The Speak Up For Blue Podcast

Every year, I like to set goals for 2021. I may not get to all of them, but I like to set up a list of goals to strive to achieve. In today's episode, I will go over the goals that I set out for 2021. Here is a list: 1) More Interviews on The Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast 2) More Diversity with Guests 3) Cover more news 4) Differentiate content for each platform 5) Experiment with different tools on the podcast 6) Monetization of the Speak Up for Blue Network 7) Charitable Donations 8) Research Program Planning Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://www.absolutelysmashingllc.com/mindful-conference Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kkEEl

FINALLY, 2020 is nearing an end!!! There is hope in the new year from the beginning of the UN's Decade of the Ocean to a new eco-friendlier Presidential Administration.  However, we can't have a better future until we learn about the past and this episode is dedicated to looking back at the top 5 downloaded episodes published in 2020.  Here is the list: Number 1: Episode 963 - Coral Reefs Are Good For Human Health with Dr. Ellen Prager Number 2: Episode 949 - Australian Wildfires and How the Ocean Plays A Role Number 3: Episode 961 -  Is it even possible to have a career in Marine Conservation Number 4: Episode 951 -  Marine Pollution With Dr. Judith Weis Number 5: Episode 950 - Harmful Algal Blooms Affect Human Health Around The World Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://www.absolutelysmashingllc.com/mindful-conference Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblu

The last part of my conversation with Cait Mizzi involves how to be more ethically- and environmentally-mindful when it comes to your wardrobe. The Fashion industry has been known to have some pretty low standards in developing countries, including child labour and substandard working conditions. The materials in clothes have also changed to be less environmentally-friendly.  Cait and I discuss the financial and environmental advantages of second-hand clothing as well as slowly building your wardrobe with more expensive, but ethical and sustainable clothing.  Cait's Links: Website: https://www.caitmizzi.ca/ The NOSH Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-nosh-podcast/id1541465551 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitmizzi/ Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://www.absolutelysmashingllc.com/mindful-conference Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupfo

Cait Mizzi joins me again for our second part of our conversation on trying to lead a life with less waste. We discuss products that we use every day that come in bad packaging and how I would like to reduce the number of recycling materials I put out once a week as we know many products are not readily recycled. Check out the conversation.  Cait's Links: Website: https://www.caitmizzi.ca/ The NOSH Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-nosh-podcast/id1541465551 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitmizzi/ Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://www.absolutelysmashingllc.com/mindful-conference Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2

We strive to live for a better Ocean because it makes our planet healthier. We eat nutritious food because it makes us healthier. Can we have both? Sure. We just need to make a few changes and that can be more difficult than it sounds.  Joining me on today's episode (and the next two episodes) is Cait Mizzi, who is a Functional Nutritionist and the host of the NOSH Podcast, to discuss sustainable living in regards to the food we eat and how it could benefit our health and the Ocean's health. Cait dives into why specific nutritional lifestyles may not be the best for our health or our planet; why it's important to farm sustainably (especially when it comes to our topsoil usage), and what strategies we should use to get us towards a more sustainable and healthier diet.  Cait's Links: Website: https://www.caitmizzi.ca/ The NOSH Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-nosh-podcast/id1541465551 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitmizzi/ Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://ww

Baikal seals in Russia using baleen-like teeth to eat small crustaceans called amphipods to account for 20% of their diets in the freshwater lake, Baikal Lake. Register for the Mindful Conservation Conference:  https://www.absolutelysmashingllc.com/mindful-conference Want To Talk Oceans? Join the Speak Up For Blue Facebook Group: http://www.speakupforblue.com/group. Speak Up For Blue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakupforblue/ Speak Up For Blue Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpeakUpforBlue Check out the Shows on the Speak Up For Blue Network: Marine Conservation Happy Hour Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k4ZB3x Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2kkEElk Madame CuriosityApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2xUlSax Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2V38QQ1 ConCiencia Azul: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2k6XPio Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2k4ZMMf Dugongs & Seadragons: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lB9Blv Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2lV6THt Environmental Studies & Sciences Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lx86o

This is the second part of my two-part interview with Jasmine Sanders, Executive Director of Our Climate, an organization that mobilizes youth to speak to elected officials about science-based, climate policy for a livable world.  Policy is an important tool to fight the growing contributions to Climate Change. Each person and community feels climate change in their own unique fashion. Certain people will feel it more than others and that is why it is important for everyone to speak to their elected officials about fighting climate change and its impact on communities no matter what the political affiliations.  Jasmine describes Our Climate's work during the past US federal election to educate voters on why it is important to vote "up and down the ballot" and why we need to engage elected officials more once the elections are over.  I feel as though there is a disconnect between citizens and elected officials after, or between, an election. People do not feel comfortable engaging in one on one discussions wit

