injury and even death. But with timely warnings, shipmasters and pilots can slow down the ship, alter course, increase vigilance or turn off their sounders to reduce disturbance and the risk of hitting a whale. Using the WhaleReport app, we can all help ensure that ship captains know when whales are in their vicinity.

The WhaleReport Alert System (WRAS) was developed in Canada by Ocean Wise and its partners, and a few years ago Governor Inslee’s Orca Task Force recommended expanding it to Washington waters. The WRAS has already delivered over 8,000 alerts to ship operators in Canada and Washington. But the platform needs more real-time sightings reports, especially from here in Washington, to be as effective as possible.

Here’s how you can help!

If you spot a whale, dolphin, porpoise or sea turtle—from shore, a ferry or a boat—report it via WhaleReport as soon as possible (in addition to any reporting you’d normally do to a local sightings network). It only takes a couple of minutes, and there are two ways you can do it:

Fill out the short form at report.wildwhales.org. (The first time you go to the page, it will ask for your details.* If you are on your personal computer, you can ask the browser to store your information so that you only need to enter this information once.)

Use the WhaleReport app, available for download on iOS and Android smartphones.

Note that sightings data reported to the WhaleReport Alert System is only shared with the operators of large ships, tugs, ferries and government agencies. The data is not available for public use. The Whale Museum is responsible for data collection in Washington state and also uses the reports for conservation-oriented research.

If you would like to learn more about how the system works, visit wildwhales.org/wras.

Thank you for taking action to protect marine wildlife!

*Ocean Wise researchers will only use your contact information to ask you any follow-up questions regarding your sighting reports to aid in our research efforts and will not contact you for any promotional reasons. Your details are protected under Ocean Wise’s Privacy Policy.

Climate resilience in coral reef fish communities

Posted on June 9, 2021February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

Fish assemblage structure before and after a marine heatwave in West Hawaiʻi

Guest blogger Amy Olsen began her time at the Seattle Aquarium as a volunteer diver in the Underwater Dome habitat. She is now a laboratory specialist/research technician in the Conservation Programs and Partnerships department. Her Master in Marine Affairs program is in the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs at the University of Washington.

Coral reefs are subject to marine heatwaves caused by human-induced climate change. Long-term thermal stress can negatively affect corals and the associated marine organisms that use these areas as critical habitat by causing coral bleaching. Coral reefs provide important ecosystem goods and services such as fisheries and tourism as well as aesthetic and cultural value. Healthy coral reefs have been estimated to add $477 million annually to Hawaiʻi’s economy through tourism and subsistence, recreational and commercial fisheries (Cesar & van Beukering, 2004).

For my master’s thesis project, I examined coral reef resilience to climate change by analyzing changes in fish assemblages (i.e., which species exist in the same area at the same time) after a marine heatwave. I analyzed 11 years of subtidal video survey data in three areas in West Hawaiʻi, capturing a marine heatwave event from 2014 to 2016. Fish were counted and identified to species, then assigned to one of seven functional groups: predators, secondary consumers, planktivores, corallivores and three herbivore groups—scrapers, grazers and browsers.

The dataset I used was collected by my supervisor, Dr. Shawn Larson, curator of conservation research at the Seattle Aquarium. This work falls under climate resilience, one of our three organization-wide conservation priorities along with sustainable seas and clean waters.

The Seattle Aquarium has been conducting video-based reef monitoring surveys every year in Hawaiʻi since 2009. The goals of this monitoring project are the following:

Document changes in fish diversity and abundance over time.
Determine coral cover (how much of the ocean bottom is covered by coral versus rock or sand), identify coral species and calculate percentage of coral bleaching over time.
Collect environmental data such as bacteria, nutrients and microplastics.

I used statistical tests to evaluate how the fish communities changed after the marine heatwave. All three areas in West Hawaiʻi were found to be different in the years after the heatwave. Interestingly, regardless of how differently these areas are managed or how different the habitat is, all three communities became more similar to each other.

