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4 ways to get people to care about the ocean

Nov 17, 2015 / Lydia Laurenson

This probably sounds obvious, but its worth saying again: The oceans are a gorgeous, rich
and diverse ecosystem that have inspired and supported humanity for millennia. But the
oceans are also choked with plastic and becoming more acidic by the day. People are
overfishing, which threatens the survival of fish species and also the survival of humans
who live in coastal towns who depend on fish for food.

Sadly, even though people created these problems in the oceans, people usually dont want
to hear about them. And so, while aboard a floating TED conference in the Pacific Ocean
last month, a group of ocean scientists and activists brainstormed ways to make the seas
sound as amazing as they are. Read on for new tools, studies and discoveries that could
spark positive curiosity and empathy.

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1. Highlight amazing ocean creatures and show how theyre

connected to better lives for humans, too.
Jawdropping new discoveries about the ocean are happening all the time. For instance,
marine biologist David Gruber has just discovered that some ocean species are fluorescent
when seen by other marine animals but human eyes cant see the effect. This
phenomenon isnt merely a cool fact; fluorescent proteins are often used in medical labs to
help scientists make cells shinier and more visible. So this discovery holds promise for
making new medicines for all of us, whether or not we have fish vision. Then theres TED
Fellow Kristen Marhaver, who studies baby coral and the ways they choose their own home.
Now shes identifying ways of building underwater structures that attract baby coral and
thus help humans rebuild coral habitats. Aside from just being beautiful, these reefs protect
land from storms coming in over the water. So healthier reefs can lead to safer beach towns.

Fluorescent coral at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo: Daderot/Wikimedia.

2. Explore new models of the underwater world.

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Theres been a revolution in the past decade in how we see the underwater world, thanks to
advanced mapping software and new underwater robots, cameras and tools. Three new
projects (among many) to explore: First, to survey the oceans geography, Google Earth
partnered with The XL Catlin Seaview Survey to develop stunning undersea footage from
across the planet. Second, TED Fellow David Lang co-founded OpenROV, a company whose
underwater robots let anyone explore the oceans. All of a sudden, asking an interesting
question no longer requires a research grant and university affiliation, he wrote recently.
That has huge implications for the process of discovery. Third, new Autodesk software
tools can create highly detailed 3D models of coral, allowing scientists to measure and
monitor them over time. These digital 3D models help scientists provide evidence of growth
trends and illustrate theories about the impact of ocean acidification and other changes
caused by human activity.

Trident, the worlds first open source, low-cost underwater robot. GIF courtesy
of OpenROV.

3. Focus on whats on our plates.

Ocean activist Sylvia Earle (TED Talk: My wish: Protect our oceans) has spent decades
sounding the alarm on how fishing is devastating the oceans. If people really understood
the methods being used to capture wild fish, they might think about choosing whether to
eat them at all, the 2009 TED Prize winner has said. Chef Barton Seaver (TED Talk:
Sustainable seafood? Lets get smart) offers a less extreme approach lets eat much less
seafood and many more vegetables while still making the point that whats for dinner is
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directly connected to the health of the oceans. This awareness-raising is complimented by

policy change.Unsustainable fishing practices are common with both small, independent
fishermen and large fishing enterprises, so overfishing solutions must involve large-scale
incentives and include community efforts.The organization Rare works with local
governments and residents in coastal fishing communities to design community-managed
fisheries. Rares goal is to encourage small communities to take pride in creating
sustainable fisheries. Their successes have attracted bothpraise and large-scale funding
and offer a new, localized approach to this global problem.

Row upon row of blue fin tuna.Photo: iStock.

4. Use viral art to inspire a strong emotional connection with

the oceans.
Some extraordinary (and internet-famous) new artworks make the ocean seem even more
beautiful, intriguing and relatable. Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor builds underwater
museums filled with stunning statues that can only be visited by divers. His statues are

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made of cement thats hospitable to ocean life, so that his art becomes serendipitously
integrated with its environment. Fish, lobsters and algae turn his pieces into homes. TED
Fellow Colleen Flanigan has a similar idea. She welds rippling, metal sculptures that, when
placed underwater, run low-voltage electricity that pulls minerals in and forms a base on
which corals flourish. Corals on these sculptures can grow two to six times faster than wild
corals, she said in an interview. In another project, diver Hannah Fraser and
cinematographer Shawn Heinrichs worked together to create a live-action video of Fraser
dancing underwater with tiger sharks. After the video went viral, it led to support for an
online petition against shark slaughter.

An underwater sculpture by Jason deCaires Taylor. Photo: Jason deCaires Taylor.

The impact of humanity on the oceans is vast, and no single solution will do. But hopefully,
sharing the wonders of our oceans will help us harness our collective ingenuity and create
the wide variety of solutions we need.

Featured image by Stocksy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lydia Laurenson is director of strategy and research at News Deeply. She traveled aboard Mission Blue II, a
TED-conference-on-a-boat that brought together the most innovative minds working to save our oceans.

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Barton Seaver Colleen Flanigan coral David Gruber David Lang fishing industry
Hannah Fraser hope spots Jason deCaires Taylor marine life Mission Blue oceans
OpenROV seafood Shawn Heinrichs sustainable seafood Sylvia Earle TED Prize
XL Catlin Seaview Survey

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