Mr. George Hansen makes the stretch that birds died because we use gasoline in our cars (“Dead seabirds are the harbinger of a preventable future,” May 28). A few other things to consider:
1) He may want to discard his wetsuit, flip-flops, and sunglasses, which may also contain petroleum.
2) Elevated seawater temperatures may be affected by sub-sea volcanos off Oregon and Washington state. The Humboldt Current switching annually runs north to south and the California Current south to north.
3) Robust populations of marine mammals are depleting fish stocks. While fisheries decline, some marine mammal populations, like California sea lions, are above historic numbers and consume several times more fish (billions of pounds more) than are caught by humans.
4) Studies in the Santa Barbara Channel have found that 4,200 gallons of oil leak from natural seeps daily. Offshore oil production has reduced air emissions from these leaks.
There is far more to this story than what was reported.
Steve Rebuck
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in June 4 – June 11, 2026.