This has been previously described in the literature where climate changes in the marine environment favor small, generalist, algae-eating fish that are able to adapt to these changes. This is called biotic homogenization and has been cited as a pressing global biodiversity crisis (Dornelas et al., 2014, Magurran et al., 2015, McGill et al., 2015).

Kona, the Marine Life Conservation District with the highest level of fishing protection among our sites, showed the highest total fish abundance and least variation over time in abundance over the study period, suggesting ecosystem stability. These sites had the highest diversity values and also documented the highest coral loss. While the fish assemblage was significantly different after the marine heatwave, the observation that fish abundance remained high could indicate this area has higher resilience than the other two areas, and may suggest more stability to new or unusual environmental conditions (Bernhardt & Leslie 2013).

Marine protected areas can be an effective management strategy to prevent overfishing, protect diverse species and provide a refuge for life stages that are more sensitive, but they do not prevent warming of the ocean surface or coral bleaching. However, management policies that prevent overfishing of herbivorous fish, such as browsers or scrapers, can prevent phase shifts from healthy coral reef systems to algal-dominated systems which has been found to aid reef resilience (Hughes et al., 2003).

Protected reefs lead to higher abundance and biodiversity of reef fish (McLean et al., 2019). Coral and fish species responses to thermal stress is highly variable, so networks of marine protected areas require thoughtful place-based approaches for effective implementation. Success is dependent on an effective combination of science-based management, public support and political will (Bellwood et al., 2004).

Understanding how marine heatwaves impact coral reef communities can guide decision-making for effective coastal management. Continued long-term monitoring is necessary to evaluate disturbance impacts on the coral reef ecosystem, as we anticipate climate change and marine heatwaves will continue into the future.

Take action!

To help protect coral reefs from these stressors, the Seattle Aquarium is supporting policies such as the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act (S.46 and H.R.160). This act would provide new federal grants to support state coral reef management and restoration and respond to coral reef emergencies and disasters. You can help! Visit this Aquarium Conservation Partnership quick action page to encourage your members of Congress to co-sponsor this bipartisan legislation.

References:

Bellwood DR, Hughes TP, Folke C, Nyström M (2004) Confronting the coral reef crisis. Nature 429:827–833.

Cesar HSJ, van Beukering PJH (2004) Economic valuation of the coral reefs of Hawaiʻi. Pacific Sci 58:231–242.

Dornelas M, Gotelli NJ, McGill B, Shimadzu H, Moyes F, Sievers C, Magurran AE (2014) Assemblage time series reveal biodiversity change but not systematic loss. Science (80- ) 344:296–299.

Hughes T, Jackson J, Kleypas J, Lough J, Marshall P, Palumbi S, Pandolfi J, Rosen B, Roughgarden J (2003) Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs. Science (80- ) 301:929–933.

Magurran AE, Dornelas M, Moyes F, Gotelli NJ, McGill B (2015) Rapid biotic homogenization of marine fish assemblages. Nat Commun 6:2–6.

McGill BJ, Dornelas M, Gotelli NJ, Magurran AE (2015) Fifteen forms of biodiversity trend in the anthropocene. Trends Ecol Evol 30:104–113.

McLean M, Auber A, Graham NAJ, Houk P, Villéger S, Violle C, Thuiller W, Wilson SK, Mouillot D (2019) Trait structure and redundancy determine sensitivity to disturbance in marine fish communities. Glob Chang Biol 25:3424–3437.

A rising tide for ocean climate action

Posted on November 20, 2020February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

We’re at a turning point in the climate change discussion: The ocean is now fully recognized for the critical role that it can and will play in solving the crisis.

For many years, discussions of climate change have centered on the land. The land is certainly important for climate action–it’s where we live, and where we emit a lot of greenhouse gases from transportation, power plants, farming, construction and more. Meanwhile, talk of the ocean and climate change tended to be limited to worries about sea level rise or impacts to fishing and shellfish production.

However, more and more people—including leaders—have begun to recognize that the ocean and the spectacular diversity of species and ecosystems it contains are impacted by climate change in many other ways. And, crucially, the ocean is a key part of the solution: It can help us address climate change—yet another reason to work hard to protect it.

