- The Ripple
- Posts
- The Ripple - July 2022
Welcome back to The Ripple, a monthly newsletter by The Conservationist Collective for our entire ocean-minded community. Stay in the know on the latest blue news, our upcoming events, project updates, and job and internship opportunities in the conservation and science communication field. We're wrapping up Plastic Free July, and been working on more resources for you to get involved in conservation.
If you've been feeling stuck in finding your way in sustainability and conservation, did you know we have a shop of free and low cost resources? Our shop has simple downloadable guides, one-pagers, worksheets, and activities to help you find your place. This month we added "Skills to Save the Planet," a starting point for anyone to make an impact
Under the Hood: What's going on at The Conservationist Collective?
As subscribers to The Ripple, you're the first to know about what's under the hood at The Conservationist Collective. We've been waiting to tell you these for so long!
It's Shark Week: Let's end the stigma
Shark content will again saturate your TV's as the Discovery Channel puts on its 34th annual season of Shark Week. Remember, sharks are vital to ocean ecosystems and crucial policies must be created to encourage public education and conservation for these apex predators. We can be part of ending the stigma of sharks by engaging, learning, and sharing our own stories. That's what we did! Sit down and hear our latest podcast episode as we discuss shark stigma, threats, and detail our personal shark stories.
Hawai'i Conservation Conference & Hawai'i Green Fee
The Conservationist Collective has had the privilege of working on local solutions to scale conservation through Hawai'i Green Fee the since last summer. Visitor green fees are a sustainable way to fund natural resource management through visitor investment, and are used around the world as a conservation solution. Our founder and CEO, Carissa Cabrera, handles communications and project management of this initiative to advocate for policy adoption the next legislative session. We presented our status at the Hawai'i Conservation Conference last week, and the momentum behind the concept is strong this year. Follow up on Hawai'i Green Fee social channels, learn more on the website, and check out the "why," behind the project below.
10 Year Countdown, our short film, is on Waterbear!
Two years ago, we set out to produce a short film with clear message for Earth Day. There's only so much time left, and now is the time to engage. Fast forward, Waterbear is now hosting this short amongst their incredible library of environmental films. Support this partnership by watching and sharing today. Two years later, the message still rings true.
Let's Talk About Plastic!
It is estimated that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year! This influx of some of the most durable manmade materials on Earth has a significant impact ocean's wildlife, fragile ecosystems, and recreational possibilities.
Where is all this plastic coming from?
A majority of the plastic is coming from high income countries often leaders in plastic production and consumerism. These countries are not the most impacted by plastic pollution because they have advanced depository systems able to remove unwanted plastic waste, like recycling infrastructure. However, disadvantages countries do not have the same access to manage their waste, resulting in more plastic pollution. The most effective solutions to Earth's plastic pollution must consider all aspects of the problem, prioritize upstream solutions, and center equity to waste management infrastructure.
In partnership with Oceanic Preservation Society, The Conservationist Collective produced a plastic education campaign for social media to educate the public on the nuance issues behind this overwhelming problem. Check it out and learn something new!
We're headed to Harvard!
The Conservationist Collective will be represented by Carissa Cabrera this upcoming week as a featured speaker at Harvard C-CHANGE's Youth Summit on Climate, Equity & Health. We'll be working with high school students to highlight intersections between ocean, climate, and health.
EPA and the Supreme Court - What does it mean?
If you have been watching the news recently there has been a lot of environmental discourse in the world's governments, especially in regards to the United States Supreme Court. In late June 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is unable to develop state-level limits on carbon emissions as posed under the 1970 Clean Air Act. The court dictated the authority to determine how power is generated for the United States can only come from Congress. || Read the entire ruling here.
Critics like Charlotte Roscoe, an environmental epidemiology professor at Harvard, suggests the ruling will cause major setbacks for public health, as it limits the EPA's ability to effectively control emissions and mitigate future climate change. Climate change impacts all people's health and wellbeing, but has disproportionately negative effects on vulnerable demographics that include children, elderly, and low income families. Natural disasters and local climate change have already resulted in many health and economic impacts for these at risk demographics.
What does this mean for future environmental policies and climate change?
State level limits on carbon emissions were only one of the many environmental tools used by the EPA in the USA. Although this tool was a vital aspect for mitigating and determining state's carbon impacts, there are many other areas for the country to contribute. Clean energy is gradually becoming more cost effective as the industry advances its technologies, and there needs to be parallel advancements in aggressive policies from cities, states, and Congress.
California enacted new plastic policy on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court passed the EPA ruling. This new policy is one of the most sweeping plastic restrictions in America, reducing plastic packaging by 25% to prevent more than 23 million tons of plastic pollution by 2032.
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/96/1e/961e77a9-9210-40d3-9f61-5aca32f8111a/gettyimages-661610348.jpg)
Featured Opportunities!
Our goal is to get as many people as possible involved in marine conservation. Take a look at these featured jobs and internships.
JOBS
INTERNSHIPS
Donate & Support Feature: Kuleana Coral Restoration
Kuleana Coral Restoration is a growing nonprofit on O'ahu restoring our vital coral reefs. Their leadership is representative of the areas they serve: fishers and Native Hawaiians. KCR is committed to reinvigorating traditional resource management locally, and centers a community-first approach that builds equity and accessibility in marine conservation.
Looking for more updates? Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Tiktok.
