By Washington State Resilient Habitats Campaign and Go60mpg Campaign

People from all over the world visit Washington to enjoy its majestic old-growth forests, the welcoming waters of Puget Sound and world class outdoor recreation experiences these unique areas provide. We have a legacy that blends the industrial with the natural, giving folks endless opportunities to work hard and play harder.

As oil continues to wash up on the coasts of the Gulf over a year after the BP oil disaster, we are reminded that off-shore oil drilling and our addiction to fossil fuels have already damaged the health of our nation’s environment and economy - and before long, Washington will be hit next.

Oil spills large and small foul Puget Sound, threatening our coastal economies and ecosystems. Future spills are inevitable unless we fight this addiction. We must protect intact habitat and improve our planning and response in the event of a large oil spill. Ultimately, we must transition to clean energy alternatives.

The health of Puget Sound resonated with the more than fifty Puget Sound residents who gathered at Alki Beach on June 25th to commemorate the devastation in the Gulf. Together we encouraged others to remember the dangers oil poses as we advocated for a transition to a clean energy economy.

Just over a week before July 4th, those of us at Alki were joined by Washingtonians at Golden Gardens, Bainbridge Island, and Westport in imploring our leaders to move America beyond its dangerous addiction and claim our nation’s independence from oil.

Washingtonians were part of an international action, known as Hands Across the Sand, to stand against risky practices that threaten fishermen, recreationists, small businesses and wildlife. From the shores of New Zealand to the beaches in Wales, people across the world held hands to remember and to fight against our deadly addiction.

July 4th comes at a moment of opportunity to transition to clean energy alternatives. This summer, the Obama Administration is working on new efficiency standards for cars – and we need to call on our leaders to increase fuel efficiency as one way to reduce our nation’s dependence on oil.

The White House is set to announce new fuel efficiency standards for 2017-2025 this September. The highest standard under consideration, 62 miles per gallon, would cut the average car’s oil consumption by half – here in Washington that would be the equivalent of saving over 3 million gallons of gas in one summer.

At Alki beach and across the state, Washingtonians joined an international chorus decrying those leaders who cave to Big Oil special interests and ignore the health of American families and our environment. Getting at least 60 miles to the gallon in our cars is one solution to begin a clean energy transition that promises to protect Puget Sound and the rest of our nation’s coasts from disastrous oil spills.

As we celebrate our freedom on Independence Day, we should consider our addiction to fossil fuels and how we can declare independence once more.

Visit Go60mpg.org and www.sierraclub.org/habitat to learn more and get involved.

This Op/Ed was co-written by Sierra Club’s Washington State Resilient Habitats Campaign and Go60mpg Campaign.