Senator Mark Hanna said, “There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money, and I can’t remember what the second one is.” His words, spoken more than a century ago, reign true in today’s political sphere as they did back then.

Money fuels American politics. It lets people share ideas, run campaigns, and amplify voices in government. Yet, when left unchecked, money can buy influence, reshape priorities, and hand control to the wealthiest players and corporations at the table. Lobbying is a central aspect of this dynamic.

In theory, it is a way for citizens, organizations and businesses to petition their government. In practice, lobbying has been shaped by moneyed interests, often down right corruption and scandal, and shifting laws meant to keep it in check. The history of lobbying in America is a constant battle of influence and regulation, and it is ongoing.  

What is Lobbying? What makes a Lobbyist?

Lobbying refers to the art of trying to influence government actions through written or spoken communication. However, not everyone who talks to a politician is a lobbyist. A regular citizen calling their representative to hear their point of view, or lawmakers rallying support for their bills, or staffers working behind the scenes are not lobbyists. 

Today, lobbyists are defined as those who spend more than 20% of their time lobbying others for pay. Though states differ in how exactly they define lobbying and lobbyists, all require registration and transparency. 

Origins of Lobbying

Lobbying has been woven into the American political system since the very beginning. The First Amendment promises the “right of the people to petition their government”. 

At the time it was not about professional lobbyists but a simple promise that citizens could bring their concerns directly to their leaders. After independence, Congress regularly considered bills born from citizen petitions, giving early Americans faith that their voices could shape law. 

While the Founding Fathers possessed remarkable foresight, they could not have fully anticipated the trajectory of the United States centuries later and how the wording of the Constitution could be twisted. Over time, lobbying has stretched far beyond this idea of handwritten petitions, becoming a professional industry that can amplify voices, open doors, and sometimes bend power toward those with the most resources.

The First “Lobbyist”

The first recorded lobbyist, William Hull, was hired by Virginia veterans of the Continental Army to persuade Congress to grant them additional compensation. His efforts were completely legal under the First Amendment and set a precedent that citizens and groups could directly push for changes in public policy. 

By the mid-1800s, lobbying was far from subtle. Samuel Colt, inventor of the famous Colt revolver, handed out firearms to lawmakers – even to a 12-year-old son of one Congressman — to push for a patent extension. 

During the Gilded Age money and politics became inseparable. Sam Ward, nicknamed the “King of the Lobby,”, charmed legislators with lavish dinners, fine wines, and witty conversation. He openly admitted to bribery when questioned by Congress. 

“I do not say I am proud — but I am not ashamed — of the occupation,” Ward declared.

First Attempts at Regulation

As lobbying gained influence, concerns over transparency grew. In 1938, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) required anyone lobbying on behalf of foreign governments to disclose their activities. This was passed partly out of fear that Nazi propaganda might seep into American politics.

Eight years later, Congress turned its attention to domestic lobbying with the 1946 Lobbying Registration Act. This law required anyone spending 50% their paid time directly lobbying the federal government to register and file quarterly reports. While groundbreaking for its time, the act left loopholes that lobbyists quickly learned to exploit, particularly by avoiding direct, in-person lobbying that the law explicitly targeted.

In 1954, the Supreme Court narrowed the law further in United States v. Harriss, ruling that only lobbyists who met lawmakers in person and tried to influence a specific bill had to register. This opened the door for many to quietly operate off the radar. 

Scandals & Crackdowns

For decades, lobbying largely escaped serious reform. That changed in the 1990s, when scandals exposed just how little oversight existed. 

In 1995, President Bill Clinton signed the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA). This legislation redefined a lobbyist as anyone spending at least 20 percent of their time lobbying and introduced new restrictions on former government officials entering the industry. It also imposed significant penalties, including fines up to $200,000 and prison sentences up to five years for violations. The LDA attempted to close the “revolving door” that allowed public officials to transition seamlessly into lucrative lobbying roles.

Old habits die hard. In the early 2000s, lobbyist Jack Abramoff became the face of corruption in Washington by defrauding Native American tribes and bribing politicians to secure favorable legislation. His scandal exposed widespread unethical lobbying practices, leading to his 2006 guilty plea and prison sentence.

His conviction shook public confidence and prompted Congress to pass the 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act,, which tightened gift rules and doubled reporting requirements.

