by Megan Isadore, Executive Director, River Otter Ecology Project
November 9, 2016
Friends:
My heart is heavy. The United States’ President Elect neither believes in nor understands the seriousness of the world climate crisis, nor has he any concern for the environment we so love. We must work harder than ever to protect and defend it on every level from the outdated, disastrous desire to extract everything of value, giving nothing back and leaving nothing untarnished.
We must re-dedicate ourselves to the world we would like to live in, educate ourselves and others on environmental issues, write letters, donate to environmental causes, call our politicians, stand up and attend meetings, get elected, make our voices heard. We must act from the most local levels, like PTAs and town councils as well as on the world stage, at climate conferences and in world environmental and social justice venues. We must not give up because we’ve lost one battle or many. If we give up, we are surely lost. If we carry on, there is hope.
We at River Otter Ecology Project will continue to do everything we can to support a thriving future for river otters and all of nature. We know that means supporting healthy watersheds, which are crucial for the survival of all species. The repopulation of the river otters to most Bay Area counties is no accident. Without clean water and air standards and wetland restorations, curbs on development, and protections for the environment that we, the people, made into law, it is extremely unlikely we would have river otters now. We will continue to promote solutions to climate change. We will redouble our refusal to accept the siphoning of our precious and rare natural resources to line the pockets of the few. The coming months and years will bring enormous challenges to environmental standards, and attempts to eliminate or reduce protections, not just for nature but for all of us.
Dear friends, our voices will be heard if we raise them together, and raise each other together. I pledge to continue to offer my whole self to the fight to save our planet. I invite you to join me in helping educate, raise awareness, activate and change the course we’re on for a better one.
With hope and faith that we can do better,
Megan