News, opinions, photos and facts from Ocean Conservancy
Posted On November 6, 2012 by David Connell
As I look back at the run Ocean Conservancy has had in the digital space over the last several months, I can’t help but be proud and humbled:
Proud of the work we’ve done to create some fantastic products and campaigns to get our supporters more involved in the fight for a clean and healthy ocean. And humbled by the immensely talented and driven individuals I’m privileged to work and create with every day.
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Posted On October 30, 2012 by David Connell
Hurricane Sandy as viewed on October 29, Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those affected by Sandy this morning, especially those on the New Jersey coast and New York where the damage was particularly acute.
Sandy, which packed 90 mile-per-hour winds and dumped 12 inches of rain and snow across states ranging from New Jersey to Kentucky, was declared to be something other than a hurricane. It was, forecasters said, a post-tropical storm that combined with other weather systems to stretch 1,000 miles wide and create storm surges up to 11 feet.
As we catch up on our work and get back up to speed, here are some takes on Sandy from around the web that we’re finding particularly insightful. If you have stories to share, please leave them in the comments below:
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Posted On July 26, 2012 by David Connell
I know, I know. We’ve been talking about sea turtles a lot on the blog these days. And it’s not just because they’re awesome and cute and amazing (although they are all of those things).
As this video from TEDed so elegantly explains, sea turtles are under siege from many of the threats Ocean Conservancy works so hard to address every day. Their nesting grounds are threatened by marine debris and habitat loss or degradation, their lives at sea are further threatened by unsustainable fishing practices, floating waste and toxins, including oil spills. According to the video, sea turtles are under such pressure that their survival rate now stands at 1 percent or less between each nesting cycle.
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Posted On July 13, 2012 by David Connell
BBC Earth and the unmatched narration of David Attenborough present the strange life of a Kelp forest, including hand fish that walk on their fins and adorable baby squid.
Quick kelp fact: Under ideal conditions, giant kelp can grow an astonishing two feet each day.
Found on the BBC Earth YouTube Channel
Posted On July 11, 2012 by David Connell
Bob Marley and Gnathia marleyi, the blood-sucking parasite named after him. Credit: Ueli Frey and John Artim, Department of Biology, Arkansas State University
Really? Yes, really.
A newly discovered crustacean parasite found in Caribbean waters has been named after Bob Marley, the iconic, rebellious and soccer-loving (among other things) Reggae singer and guitarist. The species, known as Gnathia marleyi, was named after Marley “because of my respect and admiration for Marley’s music. Plus, this species is uniquely Caribbean as was Marley,” according to Paul Sikkel, an assistant professor of marine ecology and a field marine biologist at Arkansas State University, who discovered the species.
So, just how similar to Marley is this tiny parasite? Let’s consider its eating habits:
“By concealing themselves within coral rubble, sea sponge or algae, juvenile Gnathia marleyi are able to launch surprise attacks on fish and then infest them.”
Yowsers! As a blogger and Bob Marley box set owner (and former Bob Marley black light poster owner) I am going to say, with some authority, that this crustacean is nothing like Bob Marley. But it’s still a pretty cool story.
Found on BoingBoing, Reuters and yes, National Science Foundation.
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Posted On July 10, 2012 by David Connell
This is how beautiful and practical 1,500 plastic soda bottles can be. This canopy installation — called “(POP)culture” and designed by students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Architecture — up-cycles soda bottles into a colorful shade that reads as a sky full of colorful flowers. The bottles hang from a frame and, presumably, undulate in the breeze as you sit underneath sipping your favorite beverage.
At Ocean Conservancy we work every day to create a movement for Trash Free Seas — from helping organize beach cleanups around the world, to performing scientific research on marine debris, to helping reduce trash at its source. This is a beautiful example of that ethos at work — making trash too valuable to toss.
More photos after the break
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Posted On June 28, 2012 by David Connell
Credit: peterjr1961 flickr stream
Earlier this month, Ocean Conservancy marked an exciting new chapter in its 40-year history. The staff celebrated our former President and CEO Vikki Spruill’s 16 years of service to ocean conservation as she embarked on a new career in philanthropy. And we have welcomed Janis Searles Jones as Ocean Conservancy’s Interim President and CEO while the Board of Directors undertakes a national search for a new one. Jones will continue to lead Ocean Conservancy’s conservation programs as she has for the past few years, providing visionary leadership in our work to protect the ocean for future generations.