Take Action
Every action counts and small actions add up to real change.
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Whether it’s writing your representative, pledging to boat safely, or joining a local cleanup, your choices help protect the Southern Resident orcas and the ecosystems they depend on.
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Choose an action below to get started, each one takes just a few minutes.
Action 1: Email Your Representative About Salmon Recovery
Why it matters:
Southern Resident orcas rely on Chinook salmon for nearly 80% of their diet. Salmon runs are collapsing due to dams, habitat loss, and warming waters. Without salmon, the Southern Resident Orcas can’t survive.
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What to do:
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Copy this short message (you can adapt it):
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Hello,
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I’m writing to ask that you support salmon recovery and the removal of the Lower Snake River dams to protect the endangered Southern Resident orcas. These whales depend on Chinook salmon to survive. Please act now to restore free-flowing rivers and protect the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest.
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Thank you.
2. Find your representatives here: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
3. Paste and send your email!
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Time: ~5 minutes
Link: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
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Action 2: Take the Quiet Sound Boater Pledge
Why it matters:
Vessel noise disrupts orcas’ ability to find food and communicate. The Quiet Sound program helps boaters slow down and spread awareness about giving orcas space and quiet.
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What to do:
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Visit the Quiet Sound website.
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Sign the Boater Pledge to reduce noise and follow whale-wise boating practices.
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Share it with a friend who boats in the Puget Sound!
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Link: https://quietsound.org/boater-pledge/
Time: ~ 2 minutes
Action 3: Join a Local Beach Cleanup
Why it matters:
Marine debris threatens wildlife, including orcas and their prey. Cleanups keep plastic and toxins out of our waters and bring communities together.
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What to do:
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Visit your local Surfrider Foundation chapter’s event page.
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Find a cleanup near you or organize your own!
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Bring gloves, reusable bags, and friends.
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Link: https://www.surfrider.org/chapters
Time: 1 hour (weekend activity)
Action 4: Support Orca-Safe Salmon Choices
Why it matters:
Many salmon sold in stores come from farms that harm ecosystems or block wild salmon restoration. Choosing sustainably caught wild salmon supports healthy ecosystems and the orcas’ food source.
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What to do:
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When buying salmon, look for labels like “Wild-Caught Alaskan” or “MSC Certified.”
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Avoid farmed Atlantic salmon when possible.
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Learn more about sustainable seafood from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
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Link: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/
Time: ~ 5 minutes to learn
Action 5: Reduce Pollution From Home
Why it matters:
Every household can help by keeping toxins out of storm drains and the Puget Sound. What we use on land ends up in the water.
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What to do:
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Switch to eco-friendly soaps and cleaning products.
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Never pour paint, oil, or chemicals down drains.
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Use native plants in your yard — they filter water naturally.
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Check your local waste facility for hazardous waste drop-off days.
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Link: https://www.epa.gov/p2
Time: 10–20 minutes (to audit your home)
Action 6: Join a swim for our campaign
Why it matters:
Annie and I have committed to a year-long project raises awareness for the 74 remaining Southern Resident orcas. Everyday for a year we are filming our freezing cold swim with a fact about the SROs. Our goal is to raise awareness about the SROs in a way that is fun and engaging and keeps people interested and wanting to learn.
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What to do:
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Follow along on Instagram @two_girls_take_on_the_world and on Facebook @twogirlstakeontheworld
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Join us for a single swim (or take a symbolic dip in your area).
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Post your swim photo or swim video with the hashtag #SwimForTheSouthernResidentOrcas.
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Tag us so we can share your story!
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Time: 5–30 minutes (depending on your swim!)
Every action, no matter how small, helps create waves of change.
Pick one, share it, and encourage someone else to do the same.
Together, our actions count.
Get Involved locally!
South Sound Surfrider is a great way to get involved in your community. Whether it is joining them for a beach clean up or doing a solo clean up and reporting the data to them.
Support breaching the Snake River Dams
Find out why it is important to breach the dams and how you can help.