The ocean absorbs excess heat and carbon from the atmosphere. That has helped to slow the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and delay increases in air temperature. But it has also led to an increase in the frequency and severity of warm water events like El Niño and a measurable decrease in pH, otherwise known as ocean acidification. In turn, these changes wreak havoc on marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them for their food, livelihood, health and well-being.

In 2020, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and various nonprofits put forward action plans for how we can reduce fossil fuel use, protect the ocean and its resources, and lift up the communities most affected by climate change. This week, there was a hearing in Congress on a new Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act—a monumental step forward in focusing attention on the role of the ocean in climate action.

How can we make the ocean part of the climate solution?

Investing in renewable energy, protecting eelgrass beds and other habitats and supporting sustainable fishing and aquaculture—all guided by science—have been proven to mitigate the effects of climate change. They also have many other benefits for ecosystems, economies and communities, including ensuring food security and climate resilience for coastal communities. Last year, Dr. Erin Meyer, director of conservation programs and partnerships, had an op-ed in the Seattle Times calling for these kinds of investments and more.

Coastal restoration efforts support vibrant fish populations by providing habitat for juvenile fish, and they also help mitigate the effects of sea level rise. Reefs, salt marshes, forested tidal wetlands and mangroves act as buffers against storms and can store up to four times the carbon per acre than land-based ecosystems.

Well-managed fisheries can provide food security and benefit species throughout the marine food web, beyond just fish. Science-based fisheries management supports everything from plentiful plankton to thriving whales, as well as resilient human communities. And here in Washington, the ocean supports over 60,000 fishing industry jobs. In order to ensure that all of these benefits persist, we’ll need our leaders to ensure that fisheries management considers how habitats will shift and species will need to migrate as the climate changes.

The ocean also provides space for the large footprint needed for renewable energy production, which will help us transition away from fossil fuels. However, offshore energy installation and operation may pose a risk to marine ecosystems and cultural practices. Governments should utilize the best available scientific and socioeconomic data to minimize these and other risks from offshore wind farms and other renewable energy projects in the ocean.

All of these efforts will require people—and a focus on climate justice. Ocean-climate solutions can provide jobs, lift up overburdened communities and advance a just economic recovery that is so urgent right now.

We’re celebrating that the ocean is now part of the U.S. conversation about climate change. Combatting climate change cannot be limited to 30% of the planet’s surface. So far, the ocean has mitigated some of the impacts, but it’s becoming increasingly clear to all that we must act before changes to the ocean are irreversible—and that we need to protect the ocean and its ability to help provide solutions for a brighter, more equitable future.

Protect Bristol Bay

Posted on July 31, 2020December 19, 2023 by Emma Leiser

Last Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleared the way for permitting a huge mine at the headwaters of two major rivers that feed into Bristol Bay, Alaska—home to the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery and one of the most prolific Chinook salmon runs.

The Canadian-owned Pebble Limited Partnership (“Pebble”) would extract gold, copper and molybdenum—materials of extremely high value, found in everyday items such as seatbelts, cell phones and electrical wires—through a new open pit mine.

The Seattle Aquarium strongly opposes the Bristol Bay Pebble Mine. Healthy oceans, fishing and Indigenous communities and local economies depend on wild and clean rivers and waterways. These will all be harmed if the Pebble Mine is developed. The science clearly shows the dangers posed by developing the mine are too great to allow the project to proceed. And yet, the Trump Administration is determined to do so, as it continues its relentless efforts to roll back environmental projections—from the National Environmental Policy Act to the Endangered Species Act—and ignores the call for environmental justice.

In the final environmental impact statement released last week, the Corps concluded that the mine “would not be expected to have a measurable effect on fish numbers” or “result in long-term changes to the health of the commercial fisheries.”

The science does not back up that finding. Mining in these rivers would cause both environmental and economic damage. The EPA’s earlier scientific assessment found that the mining activities would destroy more than 80 miles of streams and 3,500 acres of wetlands and generate billions of gallons of mine pollution. The surrounding marine ecosystem, $1.5 billion-dollar fishing industry, and over 14,000 jobs—including jobs held by fishermen from Washington state—that depend on these fish would be put in jeopardy.

