Ways YOU can assist with Southern Resident killer whale recovery, TODAY ... :)
With the imminent knowledge regarding the deaths of J17, K25, and L84, we have been asked repeatedly to share ways all of us can contribute to helping the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales.
While all of us are beaming with excitement over the births of L124 and J56, we feel it is important for our members and supporters to understand that two births does not constitute a healthy, viable population.
While Orca Conservancy continues to hold our breath with a pessimistic outlook; it is with good reason.
From the 11 births between December 2014 and January 2016 -- which was affectionately dubbed the Class of 2015 -- only FIVE are still alive today. FIVE.
Therefore, TWO births are NOT a momentous undertaking for this population. Why? While scientific data tells us that approximately 50% of the calves born into wild orca populations don't make it past the first year --- science also has shown that 11 births PER YEAR should be accepted as a yearly reproduction model.
Q: So. what is getting in the way of this populations reproductive success?
A: "The human created "three legged stool."
1. Lack of healthy, wild Chinook salmon
2. Toxins
3. Noise
AND
(4. the potential of an oil spill)
Read that again.
Now more than ever – ACT!
CANADA:
Premier John Horgan:
Telephone: 250-391-2801 | Fax: 250-391-2804
Email: john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau
Telephone: 613 992-4211
justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca
Canadian Minister of Oceans, Fisheries and Coast Guard 604.775.6333
JONATHAN.WILKINSON@PARL.GC.CA
102 W 3 Street
North Vancouver, British Columbia
V7M 1E8
HILL OFFICE
613.995.1225
JONATHAN.WILKINSON@PARL.GC.CA
Justice Building, Suite 09
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
UNITED STATES:
Governor Jay Inslee
Telephone: 360-902-4111 | Fax: 360-753-4110
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
PO Box 3755
Seattle, WA 98124-3755
(206) 764-3742
Senator Maria Cantwell - (206) 220-6400
Senator Patty Murray - (206) 553-5545
President Donald Trump
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
Talking points: Recommend immediate action be taken to recover salmon and the Southern Resident killer whale. Include breaching lower Snake River dams and maximizing hatchery salmon production.
Restoring habitat takes a long time. Southern Resident killer whales need as many fish as can be quickly produced. NOTe: Even if the Snake River dams come down today and hatcheries running 100% --- it takes 3 - 4 yrs to produce adult Chinook. (!!!!!)
Include your concerns on the Kinder Morgan pipeline that will increase shipping traffic and potential for irreversible oil spills.
The endangered Southern Resident killer whale population is down to 73 members total across the three pods (J, K and L), and they need all the assistance we can give them. #BeTheirVoice
While the situation appears critical -- it is not impossible to correct -- IF we are all willing make some changes in our daily lives. #ItTakesAVillageToRaiseAnOrca
What Can YOU DO?
We thought YOU would never ask!! :)
Stop Buying One-Time-Use Items Like Paper Towels
Paper towels: use rags or towels instead. We buy paper towels largely because, well, because we’ve always bought paper towels. Use rags or cloths instead, toss them in with your weekly wash and you’re all set. By doing so you’ll save money and a few trees too. If every household in the US used just one fewer 70-sheet roll of virgin fibre paper towels, we’d save 544,000 trees from the chainsaws every year – not to mention the energy used in their production and transportation.
Refuse Plastic Bags
Carry your own reusable bag, and use your own two hands instead of plastic bags if you’ve bought just a few small items. When you’ve bought just one small item or a few which could be easily carried, politely refuse the bag they’re about to be put in. Carry your purchases with your own two hands and bring reusable bags for larger shopping trips. If this seems tiresome, let me lay some guilt down by sharing this heartbreaking statistic: more than 100,000 marine animals die every single year from getting tangled in plastic bags or ingesting them. One million plastic bags are used every single minute worldwide. They’re used for an average of five minutes, yet take 1,000 years to break down. We’re better than this!
Be Meat- and/or Dairy-Free Once a Week or More
Vegetables: nutritious, and much more environmentally friendly than meat. Buy Local! Decreasing your meat intake by just one burger a week can result in the same environmental benefit as taking your car off the road for 320 miles (515km). Ditching the dairy can also confer significant health benefits, reducing fat intake and slashing risk factors for chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease or type-2 diabetes. Understandably, going completely vegetarian or vegan can be an intimidating prospect, so avoid biting off more than you can chew by simply committing to doing it once a week.
Dive into Secondhand Shopping and Natural Fibers
Consignment shops. Yes... I said consignment shops. The clothing industry looks damn good, right? However, it can be a dirty, dirty business. Immense amounts of resources are used in textile manufacturing, fast fashion is everywhere, and 85% of shoreline plastic pollution comes from the plastic fibers in synthetic clothing material such as nylon. Avoid the mall and find a great secondhand or consignment store instead. AND, you'll save some money, too!
Carry Your Own Reusable Water Bottle
Did you know if you went a year without buying even ONE plastic bottle, you’d single-handedly save over 7,000 liters of water? This is a no brainer, and as for the bottles, well, it takes seven liters of water to make one plastic water bottle. Seriously. Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles last year. However, the U.S.'s recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means 38 billion water bottles – more than $1 billion worth of plastic – are wasted each year and wind up in land fills.
Nutrient Pollution
Nutrient pollution is one of America's most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems, and is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water. Fertilizers, yard and pet waste, and certain soaps and detergents contain nitrogen and phosphorus, and can contribute to nutrient pollution if not properly used or disposed of. The amount of hard surfaces and type of landscaping can also increase the runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus during wet weather.
Speak UP - Allow Your Voice To Be Heard!
The Southern Resident population of orcas are a critically ENDANGERED SPECIES! One of the most important parts of their listing on the Endangered Species Act (ESA), is a little thing called 'citizen oversight'. That means people, like you and I, can sue the feds if they’re not doing right by the whales. Feel free to sign petitions, write to your local government representative(s), send letters and emails - get involved!
The Orcas Need Your Help
Support Wild Whale Research. Orca Conservancy is a registered Washington State 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations go towards scientific research and/or projects that are assisting with the recovery of this population. DONATE TODAY
