The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the most devastating environmental disaster of our time, and we may never understand its full impact.  One of the greatest traits of the American people, however, is that when we are challenged by extreme circumstances, we fight back relentlessly.  This spirit is going to be needed in both the short term and the long term as we respond to the devastation in the Gulf.

Here are some of the things you can start doing today:

1. Change Starts at Home

It’s easy to focus on the obvious villains in the BP disaster – BP, Transocean, Halliburton, and of course, the Minerals Management Service – but that misses an underlying driver.  We consume 20% of the world’s oil, which is simply too much.  About half of that oil is used to move people around day to day in planes, trains and automobiles.  If we’re going to prevent disasters like the BP Gulf gusher in the future, we’ve got to reduce the demand for oil.  This means switching to public transportation, walking, and biking much more often.  It means dumping SUV’s for higher mileage vehicles like hybrids and compacts to lessen the impact of the trips we must take.

Making lifestyle changes involves personal sacrifice, and some inconvenience, but until we do so on a large scale, we’ll always be at risk.  The only way that happens is if everyone believes they’re personally accountable for the change.

2. Convert Your Friends

Reducing our consumption is so important that it occupies two slots on our list.  Once you’ve made the lifestyle changes necessary to start cutting the demand for oil, sell your friends on the idea.  Help start a wave of awareness!

3. Own Your Destiny – Get Involved Politically

Whether or not you’re happy with the current state of national politics, there is still no bigger stage for enacting change, and Members respond to their constituents.   As many of you know, there was a moratorium preventing offshore drilling in new areas for many years.  This moratorium was lifted in 2008.  Why?  Because the American public choked on $4.00 gas prices and put the pressure on their representatives in Congress.  Now’s the time to send a new message.  

Please do these four things:

• Tell the Senate to pass a good Climate bill. This will put a price on CO2 and will help scale up numerous renewable energy technologies to help end our dependence on dirty fossil fuels.
• Tell President Obama to lead on the Climate bill, and to follow through on the nation’s first National Ocean Policy. The National Ocean Policy will align the work of the 20 federal agencies that govern ocean use under a mandate to protect, restore and maintain healthy oceans.
• VOTE! Identify your priorities, pay attention to how your elected officials behave with regard to them and vote for the people who will act in your favor.  Call and write them frequently – when you want them to act on something, and again to thank them when they do.  Don’t give up on the system and don’t stop believing that you can make a difference.
• Join Ocean Champions! We’re the only ocean group that helps elect good ocean advocates to Congress, but we can’t do it without your support!

4. Volunteer!

There are many good organizations trying to fight the spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  If you have the time and capacity to help, please consider doing so.  Most organizations ask you to register for service so that the process can be less chaotic.

Here are some good places to start:
•    Louisiana Gulf Response
•    Oiled Wildlife Care Network
•    Volunteer Louisiana
•    Volunteer Mississippi
•    Volunteer Florida Disaster
•    Serve Alabama

5.  Make Healthy Ocean Choices Every Day

The BP oil spill is devastating, but it isn’t the only threat facing the oceans.  In fact, every day human activities take a massive toll, with the cumulative effect pushing ocean health to a tipping point from which it may never recover.

Making intelligent decision in these areas can have a significant positive effect:

• Eat only sustainable seafood.  There are 46 fisheries in the U.S. that are currently overfished, and 41 that are experiencing overfishing.  Many of these stocks are approaching a point from which they won’t be able to recover, and the Gulf oil spill is only exacerbating that effect.  Use tools like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Guide to inform your purchase decisions.
• Eliminate plastic from your daily routine. Every piece of plastic ever manufactured is still with us and will be for hundreds of years.  Much of it winds up in the ocean where it kills marine life of all forms.  Shop with reusable bags, don’t buy bottled water and avoid over packaged goods.  Reuse and recycle as much as possible.
• Nonpoint source pollution is a major cause of ocean water pollution. Americans spill 180 gallons of oil into our nation’s water every year.  This is oil spilled on driveways and streets equating to 16 Exxon Valdez’s every year!  In addition, nutrient pollution from over fertilizing lawns and crops has led to the creation of many no-oxygen “dead zones” in the ocean where marine animals cannot live.  Rethink how you manage your yard, your crops and your vehicles.

