President’s Blog

As another summer season passes quietly on the water… No Southern Resident Orcas died, and thus none were mourned worldwide on TV. A good thing… The pod hangs on one more summer…, a success to some.  I simply look at it as “dodging a bullet” yet again. For now, the problem is out of sight, out of mind. Instead, the plight of the orca should be front and center in the world news. The survival of such an apex species is frankly of the utmost importance  to our species. I know, I know,  this sounds very dramatic, but it is true.

No matter how slow the impending disaster often appears after each small victory, the “wall of lava” is still creeping down the volcano… just ask Hawaiians facing this reality.

As Americans are involved in all our “first world” angst, fear, and blame passing, we really are getting a lesson in reaction as opposed to pro-action. Didn’t America know the moral and ethical fiber of the present president when they elected him? For the record, I judge my candidates by their environmental policies… so don’t blame me.

With the amount of media blitz we are exposed to each minute of each day we need to step back and focus on what is really important. Don’t listen to the “trend-setters”… get your noses out of your smart phones, and meet people. You’d be surprised how much even the most internet haters on both sides end up finding something in common if allowed to actually meet. Get together on a common love… the survival of us all! We all wants what’s best for us, but “us” sometimes takes our eye off the ball especially in today’s media world. None of this “first world” diversion matters on a dead planet.  I’m just saying…

Maybe it is because of my experience with travelling to some very poor areas of the world and observing real problems first hand, that I am presently so frustrated with the environmental movement in general, and “us” in particular.  So as the EPA is gutted, The Makah are trying to kill another grey whale in Neah Bay, people here debate while the Southern Resident Orcas go extinct. I can go on and on…  “Let’s have a meeting?”

Today with impeachment we are programmed by the media to sit all day feeling helpless that our politicians might be dishonest… Duh!!!!!!!

Now for something that really matters:

It is not time to retreat, and give up. The media does nothing to protect what is really important to us anyway. Give them up, it won’t matter, and you’ll be happier for it. We have been led to believe that the huge eco-corporations were taking care of our interests… NOT!  They proved no better than governments they protested against.

The wilderness, be it oceans or mountains, has been proven healthy to mankind. It lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and hell it feels great… way better than any smart phone or TV can offer.  It belongs to all of us and the “spirit of the wild” cannot be duplicated by TV, video games, or anything. The wild belongs to all of us. We as individuals need to own it, and protect it like it is imperative for our survival. It is!

I am here, working with www.gaianetwork.net  in Friday Harbor, Washington trying to make a difference.  Human habitation in the islands goes way back with natives sharing the ample harvest of salmon. The whales on the other hand probably go back further. Their “rights” to be here must at least equal our “rights” to occupy the same space. Are they important to us? Hell yes they are. I will not lecture on the laws of nature here, but interdependence, and biodiversity are important to the biological health of the planet, and therefore our health. The whales are important to both.

I feel it important that we all try to look beyond the present monetary gains to be made by exploiting these residents of the San Juan Islands. We would not allow our land neighbors to be exploited as such. If buses flew around the island “observing” local characters with kids selling maps to “resident homes” on every street corner; this would freak us all out. Movie stars put up with this lack of privacy in Hollywood, and it is not fun.  I can at least imagine the whales feel the same.

Might I suggest that it would be best for the whales if we now put aside our petty “first world” differences and all agree to leave them alone. Perhaps make interaction with these beautiful creatures special and not guaranteed for the price of a ticket. In Africa to view mountain gorillas you might spend thousands of dollars to search through the bush for a week and go home with only a postcard. Because the film “Free Willie” shows actors exploiting whales (to save them, of course!), the public feels they deserve to do the same. Unfortunately for the public there are laws that deny them this privilege. They cannot harass whales for the same reason I can’t land a 747 on Hollywood Blvd… Movies are not reality, get over it.

