Advocacy
Lawmakers are always motivated by the need to represent their constituents, so when we advocate for public policies that improve our coastal communities, it is important to emphasize stories about the impact our sea turtle rehab and sustainability programs have had. In fact, telling our story is easy and effective, and has the potential to engage elected officials and the public on a deeper level.
S.4432 & H.R. 7918. Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Act of 2022. A bill to encourage and facilitate coordinated rapid response and rescue by awarding grants for the purpose of recovery, release, collection of data and samples for scientific research and all facility operation costs related to rescuing sea turtles.
S. 3939 & H.R. 5589. Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act. A bill to identify, protect, and utilize habitats in U.S. coastal areas like sea grass meadows, mangroves, and marshes that remove and lock up CO2 from the atmosphere as a means of helping to offset emissions and combat the impacts of climate change. Introduced by Senators Mukowski (Alaska) and Whitehouse RI) and Reps. Bonamici (OR), Posey (FL) Beyer (VA), and Mast (FL).
S.1982 & H.R. 3969. Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. A bill to improve efforts to combat marine debris introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan, Alaska and Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon
S. 3263 & H.R.5845. Break Free from Plastic Act of 2020. A bill to reduce the production and use of certain single-use plastic products and packaging, to improve the responsibility of producers in the design, collection, reuse, recycling, and disposal of their consumer products and packaging, to prevent pollution from consumer products and packaging from entering into animal and human food chains and waterways introduced by Senator Tom Udall, New Mexico and Rep Alan Lowenthal, California
Current Initiatives
One of the most impactful ways to show your Coastal Stewardship is to do your absolute best to REFUSE single use plastics. Single use plastics are a massive source of pollution in our oceans, and a common factor in the death of many of the turtles we are unable to rescue.
We always encourage the sustainable choice- reusable water bottles, metal straws, and compostable packing materials are great ways to remove single-use plastic from your day-to-day.
- Did you know that in the next ten years, the plastic in our oceans and along our coast is expected to triple?
- Right now, there are more microplastics in our waters than there are stars in the Milky Way?
- Do you stop and consider that the plastic bag or take-out container is harmful to the marine life? It is. Many hatchlings that wash back along our beaches are suffering from the impacts of mistaking these single use plastics for food. And once eaten, it leads to malnutrition and eventual starvation.
- When you choose to refuse single-use products, you increase the chance that our planet can recover from plastic overuse? Coastal Stewards commit to do our part and, together, we make a difference.
Past Initiatives
A crucial factor in the success of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center lies in the water. Not in any particular creature, but in the microscopic quality of the water itself.
In 2021, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center began having issues with the amount of oxygen contained within the water we pumped in. A very antiquated system left Turtle Rehab Specialists needing to supplement with extra tanks of oxygen to ensure our aquariums and turtle rehab operations would not come to a screeching halt.
Gumbo Limbo Coastal Stewards was proud to advocate for the replacement of this dated system that is so crucial to rehabilitation success. While the city and parks district were unable to secure the total funds required to begin the project, GLCS was proud to rise to the occasion and help with a generous donation of $144,000 to cover the cost.