Ocean Warrior Margo Pellegrino has launched and is on her way!  On July 3rd, Margo set out on a pacific coast paddling adventure from Seattle to San Diego on behalf of ocean health.  One stroke at a time Margo is raising awareness and inspiring others… one woman’s attempt to protect and conserve our oceans and coasts for future generations by calling out to all communities along America’s coastlines.  She is doing everything she can to highlight four ocean issues:

• the impacts of sewage, fertilizers and storm water run-off
• overfishing and unsustainable industry fishing practices
• the acidification of our oceans
• the problem with plastics

These are critically important issues that align with Ocean Champions priorities.  Sewage, fertilizer and storm run-off are major contributors to harmful algal blooms.  Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to kill fish, marine mammals, and birds; they can contaminate shellfish with toxins and harm human health, sometimes resulting in fatalities. They shut down fisheries, sideline fishermen and drive tourists away from resorts. Researchers have estimated that HABs cost coastal communities nearly $100 million annually. The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act was introduced in 2009 by two of our champions in the Senate, Senators Bill Nelson and Olympia Snowe.  The bill passed the House floor in March.  We’re working with our champions in the Senate to see it through to passage on the Senate floor.

Addressing overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices is also one of Ocean Champions priorities.  The Magnuson Stevens Fishery and Conservation Act is the primary federal statute governing how we manage our Nation’s fisheries and, requires ending overfishing, rebuilding depleted fish populations and achieving sustainable fisheries management.  In 2006, we played a significant role in reauthorizing the M-S Act, today, we are working to protect and defend against the weakening of the M-S Act.

Ocean Acidification and marine debris are massive problems that Ocean Champions and many other members in the ocean community continually seek opportunities to move forward on.  Three of our champions in Congress have taken leadership roles in moving legislation forward that addresses ocean acidification.

Ocean Champions is a big fan of Margo’s pro-ocean mission.  We hope that you will support Margo in her efforts too.  She is demonstrating that “one person CAN make a difference - for her children and all of our children, as they are the future leaders of our world.”

Follow Margo on her real time “Margo Tracker” link, and check out photos from her voyage down the coast.  She also has an adventure blog that she updates regularly, Margo had quite an adventure with the Oregon coast guard yesterday.  Watch for her blog post talking about it coming out very soon.  On Wednesday, August 11th, you can catch Margo on Moir’s Environmental Dialogues at 9 PDT / 12 EDT.

Keep the momentum going Margo!  We wish you the very best!

John F. Kennedy, “We are tied to the ocean.  And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch, we are going back from whence we came.”

In the wake of any heart-wrenching disaster, our natural human tendency is to look for a place to lay blame. In the case of the Deep Horizon oil spill, the worst environmental disaster in American history, we understandably directed our blame at British Petroleum. While I still strongly believe that BP should be held accountable for all the damage they have done in the Gulf, I also believe that we as a society must widen our gaze to understand how we got to this point and how we can move on to create a better future for both the environment and our society.

Looking beyond BP, there are a number of players who merit closer scrutiny. We must look at the regulators who let rig inadequacies go unnoticed because of ties developed with the very companies they regulate.  We must look at the leaders responsible for these regulators who failed to hold them accountable and allowed a broken culture to continue.  Most importantly, however, we must look at ourselves and our own consumption behavior because in a capitalist economy and democratic society we are in charge of our world and have the ability to change it!

Interning here at Ocean Champions has shown me first hand the power that every citizen has to demand change from our government. The goal of all the hard work done here is to provide society with the information we need to make smart choices in our election of officials, but we all must do our part by getting out and voting. We can demand a strong climate bill, more investment in renewable energy, a national ocean policy and a ban on offshore drilling, but in order to do so we HAVE to get out and vote! Sometimes the many layers of government make us feel insignificant, but we have to remember that officials rely on us to stay in office, and if we make calls, send letters, and most importantly get out and vote, they will always be forced to do what we know is right. Whether it is signing, co-sponsoring, or sponsoring bills for energy independence, they have the power to press congress and the administration, but most importantly, WE have the power to press them!

In a capitalist economy, the private sector delivers whatever society demands at the lowest cost they can achieve. What we in the United States demand more than any other country in the world is oil and we want it to be “affordable.”  In 2007 alone, we as a nation accounted for 24.3% of the world’s oil consumption, roughly 20,680,000 barrels of oil per day and almost three times that of China, who was second on the list with 7,578,000 barrels per day (“Oil Consumption (Most Recent) by Country”).

