Thanks to Barb W. for send this along
By Melissa Mager and Martha KongsgaardSpecial to The Seattle Times
Water is life. The ocean produces nearly every other breath we take. A warmer ocean has less oxygen. A more acidic ocean produces less food. A more polluted ocean sickens life within it and us above.
It’s clear the relationship of humankind with the global ocean is now central to life on Earth. The two of us are committed to changing that relationship, starting in Seattle.
We’ve both led organizations conserving Puget Sound and the greater Salish Sea. Our work has encompassed decades of advocacy around habitat restoration, orca recovery, tribal treaty rights and climate-friendly energy policy. Even as we continue in that work, we have come to understand that investment in conservation education is central to our ability to save the planet.
To tackle the enormity of the ecological challenges facing our planet and our ocean, we must shift hearts, minds and values. We believe Seattle is the right community to lead this shift. That’s why we chose to help lead the Seattle Aquarium more deeply into its conservation mission. And that’s why we support the public-private partnership we’re forging to bring this to the region.