SAVE OUR PLANET… British fish species plummet 94% in the last 118 years. Researchers from
the University of York in the United Kingdom have found that the industrialization of fishing
has exploited fish stocks and has dramatically altered seabed ecosystems, with many marine
species that have since collapsed. Species that have been heavily fished as food items,
such as halibut, turbot and plaice have fallen 94% in numbers in since 1889. Moreover, cod
has declined 87%, with hake decreasing by more than 95%. The researchers note that fishing
laws and quotas have thus far been ineffective in replenishing fish populations. Study co-author
Ruth Thurstan commented, “I hope this allows people to realize just how much the seas have
been altered and how much has been lost.” Meanwhile, overfishing combined with global
warming and pollution, has also endangered other regions such as the Mediterranean Sea.
Philippe Cousteau, son of French environmentalist and explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, is also
CEO of the ocean education organization EarthEco International. He commented on the drastic
change of the world’s oceans since the time of his grandfather, legendary oceanographer
and conservationist Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
The Mediterranean Ocean is a dead sea. Well, my grandfather was diving 40-50 years ago.
You can go back and see those films and look at that footage. And you go back to the same
places today and it’s changed so much. And these places with coral and full of life,
you go back and it looks like desert under water.
And what do you propose as a solution to all of this?
Cutting back on meat is a very important one because of all the carbon waste, all the animal
waste that goes into the water supplies and pollutes the water and the oceans. Also thinking
about cutting back on simple things every day, like plastic bags, plastic bottles. Plastic
is a very, very terrible substance that is polluting our oceans and polluting water everywhere
and our land. We have a motto that says, “It’s not that you can make a difference, it’s
that everything you do makes a difference.”
Our thanks Mr. Cousteau and scientists for raising our awareness about the plight of
our depleted oceans. May we all lend a hand in restoring the beauty and balance of our
precious water planet by respecting and granting peace to all life forms of the sea.
At a March 2009 climate change conference in Xalapa City, Mexico, Supreme Master Ching
Hai urged for humankind’s care of all co-inhabitants, including those that support the living oceans.
Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
Xalapa, Mexico – March 6, 2009
Every being on Earth and in the sea has value, no matter how small they might look, and something
unique to do on this planet. It is our ignoring of this balance and the preciousness of all
lives that has contributed to our global danger right now.
The way to solve this problem is through greater consideration for all lives. If everyone is
vegan, having an animal-free diet, then there is a different outlook, different conception
for development of all kinds. In our case, it will proceed with compassion and care,
which is what we need to restore the wonders of our marine life.
SAVE OUR PLANET… Young US eco-heroes presented President’s Environmental Youth Awards.
Winners from ten regions of the country were honored with the US Environmental Protection
Agency’s presidential prizes in Washington, DC as they received acclaim for their contributions
to a greener world. Top honors went to youths such as Sarah Jo Lambert of Texas, USA for
her project “Vision Is Green,” designed to inspire young people to create a more balanced
world through an environmental education center built out of eco-friendly materials. Other
awardees include seven Westerly Middle School students from Rhode Island for their project
“Turn Grease into Fuel” as well as middle school students from Illinois for their team
“Recycle Because You Care.” Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Bharat
Mathur said, “The work of these motivated students shows that you can be an environmental
champion at any age.”