Islanders who use well water know that a small plumbing fault, such as a running toilet, left unattended for long enough can run a well dry. Wells near the shoreline can be ruined by saltwater intrusion when they are over pumped. Thus, given enough time, a seemingly small plumbing fault can cause major expense to the well owner and damage the aquifer. Ignoring small problems can have large consequences.

Following World War II the development of synthetic petroleum-based chemicals for home use accelerated, and the accumulation of tiny insults to our environment began. We mostly viewed these chemicals as positive additions to our lives until Rachel Carson published Silent Spring about the devastation caused by DDT on bird populations.

Today, we are slowly moving towards Silent Seas that are devoid of fish, orca whales, seals, and sea birds. Seemingly insignificant doses of synthetic chemicals are transported by storm water into our wetlands, streams, lakes, and marine waters. If we continue to deny our impact as homeowners on our environment, our seas will eventually become dominated by the slow pulse of jellyfishes and the ebb and flow of toxic red tides.

This is why we must wake up and accept the necessity of broader buffers between human development and the Critical Environmental Areas. This is why we must update our Critical Areas Ordinance.

As John Evans says, balance is important. But we have not lived in balance with our environment. The decline of Chinook Salmon, orca whales, and other once abundant creatures is unmistakable evidence that we have thoughtlessly adopted synthetic chemicals as benign inventions.

Please look for plant-based cleaning products and shampoos. These natural chemicals are readily biodegraded and will help heal our environment. Practice organic gardening. For those people who are uninformed or who do not care, broader buffers are essential to reverse the long history of environmental decline.

Janet Alderton

Orcas Island