We stand with Alaska Natives, fishing communities and others who have been opposing this mine for years. The salmon runs in Bristol Bay are essential to the health of the surrounding ecosystems and sustainable economies. We call on the EPA to follow the best available science and the principles of environmental justice and invoke a veto under Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act.

If you’d like to take action, consider contacting your elected official and asking them to speak out against the Pebble Mine. Here in Washington, Senator Cantwell and Representative Kilmer have already done so—so please thank them if you are their constituent! You can also post your concerns on social media and tag @EPA and @USACEHQ.

Taking action for ocean policy: Report from the 2020 state legislature

Posted on April 20, 2020February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

It’s Earth Action Week! And, if it wasn’t clear before, it’s becoming all the more obvious that there are many different actions we can all take to care for our natural world as well as each other—all of which feels especially urgent during the current pandemic.

One critically important, collective action is supporting strong policies that protect clean air, clean water and the wildlife we all love. At the Seattle Aquarium, we continue to raise our voice on many important policy issues. Join us as we look back at what we did during the 2020 Washington state legislative session to advocate for science-based measures to protect our marine environment.

Wins for a healthy ocean

We worked closely with partners to pass the Reusable Bag Bill, with bipartisan support! This builds on 37 local bag ordinances in Washington and is a critical step in protecting marine wildlife. We thank Senator Das and Representative Peterson for sponsoring this bill and working so hard to get it passed.

We also made strides in the fight against climate change. The Seattle Aquarium worked alongside Environmental Priorities Coalition partners to help pass the climate pollution limits bill, which updates Washington state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals to reflect the latest science. By 2050 the state aims to be 95% below our 1990 emissions level.

Work on “Healthy Habitats, Healthy Orcas” resulted in a budget directive to move things forward. A group of experts will come together to shape a plan for a “net ecological gain” standard to protect salmon and reverse the trend of habitat loss in our region.

What did the Seattle Aquarium do? We went to Olympia in January with nine of our Youth Ocean Advocates, who met with legislators and helped build support for the Reusable Bag Bill! We were involved in the drafting of bills and we testified in support of bills when they came up for hearings. And we want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who participated in our action alerts. Demonstrations of constituent support really help get bills passed!

Looking ahead

The Styrofoam ban did not pass this year. We had constructive conversations and helped the bill gain an incredible amount of momentum. It’s important to reduce Styrofoam use because it’s so lightweight that it’s frequently blown from disposal sites and travels easily through gutters and storm drains and into the ocean. We’re ready to help get a Styrofoam ban across the finish line next year!

Requiring recycled content in plastic bottles will also need to be revisited in the future. We worked hard to pass a bill requiring that beverage containers sold into Washington state have minimum post-consumer recycled plastic content, tiered up each five years, up to at least 50% by 2030. Unfortunately, this bill had implementation costs associated with it, and Governor Inslee had to veto it—along with more than 140 other expenditure items—because of the growing fiscal threat posed by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. We will work with partners to bring this bill back in a future legislative session, as it will help build a market for recycled plastic and keep more bottles out of the landfill and ocean.

The Senate failed to pass the Clean Fuel Standard. The update of the state’s greenhouse gas limits will only lead to change if we have the tools to achieve those targets. Transportation is responsible for nearly half of our climate and air pollution in Washington, and our state is the only one on the West Coast without a clean fuel standard. We will continue to work with our partners to push for meaningful climate action.

Support emergency funds for the aquarium

The coronavirus crisis has impacted many people, businesses and nonprofits across our community. Like other sectors of the economy, aquariums and zoos are facing significant hardships in the face of COVID-19. We’ve all had to reduce operations and make difficult staffing decisions while facing the unique challenge of retaining sufficient staff and supplies to care for our animals. This will further strain budgets at a time when guests are not coming through our respective doors.

