“I used to think that the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change...but I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed, and apathy...and to deal with those we need a SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION.”
Our planet is in great need of healing. Our ocean, as the beating blue heartbeat of this planet, especially so. But I'm not here to tell you about any doom and gloom. We are where we are, and this is right where we need to be. I want to hold space for conversations around the topics we have ignored for far too long, like our fragmented relationship with the natural world and with ourselves, the lack of inclusivity in the conservation movement, and our blockages to change. I also want to explore the power and beauty of community action andshow how it can help us feel less alone in the conservation struggle.
This space is for sharing stories and conversations about the environmental issues we're concerned about, the movements we want to explore, the adventures we're living, and the thoughts we're pondering. I talk about everything from the benefits of plant-based eating, to the social justice challenges we’re facing, to my favorite eco-friendly travel adventures, to the challenges of remote work, to ethical marine ecotourism. I promise you’ll never be bored.
And who am I to take up this little lagoon on the internet? My name is Lauren. I am currently a graduate student studying marine mammal ecology at UC Santa Cruz. In the past I’ve worked as a freelance writer, web designer, and marketing consultant, all while balancing a career in marine tourism (whale watching and running ethical swim-with-wild-dolphin tours). This blog provides me the space to write about the conservation issues and environmental concerns that I face on a day-to-day basis. My goal is to inspire societal change and activism while building a vibrant, ocean-loving, inclusive community of eco-warriors from all walks of life and all backgrounds.
What's Happening on the Blog:
Featured
What does a marine tourism guide actually do?
Learn more about my motivation for starting the greenest blue.
Inspiration on Insta
What's life as a seasonal guide like? Here's a quick summary of 2017:
This has been a wild year - I've spent 3 tourist seasons on 3 different islands, guiding on snorkel, whale watch, and dolphin swim tours. Maui, I love you. San Juan Island, you feel like home. Kaikoura - you've reinvigorated me. I've never been in so much saltwater, and it feels amazing!
Lauren Fritz is a researcher, naturalist, writer, and photographer that tumbled headfirst into a passionate love affair with travel and island living after realizing just how intoxicating this salty world can be. She's worked as a whale watch, snorkel, and dolphin swim guide in Maui, Hawai’i; the San Juan Islands in Washington State; Kaikoura, New Zealand; Hervey Bay, Australia; and the Kingdom of Tonga. On island, her time is spent teaching visitors about ocean conservation and marine life, but she also maintains a childlike sense of curiosity and wonder and enjoys living life as a permanent student - continuously learning about the ocean, the mountains, and the different cultures that she encounters in her explorations. This blog is an elaboration of her thoughts, musings, and meaningful experiences, with a focus on conservation and mindful living.
For now, I want to share this particularly special experience that is unfolding, right now. I’m on a ship in the Antarctic, specifically the Antarctic Sound on the northeast side of the Western Antarctic Peninsula, with a group of 120 women and non-binary people in STEMM. It’s facilitated by Homeward Bound. Read more here: it’s late, and this girl needs to get to bed.
But I wanted to start a log of our experiences each day, and I need to get caught up before time flashes by and I’m disembarking in Ushuaia in two weeks. Updates will be mostly through photos, as that is the energy level I’m working with currently.
Kinnes Cove
Home to a bustling Adelie penguin colony, with some Gentoos and a random Chinstrap or three thrown into the fray. We saw a sleepy, chunky Weddell seal hauled out on the shoreline, and a few lazy humpbacks cruised past our zodiacs on their way to redder pastures (because of krill, duh).