An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Deep Sea was a missed opportunity to practice good stewardship.

State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen said, “It’s my job!” to handle things like that. She might have been able to see the derelict, sitting in Penn Cove for months, through binoculars from her home on Camano Island, but she didn’t. She also said that mussel farm owner Ian Jefferds didn’t tell her about it, and apparently nobody else did, either, including our two state representatives, who both reside on Whidbey Island, or our county government officials. So, before this turns into the inevitable political football, here’s how I see it.

Somebody should have reported it, just as everybody within sight of beaches all around Puget Sound should be aware of big chunks of Styrofoam and other debris, from Japan or elsewhere, before they get ground to bits by the tides. If it’s small enough, pick it up!

It’s our common backyard, after all. Who should take care of it?

Puget Sound Partnership wants to form a “Working Group” with the “brains and muscle” to “solve the problem.” Forget the brains. Sen. Haugen, high school graduate, says it’s her job to take care of the heavy lifting. Her muscle could be put to better use than finding money to pay for cleanup. I don’t need no stinkin’ working group to figure that out.

Jim Bruner
Oak Harbor