The environment doesn't need any more threats to its safety, but unfortunately, this isn't its lucky day.
Donald Trump just signed yet another executive order attacking the environment - specifically,
the ocean floors, where he wants to increase mining.Sign the petition to protect our Earth and its wild creatures by demanding an end to deep-sea mining!Under Trump's new executive order, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is supposed to speed up its approval of permits that will allow companies to ransack seabeds for mineral extraction.
This is obviously deeply harmful to marine ecosystems.
Mining is an incredibly disruptive and poisonous activity. It creates all sorts of pollution - from possible leaks of fossil fuels and toxic chemicals that are used to forcibly extract minerals from the Earth, to artificial light pollution from ships' illuminated equipment, to the horrible noise pollution that can throw off entire wildlife species' ability to navigate their own watery homes.
The "sediment plumes" it creates can also smother and kill off sensitive - and important - habitats like coral reefs, which are already suffering. And, of course, the actual mining process itself can just directly come in and
destructively wipe out whole ecosystems.As Jeff Waters, vice-president for external affairs at the Ocean Conservancy, has explained:
"The harm caused by deep-sea mining isn't restricted to the ocean floor: it will impact the entire water column, top to bottom, and everyone and everything relying on it." In fact, it's so damaging that upwards of 30 countries around the world - and even multiple auto companies, tech companies, and trade organizations for fisheries - are
calling for a pause on seabed mining. Unfortunately, multiple
other tech companies and even the U.S. military, disagree. Deep-sea mining has ignited their hunger for access to more minerals like cobalt, nickel, and manganese.
Trump's executive order would not only hurt the Earth and the oceans, but it would also hurt all wildlife that lives there - and humans, too.
But this greedy, profit-motivated administration doesn't care. Trump is more than happy to sell out our wildlife, our environment, and our future if it'll make corporations more money.Help us protect the Earth, dolphins, sea turtles, fish, and more by loudly opposing deep-sea mining! Sign the petition to demand the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration refuse to grant any further seabed mining permits!