Source:  Oil Consumption (Most Recent) by Country

Therefore, while we still hold BP accountable for the horrible damage they have caused, we also need to hold ourselves accountable and search within to see what each of us can do to help ensure that nothing of this magnitude ever plagues our oceans again! This could mean using alternate forms of transportation such as hybrid vehicles, buses, trains, bicycles, skateboards, or our own two feet whenever possible.  It could mean investing in alternative energy and driving new technology that will help us lessen our reliance on not just foreign oil but oil in general.  It could mean making our own vegetable or fruit gardens so that companies are shipping less, and it could mean simply taking the time to learn what we can each do differently in our own lives to save energy and oil, protect our oceans, our environment, and our livelihoods.

Source:  The Elephants in the Obama-McCain-PickensEnergy Plans

Here are several simple ways we can all get started on saving energy and reducing our reliance on oil during our every day lives (“20 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CONSERVE ENERGY”):
1) Make better use of home appliances by: turning down your refrigerator, washing your clothes on cold, only running a full dishwasher, setting your water heater thermostat down from 140° to 120°, and of course turning off lights and unplugging appliances when they are not being used.
2) Increase heating and cooling efficiency by making sure not to overheat or overcool rooms. Several degrees can save hundreds of pounds of CO2 per year for a home and significantly decrease energy usage. Also it is important to clean and replace air filters as directed in order to maximize efficiency.
3) Spend the extra buck in order to save in the long run by purchasing fluorescent light bulbs that save energy and money, as well as last longer than normal bulbs. You can also wrap your water heater in an insulated jacket in order to save heating costs and caulk your windows to keep the house temperature steady.
4) The last thing I will mention is reducing, reusing, and recycling by buying goods with less packaging and reusing or recycling that packaging whenever possible.

These suggestions are simply a start on the many ways we can conserve and take a positive step towards energy independence. I hope everyone will continue to develop their own creative means of helping save our oceans, environment, and national livelihoods.

With the largest environmental disaster in the United States unfolding, there has never been a better time to join together and say NO to new offshore drilling and YES to clean energy, a strong climate bill and national ocean policy.

What you can do:

1) Hands Across The Sand:  this Saturday, June 26th, join us as we form lines in the sand at 11 AM (in your time zone).  To find a gathering near you, click here.

Hands Across The Sand was founded by Dave Rauschkolb, “The image is powerful, the message simple,” he said.  “No to offshore drilling, yes to clean energy.  We are drawing a line in the sand against offshore oil drilling along America’s beaches and in solidarity events across America and around the world.  No one industry should be able to place entire coastal economies and marine environments at risk with dangerous, dirty mistakes.”

The mission of Hands Across The Sand is to change our energy policy away from its dependence on fossil fuels and into the light of clean energy.  The aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.

The BP Gulf oil spill is estimated to be pumping 35,000-60,000 barrels per day, or 2.5 million gallons per day.  It is pumping the equivalent of one Exxon Valdez spill every four days (which dumped 11 million gallons).  It is devastating estuaries and other critical habitat, shutting down sensitive fisheries, and killing birds, marine mammals and turtles.  Many jobs will continue to be lost, and the economic impact - immense.

2) Keep pushing for change.  Send a message to President Obama and your Senators. A disaster this big deserves an even bigger response. We must drive a paradigm shift that moves us away from offshore drilling and toward clean energy.  To make that happen we need a strong climate bill passed before the end of the year.

3) Support the Gulf spill response on the ground, two organizations that can use additional help:

• Oiled Wildlife Care Network
• International Bird Rescue Research Center

Beyond offshore oil drilling - let’s go there!

I didn’t know what to expect from President Obama’s speech last night. I prepared myself for a wide range of possibilities from “paradigm-shifting leadership moment” to “PR effort to assure the American voters that everything was going to be ok.” When it wrapped up 17 minutes later, it felt much closer to “PR effort” than to “leadership moment.”

Without question, some good words were spoken. I loved his comment about transitioning to renewable energy, “Now, there are costs associated with this transition. And some believe we can’t afford those costs right now. I say we can’t afford not to change how we produce and use energy — because the long-term costs to our economy, our national security, and our environment are far greater.” In addition, Obama put out the rallying cry that BP’s oil spill is, “the most painful and powerful reminder yet that the time to embrace a clean energy future is now.” Later, he spoke of the need to end the country’s “addiction to fossil fuels.”

All true, and a great setup for a call to action. Unfortunately, what followed was a blank canvas. The President made an appeal for all ideas and said the only thing he wouldn’t tolerate was inaction. Open ended approaches have not yet produced results with this Congress, but crystal clear leadership and rigorous directives have. In this case, we didn’t get it. The way in which he closed his comments was telling. He asked Americans to pray for the courage to change and for a hand to guide us. Prayer is fine, but those are two things the President could have provided himself last night. It was also disappointing that there was no focus on ocean health or any indication of how to restore it.

