Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was photographed while meeting with some teenagers in his home riding with a bag of plastic cutlery after announcing, just 2 weeks ago, a proposal to ban single-use plastic by 2021. Did he buy the plastic? Probably not; however, the optics are not great and opponents are on the attack. 

We all get caught up in a destructive and wasteful society because that is what we have created. Our society has opted for making money with lighter and cheaper materials rather than sturdy and more efficient materials. 

However, we shouldn't worry about getting caught up in this type of society. We should be more focused on how we ourselves should change the types of products that we use. 

I have some ideas that I mention in the podcast. Share your thoughts on this topic in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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An article in the New York Times is highlighting some good news for a subpopulation of Loggerhead Sea Turtles, whose population is rebounding after being considered Endangered almost 10 years ago. 

Find out why the population is rebounding by listening to this episode. Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group (http://www.speakupforblue.com/group) on how other projects similar to this one in Georgia could benefit Sea Turtle populations in other locations.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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I sat down with Ryan Lindsay as he was sitting in his car getting ready to travel with his young family (18-month-old daughter, wife, and dog) to educate retailers and potential customers on the benefits of regenerative agriculture. His primary goal is to create a better world for his daughter to inherit while his secondary goal is to sell some products. 

Check out the advantage of how regenerative agriculture can sequester Carbon, produce better cattle, and more crops. 

REP Provisions - https://repprovisions.com/

REP Provisions Products - https://repprovisions.com/collections/all

REP Provisions Regenerative Agriculture - https://repprovisions.com/pages/regenerate

Share your thoughts on this episode by joining the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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We discussed Whale Sea Side Sanctuaries in previous episodes (Episode 190) but at that time there was never any reason to believe that captive facilities would ever give up any of the Cetaceans to a Sea Side Sanctuary. However, times have certainly changed. 

Merlin Entertainment has created a company policy of no Cetacean captivity. When Merlin bought an aquarium in Shanghai, they immediately made the decision to find a new home for the two captive Beluga whales names Little Grey and Little White. 

Two years later, the Belugas arrived at their new home ready to be in the wild again. 

Take a listen to the episode to find out more details and share your thoughts on Whale Sea Side Sanctuaries in our Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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The mating between a Beluga Father and Narwhal Mother over 30 years ago gave way to a hybridization called a Narluga. The mixing of species sounds great and fun to see the mixing of two species that give features of both parents. However, hybridization could lead to a decrease in adaptive genes that make it easier for Arctic animals to survive in a harsh environment. 

Check out the episode and share your thoughts on how hybridization can be a threat to animals in the Arctic: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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An unfortunate incident happened along a shoreline within the past week, where a teenage girl was bitten by a sea lion. Video captured the incident as it showed the girl dancing in ankle-deep water as the sea lion bit her. The incident seemed to be unprovoked. 

The girl is okay; however, she is understandably frightened of sea lions. 

The animal was tested for diseases and was identified to have Domoic Acid poisoning, which can occur during algal blooms along a coastline. 

In this episode, I comment on the incident; how the media reported on it; and, the rarity of these types of attacks. 

Are you afraid of sea lions after hearing this story? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to be more eco-friendly? Buy certified eco-friendly products from our affiliate partner the Grove Collaborative: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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Melissa Marquez (host of the ConCiencia Azul Podcast) wrote a great article in Forbes about the sighting of a potential mating event for Whale Sharks. 

Whale Sharks are a majestic and mysterious species that researchers are trying to research to help conserve the species as it is now listed and an IUCN Red List "Endangered" Species. 

Check out why I think the species needs to be researched more and how discovering potential mating areas at places such as Ningaloo Reef are so important.

Click here to read more of Melissa's articles of sharks on Forbes

Do you support Whale Shark Research? Share the ways you support Whale Sharks in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I am joined by Jenny Roberts and Alicia Wood from the Pacific Whale Foundation to discuss their new campaign to get their audience to ReTHINK their use of single-use plastics. 

One of their strategies in the campaign, which I absolutely love by the way, is a video published once a week to discuss ways you can ReTHINK your use for specific items (Click here for the link). 

Pacific Whale Foundation

ReTHINK Campaign

How are you ReThinking your use of single-use plastic? Share your strategies in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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Ghost nets are a huge problem in the Ocean. Fishing nets that are discarded in the Ocean continue to catch fish, sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds in numbers in the hundreds of thousands. 

It is estimated that half of the marine debris in the Ocean is made up of Ghost Nets. We have to make sure that we don't put any more nets into the sea, but it would also be great to get rid of some of the ghost nets that are already out there. 

Ocean Voyages Institute's Founder, Mary T. Crowley, is already in the process to clean up some of the ghost nets. Mary and her colleagues handed out GPS units to mariners and asked them to attach the units to ghost nets. The Ocean Voyages Institute's crew used satellite trackers to collect 40 tons of nets. 

Mary wants to hand out more GPS units this year (150), but each unit costs $1600. If you would like to donate to Ocean Voyages Institute to help them reach their goal, then click here.

Do you think we should be removing ghost nets? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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The Canadian Government declared a climate emergency one day and approve the expansion of a pipeline the next. Can you really reduce climate change when you invest in oil and gas? The answer may seem simple, but it is more complex than you think.

Share your thoughts on the way Canada and other governments are approaching the fight against climate change in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Page: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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A larger group of divers, 633 divers to be exact, got together last weekend to clean the seafloor along Deerfield Beach. The group beat the previous record of 614 set in the Red Sea a few years earlier. 

These events are great for people who want to do more for the Ocean and/or they get more inspired by their actions that they include their friends in the next event that will inspire others. 

