How To Protect The Ocean

Sparkling water without plastic bottles is not only good for your health (plastic bottles can cause health problems). In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Marcus O'Donovan, the founder of CO2U, a company that provides carbon dioxide cylinders for home sparkling water machines. The discussion centers around the intersection of entrepreneurship and...

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, emphasizing the significant role climate change plays in their occurrence and intensity. Lewin highlights that the wildfires are exacerbated by a phenomenon known as "hydroclimate whiplash," where California experiences extreme fluctuations between wet and dry conditions....

Environmental protections before the next president could be sworn in were implemented to help save 625 million acres of ocean from oil and gas exploration. In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses recent developments regarding the Gulf of Mexico and new protections for marine environments in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico Name Change Proposal The episode beg...

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Carlos Mallo, the founder and CEO of Innoceana, an innovative marine conservation organization. Carlos shares his journey from being an engineer to a marine conservationist, highlighting the pivotal moments that led him to launch Innoceana. Carlos grew up in Spain, surrounded by the ocean, which instilled in hi...

Orca mourns second calf since 2018 in a devastating report that J35 was seen floating her dead calf on January 1st, 2025. In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the tragic story of J35, a Southern Resident Orca, who lost her second calf, J61, shortly after its birth. The episode highlights several critical factors contributing to the high mortality rat...

It takes a village to protect the ocean even though ocean conservation can sometimes feel lonely. Leaning on your community can help to inspire you to take more action for the sea. In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Luan emphasizes the vital role of community in ocean conservation efforts. He discusses how protecting the ocean can feel overwhelming for individua...

Sea Turtle Conservation in Florida is hard and it's about to get harder with the onset of increased intensity of hurricanes and increased sea level rise. Sea Turtle Conservation has been successful over the past few decades with protection policies being implemented along Florida coastlines. Still, hurricane events and increased sea level rise can wipe out nests in one storm killing hundreds of th...

Where do whales live? Where do they go? These are just some of the questions the US federal government would like to answer by introducing a bill (H.R. 10292) called the Whale CHARTS Act. In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lauren discusses the recently introduced Whale Conservation Habitat Analysis Research and Technical Strategies Act, also known as the Whale Cha...

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Dr. Annalisa Bracco, a professor at Georgia Tech specializing in ocean and climate dynamics. The discussion centers around innovative climate solutions, moving away from the typical focus on the negative impacts of climate change. Key Climate Solutions Discussed: Sargassum Management : Problem : Since 2011, the...

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Luan discusses the significant decline in the population of common murres, a seabird species in Alaska, which has seen about half of its population die off—approximately 4 million individuals—since the marine heat wave known as "the blob" occurred from 2014 to 2016. The primary reason for this drastic decline is linked to the eff...

Mind your plastic pollution is a conversation that we all need to have because we all partake in using single-use plastic as the system is set up that way.  In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin engages in a conversation with Natasha Tucker, the Executive Director of Mind Your Plastic, a Canadian charity focused on eliminating plastic pollution. The discussion...

Plastic pollution clean up through absorption is now a possibility by using a combination of cotton and chittin to take microplastics out of the ocean...but can this work at scale? In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lo discusses the pressing issue of microplastics in the ocean and introduces a promising new method for their absorption using a combination of cott...

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the pressing issue of climate change and the challenges posed by government inaction. With the recent political shifts in North America, particularly the incoming administration in the United States, there are concerns about the rollback of environmental regulations and policies that protect the ocean and climat...

Orcas playing with their food is not a new behavior; however, wearing salmon on their heads is not usual.  In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses a fascinating phenomenon involving orcas wearing salmon as hats. A recent photograph captured an orca in Puget Sound sporting a salmon on its head, reminiscent of similar behaviors observed in the 1980s when...

Seashells on the seashore are being taken in large quantities and it's increasing erosion along beaches. A new study reveals the tourism industry is taking too many seashells along coastlines in Costa Rica.  In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the environmental impact of taking seashells from coastal areas, particularly in Costa Rica. He highlights...

Abandoned fish farms in Greece are plaguing the coastline with marine debris; however, Healthy Seas is working to clean up some of the sites and raise awareness for support to tell the Greek government that fish farm owners should be responsible for cleaning up their sites once the business is done operating.  In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses t...

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Luan discusses the fascinating connection between giant clams and the efficiency of solar panels. He highlights the vibrant colors of giant clams, which are not only visually stunning but also play a crucial role in coral reef ecosystems, particularly in the Southeast Pacific. The key focus is on the algae, specifically zooxant...

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the fascinating behavior of orcas, particularly their recent predation on whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean. Orcas, known as apex predators, have been observed hunting whale sharks in the Gulf of California. This behavior was documented in a new study published in the journal  Frontiers of Marine Science...

Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy is a documentary that was released on Netflix a week before Black Friday. The movie reveals the shocking truth about how large corporations manipulate consumers to increase their profits at the peril of the consumer's wallet and the planet's health. In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses the recently released Netflix do...

Rebuilding fisheries requires information on fisheries stock assessments for each species. Collecting that data is not easy; it takes time and money to do. The Canadian Government is mandated to gather information on the 200 commercially fished species, but it's lacking. Not to worry. Ocean Canada has taken on the burden to collect and presenting the fisheries information in their Annual Fisheries...

How do we stop over fishing? Fishing transparency is a great start. Many fisheries around the world lack the data to provide managers with the information to make better management decisions. The Coalition of Fisheries Transparency aims to work with their partners to help gain more information on each fishery. Maisie Pigeon, the Director for the Coalition, koins Andrew Lewin to discuss how transpa...

The largest solar farm on the ocean is now running off the coast of China as the country continues to invest in ways to support its sustainable energy needs.  In the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses China's deployment of the world's largest open sea offshore solar panel farm. The project, developed by CHN Energy, spans 1,223 hectares (3,023 acres) and is located 8 ki...

The impact of the avian flu of elephant seals resulted in the death of 17,000 individuals in a population in Argentina. Researchers think the marine mammals caught the virus from migrating birds near their haul out areas that are usually packed with the animals one on top of the other. Unfortunately, 97% of the elephant seal pups were lost resulting in a devastating loss for generations to come. ...

A new marine protected area has been designated in Puerto Rico to bring their total ocean protection up to 27%, 3% away from the 30 x 30 promise many countries have promised to meet. The US has a total of 26% of its ocean in marine protected areas. In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses establishing a new marine protected area (MPA) in Puerto Rico, w...

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lewin discusses practical ways for individuals to reduce their carbon footprint. Here are the key strategies highlighted: Calculate Your Carbon Footprint : Start by determining your current carbon footprint using a reliable calculator. Understanding your baseline is essential for tracking progress. Food Choices : Opt for Plant-Ba...