The good news is that we’ve seen a strong appetite amongst legislators to take positive action. There is overwhelming desire to reform MMS and the approval processes it uses. There is recognition that the current $75 million liability cap is woefully inadequate, and the legislation raising that cap has a lot of momentum. There is also strong support for establishing an ocean trust fund, paid for by oil revenues, to ensure that money is set aside for ocean conservation projects. As we dig in and push, we may find other opportunities as well.

Now, we aren’t naïve. The Senate Climate bill was on shaky ground before BP’s disaster, and despite all our wishes, is probably in worse shape now. It’s got about 40 votes and needs 20 more. As the party leader, Obama is likely reticent to force Democrats to take another controversial vote close to the election. Perhaps the rhetoric will become more insistant in the lame duck session. The President clearly wants a Climate bill passed. He simply doesn’t appear willing to put up any political capital to get it passed.

So that means if any strong action is to take place, it’s up to us. We as a community need to keep up the pressure, and continue to be vocal on the need for a National Ocean Policy, a ban on new offshore oil drilling, and yes, a strong climate bill to pass the Senate. The chances for major change are slim, but without action they are zero. Please continue to use our action alerts to send a message to the Senate and the President, and keep calling and writing personally as well. If we are going to move to a clean energy future, it will be up to us.

John Lennon’s “Imagine” is a timeless song; beautiful and evocative.  It creates hope for a better world without conflict or hatred.  Recently I stumbled across it, and as I listened, the song brought forth a rush of emotions, all of them focused on the ocean.  All my anger and sadness over the Gulf was there, but so too was the joy I had felt swimming off the Delaware shore just an hour before.  I thought about my “Imagine” as a world with healthy, thriving oceans.  And so, with apologies to Mr. Lennon, here are a few of my lyrics:

*

Imagine clean coastal water

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing flowing in and polluting

Everywhere, just blue

Imagine all sea creatures

Living life in peace…

*

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will be as one

*

Imagine healthy oceans

I wonder if you can

Lots of fish and corals

All unharmed by man

Imagine all the people

Wading from the beach

*

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you will join us

And the world will live as one

*

Click here to enjoy John Lennon singing “Imagine.”  What are your hopes?

Happy Oceans Day everyone.

To paraphrase rapper and fashion icon Diddy, “It’s all about the Benjamins” (that are used to fund ocean conservation)!

Specifically, as we build political power for the oceans, Ocean Champions looks for candidates in positions of influence.  This includes key committee and subcommittee chairmen and chairwomen, rising stars and, of course, powerful appropriators.  The bottom line is that merely passing good ocean bills is not enough.  They must also be funded at levels that allow them to succeed.  This last, critical step only happens if there are strong ocean advocates on the Appropriations Committee.

Thus, we are proud to announce our endorsement of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) for reelection.  Both Senators are senior appropriators, and both serve on the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee (Senator Mikulski is the Chairwoman) that controls NOAA’s budget.  Fortunately, both Senators have a strong personal connection to oceans and estuaries; Senator Leahy is an avid diver, while Senator Mikulski grew up around the Chesapeake Bay, and knows how important it is to her state’s identity.  They’ve each tapped their connection to consistently support good ocean conservation projects  (To see highlights of their recent ocean conservation activity, as well as their leadership response to the BP Gulf oil spill, click the links for each Senator above).

Both Senators are outstanding representatives for their states, and the best candidates to continue serving Vermont and Maryland.  As ocean advocates in key appropriations positions, they are also the best candidates for ocean voters.

Yesterday, Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) released their version of a Climate Bill, called the American Power Act.  The bill is “balanced” to improve its chances, but by setting a path to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop renewable energy, it still represents a paradigm shift that would promote healthier oceans, drive economic and job growth and enable independence from foreign oil.

What we like:

• It mandates a 17% reduction in carbon pollution from 2005 levels by 2020, 42% by 2030 and 83% by 2050. Not as fast as some would like, but in line with Waxman-Markey.
• It sets a price for carbon, with a $12 floor and a $25 ceiling (with each set to grow over time), which will drive investment in renewable energy.
• It allows carbon trading, but by a limited set of entities on a regulated exchange, allowing market forces to create pricing efficiency while limiting speculation.

What we don’t like:

• It pre-empts states from implementing mandatory greenhouse gas reductions.
• It restricts the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.
• Like the House Bill, it has the USDA, not the EPA regulate Agriculture offsets.
• The biggest flaw - it doesn’t ban new offshore drilling; disappointing, but not surprising, given national politics.

