Category Archives: Activism

Day 157 11/29/13: Sea Shepherd’s Shark-Saving New Film

by in Activism, Animal Rights, Animal Welfare, Education, Marine Conservation, Shark Charities, Shark Conservation, Shark Finning and tagged , , | Leave a comment
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s true. Sharks could be extinct in 30 years.

Some populations may disappear within a decade.

For the last three years, Sea Shepherd has been working on a documentary in collaboration with the union of environmental lawyers in Latin America to help educate the environmental legal community. This film is the first of its kind designed to educate and inspire environmental prosecutors.We need to not only to create tougher shark finning laws, but to make sure that they’re enforced. We need to keep marine sanctuaries safe from illegal finning and get tougher convictions for ocean-related crimes.

This is is such a good cause, and you can be a part of it for as little as $1.00!

Related articles

Day 148: 11/20/13: Getting Active for Sharks

by in Activism, Animal Rights, Animal Welfare, Environment, Shark Conservation, Shark Finning and tagged | Leave a comment

I posted this video (I know it’s awful to watch), because it’s necessary sometimes to look at images of atrocity so we don’t forget what’s happening and we don’t stop fighting to end injustice. Beyond the brutality and waste of shark finning for flavorless soup, it is a myth that sharks (or perhaps any fish in this post-Fukishima world) are a health food. Sharks, in particular, are riddled with toxins from mercury to anti-depressants. 

This story talks about three recent deaths in Madagascar from shark meat consumption.

But let us not despair, shark friends! The sharks need us. Badly.

We all have talents, connections, abilities and creativity we can use to help out.

Organize a benefit. Teach a class. Have a letter-writing party. Put on an art show. Host a shark charity yard sale.

As a start, please click here to sign a petition banning the sale of shark fins & shark products.

Click here for some creative ways to help!

Day 143 11/15/13: Celebrate Whale Sharks

by in Activism, Animal Welfare, Education, Marine Conservation and tagged , , , | Leave a comment
English: whale shark Deutsch: Walhai

English: whale shark Deutsch: Walhai (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Behold the beauty!

1. Conservation Meets High Art/Fashion: Photographer Shawn Heinrichs made these gorgeous images of whale sharks and their “mermaid” counterparts.

2. Sign This: Help Whale Sharks & Their Brethren by keeping state finning laws strong.

3. Whale Shark 101: a great 3-minute video about the world’s largest fish.

4. This Just In: Indonesian Fishermen free juvenile whale shark caught in fishing net.

5. Where do they go? Listen & Read: NPR’s story on the mysteries of whale shark migration.

Day 138 11/10/13: Notes from a Protest: SeaWorld San Diego

by in Activism, Animal Welfare, Marine Conservation, Teaching and tagged , | 2 Comments

1467349_701791979831073_897859947_nA pretty mellow (125 people??) protest at SeaWorld. Hotter today than the protest in September. The weather in Southern California keeps getting warmer and weirder as the department stores fill with Christmas decorations earlier every year.

San Diego high school teacher Anthony Palmiotto, whose Cinematic Arts students made the balanced, yet confrontational  film “Dear Seaworld,” walked among the protestors scribbling notes followed by three young protégés with cameras. “They’re going to be great filmmakers!” Palmiotto enthused. Seeing Palmiotto and his young film crew felt good, since my friend Carolyn and I had been talking about how to get students involved in activism without offering extra credit.

But the youth of America sure turned out today–from the bohemian kids with shimmering pink hair and vegan creeper shoes to the cute chipper girls who handed anti-SeaWorld flyers to admiring guys in 4×4 trucks and the changing roster of young activists donned the hot, velvety killer whale outfit.  These sweltering ambassadors danced as spiritedly as anyone possibly could in a suffocating Orca suit. They held signs that read TURN BACK NOW. SEE BLACKFISH. “It’s about a hundred degrees in there,” one girl revealed, briefly removing the velvety black and white head and swigging Gatorade. “But  the whales have it a lot worse.”

Day 137 11/9/13: 5 Random Inspirations For A Saturday

by in Activism, Art, Beatles/John Lennon, Humor and tagged , , | 2 Comments

From the sublime to the absurd in no particular order:

Cover of "Lolita"

Cover of Lolita

1. John Lennon singing Instant Karma!

2. Torn between making art and taking direct action?  Read Derrick Jensen’s essay “Loaded Words: Writing as a Combat Discipline”

3. Fall in love with the English language: Listen to Jeremy Irons reading Lolita 

4. It’s so awful, it’s great: Russian Shark Attack Tampax commercial 

5. The always wild, beautiful and strange art & literature at biblioklept. 

Day 134 11/6/13: Ban Shark Nets in Australia!

by in Activism, Animal Welfare, Environment, Marine Conservation and tagged , | Leave a comment

Good evening Shark Friends:

Please take a second to sign this petition to end the use of nets and bait lines in Australia. Sharks, whales, turtles and countless other forms of sea life entangle themselves and suffocate in these anti-shark “safety” nets every day.

As of this post, the petition has 575 signatures. They need 4,425, so please sign & share for sharks!

Day 127 10/30/13: JAWS Tribute: Enjoy Art! Help Sharks!

by in Activism, Jaws, Marine Conservation, Shark Charities, Shark Conservation, Shark Finning and tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What are you doing this weekend, Los Angeles?

Why of course,you’re attending “Smile You Son of A Bitch,” a  Jaws-themed Art Show at the Hero Complex Gallery!

This divine mash-up of pop culture and activism includes the work of over 90 international artists celebrating the glory of Quint, Brody, Bruce and all things JAWSJAWS1.

The $10 admission benefits Pangeaseed’s shark conservation and education efforts.

When: November 1-3

Opening Reception: Friday Nov. 1

6 pm-10 pm

Where: Hero Complex Gallery, 2020 South Robertson Blvd. Studio D  L.A. 90034

Day 123 10/26/13: Shark on a Bus & Other Stories of Creative Conservation

by in Activism, Animal Rights, Diving, Education, Marine Conservation, Shark Charities and tagged , , | Leave a comment

images-5This eccentric Australian diver/environmentalist travels the countryside in a bus filled with marine artifacts including a 5 meter white shark to educate the public about “killer” sharks. Admission fees collected for his “mobile museum” are donated to ocean pollution campaigns.

And on the subject of unusual forms of advocacy, check out this interview with Debbie Salamone of Shark Attack Survivors for Shark Conservation….I also just discovered Operation Blue Pride, a group injured war veterans that have come together to dive with sharks and promote awareness about ocean conservation.

Day 117 10/20/13: Sunday Slacktivism: 5 Easy Ways to Help the Oceans

by in Activism, Animal Welfare, Marine Conservation and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
Large open water fish, like this Northern blue...

Large open water fish, like this Northern bluefin tuna, are oily fish. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are 5 quick and dandy ways to help the ocean and its animals:

1. Still fuming over Blackfish? Free Lolita the Orca from 43 years in captivity. Sign here.

2. A click a day helps fund Oceana’s sea-saving campaigns.

3. Overfishing, radiation, global warming and overfishing are putting unbelievable pressure on the sea and the animals that live there. Sign Greenpeace’s petition to designate 40% of the world’s oceans as protected marine reserves.

4. Bluefin Tuna are seriously overfished. Urge the National Marine Fisheries Service to take more specific measures to help them.

5. Two words: The Cove.  Ask Japan to stop killing dolphins.

Related articles