Some nonprofits just want to save the world

Mary Beth Harrington, CVA

For most of my life, I have lived at least six hours from the “ocean” (yes, Texans refer to the Gulf of Mexico as “the ocean”).

I am greatly enamored of whales and other aquatic creatures.

So, when it came time to choose a new home, I made sure that we would move closer to a real ocean.

That’s why this past Sunday was especially meaningful to me.

World Whale Day

World Whale Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in February to appreciate the aquatic creatures that are an important part of our ecosystem and draw attention to the man-made challenges that have made marine life difficult.

The idea of Greg Kauffman, the founder of the Pacific Whale Foundation, World Whale Day began in Maui, Hawaii in 1980 to honor the humpback whales which used to swim off the coast. What started as an effort to raise awareness to the threat of extinction by humpback whales has grown to promote awareness that the oceans are not as healthy as they used to be. It’s a serious call to action to make our oceans once again a safe place for whales and all aquatic life.

What You Can Do

Several local nonprofits support efforts to save the oceans and their creatures.

These organizations offer information, educational programs, as well as volunteer opportunities that will allow you to be a part of not only saving the whales but our environment for years to come. (The first few are among my favorites).

Focus on the Sea

• Orca Network is dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest and the importance of providing them with a safe habitat. (Full disclosure, this is one of my favorite organizations. If you follow them on social media, you can receive alerts as to where the whales have been sighted recently.) http://www.orcanetwork.org/
• Harbor Wild Watch was founded in 2004 by a Gig Harbor resident (Dee Dee Holser) who wanted to introduce the public to the wonders of the Puget Sound. According to their website, their mission is to inspire stewardship of the Puget Sound, and greater Salish Sea, by providing learning opportunities about the environment to our community and beyond. https://harborwildwatch.org/
• Cascadia Research Collective conducts scientific research and education in the fields of marine mammal and bird biology, animal behavior, ecology, and pollution ecology. https://www.cascadiaresearch.org/
• The Puget Sound Estuarium was founded by the South Sound Estuary Association (SSEA) in 2007, in Olympia, with a mission to foster learning opportunities that inspire people of all ages to connect with, protect, and enjoy the unique estuary environment of Puget Sound. https://pugetsoundestuarium.org/
• Puget Soundkeeper’s mission is to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound by monitoring water quality and supporting strong policies and regulations that protect our waterways. https://pugetsoundkeeper.org/
• Grays Harbor Historical Seaport is a 501 (c)(3) educational non-profit public development authority based in Aberdeen. According to their website, for more than 25 years, they have provided hands-on education opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds aboard the tall ship Lady Washington. (Yes, we have taken a tour – not quite a three-hour tour) https://historicalseaport.org/

Focus on the Air and Land

• The Northwest EcoBuilding Guild is a community of builders, designers, suppliers, homeowners, and partners concerned with building ecologically in the Pacific Northwest. https://www.ecobuilding.org/

• Olympia Coalition for Ecosystem Preservation (OlyEcosystems) is an urban land trust focused on protecting, preserving, and restoring the diverse ecosystems of our area including the freshwater, shoreline, tidal waters, and upland forests that are home to the Pacific Great Blue Heron, cutthroat trout, salmon, and companion species. https://olyecosystems.org/
• Black Hills Audubon Society (BHAS) is an all-volunteer-based, organization whose members share interests in birds as well as other wildlife, their habitats, and natural history. Their goal is to promote environmental education and recreation to maintain and protect our ecosystems for future generations. https://blackhills-audubon.org/

Focus on Government

• Thurston County Environmental Voters (TEV) is a grassroots political action committee who work to elect environmental champions to state and local office. https://thurstonenvironmentalvoters.org/about/
• Washington Environmental Council was formed in 1967 as a statewide advocacy group with a mission to protect, restore and sustain Washington’s environment for all. https://wecprotects.org/
• Climate Solutions is a Northwest-based clean energy economy nonprofit. According to their website, their focus is to champion transformational policies, market-based innovations, catalyze powerful partnerships to form a diverse movement for action, accountability, to communicate a bold vision for solutions at the scale required by climate science. https://www.climatesolutions.org/

 Soliciting your ideas

If you know of a nonprofit that is doing something great, celebrating a success, needs some outstanding volunteers or hosting an event, let me know! This column (aside from a little education) celebrates nonprofits! 

Mary Beth Harrington, CVA (Certified Volunteer Administrator) lives in Tumwater. She travels the country speaking at conferences and to individual organizations articulating issues facing nonprofits. Send your ideas to her at  MaryBeth@theJOLTnews.com