I support no go areas for boats and strict enforcement of present federal regulations. We can all make law enforcement pay attention, and I would hope we make it a badge of courage for local land residents to protect their ocean neighbors, not to exploit them. Visit: www.gaianetwork.net if you want to donate to our cause; services or money. If not, do what you think best… just do something! Be pro-active. Remember, after extinction there is no going back. Then… the finger pointing will expose the dirty truths future generations will shun.

Do not be afraid to stand up for what is right: Armies fighting on many fronts under different tactics and strategies toward the same goal are hard to defeat. We need to only agree on one thing: these whales deserve our immediate concern. Now, do it! Convince your neighbors, and keep up the public outcry to stop any and all harassment of the Southern Resident Orcas.

 

 

It has been a very eye opening summer here in the Northwest working to protect orcas.  Elsewhere so much more is happening worldwide with climate change, mosquito borne viruses, salmon die-offs, droughts ….you name it. I am amazed there are still so many people denying the obvious. We humans need to step up our game in order to secure a future for our children and grandchildren on this planet.  Think of the LORAX.

The question I get all the time is: “what can I do?” I do believe Americans live in a bubble of media fantasy where our single focus is money. Hell, Donald Trump got elected on jobs, jobs, jobs.. Who cares about health care; even though the stress from these jobs is killing us all. Who cares about old age as we will all be rich and have servants to take care of us. NOT!

As my friend the late Doug Thompson used to say: “there are no jobs on a dead planet.” And he is absolutely correct. There will be no “us” on a dead planet either, and it is about time that we all pay attention. I realize it is difficult to grasp such large concepts… like sustaining life on the planet, but really; it’s easy. Biodiversity, Interdependence, Finite resources…. Pretty easy, huh? The next time someone explains to me that technology will save us, I will scream…  Just ask yourself: “How’s technology done so far?”

Stop blaming others… Now is the time to head to the mirror and ask ourselves, what am ”I” doing?  I know that everyone is busy trying to buy the latest fashions, newest cars, and keep up with the trend setters, BUT please stop and take a good look at yourself. What have you done to make this planet a better place? My wildest dream is that I will leave this planet a little better off than when I arrived…

This is a tough task so I have dedicated my life to it.  I was born in the early 50s so blame me.  It is my generation that has done most of the damage, and it is time for us to accept our responsibilities to actually do something to make this right. To those pessimists who think all is lost and prefer to party until the end: if there is a hell, I hope you will spend eternity there. For my fellow pagans who believe that we come from the , and ultimately go back there… I’d rather reside on a living planet into eternity rather than a chunk of charcoal lifelessly orbiting a fading sun.

There are solutions, and we need to begin yesterday or there will be a lifeless tomorrow. I’m just saying…

We at www.gaianetwork.net continue our efforts to help the Southern Resident Orcas avoid extinction. There are a number of things that have to come together for the orcas to actually have a future. I believe their future is our future… Dams need to be dealt with. Salmon farms need to be eliminated from the oceans. Urban waste and run off needs to be eliminated, and human harassment needs to be stopped. It is insanity to think we can tackle all these issues at once, but we can each take on a part… One at a time, and there are plenty of issues to go around. Get involved. My years of experience tell me that my little group we can tackle harassment… and we will try with our newly established Neighborhood Orca Watch.

This last summer when asked to help with the orcas, I felt it would be an easy job. I mean, who doesn’t love orcas? The public forced marine parks to eliminate shows and captures once and for all. The San Juan Islands are home to these magnificent creatures, and certainly share the guilt of their extinction by exploiting them to begin with. First the public allowed the capture of individuals to be turned into performers at public spectacles. Back then these “shows” were justified as educational. Today they are universally condemned. I like to think we’ve evolved. Evolution is a good thing.

I am hoping that the whale watching industry will begin to lead the way and become a part of the solution. They know the laws and they know the whales… why not make it a point to leave them alone and force others to leave them alone too. This summer we had individuals go out as tourists and ran cameras the whole time. I will not beat a dead horse here, but let’s say the laws that exist were not followed. It is hard to dispute video, and instead of placing past blame why can’t we evolve? I’d like to move forward and get everyone on board to try our absolute best to protect one of this islands oldest residents. The Orcas…  Let’s all prove how evolved we can become. Let’s all do what we can to give the southern residents a break.

