PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Please work to protect and restore the world’s oceans
  1. Signatures
    516 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
      • Your State Senate
  2. Created By
    A M
    CA
About this Petition Petition Letter



Obama's Ocean To-Do List

It was a thrill to watch Barack Obama’s historic campaign and election, but now it’s time to get down to business. Along with a heap of other challenges, President Obama faces oceans in crisis from overfishing, climate change, mercury contamination, and more.

In the past, President Obama has been a friend of the oceans. As an Illinois Senator, he was the sponsor of a bill that would have required chlorine factories to switch to mercury-free technology, which was designed to reduce harmful mercury contamination of our waterways and seafood. We hope that as President, he will make this bill the law of the land to improve the health of our families and our marine communities.

Recent Signatures

Please work to protect and restore the world’s oceans

Dear Representative

I am writing to you out of concern for the future of our oceans, and in the hopes that you will continue to be an ocean advocate as you were in the Senate. As the sponsor of the Missing Mercury in Manufacturing Monitoring and Mitigation Act, you were a champion for bringing an end to the outdated practice of using mercury in chlorine factories. The bill would have reduced that amount of mercury entering our waterways and contaminating seafood. I hope that as President, you will continue to work to reduce the&nbsp; release of mercury into the environment.</p>
<p>There are many other threats facing the ocean. Overfishing has decimated big fish populations worldwide. Millions of fish, sea turtles, and other marine life are caught as bycatch by commercial fisheries. Increasing carbon emissions are changing the pH of the seas, leading to ocean acidification and scientists are predicting a mass extinction of coral reefs. Offshore oil drilling threatens marine ecosystems and exacerbates the carbon dioxide problem. All of these issues require action by the U.S. government and its leaders.</p>
<p>Our oceans are in a state of decline, but it is not too late.&nbsp; If we act now, we can reverse the trends from the past years and rebuild healthy fisheries, conserve important ocean habitat, protect imperiled marine wildlife, reduce the amount of mercury pollution in our environment and address global climate change.</p>
<p>Please work to protect and restore the world&rsquo;s oceans,</p>
<p>Thank you,

[Your name]

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