Jasmine Sanders is the Executive Director of Our Climate, an organization that mobilizes young people to educate elected officials on science-based, equitable climate policy solutions that build a livable world, and she joins me on today's podcast to discuss how her career led her to this position.  This interview is a two-part interview. In part 1 (today's episode), Jasmine tells us about her career and how she made the decisions at specific moments in her life that led her to where she is today. In part 2, we discuss the action that Our Climate supports and how we can better engage with our elected officials through story-telling.  Jasmine is what I like to call a go-getter. She has been highly motivated throughout her career to find a job that will establish her legacy. In this interview, Jasmine tells me of three specific moments that led her to pivot in her career and how she made those pivots.  She discusses how she used networking offline and online (through LinnkedIn) to build a support group of profe

In my quest to become more sustainable, I've discovered companies that are registered B-Corporations. These corporations strive to be socially, economically and environmentally ethical with their business. The businesses usually use their mission to drive something special such as providing clothes for the needy or protecting the environment. People buy from these companies because they believe in their mission. I recently found out that a company for which I order their products on a regular basis has become certified as a B-Corp and have teamed up with Terracyle to truly recycle their products into long-lasting products such as park benches. I am a consultant for this company and I can help you get set up with buying these products if you use similar items. Now you know that the products can be truly recycled and reused.  Here is a link to the list of products that can be used by Terracyle: http://www.speakupforblue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG_0822.jpg Here is the link to the Arbonne website: https:

Have you ever looked at your dog and wonder "How would you ever survive in the wild?!" I know my dogs are super spoiled and would not survive long in the wild even though they still have their predator instincts. Imagine what the circumstances must have been like when the first wild dogs were domesticated by humans. It was such a long time ago that it would be interesting to see how that would happen now.  Well, according to new research, there may be a way to find out how and why domestication happens using a small tropical reef fish and mysid shrimp as an example.  Longfin damselfish curate algae farms on their piece of the reef in Belize, which is in itself incredible. Researchers observed an interesting presence of mysid shrimp above the algae farm. The presence was found in multiple places on different parts of the reef, but the presence was in the same area as the longfin damselfish a majority of the time.  Researchers conducted a few experiments to conclude that the mysid shrimp are protected by the da

When I found out that cow burps were partly responsible for climate change, I wasn't happy at all. I love my steak dinners and beef tenderloin. However, over the past few years, I have been transitioning towards a more plant-based diet to avoid the use of meat and do my part to reduce climate change.  I should mention that I still eat meat, but a lot less. I grew up eating beef 2-3 times per year and loved it. Meat gave me my protein and it is delicious. I continued to eat it for most of my adult life, especially since I started as I followed a macro-diet to maintain my health. The macro diet tends to require the consumption of more protein to which we are accustomed to maintaining muscle mass and stay full longer. I followed that for quite a while eating beef, pork, chicken, and seafood. I also ate legumes more which led me to enjoy more plant-based food.  Recently, I followed a nutritional plan that was similar to macros, but focused more in reducing the consumption of foods that would react with my body mo

This week was #BlackInMarineScienceWeek and it was a wonderful week to be introduced to marine scientists from all over the world who are black. These marine scientists may have felt excluded from the traditionally white, male-dominated field in the past, but this week was to increase the visibility of black marine scientists, showcase the great work that they do in various parts of the field with the goal of inspiring the younger generations and the next great marine scientists.  In this episode, I discuss the new colleagues and friends that I met throughout the week, including the three young and bright scientists that I interviewed for Monday (Ep. 1088) and Wednesday's (episode 1089) episodes. I talk about the role their mother's played in their path to becoming a Marine Scientist.  I also discuss the importance of black marine scientists to inspire the next generation of black marine scientists using two real-life examples of how people followed their dreams because they saw someone that looked like them

In the second installment of my interview with three black marine scientists (and co-organizers of #BlackInMarineScienceWeek) join me and their Moms to discuss how they grew up wanting to be Marine Scientists.  This part of the interview focuses on advice the Moms would give other parents of black children who would like to become Marine Scientists. Monica (Carlee's Mom) Leslie (Camille's Mom), and Elyza discuss the importance of doing what they can to encourage their kids to become scientists and finding any and every program that will help them pursue Marine Science.  I also ask the question of how they felt about their kids become leaders and inspiration to others in helping to organize such an important week for all Marine Scientists. Do you find this interview (Part 1 and Part 2) inspired you to become a Marine Scientist? Website: https://blackinmarsci.github.io/index.html Instagram: @BlackInMarineScience - https://www.instagram.com/blackinmarinescience/   Twitter: @BlackInMarSci - https://twitter.com/Bl

This week we are celebrating Black In Marine Science Week so that we can show that there are many Black Marine Scientists who need to be recognized and identified.  On today's episode of the Speak Up For The Ocean Blue Podcast, I am joined by Carlee Jackson, Dr. Camille Gaynus, and Alex Troutman and their mothers. We discuss what it was like for these marine scientists to grow up to follow a career in Marine Science.  Their mothers tell us what their children did to show them that they were serious about being a marine scientist and how they learned what being a marine scientist was all about. Carlee and Camille both competed in swimming while Alex was always out back playing in the creek behind his house, turning up rocks and logs to see what creatures lie underneath.  Now, Carlee, Camille, and Alex are marine scientists studying sharks, corals, and sea turtles, respectively. They are also co-organizers in #BlackInMarineScienceWeek. They want more black marine scientists to be seen and heard that is what thi

