Thursday, August 23, 2012

Sylvia Earle on the "Blue Heart of the Planet"

"I wish you would use all means at your disposal -- films! expeditions! the web! more! -- to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet." - Sylvia Earle

For those of you who do not know Sylvia Earle (do not feel bad, I did not know anything about her unti I was instructed by my Oceanography professor to watch her TED Talk), she is an aquanaut and ocean advocate. I would tell you more, but I would rather you just watch her TED Talk!

Okay, all I will tell you is that she is amazing, and she has numerous important things to say. Like how the ocean is our "life-support system," "the blue heart of our planet," and how we need to act now to protect it, before it is too late. Sylvia is a huge advocate and supporter of increasing the percentage of the ocean that is protected by marine protected areas (MPAs), and I cannot think of anything much better for someone to advocate for. Pollution, development, climate change, and non-sustainable fishing practices are all major threats to our oceans, but the installation of a properly-enforced MPA would theoretically protect a chunk of ocean from three out of the four of those dangers. How can you argue against that?

Watch the video, so you can hear from Sylvia not only what is wrong with our oceans today, but how we can make it right.
 

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