Just days before Donald Trump contracted COVID-19, the Trump administration overruled the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) science-based recommendation to extend the No Sail Order for cruise ships until February 2021 during a special coronavirus task force meeting. Trump's action clears the way for cruise ships to begin sailing again in U.S. waters starting November 1st – just three weeks from now. Cruising has been on pause since the CDC imposed the No Sail Order after COVID-19 spread rapidly on board ships back in March. This irresponsible decision by Trump could result in a repeat of what happened at the beginning of the year, when cruise ships became a hotbed for the virus – spreading the disease far and wide and stranding thousands at sea for months. But in his selfish attempt to get re-elected, Trump is desperate to minimize the impacts of COVID-19, re-open the economy, and pander to his base – especially in critical swing states like Florida. The CDC recommended extending the No Sail Order into 2021 – citing the virus' severity and how resuming cruising at this stage would burden “public health authorities by creating the need for additional SARS-CoV-2 testing, isolation of infected travelers, contact tracing, and quarantine of exposed people.” But before we got wind of this, Stand.earth and Friends of the Earth delivered a petition with over 50,000 signatures to the CDC, urging it to delay the restart of the cruising in the U.S. In just six weeks, Stand members organized to deliver a powerful message to the CDC by signing petitions, and submitting thousands of unique comments directly to the CDC detailing why it was not safe to resume cruising and spread the word on social media! So, thank you for your dedication and work on this campaign. The fight is not over though. We will continue to hold the cruise industry accountable for the health and safety of its passengers and the environment. Now that Trump has given cruise ships the green light to return to the sea, we will amp up our work to push these companies to achieve zero emissions by 2050, immediately switch to the cleanest fuels available, end the dumping of untreated or poorly treated waste in our oceans, and publicly report on their performance. Because without these actions, cruise companies will continue to harm our planet and increase chances of more pandemics (studies have shown a clear link between climate change and increased risk of pandemics. While Trump ignored science, the CDC didn’t. The CDC stepped up and did the right thing. Let’s show the CDC some appreciation for doing its job to protect public health by recommending an extension of the No Sail Order. Please join us in thanking the CDC for making science-based decisions. Will you take a moment to sign the letter to the CDC and its Director Robert Redfield?
I admit that taking on the entire cruise industry may seem like a daunting task, but at Stand.earth it’s what we are made to do! Campaigns are won because people like you take action and stand up for what’s right. In just six weeks, thousands of Stand members mobilized and convinced the CDC that restarting cruising in a pandemic is not safe. There are unpredictable moments like this one, but our work is not done, and we are ready. Thank you for standing with the oceans, Kendra Ulrich | ||
Stand.earth challenges corporations, industries, and governments to prioritize the well-being of people, our environment, and our climate by creating long-term, effective solutions. None of this work is possible without your support.
San Francisco office: 650 California Street, 7th Floor, San Francisco CA 94108 On traditional Chochenyo and Karkin Ohlone Lands Bellingham office: 1329 N State St., Bellingham, WA 98225 On traditional Lummi and Nooksack Lands Vancouver office: 151 West Hastings Street, Vancouver BC, V6B1H4 On Unceded Territories of the səl̓ílwətaʔɬ, xʷməθkwəy̓əm, and Skwxwú7mesh Nations |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.