By Lindsay Peyton

SeaTac resident Kent Palosaari has worked as a licensed counselor, specializing in helping couples and marriages stay together, for the past 20 years.

Recently, he has focused on a whole different kind of consulting practice -- one that seeks to find common ground between the airport and people who live nearby.

Palosaari is convinced that his unique skill set could come in handy. “I don’t take sides, when couples come to my practice,” he said. “I coach them to understand, to listen to each other, and make them realize they’re not enemies. And that’s the approach I want to take with this.”

For the past two years, Palosaari has advocated for greater awareness of pollution and health concerns associated with Seattle’s growing airport. He even started working on a documentary on the subject.

The film is inspired by his 7-year old daughter Mira. Whenever she plays outside, he worries that she will be exposed to dangerous toxins released from planes flying overhead.

The documentary is entitled “Mira’s Garden.” Already, Palosaari has spoken to government officials and local residents about the issue.

His film team is primarily composed for youth and young adults, ages 7-25 from educational institutions including Highline College, Western Washington University, University of Washington, Seattle Film Institute, Puget Sound Skills Center, the Waskowitz Environmental Leadership and Service program and Big Picture High School.  

Filmmaker Khemarintr Suwanchote, with Lightform Film, has also joined the project.

Suwanchote lives in SeaTac and noticed how airport growth resulted in trees being cut down in his neighborhood. “If no one says something, they’ll tear them all down,” he said. “I’d like to say something.”

He’s been working with Palosaari for almost a year now and his interest has continued to grow while working on the film.

“I’m passionate about doing good for our area,” Suwanchote said. “I’m just trying to make sure that we make a difference fast enough.”

To draw more attention to the issue, Palosaari is organizing a 12-mile walk-and-talk from SeaTac to downtown Seattle on International Good Neighbor Day, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28. 

The goal is to get citizens walking alongside various experts and legislators and for all to discuss possible solutions during the trek.

“People can choose to walk a specific mile, a four-mile segment or all 12 miles,” Palosaari said.

His own awareness of airport pollution has increased since he has started working on this project. “To a certain degree, I didn’t want to know,” he admitted. “We want to know just as much as we can so we can sleep at night.”

But the issue was too big to ignore. “That’s why I’m doing the documentary,” he said. “I wanted to give this the time it deserves.”

And he wonders every day if he is safe living so close to the airport.

“Rather than move to another place, I want to make this place better,” he said.