The Birth of The “Unlobbyist”

Even with new rules, lobbying didn’t disappear, but it adapted. The late 2000s and early 2010s saw a rise in “unlobbyists” who acted like lobbyists but avoided registration by calling themselves consultants, advisers, or strategists.

Former members of Congress and high-ranking officials often moved into these roles, influencing policy without triggering disclosure requirements. This cycle is coined the “revolving door”.  Some, like former Senator Chris Dodd, became high-profile advocates for industries while remaining officially unregistered.

Chris Dodd avoided registering as a lobbyist by exploiting loopholes in the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA), which requires registration only if an individual spends at least 20% of their time making lobbying contacts, earns certain fees from lobbying, and has multiple lobbying contacts. 

By framing his role as a “government affairs” or “policy adviser” position rather than direct lobbying, and by spending less than the threshold time on explicit lobbying activities, Dodd avoided the legal requirement to register as a lobbyist while still influencing policy as head of the Motion Picture Association of America. This practice, known as “shadow lobbying,” is common among former lawmakers who use their influence without triggering disclosure rules. Chris Dodd was never convicted of any lobbying-related crimes. He received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Joe Biden in 2025. 

A Quieter, But Still Powerful Force

Reported lobbying spending peaked in 2010 at $3.6 billion, and has begun a slow decline ever since. Stricter rules, a sluggish economy, and a less active Congress pushed firms to shift resources to grassroots organizing, social media campaigns, and public relations efforts, which often fall outside disclosure laws.

On paper, lobbying may be shrinking. In reality, it’s simply changing form. The players are still there, the money still flows, and the influence remains. 

Increasingly Super PACs, formally known as “independent expenditure-only committees,” which emerged prominently after the 2010 Supreme Court Citizens United decision, allow unlimited fundraising and spending by corporations, unions, and individuals for political campaigns independent of candidate coordination. 

This has substantially amplified the role of money in politics and represents another powerful force influencing elections and policymaking outside traditional lobbying structures. Super PACs now play a worrying role as a parallel channel for political influence worth mentioning in any discussion of modern lobbying and political spending

Lobbying has worn many faces, some noble, some notorious, but it is a form of politician posturing and persuasion that has survived every attempt to rein it in.  When money flows without accountability, it can bend priorities away from the public good toward those with the deepest pockets. 

The question today isn’t whether lobbying will disappear. It’s whether the balance between influence and transparency will tilt toward a healthier democracy or a system where the loudest voices are still the ones with the deepest pockets.

Join us at EARTHDAY.ORG in standing up for the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA faces attacks that could weaken protections for clean air and safe drinking water, putting our communities and future generations at risk. If you are in the U.S., we need your voice. Add your name to our public comments on the EPA’s intentions to gut the agency’s ability to regulate pollution due to climate change, also known as the Endangerment Finding.

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This Women’s Equality Day, let’s  talk about something that deserves way more attention than it gets: what’s really in our period products. Yep, we’re going there because it turns out that those everyday pads, tampons, and even period underwear we rely on every month might be doing more than just soaking up flow. 

Recent studies have uncovered something pretty unsettling: many feminine hygiene products contain harmful plastic chemicals, including a group called PFAS; short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These are notoriously called “forever chemicals” because once they’re in your body, they stick around for a long time. Testing revealed that 48% of pads, 22% of tampons, and a whopping 65% of period underwear contained PFAS. These chemicals have been linked to hormonal disruptions, fertility issues, immune system suppression, and even certain cancers. 

So the question is: why are corporations allowed to put chemicals like these into our bodies with ​​little oversight– and why does the FDA turn its head? 

Invisible Ingredients, Real Risk

The global feminine hygiene market is valued at over $4.5 billion in the US alone, making pads and tampons not just necessities, but big business. With big business comes big secrets. Despite their massive market stake, most companies disclose little to nothing about what’s inside their products. 

Independent testing has revealed what’s hiding in them: carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxins, and allergens. Vaginal and vulvar tissue is far more absorbent than skin, meaning chemicals in period products can enter the bloodstream quickly. The very products designed for intimate health may actually compromise it. 

