During the Bush years, Bristol Bay of Alaska was put on the table as a potential energy source, and the powers that were decided to open up the area for drilling. The area, however, is a national treasure, as well as home for many wildlife creatures. It’s the home of sea lions and whales, as well as the world’s largest population of sockeye salmon. Sea otters—a special animal to me ever since my little sister wanted to “adopt” one when we were kids—also call the area home.

Why is it that we humans are always trying to kick our fellow creatures out of their habitats—places where they deserve to live just as much as we do (if not more, since they aren’t the ones destroying other creatures’ habitats, after all)—all so we can use motor vehicles, an outdated form of transportation at best, that are run on petroleum?

It would definitely be in our best interest—as well as the best interest of the rest of the world—to develop renewable energy, electric modes of transportation, and other sustainable means of living if we want to stay here on this planet. It’s something we should have done ages ago, for sure. Will it take a lot of work? Absolutely—but better to toil now to save humankind than run out of oil within our grandchildren’s lifetimes and experience a self-made Armageddon.

But in the meantime, we could at least save the otters, whales, salmon, and other species that call Bristol Bay home. Please sign this petition, hosted by the Defenders of Wildlife, and ask Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to make protecting this bay a high priority.