The Ripple - November 2022

Welcome back to The Ripple, a monthly newsletter by The Conservationist Collective for our entire ocean-minded community. Every month we consolidate the latest blue news, exclusive internal announcements, and share job and internship opportunities in the conservation and science communication field. 

As the holidays get closer, we may find ourselves in situations with others that don't see eye to eye about our planet. But we need everyone's participation when it comes to addressing the climate emergency. We've created a toolkit for you to better communicate about the climate crisis, and find common ground about what matters to us. Consider looking at climate communication as a muscle that you flex - we have to practice to get better at it.

Everyone is invited to be part of this wave of change and impact. But we have to be inclusive, hear other perspectives, and find our place, together. This is how we make a difference.

Ocean Climate Solutions Collaboration!

Through a partnership with The Conservationist Collective, Pique Action, and Conservation International, this month we completed a media campaign showcasing the impact work being spearheaded by CI in the ocean climate space. If you've been part of our collective for awhile, you know how strongly we believe that conserving the ocean will allow us meet our climate goals. This campaign is about sharing that message.

We dropped ocean-minded merch!

Wear what you love.

We've been wanting our community to be able to speak up for the ocean with how they show up in the world, so this is big for us. We've crafted this collection in the most ethical and sustainable way that was possible for us, because what believe we wear shouldn't harm the ocean we are working to protect. We are also proud to say that the proceeds from this collection are going to support education signage on O'ahu to help better educate tourists about the importance of coral reefs.

All of the ocean-minded items in the collection:

• Are WRAP certified, ensuring ethical wages and working conditions

• Are made to order, meaning there will never be a wasted piece, just what is bought by our community

• Are printed in small batches by our vendor, Bonfire

• Include sustainable materials like recycled plastic + organic cotton

• Are made to last, reusable, with women-crafted designs by Hannah Ment

Do you want to help restore coral reefs around the world?

Coral restoration as a field is experiencing a rapid surge in resources and attention, because people understand that we can't lose these incredible ecosystems and all they provide us. In our most recent episode of the Sustainability & the Sea podcast we sit down with the magnificent Brooke Elzweig, a coral restoration leader with leadership experience from Florida to the Red Sea. Brooke breaks down the skills you need to work in coral conservation and restoration, how she got where she is, and the most valuable advice she has learned along the way. Don't miss it.

Blue News

National Marine Sanctuaries Celebrates 50 Years

Fifty years ago in 1972 the United States Congress passed the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, establishing the National Marine Sanctuary System. Today NOAA's Office for Marine Sanctuaries encompasses more than 620,000 square miles of protected marine and great lake waters, roughly the same size as Alaska. This growing national network includes 15 marine sanctuaries and 2 national monuments. The National Marine Sanctuary System supports coastal communities through education, science, and stewardship.

Future of the Sea Report - UK

A new report published by the Government Chief Scientific Advisor analyzes the United Kingdom's role in marine conservation as global climate change. The UK has been at the historical forefront of marine and maritime activities, now pivoting their role to tackle climate change, pollution, sustainability, and climate solutions. Countries around the world are recognizing the significance of the oceans and developing strategic approaches to manage vital marine resources. This report highlights the economic benefits, environmental implications, global cooperation, and emerging scientific contributions in marine conservation.

"Science holds the key to understanding the impact of a changing marine environment, and informing our response to it."

NOAA Awards Over $15 Million Toward Climate Science, Community Resilience

NOAA's Climate Program Office has announced an award of $15.2 million to support 63 new projects to improve climate crisis resilience. A major part of the initiative is to support the management of National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine National Monuments through better understanding of climate variability.

“The window of time to avoid costly, deadly and irreversible future climate impacts is quickly closing"

New Species of Deep Sea Fish Discovered

A new species of deep sea fish was discovered in the Atacama Trench, also known as the Peru-Chile Trench. This new species was named Paraliparis selti meaning blue in the indigenous Kunza language. Finds like these are a pertinent reminder that humans have only explored about 5% of the Earth's ocean. That statistic is quite shocking, but it is in part due to the difficulties and dangers of exploring its depths.

Our goal is to get as many people as possible involved in marine conservation. Take a look at these featured jobs and internships.

• Conservation Coordinator - Pacific Whale Foundation Hawai'i, USA

• Social Responsibility Manager - Colorado, USA

• Coastal and Marine Protection Specialist - Maryland, USA

• World Ocean Day Digital Marketing Volunteer - Remote, USA

• Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program - NOAA, USA

• Ocean Solution, Spotting Giant Sea Bass - California, USA

Oceanic Global launched the Blue Standard to help involve businesses in sustainability and solutions - and you can help. By going through their training and becoming a blue consultant in their network, you can start making a difference in your community. This training gives you the tools to walk into your local coffee shop and support them with ways to reduce their waste, make sustainable changes, and get verified for them. Not to mention the value something like this has on a resume. TCC leadership has gone through the training to support local businesses in Hawai'i as well, and it is absolutely valuable for early career environmentalists.