The kicker is; the FDA regulates these items as medical devices, not consumer goods. That classification exempts them from the labeling requirements we expect from everyday items like cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, and over the counter drugs. Companies can voluntarily disclose ingredients, but most do not. Consumers are left in the dark about what they are putting into their bodies. 

The Additives No One Asked For

Pads and tampons aren’t just cotton anymore. The market thrives on engineering products with advanced polymers, nonwovens, adhesives, and fragrances – none of which are there for your health. Fragrances, for instance, contain dozens of disclosed chemicals designed to “mask odor”, but in reality, they disrupt pH levels, upset bacterial balance, and can lead to infection, and then more stink. It creates a mean cycle. 

And then there’s microplastics – tiny fragments that don’t biodegrade and accumulate in the body over time. Studies suggest that they may disrupt hormones and contribute to long-term health problems as well. When you use an “Ultra-thin” pad or “super-absorbant” tampon, think about the cocktail of synthetic fibers and plastic that stick around in you long after you toss them out. 

What’s marketed as comfort and innovation comes at the expense of transparency and safety. 

Pads Outlive People 

The same plastics and chemicals don’t just vanish after we’re done with them. The average person who menstruates will use up to 17,000 tampons or pads in their lifetime. With most pads made of nearly 90% plastic and tampons often wrapped in plastic applicators and packaging, the waste adds up. A single pad can take 500–800 years to decompose, meaning one person’s lifetime of period product waste will outlast them for centuries. Tampon applicators and wrappers disposed improperly pollute oceans and beaches, while microplastics leach toxins into soil and waterways. In short: the very products meant to manage a natural cycle are helping fuel an unnatural environmental crisis.

The Cost of Bleeding

Here’s the other piece of the puzzle: not everyone has the luxury of choice. While some people can debate whether to buy organic cotton tampons, 500 million people lack access to basic menstrual products altogether. This lack doesn’t just affect hygiene, but it ripples into education, work, and health.

Missing school or work because of a period reinforces cycles of poverty and stigma. And when low-income communities do have access, it’s often to the cheapest, disposable products ,that not only generate mountains of waste, but also tend to have more toxic chemicals, fragrances, and plastics than higher-quality or reusable alternatives. Health inequality becomes environmental inequity. 

Some governments are stepping up. Scotland now provides free products for all, and Kenya eliminated the tampon tax altogether back in 2004. Most of the world, unfortunately, has not caught up. Even fewer governments actively encourage sustainable, non-toxic menstrual product options.

Breaking the Cycle 

Period products shouldn’t come with hidden risks, toxic chemicals, and a side of climate destruction. Yet here we are, operating in a market that prioritizes profit over health. 

The good news? Change is possible. Stronger federal laws, like New York’s disclosure act, could pull back the curtain on what’s really in these products. Transparency would put pressure on companies to clean up their act. 

In the meantime, don’t panic: just get picky. Look for brands that are transparent about their ingredients and free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and chlorine bleaching. Explore reusable or organic options where possible. Bonus: many of these choices are also more eco-friendly and budget-friendly in the long run.

Periods are already enough to deal with. Toxic chemicals, corporate secrecy, and environmental destruction shouldn’t be part of the package. Period.

You can help make a difference – sign EARTHDAY.ORG’s petition for the Global Plastics Treaty. Help stop plastic pollution and protect both people and the planet. 

It’s not just our bodies under attack, it is the Environmental Protection Agency too. If you care about the environment, and are in the U.S., we need your voice. Add your name to our public comments on the EPA’s intentions to gut the agency’s ability to regulate pollution due to climate change, also known as the Endangerment Finding. 

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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Watching the news feels as if we’re living through “once-in-a-century” storms again and again. Well, we are, and the pace and severity of these weather events is only accelerating. In this reality, accurate forecasting and effective warning systems are not just helpful, but essential.

Who is Watching the Weather? 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, has long been the nation’s weather brain. They monitor everything from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean, delivering life-saving forecasts through the National Weather Service (NWS). Supported by a workforce that once included 12,000 experts, NOAA uses advanced research, satellites, and high-tech instrumentation to keep the public prepared for disaster. Its forecasts guide decisions for emergency managers, city officials, farmers, pilots, and families planning their daily lives. 

These efforts extend beyond national borders. NOAA collaborates globally to improve forecasting and respond to environmental challenges that threaten both natural ecosystems and human life. 

Now, NOAA is facing a storm of its own. Proposed budget cuts reduce NOAA’s funding by $1.5 billion, a staggering 24% drop. The fallout is already unfolding, as nearly 1,000 NOAA employees have been lost this year alone, including over 600 from the NWS. Local forecast offices are just scraping by. Some are operating overnight with skeleton crews, others are missing senior meteorologists critical for coordinating with live-saving emergency responses.

As climate chaos accelerates, our forecasting tools are being deserted. Federal budget cuts have already gutted NOAA’s public education team at Climate.gov, leaving millions without clear guidance on extreme weather. Plans to eliminate hurricane research labs in Miami threaten to reduce storm forecast accuracy by up to 40%, a downgrade with an estimated loss of $10 billion each hurricane season. NOAA’s greenhouse gas emissions monitoring network, which has tracked greenhouse gas emissions for decades, is on the chopping block as well. This isn’t just a loss of data, it’s a loss of foresight, safety, and resilience. Without climate science, we lose the ability to prepare for what is coming.

Forecasts aren’t just about whether to grab a jacket or umbrella. Accurate forecasting has become an essential line of defense. When this system is funded and fully staffed, forecasts do more than inform – they save lives. 

Warning Systems Save Lives – When They’re Funded  

When weather data goes down the drain, so does our ability to see the storm coming. And the storms? They’re not waiting.  

Each year, the United States faces an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 5,000 floods, 1,300 tornadoes, and multiple hurricanes – not to mention droughts, wildfires, monsoons, and extreme heat. Weather, water, and climate-related events account for about 650 deaths and $15 billion in damages annually. They are also responsible for nearly 90% of all presidentially-declared disasters. 

That’s where the National Weather Service comes in. They issue over 1.5 million forecasts and 50,000 warnings each year, translating complex data into life-saving alerts – whether it’s a phone buzz, a flashing highway sign, or a siren that jolts you out of bed. 

When warnings work, they really work. Take Hurricane Debby in 2024 for example: thanks to accurate, early forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico, hundreds of offshore oil platform workers were evacuated and cargo ships were steered clear of danger. Just one day of early warning can reduce storm-related damage by up to 30%. In emergencies, minutes matter and they save lives. 

But when systems break down, the consequences are chilling. When Hurricane Joaquin struck in 2015, the cargo ship El Faro sailed straight into its path, despite worsening weather conditions. All 33 crew members aboard were lost. The investigation revealed gaps in both forecast communication and access to timely weather updates — a haunting reminder of how high the stakes are.

The bottom line; these alerts are only as good as the infrastructure behind them. If we lose the satellites, the software, and the senior meteorologists, we lose the headstart. 

Investing in Survival: Weather Data as Public Infrastructure  

About one-third of the US economy – a staggering  $3 trillion – is weather and climate sensitive. Flights, freight, food, festivals, and fishermen all rely on accurate forecasts to keep things running safely and smoothly. 

Take agriculture: it lives and dies by the weather report. Farmers rely on up-to-date weather predictions to know when to plant, irrigate, harvest, or batten down the hatches. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, wildfires, floods, and heatwaves in 2024 alone caused over $20.3 billion in ag-related losses. With reliable forecasts, growers can brace for impact and adapt. Without them, they’re left exposed, risking their livelihoods and the stability of our food systems. 

Then there’s aviation, where weather intel isn’t just useful, it’s essential. Every takeoff and landing hinges on knowing what’s brewing above. Weather causes 22% of aviation accidents and over 74% of flight delays over 15 minutes. Advanced tools like Global High-Resolution Atmospheric Forecasting (GRAF) and Terminal Airspace Convective Risk (TrACR) help pilots navigate turbulence, fog, volcanic ash, and storms, keeping passengers safe and flights on schedule.

If you own a home, weather forecasting hits even closer to home – literally. NOAA’s decision to stop updating its billion-dollar disaster database after 2024 could impact your wallet. This public data set has long helped insurers assess risk from wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural hazards — all of which are growing more frequent and intense. Without it, insurance companies may turn to fragmented private data, leading to higher premiums, dropped coverage, or canceled policies. Suddenly, protecting your home or car from climate chaos becomes a lot more expensive. 