In response to the BP oil spill, the bill was changed to give “impacted” states the right to veto oil drilling plans of neighboring states, and allow states to veto any drilling within 75 miles off their coast.  This improves upon the current reality, but we’d like to see more.

Ocean Champions supports passage of the American Power Act, with the caveat that we want new offshore drilling out.  The bill is a starting point for negotiations, and it may be possible to improve on its flaws. However, this may be the last chance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a long time, and depending on final language, passing a solid bill may be better than failing on a perfect one.

Can it pass?  Moving anything in the Senate these days requires sixty votes, and Senators are being assailed by constituents who fear higher energy costs.  It’s unclear what effect the BP Gulf oil spill will have, but offshore drilling is now an issue that must be addressed.  That said, the spill highlights the need for a renewable energy strategy, and there is support from both industry and environmental groups.  The public response to the bill may well shape its destiny, and you can help by engaging with a positive message: Tell your Senators to pass this bill, but without offshore oil drilling.  Write them and call them (Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121) and make sure your voice is heard.  Together, maybe we can change the world!

“… do something.  Pay your rent for the privilege of living on this beautiful, blue-green, living Earth.”
Dave Foreman

April 22nd, 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day - a great opportunity and a perfect time to get motivated, get outdoors, educate and take action for our natural world.

The first Earth Day took place in 1970, founded by Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator at the time.  He proposed the first nationwide protest “to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda.”  It was estimated that 20 million Americans engaged and demonstrated for a healthy, sustainable environment.  Since that time, important environmental legislation has been enacted, but we’re still fighting to get it right.  Climate, ocean acidification, overfishing, addressing toxic tides and hypoxia and implementing a national ocean policy are but a few of the many critical issues facing us today.  Take action on climate by signing the Earth Day 2010 Climate Declaration and send a message to Congress that the time is NOW.  A climate rally is being held at the national mall in D.C. from 11-7.

Other ideas:  check out the Women’s Aquatic Network’s Third Annual Toast to the Ocean - Ocean Champions is one of the sponsors and looks forward to giving a toast.  Go to the Earth Day Network and make a pledge.  If you have kids, get them outdoors and involved.  Check out some of these creative, crafty ideas. I particularly love the ONE BAG challenge.  Reduce, reuse, recycle and cut down or eliminate plastic use. Many coastal cities will be conducting local beach clean ups and looking for volunteers.

If you find yourself indoors, see Disney’s new “Oceans” film.  Be sure to attend during opening week, as Disneynature will make a donation in your honor to save our coral reefs.

Top 10 ways to celebrate Earth Day

For our members, check out the new Earth Day e-card to send to your family and friends!  Sign in to our circle of champions membership area and under member benefits click on e-cards.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
Native American Proverb

Today we are endorsing state Senator Craig Pridemore for Washington’s third district seat in the House of Representatives.  This is the seat currently held by Congressman Brian Baird, a strong ocean champion who, as many of you know, sponsored and led the Toxic Algae bill to passage in the House.  Congressman Baird is retiring, and losing such a strong ocean advocate in a leadership position is difficult.  However, Craig Pridemore would be a worthy successor.  As a two-term Senator for the state of Washington, he has proven to be both committed and effective on issues affecting ocean health.  He took action to:

• Establish and include a framework for marine spatial planning in the planning activities of all state agencies with marine management responsibilities.
• Obtain legislative funding for the Puget Sound Partnership to assess and improve Washington’s oil spill protection and recovery programs.
• Improve coastal and lake water quality by reducing phosphorus in lawn fertilizers and by reducing petroleum pollution in storm water.
• Create recycling programs for mercury-containing fluorescent light bulbs as well as for e-waste with lead and cadmium, such as televisions and computers.

In addition to his work on oceans, Senator Pridemore is unequivocal about global warming.  In a newsletter he stated, “Climate change is real, it is a serious threat to our planet, and it is the result of human activity.”  [As an aside, this essentially makes him the "anti-Inhofe" as that Senator believes every snowstorm is proof that global warming is a hoax]

Pridemore took his belief and acted on it by sponsoring and passing legislation that sets quantifiable greenhouse gas reductions and establishes proper accountability for meeting them.  His bill also enhanced economic opportunities by directing state agencies to find incentives for local development of clean technologies, and to attract green businesses while preparing the local work force for these jobs.

With this kind of energy, passion and effectiveness, we’re convinced that Craig Pridemore can be a strong champion in Congress, and we’ll be working hard to help get him there!