On Tuesday, April 22, the Edmonds Waterfront Center hosted 230 people for its Earth Day event. The headliner was Edmonds resident Annie Crawley, “Ocean Annie” author, teacher, filmmaker, master diver and environmental advocate.

Crawley highlighted the progress made in this county since Earth Day was established in 1970 and pointed to the work that still needs to be done. She used dramatic footage and commentary of whales throughout the world to provide hope and a compelling call to action. The event also included time before and after the program to talk with other area nonprofits committed to protecting sea life and ocean health.

“We are working with Annie on a year-long speaker series to educate and inspire the public to look at their own lives and consider what bold actions they can take to help mitigate climate change,” Edmonds Waterfront Center President and CEO Daniel Johnson said.

Johnson notes that the Edmonds Waterfront Center is a 26,000-square-foot sustainable, LEED Gold building and has a commitment to environmental stewardship. The center is all-electric, with a 305-panel rooftop solar array rated to produce 116kW of power. Globally, buildings generate nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions — even more in densely developed American cities, Johnson said.