While NOAA might not be armed, wear a uniform or carry a badge, it’s the quiet backbone of US national security. Its data supports submarine navigation, sonar accuracy, and naval missions in shifting environments like the Arctic. It also underpins a seafood industry that employs over 2 million and rakes in over $300 billion every year. Tourism also thrives on sunny skies and accurate updates, as a bad storm without warning can shut down ski resorts, beaches, and whole vacation economies. Beyond the economy, NOAA keeps tabs on ocean temperatures, air quality, wildfire risk and habitat conditions critical for marine ecosystems, public health, and climate resilience. 

NOAA does more than predict the weather, it helps keep the country running. From guiding flights and protecting farms to securing coastlines and supporting public health, its data quietly powers the systems we depend on everyday. Investing in NOAA is investing in the safety, stability, and future of our communities.

The Sky is Warning Us – Are We Listening? 

The devastating floods in Texas are a heartbreaking example. More than 100 people lost their lives during sudden, merciless flash floods. But the failure wasn’t just nature’s fury, it was also a lack of preparation. At the time, critical positions at the San Antonio National Weather Service office were vacant, and outdoor sirens, which could have warned residents to seek higher ground, were never installed in the most impacted areas. City officials claimed the topography made them less effective, but the real reason came down to budget: they cost “too much”.

Forecasting and emergency response go hand-in-hand. We need trained meteorologists to interpret storm data and issue timely alerts, and we need public safety officials with the resources to deliver those alerts through sirens, signage, push notifications, or door-to-door evacuations. It’s a chain of protection, and every link matters.

For millions of people in the U.S, a forecast is about survival, not just what clothes we will wear that day. But precision forecasting doesn’t fall from the sky. It takes science, technology, research, but first and foremost, adequate funding. 

The skies are warning us — will we fund the people who listen and will we act in time to save lives?

This research is not “climate alarmism”, it’s a scientific consensus backed by decades of data. Greenhouse gas emissions are only increasing, and they are accelerating the frequency and intensity of extreme weather, putting millions of lives and livelihoods at risk. 

Join us at EARTHDAY.ORG in the fight to reduce carbon emissions and build a future rooted in renewable energy. By sending a letter, you can urge your elected officials to commit to clean energy solutions, reduce the impacts of climate change, and extreme weather events.

We also need you to help with the current threats to the EPA. Tell Congress we expect them to protect clean air and clean water for all  and to fight back, you can write to them here.  Demand that Administrator Zeldin abandon this reckless plan here and tell President Trump that our children deserve better here.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org.Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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In 2021, France made headlines by banning cetacean captivity and marine life performances. Though this is a step in the right direction, four years later two orcas, Wikie and her 11 year old son Keijo, along with 12 bottlenose dolphins, remain trapped in deteriorating, algae-filled tanks at Marineland in Antibes in the South of France. 

Despite the park’s closure to the public, these animals are still confined, isolated, stressed, and vulnerable. With recent orca deaths already devastating this already small group, the time for action is now. As their health and lives hang in the balance, it’s time to confront a harsh truth: whales and dolphins cannot thrive in captivity. 

Here are six clear reasons why they should never be held in tanks:

1) Big Brains, Small Tanks

If brain size was the ultimate IQ test, whales would outsmart humans by far. Though size of an animal’s brain does not directly correlate to intelligence, whales possess one of the largest and most sophisticated brains in the animal kingdom. 

Whales are cultural creatures and social learners with unique dialects, greeting ceremonies, and hunting strategies passed down through generations. They form close family bonds, tend to injured pod mates, and even show signs of profound grief. These are intelligent, emotional, socially complex mammals that deserve our respect and our compassion. 

None of their brilliance thrives behind glass. When in captivity, whales have been found to suffer mentally through stress, boredom and lack of mental stimulation- as their tanks are sterile and empty. They often present this stress by constantly gnawing on the side of their tanks as well as the metal  bars and grates that trap them which often leads to serious dental issues and pain. 

Neuroscientist Dr. Lori Marino states that orcas’ “intelligence” can be a liability as they cope with life in an artificial habitat. In other words, the very intelligence that makes whales so extraordinary also makes them more vulnerable to psychological breakdown when their needs are denied. 

