As millions of Americans prepare to watch the NFL’s season finale this weekend (despite most Saints fans boycotting it after an egregious “no call” in the Rams playoff game), a group of Louisiana children have been preparing an important message for state policymakers and election candidates – one that will air on local TV stations during Sunday’s big game.

The kids are using the ad to draw attention to a land loss crisis. Coastal Louisiana loses a football field of land to the Gulf of Mexico every 100 minutes because of the way the land and the Mississippi River have been managed, and now because of sea level rise.

Watch now, share with friends, and if you are from Louisiana, pledge your support for restoring the Louisiana coast at

RestoreTheCoast.org.

To highlight the urgent need for coastal restoration, the Restore the Mississippi River Delta coalition worked with this charming and diverse group of children from across South Louisiana to produce the ad. The coalition includes Environmental Defense Fund, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana.

After Sunday’s game, the ad will run for six weeks in Louisiana, accompanied by an online campaign at RestoreTheCoast.org.

It’s past time for a comeback in Louisiana

We can’t wait for these kids to grow up. This is a generation whose future is at risk if we don’t act now to address this coastal land loss crisis.

As Madeline Heyman, a 13-year-old New Orleans native and one of the starts in the commercial, said, “This is our future. Without action, our home and our state are in danger.”

To date, Louisiana has lost 2,000 square miles of land. Without action, Louisiana may lose up to an additional 4,000 square miles over the next 50 years. Louisiana loses a football field of land to the Gulf of Mexico every 100 minutes. Take a quick break during the game Sunday to support coastal restoration for future generations. Click To Tweet

Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan contains more than 100 projects that together serve as the blueprint for coastal restoration and protection efforts. Louisianans and our political leaders need to vigilantly and vocally protect this plan and its funding.

Join me in voting for our coast

If we can make as much noise about our disappearing coastline as we made about the devastating blow to the Saints, our children will come out ahead of the game.

With major elections this November in Louisiana, you can send a loud message to local candidates that you support coastal restoration through the ballot box. Vote for candidates who prioritize coastal issues and support funding for large-scale restoration projects – our biggest hope for protecting people, wildlife and the economy.

Until then, pledge your support, learn more about what you can do at RestoreTheCoast.org and don’t forget to share the ad on social media!