What is shark finning?
According to Sharkwater.com, shark finning can be defined as “the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.” This leaves approximately 99% of the shark completely wasted.
It’s estimated that more than 100 million sharks are killed annually for their fins. As opposed to the annual global average of six human fatalities by sharks per year (floridamuseum.ufl.edu). It doesn’t take much to see the astronomical difference in numbers here.
Aside from the obvious depletion of shark populations, the killing of these sharks, in turn, threatens marine ecosystems and their stability.
What does this mean for the U.S.?
Currently, the U.S. has 12 states that have enacted laws to prohibit shark fin trade outright, making it illegal to sell, trade, or possess shark fins within their borders (sharkstewards.org). The following states are in participation: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington, as well as three territories American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
This all said, “while it’s illegal to kill sharks for their fins in U.S. waters, it’s not illegal to import shark fins into the country.” (coastalliving.com)
Canada's new legislation
As of June, Canada passed the new Fisheries Act which makes Canada the first G20 country to ban the export and import of shark fins according to Josh Laughren, the executive director of Oceana Canada. Laughren continued on to say that Canada was the largest importer of shark fins outside of Asia. (reuters.com)
While this solution may not be the ultimate answer, Canada is surely leading the way by example, putting action behind a necessary cause.
How can you help?
Head over to this page from Oceana to tell Congress that you demand change. Continue to educate yourself on what is going on not only world wide, but in your specific country. Leave me a comment on our Facebook page to give me more information, add your opinion, voice your concerns, and share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues. I love Shark Week a whole lot, but I don't want all the glory of this fun, week-long event to allow us to forget what's really important.
Looking for a way to help protect our ocean from toxic chemicals? Check out the Reef-safe Sunscreen blog post now!
I know most of the people who will read this post have seen 100 degree days before and agree they were hot back then. The difference now is evenings aren't cooling down. These 100+ degree days are lasting into the evening and heat waves are lasting longer. The term global warming may often confuse people so let me say that global warming causes EXTREME WEATHER. Cold days get colder, hot days get hotter. The hotter the air, the more moisture that can be held and we've all been feeling the humidity. This moisture falls as rain which has been directly linked to the extreme rain we've all had this year.
Who's CURRENTLY more at risk? Elderly, kids, people who are already sick, and folks living in more dense areas, such as cities. We've all heard people down south freaking out over a snow storm that we're so used to. This is what's happening up north as we realize that there are many people not prepped to handle extreme heat.
How can YOU make a difference?
If you're anything like me (and chances are you are seeing as you're reading this post), you FULLY understand my frustration when it comes to shopping at the grocery store. Being that I live in a city, I can't quite find everything that I'm looking for at local farmers markets and pop up farm shares (though I definitely got some amazing veggies at one this weekend) so I'm left with the only other option...the grocery store.
I bring my own shopping bags, produce bags, refillable soap containers, etc., but I never seem to have enough. EVERYTHING is covered in plastic. From veggies to fruits to crackers to yogurt to protein bars and bars of soap, it's. all. freaking. PLASTIC. The artwork above couldn't feel more appropriate and I find it absolutely heartbreaking.
I'm writing this blog post simply asking HOW DO YOU DO IT, FRIEND?! I want your tips, I want your tricks. I want the ins and the outs. I want the upside downs (I went there. I know. It's July and I haven't finished the new Strangers Things season yet, cut me some slack!), and the good, the bad, the ugly. Tell me how much your arms hurt carrying all your glass or steel refillable containers. Tell me how many eye rolls you get when you need to have the cashier weigh your empties before you fill them up. But I also REALLY want to hear about your WINS! I'll leave you with this one right now.
I was at Whole Foods with my sister a few weeks ago. I had left my reusable cup in the car and was getting reaaaal grouchy without a caffeine fix. It felt like it was 800 degrees in Philly that day and I couldn't bring myself to ordering a hot latte, but I also didn't want to waste plastic. So I ordered an iced latte in a paper cup with no lid and no straw, nothing to stir it with and no fancy way to not look like a mess drinking it. I explained to the cashier that I've been actively trying to reduce my plastic use and he was all for it. The person that was making the drink...not so much. She looked at me like I had ten heads, (to be honest, I could've been acting that way, after all, I was in SERIOUS need of that caffeine pick-me-up), but weird looks and all, I felt like I made the right choice. My sister was happy that I was no longer grumpy, I was happy that I didn't waste another single-use plastic cup, lid, AND straw, and Whole Foods was probably happy to finally see me leaving their store.
Dramatic, not-really-necessary story aside, I really do want to know your advice. Give this anti-plastic city living gal the inside scoop on where to go, what to do, and how to do it a little less awkwardly. Jump in on our Facebook page and let me know now!
