Raised on a small farm in New Jersey, Sylvia Earle grew up exploring the nearby woods and studying plants and wildlife. She received scholarships for college and eventually earned a Ph.D. from Duke University. Now a world leader in ocean exploration and conservation, she has been called a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress, “Hero for the Planet” by Time magazine, and “Her Deepness” by The New York Times and The New Yorker magazine.
She has received numerous scientific and environmental awards and prizes, honorary degrees, and TV profiles.
Sylvia Earle is passionately concerned with conservation and protection of the seas. She states that we are all connected to the sea: “our fate and the ocean are one.” Yet degradation, overfishing, and pollution are causing massive damage to the oceans, the world’s “life-support systems.” According to Earle, “there’s still time—but not a lot—to turn things around.”
Decades of overfishing, pollution, climate change, acidification and other human pressures threaten the fundamental nature of the ocean – and therefore threaten the future of humankind. Presently, less than three percent of the ocean is fully protected; just years ago, that number was around 1 percent. With concerted effort and passionate people, we can continue this positive trend and help create a global network of Hope Spots, the seeds of tomorrow’s healthy ocean.
Mission Blue (website)
