Ocean Advocacy

Ocean Advocacy

I’m up early for Day Two of an intense “Ocean and Coastal Advocacy Training,” offered by the impressive Healthy Oceans Coalition.  I was invited along with 20 other ocean advocates and we are meeting at Seascape in Aptos – classy – thanks Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Yesterday we did a “deep dive” into three issues: “West Coast and the Proposed Offshore Oil and Gas Five-Year Plan,” “National Marine Sanctuaries,” and “Federal Fisheries and Conservation Management,”  all in the context of our current administration.  Then we were trained by a communications/change guy on how to meet with a policy maker and make your “ask” in 3 minutes.

I am making some new cool friends representing diff orgs and issues – plastics, cruise ships, desalination, marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, climate change, etc.  Save Our Shores, Heal the Bay, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Surfrider, Ocean Conservancy, etc.

Nice surprise – a Mennonite pastor/scientist from Southern Cal working on plastic pollution.  New colleague.

Sweet youth from “Heirs To Our Ocean” (H2O) whom I also met last year in DC at the Ocean March.

New hashtags: #ThirtyByThirty – protect and set aside 30% of ocean (and land) by 2030 – UN goal.  And #KeepOceanFishy – work for sustainable fisheries.

More reports to come, great info for Blue Theology work.  Today we will work on writing press releases and using social media for advocacy. 

Now to watch some impeachment hearings before we gather…..

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Bluetheology.com for info on our youth service trips and adult pilgrimages along Monterey Bay.  You will learn more about these issues and have blessed retreat by the sea.  I post these ocean devotionals every Wednesday here and on Facebook.Come and Sea!