Have you picked up trash during a dive? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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A number of authors wrote an article in the Conversation about the poo problem that has hit the increasingly populated Australian Coastlines. The descriptive article compares a number of cities that have experienced an increase in the human population, which has increased the amount of sewage that needs to be treated before it goes out to the Ocean.

I discuss some of the effects of "poopy" water on the environment and on the human population and their drinking water supplies.

Does your city have proper sewage treatment? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group/.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I had the pleasure to sit down and chat with Nick Wehner about something different other than Open Access Journals! We talk about Nick's career in Marine Conservation, and more specifically, Nick's experience in Marine Conservation as a member of the LGBTQ Community. 

One thing that I realized with Nick is that he works to serve other people, whether it is in Marine Conservation or being the President of the LGBTQ community in grad school. 

Take a listen to Nick's story and share your thoughts on the episode in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I had the pleasure of interviewing James Nikitine for this episode. James is a Marine Conservationist with a specialization in Marine Policy and Science Communication. 

James and I discuss how he got to where he is today and what his production company, Manaia Productions, is going to do for marine conservation. He also discusses his recent move with the family to New Zealand and how this will help his business and Marine Conservation.

Links for James Nikitine:

Manaia Productions: http://manaiaproductions.com/

James On Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesnikitine

James On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesnikitine/

What form of Science Communication do you prefer the most? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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There is a video that is making rounds on Canadian Social Media feeds that attacks the proposed bill on a Canadian-wide ban of single-use plastics by 2021. While the rest of the world is rejoicing at the thought of the ban, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's opponents say the bill should not matter because Canada does not produce most of the plastic pollution as compared to other nations.

It is estimated that 165 million tons of plastic pollution in the ocean.

Even 1%, which is what the video estimates as Canada's plastic pollution output is, of that would be over 1 million tons of plastic pollution. That's quite a bit of pollution. 

I refute many of the "facts" that the video provides. 

Take a listen and share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.spreakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I sit down with Christine Figgener today to discuss #SeaTurtleWeek that started on June 8th and ends on June 16th. There is a coordinated effort by sea turtle practitioners all over the world to create awareness for the 7 species of Sea Turtles on the planet. 

Christine tells us her story of how she became interested in Marine Conservation, specifically Sea Turtles and how she got into science communication (scicomm). 

Sea Turtle Week Links:

Sea Turtle Week: https://www.seaturtleweek.com/

See Turtles: https://www.seeturtles.org/

Christine Figgener Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cfiggener/

Christine Figgener YouTube:  
https://www.youtube.com/seaturtlebiologist

Have you seen Sea Turtle information pop up in your feed? Share the information (text, images or videos) in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. 

What do you think about the ban? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a federal ban on single-use plastic to be implemented in 2021. There will be a list of items that will be banned; however, the list hasn't been fully created yet. 

Trudeau also mentioned that the plan will include working with manufacturers to reduce the amount of plastic used in their packaging. 

There is some criticism from the opposition party, but you will have to take a listen to find out more.

What do you think about the ban? Share your thoughts in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I had the pleasure to speak to Dianna Cohen, CEO of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, a coalition of 750 organizations, businesses, and individuals. 

During our conversation, we discuss how Dianna got into fighting Plastic Pollution, how the coalition started, why REFUSE is the fourth (and first R), and how you could like a plastic-free lifestyle.  

Do you strive to live a Plastic-Free lifestyle? Share your tactics in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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I hope you have a wonderful World Ocean's Day. I have a little something for you to think about on this day and every day moving forward.

Take a listen.

What are you doing on Ocean's Day? Share what you are doing in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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I had the pleasure to sit down with Sara Cannon to discuss her PhD work on how coral reefs in Micronesia respond to Human Impacts and Coral Reefs.

Sara brings up a great point in the interview that some coral reef species are not better off in an MPA as they may not be good for MPAs, especially if they have a large cover. She adds that if those coral species are susceptible to climate change and are responsible for most of the coral coverage, then the reef will have a difficult time recovering as most of the coral will be bleached and often dead.

Sara and I also discuss June being Pride month and her challenges as someone who is part of the LGBTQ + community faces in the Marine Conservation field.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Feel free to share your opinions in our Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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Two fishermen who recorded (yes, recorded) themselves mutilating a Greenland Shark at sea by cutting off its tail and throwing it back in the water and laughing as it tries to swim away. You can watch the video here, but I will warn you that it is graphic. 

I focused my discussion on enforcement and how some agencies are using video recorded by idiots in this story that mutilate animals on the Ocean. 

What are your thoughts on enforcement in the Ocean? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

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Dr. Chris Parsons, Director Of Science Content for Speak Up For Blue, interviews Jen Sewada of the PEW Charitable Trusts on how they are working with partner organizations to get Mako, Guitar, and Wedge Sharks protected in the CITES list. 

Find out what CITES is and the strategy used to get other sharks on the list by listening to this episode.

What are your thoughts on CITES? Share them in the Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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Dr. David Shiffman wrote a great article for Scientific American based on a science journal article about the management of protected species. The journal article in Ecology and Evolution looked at the interactions of one protected species, the great white shark, with another protected species, the sea otter. Both species are conservation success stories; however, the great white sharks are killing sea otters with exploratory bites.

So how do we manage the influence of one protected species on another? I discuss it in this episode. Take a listen.

Do you think Marine Protected Areas are the solution? Share your thoughts in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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There was a great write up on Medium.com about how nature documentaries may focus too much on the beautiful nature and not enough on the behavior change that is necessary to solve the issues facing nature. 

I would like to hear your thoughts on nature documentaries and their role in conservation. Share them in the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group.

Want to get started on living for a better Ocean? Sign up for the Grove Collaborative and get a free gift: http://www.speakupforblue.com/goocean.

Check out the new Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast App: http://www.speakupforblue.com/app.

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