This Friday, Sept. 28 – on International Good Neighbor Day – community members, youth and public officials will walk side-by-side in an open and honest dialogue from the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden to the Port of Seattle.
The purpose of the 12-mile ‘Mira’s Walk for AIR (Aviation Industry Redemption)’ from SeaTac to the Port of Seattle – organized in 12 one-mile “legs” and joinable at any one of a dozen gathering points along the way – is to educate and motivate people into taking actions to improve the situation.
They’ll examine problems and discuss solutions to the impacts of the airline industry on human and environmental health.

  • Mira’s Walk for AIR (Aviation Industry Redemption) will start at 2 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 28 at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden (map below), and will end at the Port of Seattle at 8 p.m.
  • It will include stops at Boeing, the Connections Museum, Starbucks Headquarters, and KING5 News.
  • There will be 12 legs to this walk, with each walk examining a different problem and a different solution around the aviation industry.
  • Walk one mile, 4 miles, or all 12.

This “Walk and Talk” was orchestrated by SeaTac dad of two, Kent Palosaari, his seven-year-old daughter, Mira, and a team of concerned citizens, many of whom are from communities impacted by flight paths, pollution and noise from SeaTac.
Kent is reaching out to local and state elected officials, and Port of Seattle officials to walk and talk with concerned citizens in a search for innovative and community-friendly solutions around the negative impacts that the airport has on surrounding communities. He hopes that this will be a concrete step to validate the Port’s claim that they want to be better neighbors to airport communities. What better day than International Good Neighbor Day to start that relationship? He will be bringing a lasagna to the Port, and encourages others to share baked goods with their neighbors, as is customary on this annual day. People are encouraged to join in the walk and to bring baked goods to share with fellow marchers as well as people they meet along the way. The goal is to begin to care for one another.
As the local therapist and father to a new baby boy says, “We must work on this together. I worry most about the impacts on the children. It takes a village to make a problem, and I believe it takes a village to solve it.”
Kent adds:

“When I moved to SeaTac 12 years ago, I thought the only problem would be the noise. The sound of planes gets louder than a chainsaw every day. After becoming a father, I realized there are far more serious risks the airport showers on SeaTac and other nearby communities. Experts are telling me this may include prominently shorter life spans, infertility, dramatically increased risk of heart disease, brain tumors and cancers. I know there is a problem, and I know I need to take action to find solutions. This documentary is part of what I can do, so that others are encouraged to take action as well.“

Here’s a trailer for this project:

For a full schedule, and to join the discussion anywhere enroute, visit mirasgarden.org, the documentary, for more information.
The Highline SeaTac Community Garden is located at 13735 24th Ave S.: