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Kids Organize to Save Our Oceans by April Thompson


NEW WAVE


dynamic multimedia presentations. “These young people are going to inherit the problems we’ve created, and deserve a seat at the table,” says DeMezza. Given the opportunity, youth can


play a key role in conservation, research and policy making for Earth’s oceans. “I look at youth not as leaders of the future, but leaders of today,” says Russell. Daniela Fernandez, 23, is one of


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arth’s oceans shelter more than a million species, employ millions of people and feed billions more. Their complex


ecosystems increasingly face critical challenges, including acidifi cation, overfi shing and pollution. Inspiring us all, youths nationwide are stepping up with bold, creative actions benefi ting present and future generations to show us how we too, can do our part. Sean Russell, 24, of Englewood,


Florida, was exposed to ocean wonders in junior marine conservation summer camps and 4-H programs. Volunteering with Mote Marine Laboratory’s dolphin research program, in Sarasota, Russell was struck by how improperly dis- carded fi shing line entangled and killed dolphins and other wildlife. At 16, he launched the Stow It—Don’t Throw It Project to promote portable receptacles made from repurposed tennis ball con- tainers for anglers to stash used fi shing line for later safe disposal on shore. More than 21,000 containers have been distributed nationwide to date. While earning a bachelor’s degree


in biology, Russell launched the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit to harness


48 NA Triangle www.natriangle.com


youth enthusiasm for related issues. Six summits have convened hundreds of concerned young change-makers and adult professionals. “Young people learn about current threats to marine life and become inspired by peers shar- ing ideas and successes,” says Russell. Planning and skill-building sessions fuel action, often assisted by microgrants to help kick-start community projects. Russell is also involved with the


nonprofi t EarthEcho International, which activates young leaders through peer-to-peer networks. One recent campaign, 3T4E, encouraged youth worldwide to pick up three pieces of trash on November 1 and document their efforts. Nearly 2 million social media impressions later, they’ve reached youth in 24 states, in 19 coun- tries and on six continents, according to Executive Director Mia DeMezza. Founded by siblings Philippe and


Alexandra Cousteau, the Washington, D.C., EarthEcho shares service learning stories that record steps young people are taking to mitigate local waterway issues. In a virtual classroom fi eld trip series, they can explore issues such as oceanic dead zones and acidifi cation through


the youth leaders working to bridge the generational divide on ocean con- servation issues. An undergraduate at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., she was invited to a 2013 United Nations (UN) meeting to address the state of the world’s oceans. When she inquired if they had social media outlets to share their discussions, she discov- ered they did not. The 2016 Christopher Benchley Ocean Award winner relates, “I returned to campus with a sense of urgency about the issues I learned about, which led me to start a nonprofi t to connect Millennials with the oceans.” The resulting Sustainable Oceans


Alliance (SOA) has since hosted three global ocean summits with partic- ipants from more than 30 colleges and universities, learning directly from leaders in government, science, business and policy. Summit-watch parties at embassies around the world enabled Millennials to submit questions and comments online. Consequently, Secretary of State John Kerry’s offi ce partnered with SOA to incorporate a youth component in the state depart- ment’s 2016 Our Ocean Conference. The SOA, recognized by the United


Nations as a game-changing initiative, has catalyzed 30 chapters on U.S. campuses, with plans to expand to Britain, Chile and Spain. Actionable steps include advocating for college curricula on ocean health. Already, the alliance has helped sway global policy, gathering 30,000 signatures petitioning that ocean conservation be included in UN sustainable development goals. It also mobilized youth advocating for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, America’s fi rst marine monument (measuring a bit larger than Yellowstone National Park),


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