14 Aug Press Release: NGO’s call on The Nation to End Their Annual Cruise

Press Advisory – For Immediate Release

NGOs Call on The Nation Magazine to Live Up to Progressive Values & End Annual Cruises

Seattle, WA, Coast Salish Territory – Thirty-one organizations, along with cruise activists from around the world, signed on to an open letter to The Nation, which was also shared with the prominent progressive leaders speaking on its 2023 Alaskan cruise. The letter urges the magazine to end its support of the cruise industry, which jeopardizes the climate, pollutes oceans and air, endangers public health, overwhelms destination communities, and exploits its workers.

Passengers on the cruise will be greeted by demonstrators as they depart Seattle on August 13th, at the entrance to Terminal 91 from 11 am – 1 pm. They will also be greeted by demonstrators in Alaska. The letter comes as a growing movement of organizers across the region, and globally, are pushing back against the cruise industry for its many cultural and ecological impacts. 

” ‘Principled. Progressive. The Nation speaks truth to power to build a more just society.’ These claims headline The Nation’s About page. There is little principled, progressive, or just in the modern cruise industry. Cruise is an industry that exploits workers, communities, nature, and even their own customers, all while externalizing and avoiding all possible costs. That The Nation chooses to annually hold events on cruise ships indicates the power of cruise to unfairly compete with shore-based destinations that must pay taxes and comply with stricter laws. We expect and call on The Nation to set a more principled example,” said Karla Hart, Global Cruise Activist Network co-founder and resident of Juneau, Alaska.

“Cruises are known for well-documented labor exploitation in addition to major environmental harms – everything our union stands against,” said CJ Garcia-Linz, President, Progressive Workers Union. “We were shocked to learn Sierra Club’s Executive Director was joining this cruise when local staff have opposed cruise ships for years. This feels confusing when he’s publicly spoken about the intersections of labor and climate, especially following major layoffs and budget cuts at Sierra Club.”  

“At a time when hundreds of millions of people around the world are suffering from climate change-fueled wildfires, smoke, floods, drought, and deadly heat, progressives need to live up to their values and stop patronizing the cruise industry, with its massive carbon footprint. Dragging an entire resort around with you as you travel not only causes widespread harm, it also sends the wrong message to the public,” said Elizabeth Burton, PhD, of Seattle Cruise Control.

“Joining the call to uphold progressive values, we urge The Nation to cease its annual cruises. Cruise industry pollution jeopardizes public health, exacerbates respiratory issues, and often exploits its workers’ physical and mental well-being. As health advocates, we hope The Nation moves forward prioritizing the health of people and the planet.” – James Moschella, MD, Climate and Health Program Manager, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility

Signers of the letter include Friends of the Earth, Center for Biological Diversity, and several units of the Progressive Workers Union, including the National and Chapter units of Sierra Club staff. In addition to over a dozen groups along the Alaska cruise route, support for the letter also came from organizations in Brazil, Australia, The Bahamas, Mexico, Italy, France, and Spain, where Zeroport Barcelona, a platform of 140 collectives, signed on.

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