(Note: I know this story is a super privileged problem. I know it's a luxury to get to order drinks like these and I am SO very grateful every time that I get the privilege to have one. I also know that ordering drinks in paper cups isn't great [many are lined with some sort of plastic inside], but I personally feel like reducing the plastic problem in baby steps is a win in my book!)
If you asked me ten years ago, five years ago, even just last year if I would ever buy a Popular Science magazine, I would've laughed in your face. Fast forward to this year, last weekend specifically, and this girl did just that. I bought the Popular Science Summer 2019 magazine because it talks all about plastic problems, our ocean, and ALL the stuff this blog originated from. Today's topic of discussion, coral reefs.
Below, I'm summarizing some useful information written by Amelia Urry from "Death of the Reef" in Popular Science.
What are coral reefs and what is their importance?
Put simply, coral reefs are underwater ecosystems and corals are actually animals. When it comes to their importance, the reasons are endless. As humans, we know that our planet relies on the ocean for seven critical things (according to the National Ocean Service): the air we breathe, climate regulation, transportation, recreation, economy, food, and medicine. Each one of these being essential to our every day lives.
As far as the importance of the coral reefs themselves, healthy coral reefs provide habitats for over 1 million aquatic species, they provide food for people living near reefs, the can provide potential medicinal treatments (ICRI.com), and they combat waves, reducing their size before they reach land. When reefs are damaged, they leave shorelines susceptible to storm devastation. For example, hurricane Irma "churned up 30-foot swells on the open ocean, but inside the protective buffer of coral, the surge was only 10 feet high--still enough to do a lot of damage but stripped of much of its destructive force". (Urry, Amelia. "Death of the Reef." Popular Science.)
What is bleaching and why does it matter?
Coral bleaching is "an increasingly common affliction where heat-stressed colonies expel their colorful photosynthetic algae and turn white". (Urry, Amelia.) Bleaching in corals is comparable to an autoimmune disease in humans. Because study of coral reefs is fairly new, only 30-40 years of studying, Andy Bruckner, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researcher, states that "Where we are with coral disease is about where we were with human health in the 1800s".
As far as why it matters, coral bleaching essentially kills the underwater ecosystems, leaving just their skeletons in tact. Because they are submerged in water, treatment options are far less than ideal as putting antibiotics in the water is more dangerous that giving a human antibiotics. While possibly helpful to the reefs, this can be extremely damaging in other ways. Global warming has sped up the spread of coral bleaching drastically as corals stressed by heat and/or pollution are much more likely to get sick and damaged.
Contamination in the ocean and dying off corals affect those seven critical things that the ocean gives to humanity. While research might not be showing signs of big improvement in the near future, scientists are working tirelessly to find solutions to better help the quality of our coral reefs.
What can we do?
When it comes to anything this alarming, it's best to continue to do your research and stay aware. Support companies that are paying attention to the environment around them, share information with your friends and family (even if they start to roll their eyes at you, share, just don't preach), get involved in your local beach communities to see what you can do to better support research, raise awareness, and volunteer to make a difference in the world around us. Our world runs on our ocean. Together, we can continue to protect it and improve the quality of life for ourselves and future generations.
While I may know very little about the coral reef situation, I am continuing my education on the matter. That said, I am ALWAYS looking for your input, correction on facts I've included, if necessary, and feedback. If you haven't already started using reef safe sunscreen, check out this blog post for more information.
Head over to the Facebook page to get the conversation going on coral reefs. Leave a comment, advice, tag a friend, etc. I'll meet you there!
Information for this post was taken from "Death of the Reef" by Amelia Urry from Popular Science.
Below I'm including some things we use on a daily basis that often lead to the use of a single use plastic bag. PLEASE remember, in an effort to ditch ANYTHING, it's important to remember to use what you already have. If there's a bag that isn't 100% organic cotton, but is already in your closet, use that first. If you have a bag that isn't your "favorite" style, but still does exactly what you need it to do, use that first. While we want to use reusable items, it's important to remember to reduce waste by using what we already have first and foremost (and then dispose of them properly at the end of their use life).
There are all sorts of ways to avoid plastic bags in your daily life. It can be a bit of a challenge, but I promise you, it gets easier with time. Let me know how else we can avoid plastic bags. What are your tricks for avoiding plastic garbage bags for those of you that aren't waste-free? Will you be joining me for this July challenge? Let me know over on our Facebook page!
Please note: The only product pictured above that I personally own is the navy United By Blue lunchbox. I own other totes, reusable grocery bags, and produce bags from local companies and shops. These are simply suggestions to get the ball rolling!
Jamie is a musician, avid lover of nature, and a dog momma living a more sustainable life each and every day.