conservation — Blog — The Greenest Blue

A Day in the Life of A Dolphin Swim Guide in New Zealand

I knew what field I wanted to work in (marine tourism) and did some research with contacts and friends who had traveled NZ before, eventually deciding I wanted to try and work in Kaikoura. It was touted as the marine mammal hotspot of the country, and my good friend Fi (who I actually had never met in person until moving to NZ) was working there. It seemed perfect!

Applications were sent. Bank accounts were opened. Cars were purchased. A room was rented. Interviews were had. And then, there I was, employed as a dolphin swim guide in this beautiful little seaside town. The company I worked for is Dolphin Encounter Kaikoura, the only dolphin swim company in Kaikoura and arguably one of the most well-organized operations. I might be biased, but I think Kaikoura is the place to swim with wild dolphins. See why I believe it’s ethical here!

A Simpler Way to Talk Green: Making it easy to understand and discuss climate change

I’m pretty sick of all the heavy negative weight around the words “climate change.” Yes, it’s scary. It’s horrifying that we are letting things get this bad. But at the same time, it’s a problem that we are facing, and there are many people taking positive action. Humanity has faced problems before. We’ve tackled issues and seen both successes and failures, and plenty of bumps along the way. In the end, doesn’t it come down to collaboration and problem-solving? I listened to a really succinct Green Dreamer podcast the other day that focused on summarizing climate change science into three basic facts. Dr. Jeffrey Bennet was the astronomer, teacher, and author that was interviewed, and I enjoyed his casual and easy-to-understand style as he pointed out some helpful bits of advice and offered practical ideas for solutions to this crisis. And the episode was only 30 minutes! I recommend listening to the whole thing here, but I’ve also summarized some of the key ideals that really stuck out to me.

Mindful Travel, Part 4: 3 Things to Think Critically About Before You Buy a Plane Ticket

The world is essentially a global village now. If you save up the funds and are willing to plan, you can almost go anywhere. Formerly remote and untouched places are changing fast because of our “travel NOW” and escapist mentality that is leading us to escape farther, be more epic, get off the beaten track, snap those wanderlust-worthy social media pics. When I was in college, I was constantly daydreaming over travel Pinterest boards and writing quotes about going out to see the world, experience things, discover myself and learn by immersion instead of just through books and articles.

Week 2: 8 Weeks to a Greener Life and a Bluer Sea - Speak Up About Single-Use Plastics

Week number 2 brings a bit of a different challenge, and one that became more and more relevant for me after I became hyper-aware of plastic waste and poor environmental practices in restaurants and other businesses. The challenge: speak up about a possible improvement that you think one of your favorite restaurants can make in terms of its plastic use. You know those places you go to eat, the ones you adore with delicious food that you can’t get anywhere else and that give you the warm fuzzies because it’s familiar and it’s the bestest…but that also produce horrendous amounts of waste? I experienced that in Coeur d’Alene this past week at the Fish Market. My family loves this place. AMAZING fish tacos. But EVERYTHING served with single-use plastic sauce tubs, plastic cutlery, and beers on tap are even served in plastic pint cups. WHAT. WHY. GET A DISHWASHER. Give someone a job in the community and stop producing so much waste!

Green Mind: The Challenging Shift from a Cheapest-is-Best Mentality to a Do-It-for-the-Earth Mentality

To the millennials out there: we were raised in a different time with different priorities, and we don’t exactly have a blueprint to look to as we navigate these new and constant environmental challenges. It's a huge task, managing and instigating all of this change. But for those of us who care about the environment to any degree at all, which I truly do believe is most of us, we can start shifting our habits to live a greener lifestyle. We might have to start small; everyone's personal and financial situation is different. But when we continue to demand green alternatives and use our purchasing power to support what we believe in, we are going to keep seeing changes. So start where you can. Do what you can. And at the very least, keep up-to-date on environmental issues and talk about them with your family and friends.

Be Like the Buddha of Environmentalism - A Movement Towards Enlightenment in Conservation

I wrote a post not too long ago about the challenges of being an optimistic environmentalist. The struggle is real. Very, very real. I’m sure many of you have seen National Geographic’s latest magazine cover depicting a plastic bag looming up from the ocean like an iceberg with the title “Planet or Plastic?” This particular issue is just the start of the magazine’s multiyear plan to bring awareness to our planet’s plastic overload crisis. At first glance, it’s heart wrenching - another reminder of the doom and gloom and challenges ahead of us. But once I read the article and absorbed the painful facts, the scary stats, and the troubling photographs, I felt a little rush of excitement. Do we even know how many people are going to be exposed to this crisis as a result of this publication, people that may never even have thought about it seriously and now would? National Geographic has always been a magazine that has sparked controversial conversations, and this particular cover has been dubbed “one for the ages.” People are going to be talking. People are going to be freaked out. And that’s good.

5 Ways to Eliminate Single-Use Plastics from Your Life

I've been really struggling and trying to be extra mindful of these plastic "conveniences" in my day-to-day life. Plastic has fundamentally changed the way we eat, travel, and live our day-to-day lives. But we lived without it not so long ago - can we reach that stage again? We don't want a plastic ocean.

Working with "Charismatic Megafauna" to Raise Awareness for Conservation Goals — Can a Naturalist Make a Difference?

The ocean is full of incredible creatures, many of which the average person will never lay eyes on in their lifetime. Although about 40% of humans live within 100 km of the coast, there's still plenty of us who spend our days without seeing, or thinking about, the big blue. It's easy to feel disconnected from something that we simply don't see every day. Is this why the ocean's health often slips from the list of factors that affect our day-to-day lifestyle choices? In my perfect world, the health of the sea would be at the forefront of everyone's mind when they make any decision that involves sustainability and conservation. But it's not always so. Not everyone can live by the ocean. Not everyone wants to live by the ocean. Not everyone realizes that our health and wellbeing is intimately tied to the wellbeing of the sea. This is why it is important to give reminders of why the ocean is an incredible gift — not to mention essential for our survival as a species — and why it deserves respect and protection.

Marine mammals inspired me to seek a greener lifestyle. What inspires you?