Take action

Help further our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment by raising your voice
and taking actions to protect our one world ocean and the animals that live there.

New ocean action Alerts

Protect Kelp Forests

Underwater bull kelp forest with the sun illuminating the kelp from above.

Kelp forests are a historically and culturally important ecosystem in Washington, and vital to the health of our ocean, food security and livelihoods. That’s why the Seattle Aquarium is supporting the KELP Act in Congress, which would establish a grant program for kelp conservation and restoration projects. Contact your member of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the KELP Act (H.R.4458)!

Sea turtle rescue

Sea turtle swimming underwater over a large coral reef.

Sea turtles strand on coasts around the country every year, including here in the Pacific Northwest. More federal funding is needed to ensure sick and injured sea turtles can be rescued and rehabilitated. Ask your legislators to co-sponsor the Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Act of 2022!

Take quick action here: Legislative Education Center (aza.org)

Join us—act for the ocean!

Reduce your footprint

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we—and the ocean—face. Our vision is to become a regenerative aquarium, producing more environmental benefits than harm and helping to ensure a climate-resilient, sustainable future for all. Join us by making changes in your own day-to-day habits. For example, take public or human-powered transportation whenever possible instead of driving. Explore other action ideas below!

Vote for the Ocean

The future of sea otters, orcas, salmon and other amazing sea creatures depends on what YOU mark on your ballot. We hope you’ll join us in voting for local, state and national leaders who will stand up for wildlife, clean water, clean air and a voice for all communities in decision-making processes. Make sure you’re registered to vote, and vote in every election!

Share Your Views

You can use a letter to the editor to share your view on a current marine policy issue that you find important. Decision makers rely on local papers as a gauge for public opinion, and writing a letter to the editor is one way you can influence your elected officials to take action to protect ocean health. Need help getting started? Download our guide.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to help marine ecosystems, share your skills and experiences, and work alongside other environmental advocates. The Seattle Aquarium would not be what it is without our talented, dedicated and passionate volunteers—amazing and generous people who want to learn more about the marine world, get their hands dirty and inspire others to conserve our one world ocean. Consider joining us!

Donate

Charitable donations help make our mission possible, especially during these challenging times. Your support connects people to the ocean in a way not otherwise possible and inspires bold action to care for animals and protect our shared marine environment. Consider donating to the Seattle Aquarium. A gift of any size makes a huge difference!

Contact Your Representatives

When elected officials receive numerous emails or phone calls on a specific issue, it can influence their vote and what they take time to champion. Learn how to reach out to one of your representatives to discuss an ocean policy issue, or ask them to support or oppose a specific piece of legislation.

Dive deeper for a bigger impact

Help salmon

Choose sustainably caught and harvested seafood. See our sustainable seafood page for guidance.
Speak up for restoring salmon habitat. Find your congressional representative and urge them to support increased funding for salmon recovery.
Make sure salmon have clean water. Drive less to support coho salmon, who are harmed by toxic chemicals from tires. Whenever possible, carpool or take public transit, and if you are able, walk to your destination! If you drive, keep your car tires properly inflated and aligned to reduce wear, wash your car at a commercial car wash so that the wastewater is treated, and have oil leaks fixed. In your yard, use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly, or just use compost.
Conserve water at your home. Sweep driveways and sidewalks instead of hosing, take shorter showers and use drought-tolerant plants in your yard.

Help Orcas

Follow whale-watching guidelines. If you’re out in a boat, follow all Be Whale Wise guidelines at a minimum. Even better, watch whales from shore! The Seattle Aquarium is one of the sites along the Whale Trail.
Participate in events like Orca Action Month in June and Orca Recovery Day events in October.
Report whale sightings in real time using the Whale Report App (in addition to any reports you already do to local networks) to reduce the risk of ship strikes. If you’re out in a boat, fly a Whale Warning Flag when you see whales of any kind to warn other boaters.
Take the Give Them Space pledge as an individual or a recreational boater.
Choose nontoxic, environmentally friendly household and yard products. Even far from the water, nearly everything that goes down your drain or washes into storm drains and creeks eventually ends up in the sea.
Taking the actions above to help salmon! Orcas rely on salmon as their top food source.

Help keep plastic out of the ocean

Help reduce single-use plastics across the country. Find your congressional representative and urge them to co-sponsor the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act (H.R.5533) to eliminate the sale and distribution of single-use plastics—including plastic bottles, bags and food containers—in national parks across the country.
Keep plastic pellets out of the environment. Urge your senators to support the Plastic Pellet-Free Waters Act (S.1507). Read more about the problem with plastic pellets on our blog.
Pick up litter on a local beach or, better yet, organize a group of friends or family members to join a local beach cleanup!
Switch to reusable dishes and utensils. Bring your own reusable mug or bottle when you get coffee or water. Skip the plastic utensils and straws when you get takeout food.
Choose products with less packaging. Pay attention to how much incidental plastic comes with what you buy—your candy, headphones, pens and more come in plastic packaging. Strive to cut down on your daily plastic consumption, buy used instead of new whenever possible and reward corporations that package responsibly!

Take climate action

Use less gas. Carpool, use mass transit, ride your bike or walk. When you have to fly, consider buying carbon offsets; many airlines offer ways to do so.
Reduce energy use. Put on another sweatshirt instead of turning up the heat. Turn off lights and appliances when you are not using them.
Invest your money responsibly. Explore climate-conscious investing practices such as those weighing environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.
Eat less meat and dairy. Consider fresh, seasonal produce that is grown locally to reduce the carbon emissions from large-scale production, processing and transport.
Take the actions above to reduce plastic use. Most plastics are made from petroleum products and have greenhouse gases associated with every step of the process.
Support policies for ocean-climate action. Find your congressional representative and urge them to co-sponsor and actively support two bills: (1) the Ocean-based Climate Solutions Act (H.R. 3764), which will help restore and protect coastal blue carbon ecosystems like salt marshes and sea grasses, decrease emissions from shipping and prohibit new offshore oil and gas drilling; and (2) the Climate Resilience Workforce Act (H.R. 6492), which will ensure there’s a skilled and equitable workforce capable of preparing for and responding to climate change impacts.

Protect ocean health

Support 30x30. Add your name to encourage your representative to support conservation efforts that will help achieve the national goal of protecting and conserving 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Read more in our 30x30 blog post.
Raise your voice for kelp forests. Find your congressional representative and call or email to ask them to co-sponsor the KELP Act (H.R.4458) to help restore kelp forest ecosystems.
Talk about the ocean and its amazing animals! Share how you act for the ocean with your friends, family and local community. By raising your voice, you can inspire others to take action.

A large group of individuals outside the state capitol building in Olympia, Washington, holding signs advocating for legislation to help protect the ocean.

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Ocean Policy and Advocacy