Sometimes you need a little help if you are an Ocean predator that is always seeking food. The Ocean can be a hard place to find breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some animals are able to find their meal on their own. Others will latch themselves on another animal to feed off of them. And in the case of today's episode, some animals turn to stalk another animal in order to drum up some food.  A researcher was studying box crabs while SCUBA diving on the Caribbean Sea when he noticed something quite peculiar in more than one instance. Razorfish and flounder were stalking box crabs, but not to eat them. They just wanted the animals that the box crabs would displace from the sand as they were moving through an area. The fish would scare the crabs to keep them moving to get more food. If the box crab stopped, the fish would get closer pretending to be their predator.  The box crab would continue to quickly get away drumming up some more food as it escaped.  The Ocean can be interesting at times... Link To Article: h

My recent adventure with trying to get my Provincial Government from taking away powers from Conservation Authorities to protect floodplains and protected areas from developers made me realize that I had the ability to help my local environment by becoming a local advocate.  As I feel inspired to become a local activist, I wanted to provide you with some key advice that helped realize my potential and help you help your local environment.  The first thing you need to do is stay aware of what is happening to your local environment. You will need to subscribe to some newsletters from local organizations (government and non-government). You may want to talk to the staff directly or just stay aware by reading their newsletter.  The next and most important thing is to create positive relationships with local, state/provincial, and federal politicians. Whether you voted for your representatives or not, you can keep a good relationship with your local politicians. These relationships will come in handy when you woul

We all know, love, and sometimes fear sharks for their predatory nature; however, we never really feat a swordfish. We tend to be in wonder and ah when with see this fish in the wild. Maybe it is because we only see them when they are being caught by recreational fishermen when they go deep-sea fishing. Swordfish are predators and they are quite effective predators with their unique bill.  Swordfish swim actively around their prey, which forms a "bait ball" by grouping in a ball swimming close together in the same direction in a massive ball. The swordfish jet around the bait ball at high speeds. They use their "sword", or bill, to hit a few fish out of the ball separating them from the school and stunning them. They gobble the fish up and do the process over and over until they had their fill or the entire school is gone. Scientists thought the manner in which the swordfish, and other billfish, used their bills was pretty much the only way they use it. They were wrong.  Sharks have been washing up on beaches

On Monday, I published an episode about how the Ontario Provincial Government was about to pass a bill to take powers away from the province's Conservation Authorities on making decisions as to who can build on floodplains. Currently, A Conservation Authority can deny any developer from building on a natural area due to flooding practices. The new bill will allow developers who do not like the answer to appeal the decision directly to the Minister of Natural Resources, who can overturn the verdict.  As I posted clips from Monday's episode on social media, my local councillor in my city reached out to me to tell me that the Council, the Mayor, and the other Mayors on our region were sending a letter to the Premiere of Ontario (head of the provincial government) to tell him that they are against the action.  It was great to hear my local government was taking action and that they reached out to me to provide updates on more than one occasion.  I also discussed the designation of a Marine Protected Area in the S

The Southern Resident Orca Population is considered endangered in the US and Canada with less than 75 individuals left in the population. The reasons for this low number vary from being caught for marine theme parks such as SeaWorld in the 1960s-70s, the lack of salmon as the Orca population only eat salmon, and water pollution (including plastic pollution) that cause a build-up of toxic chemicals in their bodies. These factors require specific protections for the Orcas.  So it is quite surprising when the Navy is approved for drills in the area frequented by the Southern Resident Orca Population off the coast of Washington State. Navy drills are not new and are normally approved to "take" 1 or 2 marine mammals per year; however, now they are approved to "take" 51 Orcas per year until the year 2027. Will the Navy "take" this many? Probably not, but if they did, it would be okay. Unfortunately for the Orca population, it would result in the extirpation.  What is "take" you ask? To "take" a marine mammal means

I saw a recent change to a regulation in my home province of Ontario recently that got me very frustrated because the decision was so short-sighted. The Government of Ontario will be taking away some of the powers of the Conservation Authorities to make decisions on whether developers can build on flood plains.  The change will allow developers to appeal decisions made by the Conservation Authorities that they are not allowed to build on a particular piece of land (generally in a flood plain or a protected area). The appeal will go directly to the Minister of Natural Resources, which generally is an economist or lawyer (not a scientist or engineer!). The change will no doubt allow developers to build more on flood plains then in the past.  Conservation Authorities (CAs) were created in the 1950s in Ontario after the government realized deforestation and the elimination of floodplains were occurring at a rapid rate. CAs were in charge of making the decisions of who could build where and when. Each CA is in cha