Program on the Environment

Founded in 1984, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance (Soundkeeper) was the first grassroots citizen’s organization to focus exclusively on protecting the marine environment of Puget Sound. In 1990, Soundkeeper became the 6th licensed member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a national movement founded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Today, over 200 individual Waterkeepers around the world act as stewards for their waterways and defend their communities’ right to clean water. Soundkeeper works to protect and preserve Puget Sound by monitoring, cleaning up and preventing pollutants from entering its waters. To achieve this mission, Soundkeeper actively monitors Puget Sound water quality by boat, enforces the Clean Water Act, engages with stakeholders and regulators and implements solution-oriented partnerships with Puget Sound residents and the business community. For this project, the AmeriCorps member will help coordinate three areas of Soundkeeper’s programs: 1) Soundkeeper Volunteer Trainings. The member will recruit volunteers and organize Soundkeeper Volunteer training events. Soundkeeper Volunteers are trained to recognize, document and report pollution. The member will steward and maintain contact with trained Soundkeeper Volunteers and process submitted reports. 2) Marine Debris Cleanups. The member will recruit volunteers and help organize marine debris cleanups and education/outreach events. Soundkeeper hosts events ranging in size from 20 to over 200 volunteers including corporate employee service days, Duwamish Alive!, the International Coastal Cleanup, the annual Lake Union Sweep and events with local service groups and schools. 3) Pollution Patrols. The member will participate in and coordinate volunteers for Soundkeeper’s weekly kayak and boat patrols. On-water patrols are a vital piece of Soundkeeper’s work. Pollution patrols help connect members of the community to our waterways. They also allow staff and volunteers to act as watchdogs for sources of pollution.