Federal policymakers need to hear directly from you about the need to include aquariums and zoos, as well as museums and similar entities, in COVID-19 relief and economic stimulus packages.

Please contact Congress to express your support for assistance for zoos, aquariums and museums in economic stimulus legislation.

YOUR SUPPORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

Please consider a gift that will help us continue providing the best care for all our animals, support our staff, advance science-based policies to protect marine wildlife, and expand our at-home engagement and learning opportunities during our temporary closure.

A gift of any size makes a difference.

Make a Gift Join or Renew Your Membership

Speaking up for ocean health: 2020 priorities in the Washington legislature

Posted on January 8, 2020February 9, 2024 by Emma Leiser

The Washington state 2020 legislative session is about to begin, and the Seattle Aquarium will again be advocating for science-based measures to protect our marine environment. This year, we will be working hard to reduce plastic pollution, protect orcas and accelerate actions to address climate change. As a new member of the Environmental Priorities Coalition, we will be doing so in close partnership with 23 other like-minded conservation organizations.

Reducing plastic pollution

Plastic is becoming ubiquitous in marine ecosystems. Plastic accounts for 92% of all marine debris, which is often gobbled up by fish and other animals. Sea turtles ingest plastic bags that they confuse for jellyfish, and sea birds eat marine litter they have mistaken for prey. If we don’t make drastic reductions in the amount of plastic we use and dispose of every day, scientists predict that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight.

The Seattle Aquarium will continue our efforts from last year and keep fighting for crucial actions to combat pollution from single-use plastics (plastic products used just once before being discarded). This includes the reusable bag bill, which will eliminate single-use plastic bags. We will also support a new ban on Styrofoam, among other important environmental protections.

Saving our southern resident orcas

Last year, we helped pass four key orca recovery bills to protect our struggling southern resident orcas, but much more action is needed. Right now, only 73 of the endangered southern resident population remain, and they greatly depend on shrinking salmon populations. The Seattle Aquarium will be working with our partners to pass the Healthy Habitat, Healthy Orcas bill, which is based off a recent Orca Task Force recommendation. If passed, this bill would help change the trend of development-related salmon habitat loss through a new standard called, “net ecological gain,” benefiting the orcas as well as many other species. (Look for another blog post soon that will dive more deeply into the concept of net ecological gain!)

Mitigating climate change

Did you know that our oceans and forests are fighting climate change every minute of every day? They help to absorb carbon dioxide and remove it from the air through a process known as carbon sequestration. But climate change also brings new risks to these ecosystems.

This year, we are supporting two new pieces of legislation that would help mitigate climate change. The first would update the state’s limits on climate pollution to reflect current science. The measure would emphasize the importance of carbon sequestration by investing in the health of trees, soils and the ocean. The second piece of legislation involves the adoption of a clean fuel standard to cut climate pollution and clean our air.

You’re invited to environmental advocacy day!

On January 30, the Seattle Aquarium policy team and hundreds of other advocates will be in Olympia to show our support for our legislative agenda and many other environmental protections. We hope you will consider joining us! Environmental advocates will have an opportunity to attend issue briefings, learn how to lobby and meet with your elected officials.

Stay in touch

Interested in learning more about ocean-related policy or actions you can take to support our advocacy work? Join our email list to receive the latest updates and breaking news!

How does Extended Producer Responsibility work?

What is the Seattle Aquarium doing?

Take action!

As the Washington state legislative session begins, the Seattle Aquarium is working with partners to advance science-based policies and funding that will protect ocean health. Read on to learn about some of our top priorities for 2022—and how you can take action, too!

Reducing plastic pollution

Protecting salmon habitat

Addressing climate change

Working with partners and advancing environmental justice

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Critical habitat

Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project

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Here’s how you can help!

Fish assemblage structure before and after a marine heatwave in West Hawaiʻi

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References:

How can we make the ocean part of the climate solution?

Wins for a healthy ocean

Looking ahead

Support emergency funds for the aquarium

YOUR SUPPORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

Reducing plastic pollution

Saving our southern resident orcas

Mitigating climate change

You’re invited to environmental advocacy day!

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