 

 

It is amazing that as one grows older it becomes more and more evident that our grandmothers were right on so many fronts. The older I become, the more I realize “old wives’ tales, more often than not,  ring true. Funny how that is.

This week we are having small victories on many fronts. Here in Friday Harbor our Neighborhood Orca Watch project is being set up and tested. Although way under-funded, a young student Christian Triana , and other locals have volunteered their time and efforts to get it together. Mike of Mike’s Café & Wine bar is, as always, there for the orcas. We will keep plugging away, and hope to gain volunteers aswe make it happen. We have run our tests and are presently seeking “observation” locations.

The citizens of Lopez Island have worked hard to get a protection bubble around the Southern Resident Orcas on the ballot. To date, they have succeeded against numerous obstacles. Although a lawsuit has even been filed to halt their efforts, I believe in democracy, and hope the good citizens of the San Juan Islands will soon be allowed to speak their minds and protect all local residents. VOTE… what an alien concept.

The Pacific Whale Watch Association appears to continue to survive and thrive although the Southern Residents have been scarce to date. I have not seen the southern residents this summer, but it is rumored that they returned in better shape than when they left. It won’t benefit the San Juans, but I hope these creatures have found a more calm environment to live, and more peaceful areas to forage. They deserve better neighbors… a lesson to all.

The tourists continue to crowd the Island to enjoy nature in all her wonderous glory. It is my  hope they leave with a new appreciation of the wild.  The plight of the Southern Resident Orcas; our fellow planetary citizens have energized so many things in so many ways. This is all good.

I will even give kudus to Lockey Maclean and Pamela Anderson for their efforts to end Salmon Farming in BC. They are both with the Sea Shepherd Society and it is my understanding that the M/V Martin Sheen is showing the flag in support of First Nation’s activism. I am pleased to see they were working with Jared Dick and Roger Dunlap. Both of these gentlemen are on the correct side fighting for the rights of the First Nations and wild salmon. Good on you all.

Even though our good President guts the EPA and other government regulatory organizations… maybe it is time for a citizen epiphany? Maybe it is time to finally figure out that we cannot rely on government to protect our well-being. I know it is governments that regulate our finances, the whole smoke and mirror charade that is the stock market… My question is : can we trust anyone who runs a trillion dollar deficit budget? How anyone can survive running that kind of debt is quite frankly beyond me… I will stick to protecting the oceans. That I understand.

I am asking others to join the mission for wild oceans if wild oceans are important to you. All great movements in history are led by individuals, and when last I looked we are all individuals. Each of us brings our own skills, passions, and talents to the table. Together we make families, clans, tribes, and nations. It is easy to look to others to lead, but we must now more than ever look to ourselves. Each one of us can and must make a difference.

Presently our bitching and basic neglect of what is important is getting us nowhere. Step up and speak up. Be it for humanity, the salmon, or the whales; step up. Now is the time to make a difference. While Mr. Trump manipulates the present day media, why not turn off the TV and look at what is really happening. Are your jobs more secure? How important is nature to my kids? Is the government really watching out for you? Is our consumer society making you happy? Do you really want to eat farmed salmon? Do I need everything wrapped in plastic? These are questions for each and every one of us, each and every day.

I don’t really care how you answer. What I do care about is our environment. OUR environment! I emphasize the word “our” because we need to own it, and take care of it.

Together we can make a huge difference.

Peter Jay Brown

http://www.gaianetwork.net

As orca protection gets debated and thrown around Friday Harbor, the orcas are still suffering.

It is my suggestion that we all stop throwing out excuses and reasons why it is someone else’s problem as the Southern Residents slowly disappear. Oh I am sure that everyone will blame someone else when they are gone, why not take another track?

