This Earth Day, we are shifting our attention to the oceans – the largest and most vital part of our Earth. Today and Monday we will share a two part series on our oceans: a TED talk from Sylvia Earle and our conversations with John Millar from Coast River Environmental Services Ltd.

Sylvia Earle is a passionate oceanographer. Since 1995 she has been a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, sometimes called “Her Deepness” or “The Sturgeon General”. Sylvia Earle was named by Time Magazine as the first Hero for the Planet. She is an oceanographer, explorer, author, lecturer, Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, leader of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions, council chair for the Harte Research Institute for the Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, founder and chairman of the Deep Search Foundation, and finally the chair of the Advisory Council for the Ocean in Google Earth. Sylvia Earle has founded three companies which included Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (DOER Marine Operations).

Mr. Millar, a Registered Professional Biologist who has been working in the environmental field for over 30 years, said “The oceans present many interesting topics in the environmental field that are igniting in the hearts and imaginations of young and old people in the present moment and in the same way.  There is a longing that lives in all of us to learn about the ocean, its animals and its communities.”

So true. To learn more about the plight of today’s oceans, watch Sylvia Earle’s award winning TED Talk below. Unfortunately, we are still in the same peril as we were when this was filmed a few years ago.

If you are like us, this video made quite an impact on you. Consider what you can do to help save our oceans this Earth Day weekend, an come back to our blog on Monday for Part Two of our Protecting Our Oceans Series.