Petition: Protect Utah’s Great Salt Lake

Utah’s Great Salt Lake is drying up.  It’s one of the many calamities of Climate change: this year has seen records in the United States for storms, cyclones, and temperature increases.  Wildfires are spreading across the country.  And water shortages are becoming a regular occurrence; the Supreme Court is facing mounting state disputes about water rights.

Utah’s Great Salt Lake, which covers 1,700 square miles, is the biggest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere.  The Lake drying has a direct impact on animals and organisms that depend on it for subsistence.  Ten million birds flock there each year to feed on sea life, and the Lake is a prime breeding ground for pelicans.  There’s another problem too: according to CNN, Utah’s soil is naturally high in arsenic, which washes downstream into the lake.  With the lake drying, arsenic is being released and affecting people’s lungs.

While Climate change is a bigger-picture issue, there are direct actions that Utah can take to protect the Great Salt Lake.  Humans are over-exploiting the Lake by diverting too much water for activities like consumption and farming, and the government can impose more stringent regulations.  Sign this petition urging Salt Lake City officials to implement public education campaigns, standardize and monitor water use by businesses, and raise water utility prices.

To continue speaking up, sign these other petitions as well:

• Call for Restrictions on Corporate Lobbying to Promote Climate Action
• Urge the US Government to Address the Extinction Crisis

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