What's Wrong with Puget Sound?

A statewide poll taken in November 2006 by Seattle-based Elway Research reported that nearly half the responders thought that Puget Sound was in good or excellent condition. The reality is that Puget Sound is in trouble, and many people don't even realize Puget Sound is polluted. Four million people live in our region, and the cars we drive, the fertilizers we use, the open spaces we pave, even the prescription drugs we take harm the natural balance of the Sound. Puget Sound has suffered from decades of industrial, chemical, municipal, residential and agricultural pollution. Development and growth in the Puget Sound region have led to a loss of fish and wildlife habitat in and around the Sound. The challenges facing Puget Sound will be amplified as the region grows; today approximately 4 million people live in the Puget Sound region, and 5 million are expected by 2010. Washington Governor Chris Gregoire has made cleaning up the Sound a priority for her administration. She has created the Puget Sound Partnership, a state agency created to work collaboratively with all levels of government, tribes, businesses, and citizen groups to restore and preserve the health of Puget Sound. There is some good news: we as individuals can all do things to help. Learn specific things that you can do in the Take Action section of this website.