Those of us who teach children every day are always on the hunt to find engaging tools and creative ways to instruct our students. Luckily, when you teach marine science education you have a fantastic array of ways to spark the imagination and ignite the learning process. We’ve discussed how to use play to excite…
Researcher Jill Bible Studies the Effects of Ocean Acidification on Olympia Oysters and Advocates Science Education
On the Sonoma coast of Northern California, there is an incredible education and research institution that is dedicated to studying the organisms and ecosystems of our oceans. Bodega Marine Laboratory (BML) is home to scientists and students who investigate the environmental processes at the land and sea interface. Jill Bible is a researcher earning her…
Seafood Restaurant Owner Kenny Belov Explains the Value of Honesty and Traceability in the Seafood Industry
Every industry has a few truly passionate individuals who create the momentum for positive change. The seafood industry is fortunate to have Kenny Belov as one of these individuals. Kenny is the owner of Fish Restaurant and TwoXSea seafood distributor in Sausalito. He believes in providing honest, renewable seafood products with high traceability – and…
The Ocean Health Index: A Powerful Tool for Conservation Management
Any business owner understands the importance of representing complex data sets with percentiles. Calculations, percentages, scores, and rankings are all essential for helping managers and owners make informed decisions on when, where, and how to best utilize their products and build a better management model – especially if we can cross-examine these numbers with similar…
The Value of Experiential Learning: LiMPETs Coordinator Abby Nickels Engages Youth with Real Scientific Monitoring Methods
“Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.” – Chinese Proverb Educating today’s youth on environmental issues is the first and foremost step to solving the impending troubles of tomorrow. Our children need to experience science firsthand and understand the importance of keeping our coastlines healthy. The…
Judith and Richard Lang Create Beautiful and Thought-Provoking Plastic Art from Beach Trash
“The opposite of beauty really is not ugly; the opposite of beauty is indifference. And we’re trying not to be indifferent about this and about the world.” ~ Richard Lang. For 15 years, Richard Lang and Judith Selby Lang have been visiting Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore. They collect plastic debris from…
The Blue Ocean Institute and Dr. Carl Safina Encourage People to Establish a Deeper Connection with Nature and Care About Our Oceans
Our oceans contain a hidden magic. They have a special way of igniting our childlike wonder of the curious creatures beneath the waves. When we read about the ocean, see photos and videos, or experience the beauty of it in person – our minds establish a deeper connection that inspires us to care. This connection…
The Daily Ocean Inspiration: Sara Bayles Motivates People to Action by Completing a Massive Beach Cleanup Commitment
There is nothing more capable of inspiring people to action than experiencing the contagious enthusiasm of a person who is passionately dedicated to a task. Sara Bayles has initiated a movement, one that has quickly gained colossal momentum. She dedicated herself to picking up trash from a local beach for 20 minutes a day over…
Mad as a Marine Biologist: Samantha Craven Conveys Her Passion for Marine Conservation in the Philippines
On the other side of the world from California, there is an amazing underwater landscape unparalleled in beauty. The Philippines are the world’s hidden secret when it comes to marine biodiversity. This collection of 7,109 islands is part of the coral triangle, one of the most diverse ranges of ecosystems – aquatic or terrestrial –…
Plastic-Free Pioneer Beth Terry Explains How Living Without Plastic Protects the Oceans and Consumer Health
In 2012, 32 million tons of plastic were generated by the United States alone. A paltry 9% of this plastic made it to the recycling bin; the rest will spend the next few thousand years in landfills or floating around in our oceans as a deadly plastic plague. Many of us don’t even pay attention….