The Lopez group have accumulated enough signatures to put their orca protection initiative on the November ballot despite litigation being leveled against them to stop. I am not a lawyer, and I don’t even pretend to be one, but what is up with a lawsuit to prevent residents from voting? When I last looked the San Juans were American, so let the residents decide through the ballot box without fear of ending up in court. Our American legal system is such that anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason they want. A large group or corporation with unlimited funds can tie up individuals forever. It costs thousands of dollars to defend yourself, even when you are right. In this case no matter the money spent on either side, it is the whales who will ultimately pay.

The governor’s task force and the recent moves by Canada support giving the orcas a break, but with business interests threatened… lobbyists worked hard behind the scenes to get their way.

While whale watching interests and others will tell you that new law proposals are too broad and unenforceable with no money being committed for enforcement… is this really any reason to drop the efforts? I believe no, it is time to redouble our efforts. A 650 yard bubble around the Southern Residents will make up-close whale watching illegal for now, but maybe… just maybe there will be whales to watch in the future. The humans on Lopez are finally looking forward. What a positive concept!

The “unenforceable” issue always comes up when the public votes for change. It came up when states attempted to outlaw smoking in businesses and even on beaches in California. These laws were deemed unenforceable by law enforcement organizations everywhere. Was this a reason to not have the laws? As it turned out smoking stopped without storm troopers or extra cops. Smoking stopped because the public agreed that eating in smoke polluted restaurants, and drinking in smoke filled bars was something we could all do without.  Peer pressure did the rest. We, the public, can and will enforce regulations by the very fact that they are right. Protecting these whales is simply the right thing to do, and we can do it.

We at gaianetwork.net are presently working with individuals and groups toward “peer” enforcement to end whale harassment. Of course although common sense and much science proves engine noise affects orca communication and inhibits their abilities to live, forage, and reproduce, there are those demanding we all continue to swim against the stream. We, as humans, have the right to exploit nature for education and, of course money… enough said. I disagree.

.We do not propose exemptions for film or even research. There is plenty of “up-close and personal” films and thousands of photos for sale, do we need more? How much more research is really necessary? Yesterday I was accused of harassing whale watchers with drones, and driving around drinking wine and harassing the whale watchers at high speed. THIS WAS NOT US!

We are presently working on a shore based operation called NEIGHBORHOOD ORCA WATCH (N.O.W.) with shore based cameras watching the orca’s feeding areas.  We will not become part of the problem to feather our own nest. Once set up, I am sure there will be criticism no doubt, but we will continue to test our concept and hope to get others to help. By just watching and allowing others to watch through LIVE STREAMING, it is my belief that peer pressure will allow the orcas to survive. It is not the solution, but it is a start. Victoria is finally working at cleaning up their act and treating their sewage with a proposed sewage treatment plant. Maybe we can stop consuming so much plastic, dumping used Prozac and other drugs down the drain, and thinking about what pesticides and poisons we use on our properties. Maybe we can limit our take of chinook salmon both commercially and individually and allow the species to come back. I know dams are an issue, as are other abuses, but all of the above are a start. As Buddha said: all great journeys begin with one step. NOW IS THE TIME to take these baby steps no matter what nay-sayers profess. Locally one must only look at the jet ski ban.

We will all change when the orcas are gone as good reactionary humans, but we need to take proactive measures now. Let’s decide to all stop blaming others and take the little steps we can to make a difference. This is how change begins and how change is sustained.

We will continue to try to keep positive and invite all others to join us. The whale watch industry did not go broke the months the Southern Residents were “missing”. This in a way proves they don’t need to “watch” the Southern Residents, no one does. Take a walk at Lime Kiln park and view  the whales from shore. Instead of being driven to view from high speed boats, take a leisurely walk and view nature as it is meant to be viewed. If you want to get close, watch one of the many films that exist. There is beautiful footage available. Watch it and let the “real” animals survive while they still have a chance. In the end when the orcas are gone, it is this film archive that will be all future generations have. I , for one, do not want this extinction on my watch. Film is not nature…not even close.