2) Tanks Can’t Hold Wild Instincts 

In the open ocean, whales can swim up to 100 miles per day, dive hundreds of feet, and reach speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. In captivity, they’re lucky to swim in a straight line for a few seconds before hitting a wall, let alone reach the high speeds and distances their bodies are made to travel. 

Whales that would naturally venture across vast seascapes are left floating, circling, or lying still out of boredom. Hand fed by humans, they are denied the chance to hunt, forage, and explore. There is no current to follow, no depth to dive, and no real space to roam. In captivity, their natural instincts are suppressed and the world becomes shallow—literally and figuratively. 

3) Marine Captivity Tear Families Apart

In the wild, whales and dolphins don’t just survive in groups, they thrive in close-knit communities. Dolphins live in pods of up to 30 and form strong ties. Orcas stay even closer to their family units, as sons and daughters remain with their mothers for life. 

From hunting and playing, to raising their young and protecting one another, their social connections are everything. Whales don’t just coexist with each other, they pick favorites. Scientists have observed whales forming close friendships based on age, sex, and personality. Those they swim with are not just other whales, but beings they chose and care about. 

Captivity strips that connection away. Marine parks shuffle and trade whales between parks like baseball cards. Random orcas from different regions and ecotypes are crammed together. Bonds are broken, calves are separated from their mothers, and whales are denied the comfort of familiarity. With no shared language or social norms, distress is inevitable. 

4) It’s Dangerous, For Whales and For Humans 

When sanity slips away, peace rarely follows. Captive whales are forced into artificial social groups with nowhere to escape. Without the space to cool off or the shared communication needed to resolve disputes, aggression festers. Whales have been known to rake each other with their teeth, slam themselves into walls, and suffer open wounds and torn fins

This aggression doesn’t stop at the tank’s edge. There have been multiple cases of captive whales violently injuring or killing trainers out of stress, confusion, or frustration. 

Do not get it twisted, whales are not naturally aggressive. Whales very rarely  intentionally harm humans in the wild. The aggression we see in captivity isn’t their nature, but it is a reaction to their environment. 

5) Shorter Lives and More Suffering 

In the wild, orcas can live to their 60s and even 80s. In captivity? Many die before they reach 20. Despite claims of top-tier veterinary care and round-the-clock supervision, a peer reviewed study found that captive orcas die at 2.5 times the rate of their wild counterparts. 

Why? Chronic stress. 

Stress weakens the immune system, making whales much more vulnerable to disease. Tooth decay, infections, collapsed dorsal fins, ulcers, and chronic immune system issues are quite common in these concrete enclosures. Illness, compounded with the boredom and monotony of tank life makes thriving for captive whales impossible. 

6) Profit, Not Preservation 

Behind smiling trainers and choreographed splashes, Marine Parks sell entertainment disguised as education. Touch tanks, ‘swim with dolphins’ programs, and orca performances may seem harmless or educational, but they invade the already limited world of aquatic animals. 

Captive whales and dolphins are trained to perform tricks that have no relevance to their natural behavior or educate in any meaningful way. Whether it be waving, jumping through hoops, or ‘kissing’ audience members, these actions are not rewarded because they help the animals, but because they amuse paying customers and earn the whales food. 

Real conservation happens in the wild, through habitat protection, rehabilitation programs, and research. Captivity serves human curiosity and corporate profit, not the whales or the dolphins. 

Wikie’s brother, Inouk, and firstborn son, Moana, have already died in the last  18 months. We cannot let Wikie, Keijo, and the other dolphins suffer the same fate. Join EARTHDAY.ORG and send a letter now to urge President Macron to take immediate action and give these whales a better life they desperately deserve. 

William Shatner has already joined the campaign to save these animals. You can watch his full statement here. Please repost and share his message far and wide and let Wikie and Keijo, and the 12 bottle nose dolphins, know that we have not forgotten their plight. Want to act? Send a letter to President Macron and urge him to save these animals.

This article is available for republishing on your website, newsletter, magazine, newspaper, or blog. The accompanying imagery is also cleared for use. Please ensure that the author’s name and their affiliation with EARTHDAY.ORG are credited. Kindly inform us if you republish so we can acknowledge, tag, or repost your content. You may notify us via email at davies@earthday.org or fielder@earthday.org. Want more articles? Follow us on substack.

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