Gulf Oil Spill - Need I say more?

Are our oceans in peril?

Bottlenose dolphins, Bay of Islands,  New Zealand, 2010.

Growing up in New Zealand the ocean is an environment close to my heart. They cover over 70% of our planet yet our knowledge and understanding of them has such a long way to go.

Today, mainly because of human impacts, the sate of our oceans are in peril and so too are all the life forms, include humans, that rely on them.

About a year ago, I was confronted with some extremely significant and worrying facts about the state of oceans and the impacts of our fishing industries. I learnt a lot about our oceans during the production of a short 10 minute film, I was involved in, Caught - a breathing space for the sea. It was made in association with EMS Films, Greenpeace and a number of other organisations by the Wildlifeines foundation. (please take a look by following either the film link or on the Wildlifelines website, you may be amazed at what you see.)

What really stuck me the most was the damage caused by the seabed trawling and the amount of by-catch (unwanted fish) that is thrown back overboard, most of it killed in the porcess.

Two other issues I am currently researching is that of that toxicity levels in fish and the acidification of our oceans. Recently I was shocked to learn about the increasing level of toxicity in fish, particularly mercury. These levels increase manyfold the higher up in the food chain the fish is and this is known as bioaccumulation (which I may discuss in a future blog). For the meantime, if you enjoy eating fish, but are also concerned about your health and the health of the environment, I'd recommend doing your own research on this topic or take a quick look at Consumer Guide to Mercury in Fish.

Secondly, and sadly also linked to human caused pollution, is the increasing acidification of our oceans due to greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. I strongly suggest you take a quick look a neat little video animation by Greenpeace Ocean Acidification... in a nutshell and if you feel touched by it pass it on to all your friends, family and colleges and invite them to do the same.

To conclude this posting, before I mention a few actions and tips you can take to help protect our oceans I'd like to mention two more documentary films I feel strongly about, which everyone must see, The Cove and The End of the Line.

Both films are extremely moving, at times they are shocking and they are certainly worth viewing if you are concerned about our oceans,  our wildlife and the state of our planet.

... ACTION and LINKS  ...

Besides viewing the video clips Caught and the others mentioned above there are many things you can do to act on these issues. Below are 2 actions of particular importance which you can easily apply to you daily lives.

* Be considerate and aware of the seafood you eat - There are many printable "what to eat" guides available on the internet which offer tips and info on sustainable fish sources eg. Seafood Watch has extensive information and a variety of guides including a great downloadable Sushi Pocket Guide.

* Share your thoughts and concerns about our oceans with people you know and meet. Awareness is the first first step toward creating positive change and actions.

When your ready for many more actions, visit the Marine Bio page -100 Ways to Make a Difference.

Welcome to the GiiA blog

Welcome to the Green Info, Inspiration and Action Blog,
commonly known as the GiiA blog, with a capital A for Action, as this is the main purpose of this blog.

Since becoming involved with filmmaking, communications and the environment I have continuously felt inspired by the power of the media, on both global and local scales, to inspire the people to rise to positive action and change.

Over the coming months, or even years, we will be looking at a range of issues, stories and facts that concern our Earth, our wildlife and our people. Topics and ideas discussed will vary greatly, from critical environmental impact stories to lighthearted "fun" green living eco tips.

The purpose of this blog is to harness the immense potential people power and the media and provide a contribution which will not only provide useful information, but more importantly, will inspire and empower you to rise to action, on any level that suits you and with almost every posting there will be an action tip or link you can follow to a make a difference.

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This blog is for you, who ever you are, where ever you live, you can make a positive difference in this world, the power is your our hands!