Think about our footprint on this planet and we will all be better off for it. Be a part of the solution.

Peter Brown www.gaianetwork.net

As I sit here on the aft deck of the gaianetwork trawler: Wii Seeks, I can watch fireworks from all directions, but it doesn’t take long before I begin to question it all. There we were, blasting sonic booms and showering the local waters with carbon debris, and me enjoying the show immensely. I sat there wondering at my fascination. BUT after my ears were violated, and blast waves began hitting my body, I went for ear plugs, and a heavier coat. After I returned,  I sat and began to wonder about the whales and other wild life.

Do foxes look to the heavens and enjoy the show while explaining to their kids that not all explosions kill you? In Disney’s latest hit, maybe, but in reality no way. House pets run for the hills… if I recall.

Once again, with my butt planted back on the deck bundled in a heavier coat and ear plugs, I had to wonder about the whales.

Now you have to be Neanderthal to not know the whales are highly auditory. Everything they do involves sounds… intricate sounds, some imperceptible to us highly advanced humans. Until recently they were able to communicate across great swathes of ocean. Much like city lights make “star gazing” impossible, and sitting next to a highway makes “listening to nature” futile, the whales can’t talk, hunt, or procreate in marine chaos. Like it or not, we are that chaos.

I’d like to just figure that fireworks are fleeting and cool. They are a great family event that I have in my life often looked back at with love. But birthday’s like the 4^thare times for reflection. Maybe we as a species can change, and all be better off for it? Maybe, just maybe we will learn that greed for money does not bring happiness now or in the future? It just eats things up. Like it or not we only have one earth and no place to go when we wear it out. We need to start thinking conservation, not think of new and better ways to use things up.

I was viewing the local parade, and met a new friend I have made here. He is very political and anti-Trump, but that is not important here… What he said after watching the festivities was:      ” your tribe is heavily represented…” meaning of course, orca lovers. I agreed. Everyone wants to do something, and it is good knowing that locals are doing so many positive things in so many different ways. They are doing important things today, and I was invited here to help out.

Friday Harbor is no different than where I grew up on Cape Cod. I learned quickly that everyone blames someone else. I didn’t have to be a scientist to realize quite quickly that the whales are being exploited by all parties concerned, one way or the other. No blame, fact.

If you don’t know it already, the Southern resident Orcas are missing, and after 60 days of absence, maybe, god forbid, the SOUTHERN RESIDENTS are gone for good? Has business ceased or whale watching operations gone broke?  Is it the end? Questions each one of us can answer.

I would like to believe otherwise, but maybe if one believes as I do that all nature is connected in a biological and spiritual way, maybe these creatures are actually telling us something? Like communicating to us… Maybe it is a warning we should all heed. I’m just saying…..

It is time for change here. Let the public vote on local orca restrictions. It worked for jet skis. I know I am old fashion, but jet skis have no place in nature, just as dune buggies shouldn’t be squashing tortoises in the desert.  We, Americans are one year older. Let’s get smarter.

First let’s hope the Southern Residents return for San Juan’s sake; I just hope they have found a more peaceful place to live.  Whether you see them again or not, I hope this “scare”will wake us all up.

Working with anyone who will have us, we at www.gaianetwork.netare continuing or effort to set up what we are calling NEIGHBORHOOD ORCA WATCH. Our initial tests have been positive and a recent volunteer from UC Santa Cruz has been sorting through IT issues. Other local orca groups have voiced their support and I feel this is a way to help all concerns citizens, whales and humans.  We’re just watching, and you can watch too; we plan to stream LIVE and in LIVING COLOR!

N.O.W. will be operated locally and will be an inclusive and not an exclusive operation when finally functional. All are welcome.

 We will be testing and lining up volunteers over the next month hoping to launch phase one in August.

All donations of cash, time, or professional help will be accepted at www.gaianetwork.net

Thank you

Peter Brown