Finding a Voice for the Oceans
355728
Cunningham writes with a sharp and clear voice about the ocean she knows so intimately and it's intricate connections to the land, air, and human populations. Her narrative pulls you into her story of trauma and pain in a place she clearly loves, her years of separation and recovery, and her eventually return the seas as a fierce activist. Through her own process of witnessing, Cunningham brings us into a greater relationship with the plight of the oceans worldwide. She weaves in the stories of those she meets in her travels and uncovers truths about the state of the waters and its inhabitants without Romanticizing or scare tactics. Her story is an authentic telling of a woman finding her voice. She follows in the footsteps of Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Sandra Steingraber and other deeply articulate and caring people who have spoken ecological truths with written words. Cunningham's deep awe and reverence for something so much larger than one individual, yet so impacted by humanity, invites us to see the oceans anew.
4595739
In Visus, William Walker tells a mythology of whales, giving them an inner life full of thoughts and emotions. His pod of Orcas faces a threat to their health and longevity. The relationships between and their memories form their strengths, connecting them to each other across miles of oceans and the many years of their lives. Walker makes some of the mistakes common to new authors but the potential of his work is obvious. Look to the end of the book for groups that support whales and that desire your participation.
1658058
Carmel Finley's 2011 "All the Fish in the Sea" is an exploration of the history behind the longstanding policy of the US and other governments of managing fisheries for maximum sustainable yield, a policy dating at least to the dawn of the Cold War and having as much to do with political policy as with the management of fish stocks.

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) is the theory that fish stocks can be exploited for large catches, year in and year out, on a scientific basis and without major damage to fish populations.  As Finley demonstrates, the theory is plausible on its face, but in the 1940s and 1950's, in a world anxious for fish protein, the science simply did not exist to identify in a timely fashion the tipping point at which stocks would decline.  A more conservative approach, advocated by a few scientists at the time, can be seen in retrospect as a better fishing policy.  However, MSY won out because it better suited the diplomatic, military and economic goals of its advocates, the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and even the Soviet Union, by ensuring exansive access to the high seas.

Finley has done her research and carries her point, although portions of the text are repetitive and awkwardly edited and although she declines to give much credit to decision makers faced with the real and pressing demands of the Cold War.  "All the Fish in the Sea" is highly recommended to students of the conservation of marine resources as a valuable lesson.
4411422
Is water a right or a commodity? Can it be both? In this book, Elizabeth Royte filters through the complicated politics of tap and bottled water, investigating what goes into the water we drink  and how our planet is affected by it.

Roytes prose manages to be both academic and personally self-reflective, filled with colorful characters like Michael Mascha  the water connoisseur  and Howard Dearborne, who cant get anyone to believe that Nestls groundwater pumping is spurring algal growth and clogging his water bodies.

It is these personal touches that make this book feel relevant and accessible. Royte is upfront about her own leanings and impressions, but she gives ample space to people with alternate viewpoints. In the end, the issue of clean drinking water remains, well, muddy.

What begins seeming like it will be an expos of the bottled water industrys groundwater mining is instead a thoughtful and nuanced study of the water we use and dispose  and tap water doesnt emerge completely unscathed either.

Even in the country with some of the best tap water in the world, systems fall short, Royte reports. Farmers pour herbicides on their fields, which contaminates drinking water sources in most cities after rains. These unregulated contaminants  including drugs, hormones, antibiotics, caffeine, and nicotine  can be linked to cancer and other toxicity. Though bottled water may be wasteful, even unsustainable, these minor threats are enough to erode peoples trust in tap.

After her trips into processing plants and staring down algae-choked bodies of water, Royte comes to a familiar conclusion: everything in our ecosystems are tied to everything else. There is no such thing as opting out of responsibility for protecting our water systems. And whether that is keeping bottled water companies from draining ancient aquifers or filtering contaminants out of the water that runs from our tap, urgent action is required.
1872442
This sweet book with its rich, captivating illustrations by Angela Rose Mitchell teaches us about a much overlooked, but highly important sea resident. Bivalves keep our waters clean and healthy, and counteracts the damage done to our oceans and waterways caused by careless practices. Although the recommended reading age is 8 and up, the wording is never oversimplified for younger readers. Well done, Chesapeake Mermaid, I look forward to your next publication!
1846612
Another Anthemic Offering on a Timely Issue.  I wish the voices had been pushed more to the front of the mix to hear the words more clearly.  I believe it is a catchy tune and may serve to bring people together on Saving the Environment.
497449
There is so much about this book to love that it would be difficult to assign priorities to its various aspects. After a great tragedy in his life, David Helvarg sought solace and purpose where he has always sought it: in the world's oceans and seas. A virtually lifelong "ocean hero," Helvarg has written yet another compelling, moving, brilliantly researched and written call to action to save our endangered seas and their inhabitants, as well as an exciting adventure story. I would be surprised if he has not actually traveled upon; scuba-dived in; or surfed on the waves of virtually every sea in the entire world. I will definitely read this again!
4680609
This is an excellent book that covers a very wide set of subjects clearly. It is well written and powerful. The analysis in some cases could have been more detailed and more statistics would have been welcome -- there are no tables or charts. However, the book makes a strong statement for ocean environmentalism. Other good books and information on oceans can be found here:

