Islanders speak up for birds

Members of Vashon Audubon and other Audubon chapters across the state advocated for birds during Environmental Lobby Day in Olympia on Thursday, Jan. 30.

In the photo above, Vashon Islanders Sarah Driggs, Margie Morgan, Virginia Lohr, and Steve Hunter (first row, 5th-2nd from the right) join other Audubon chapter members on the Capitol steps. The number of environmental advocates swelled to around 400 as other participants in the Environmental Priorities Coalition arrived later.

Together, they called for action in four areas:

• Establish a Clean Fuels Standard, HB 1110 | SB 5412. This standard would require fuel producers and importers to reduce pollution from the fuels that power our transportation sector, which is responsible for nearly half of our state’s climate and air pollution.
• Reduce Plastic Pollution, SB 5323. The Reusable Bag Act would eliminate thin, carry-home plastic bags at all retail establishments, reducing plastic in our waterways, ocean, and recycling equipment (which gets clogged up with plastic).
• Establish Limits on Climate Pollution, HB 2311 | SB 6272. This legislation would set credible and ambitious climate pollution limits, provide clear direction to meet these limits, and invest in nature-based solutions like trees and soils to capture excess carbon.
• Protect and Restore Habitats for Healthy Orcas, HB 2550.  This bill would respond to decades of development-related habitat loss by setting a new standard—net ecological gain—to leave our environment better for future generations.

Audubon Washington is also advocating for bills concerning Sustainable Farm and Fields, SB 5947, and Zero Emission Vehicles, SB 5811.

In meetings with 34th district legislators or their aides, Vashon Audubon members stressed that more than 140 bird species in Washington are at high or moderate risk of devastating population declines because of climate change, adding to the urgent need to take climate action now.

The Vashon group also thanked our delegation—Sen. Joe Nguyen, Rep. Eileen Cody, and in particular Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon—for continuing to be outstanding leaders in crafting climate solutions.

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