mwir-earthscience.blogspot.com/
Midwest Independent Research
3858590
Sylvia Earle is a wonderful author, speaker and environmentalist.  Read this book and do what you can to help our oceans - each of us matters.
969437
Alyze Nelson wrote the Introduction and then devotes a separate chapter to each of five "common threads" from which the "fabric" of great leadership within the Vital Voices Global Partnership has been "woven" for almost two decades. They are:

o  A driving force or sense of mission
o  Strong roots in the community
o  An ability to connect across lines that divide
o  Bold ideas and bold action
o  A resolve to pay it forward

According to the Foreword provided by the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton and its Founder, Vital Voices can be traced back to the United Nations' Beijing women's conference in 1995 when delegates from 189 nations met to discuss various issues.  Since then, hundreds of thousands of women have helped to build an increasingly stronger, more influential global organization that continues to support as well as stand both with and behind women around the world. During the past seventeen years, much of great value has been learned. As Nelson explains, "Our goal, with this book, is to share those lessons as widely as we can in the hopes that other women -- and all individuals -- who aspire to make a difference can draw inspiration, guidance, and hope from these voices, their stories, and their successes."

Each of the five chapters is introduced by a "vital voice" among the extraordinary women who, in the words of the Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton (VVGP founder), "are on the front lines across the world who make each of us dare a little more, risk a little more, do a little more." Specifically, these are the leaders who introduce the first five chapters:

One:  The Honorable Michelle Bachelet (Under-Secretary General and Executive Director, UN Women)
Two:  Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwseala (Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Nigeria)
Three:  Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Honorary Co-Chair, Vital Voices)
Four:  Diane Von Furstenberg (Designer, and Vital Voices Board Member)
Five: Melanne Verveer (Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, U.S. Department of State, and Vital Voices Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus)

The Conclusion, "Leadership Is a Journey, Not a Destination," is introduced  by Sally Field (Actress, Activist, and Vital Forces Board Member). Then Susan Anne Davis and Bobbie Greene McCarthy (Chair and Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, Vital voices) provide an Afterword.

I was tempted by but resisted the temptation to provide a number of brief excerpts from various contributors. Suffice to say that Alyze Nelson has assembled and then brilliantly edited a wealth of material from 40 global leaders who demonstrate "the power of women leading change around the world," to be sure, but their insights and experiences also help us to understand that how and why "women's rights are human rights" and "women's progress is global progress" for everyone.
484979
This book is not only a vessel for an important message, it is also well-written and easy on a reader's eyes.  Author Carlos Magdalena has a mission to share with us about the world and ecology, and the meaning of the book is not sacrificed for this quest.  Rather, the book aligns well with descriptions of Magdalena's work and the moral direction he has taken with what we does.

This is a rare instance where we have an entertaining book that also happens to reach out and educate.  A lovely juxtaposition, and a nicely accomplished autobiography.
3143539
A beautifully shot and informative documentary about one of Earth's last pristine Marine environments- the Ross Sea, off the coast of Antarctica. There is stunning photography above and below water, and a great deal of information about the threats to the Ross Sea as a result of commercial fishing activity for what is essentially a luxury food item, the Antarctic Toothfish, which is wrongly marketed as Chilean Seabass.

We really need to spread the word in order to get policy makers to approve the implementation of a marine protected area and protect this amazing place for future generations. So if you liked it, give it a great rating, write a review, and share it as much as possible! Let's try to make a difference! Oh- and avoid Chilean Seabass like the plague!
787308
This personal journey in three parts is the work of a thoughtful, adventurous soul. We know the author as an actress who is able to expose the deep interior life of her characters (from Eleanor Roosevelt to Calamity Jane and others) through her professional work. In this book, we discover more of the interior life of Jane Alexander, the woman, the individual, captivated by the natural world, in love with birds, supportive of people who share her passion for the Earth and all its life-forms. We also learn that she is a world traveler, an adventurer, a friend of field scientists, and an environmentalist.

She begins with a thoughtful Author's Note that immediately tells the reader that this is a confident writer and advocate for animals who intends unapologetically to adopt the unusual practice of capitalizing the names of all animal species throughout the book. It is an important and telling choice. In the Prologue, she foreshadows Part I when she writes of meeting then-thirty-year-old Alan Rabinowitz, who was working on Jaguar preservation in Belize. She continues her portrait of Rabinowitz and his grueling endeavors in Part I as she travels through Mexico, Belize, Thailand, Idaho, Nepal, Myanmar, India, and Brazil. Each chapter provides a portrait of the area and an account of the challenges of preserving endangered wildlife therein. She reveals in Part 2 more of her own childhood and life, with chapters on Birds, Peru, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, Galapagos, Newfoundland, Amazonia, East Africa, and Madagascar. In Part 3, she organizes her observations around a smattering of other subjects: Desert, Killers, Bhutan, Bahamas, Ecuador, and Ocean.

Although few have both the adventurous spirit and the resources to travel and learn first-hand in the way that Alexander has, there is no overlay of privilege about the author or the book. The writing is refreshing and accessible. The adventures are remote and intriguing. But, despite the authors admonition that you cannot be a conservationist and a pessimist. It is an oxymoron. The endeavor of conserving anything is one of optimism and hope, there is a strong thread of sadness that runs through the volume. Indeed, how could there not be given the tremendous devastation humans wreak upon our planet and its creatures? The stories told contain many extinctions and habitat losses and too few successes. The book is eye-opening in its revelations of destruction in almost any direction you turn. Nevertheless, it is good to learn that Alexander holds on to her optimism. An Appendix of organizations involved with the protection and conservation of wild things and wild places follows the main text. I will send checks to a few of them and work on my own optimism. I do recommend the book.
2515057
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It's certainly eye-opening, but I'd suggest sticking to books that tell you the facts AS WELL AS what we can do about it; you know, books that give us hope and motivation after telling us about the reality, rather than just leaving us feeling hopeless.

Such as "The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's are One" by Sylvia Earle. It's eye-opening too, but later shows us how we still have the power to save the oceans.
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1990153
Its pretty common to write an environmental book by starting with the bad news and then ending with a hopeful story. Greenberg turns that structure on its head, starting with New York oyster restoration and ending with a massive threat to Alaskan salmon. I liked the way this worked, which made the books optimism more realistic than the conventional structure. Fixing things is *hard*, and its much better to prevent the harm in the first place. Thats the lesson of these three stories.

Oysters, shrimp, and salmon all face large-scale threats from pollution, and the fishing industry must also adapt to changing global markets. In addition, Greenberg emphasizes the social connection between people and their own seafood resources. If New Yorkers eat local oysters, they will care about the health of their waters; so too Gulf shrimpers. International trade destroys those social and political connections. For Greenberg, eating locally becomes a political strategy.

These trends make visible the dangers to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. Most of the salmon are exported to Asia; Greenberg would rather the salmon was exported to the Lower 48. Its not clear how that supports his locavore strategy. Most worrisome is the pollution from the Pebble Mine (and others) in the Bristol Bay watershed. Its striking that these huge mines are worth *less* money that the fishery. Unfortunately, a few large corporations can organize more easily than thousands of fishing boats.

Greenberg emphasizes locavorism as a solution. He expects that giving local consumers a bigger stake in their fisheries will mobilize them against habitat destruction and pollution. Im not sure that solution can explain the New York oyster case he describes, where the city just gave up on its oysters and imported what it wanted. I would also be curious what Greenberg would say to those of us who don't live on the coast, especially those who love seafood. The locavore strategy also risks demonizing other people, especially Chinese, for eating our Alaskan salmon.

Objections aside, its an interesting, well-written review of the problem and its history.
4791626
This was a fantastic book in the way it spreads awareness of marine environment protection. Princess Mariana, Guardian of the Seas, is determined to always ensure the oceans and marine life are safe, healthy, and balanced within our ecosystem. When her friends and her find a seal wedged inside a rubber tire, they come to realize that pollution is posing a threat to all marine life. Mariana soon discovers that all the waste is seeping into the ocean from a wasteland called Lixo Island, which mirrors the real-life island, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean.
I really liked that this story strived to illuminate how recycling helps to keep the planet clean, as well as limiting additional waste. This book sends the message that any kind of pollution is unethical. In addition, the introduction of a Latina princess to the line-up of other Guardian Princesses advances the need for ethnically and culturally inclusive princesses to contrast against the Eurocentric princess culture.
2130507
I am not a bleeding heart environmentalist but I do believe we need to understand the importance of keeping a balance with everything on this earth including sharks. I am a scuba diver and enjoy observing and giving respect to everything that keeps our oceans in balance when I am under the sea. This movie can teach so many people both young and old how important sharks are to us and why over-hunting (or in some cases just decimating for shark fin soup) could throw many things out of balance both above and below the water.
There are some parts of this film that are over dramatic and I did feel that the environmental group was acting beyond safety and common sense in some situations but overall it is an enjoyable film.
I think any young person would find value in this movie to understand and perhaps become interested in our oceans and conservation at a reasonable level.