“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch,

we are going back from whence we came.” — John F. Kennedy

CELL Ocean Conservation Program Overview

Our oceans are our lifeblood. They flow over nearly three quarters of Earth’s surface and hold 97% of Earth’s water. The air we breath, the food we eat, the water we drink, and products we consume come from and are transported over the oceans. The oceans also regulate global temperature and climate; form the clouds that bring us fresh water; supply living and non-living resources, from fisheries to minerals and renewable energy; and provide social and economic goods and services, from tourism and recreation to marine transport and security. No matter where we live, our quality of life depends upon healthy oceans!

Our oceans are our biggest resource for life on earth, a resource we are destroying.  Overfishing is disrupting global marine ecosystems.  Our addiction to burning dirty fossil fuels is pumping excessive amounts of C02 into the atmosphere which in turn is absorbed by the oceans causing them to become more acidic – killing marine life.  Global warming is causing coral bleaching with 75% of all coral reefs threatened.  Warming temperatures, runoff from fertilizers and pesticides, and the dumping of harmful chemicals are causing a growing number of ocean dead zones with over 400 dead zones known to exist today.  Mercury pollution is traveling from coal power plants to oceans to fish to our dinner plates.  Plastics are accumulating in a great patch of plastic soup the size of Texas in the Pacific.  The problems our oceans are facing are big; BUT it is important to remember – the SOLUTIONS are BIGGER!

CELL’s Climate Action Now (CAN)/Oceans Conservation Program has four components: a) Climate Action Now programs educating teachers and students about climate change and what can be done to reduce carbon pollution and restore the health of our oceans; b) Sea, Science, and Sustainability for Schools (S4S) project connecting schools and colleges with our climate and oceans field work, c) Citizen Science Research projects linking students and citizens with scientists to gather data on climate and ocean pollution and identify effective remediation strategies and citizen action initiatives; and d) showcasing inspiring stories of what people are doing to: i) reduce carbon pollution in local communities, ii) restore healthy ocean habitats, and iii) provide entrepreneurial economic and social opportunity for their communities.

  Why protect our oceans?

Our Oceans are the largest ecosystems and largest life-support systems on Earth. But they are in peril and need our help! Today, oceans are 30% more acidic than they were at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, and over 92% of Earth’s excess heat from global warming has been absorbed by the oceans.  This trend, coupled with increasing pollution, is killing them!   And we know the main climate change villain: our addiction to burning dirty fossil fuels.  David Brower once said: “Polite conservationists leave no mark save the scars upon the Earth that could have been prevented had they stood their ground.”  If we want to stop the pollution that is killing our oceans and pass on to our children and grandchildren – a healthy world capable of supporting life, we need to take immediate and corrective action!   On the boat we call planet Earth, we have only ourselves to look to for help!   It is not enough to know and not act!   Solutions are here.  People want to make a difference.  Contact us to find out how you can get involved.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” – Jacques Cousteau

Sea, Science, and Sustainabilty for Schools (S4S)

The Center for Ecological Living and Learning (CELL) is embarking on an exciting Sea, Science and Sustainability for Schools (S4S) project linking school and college classrooms with our educational sailing adventure from Maine to Florida and beyond…

Why? Because Big Blue needs you!  Global warming, pollution, overfishing, and loss of habitat are killing our oceans. And if Big Blue dies, eventually, so will we. But the good news is that it’s not too late. Yes, the problems we face are big; but the SOLUTIONS are BIGGER. Come with us and learn about what is happening to our oceans. Come with us and meet amazing people who have dedicated their lives to conserving and protecting our oceans.

Through blogs, videos, research and interviews with inspiring people, we will introduce you to the issues threatening our oceans, and most importantly, to innovative solutions. We will introduce you to fishermen and scientists, conservationists and civic leaders, teachers and students, families and ordinary citizens – all of whom share a love of our oceans and an unflinching commitment to restoring them to a healthy state. Come meet people who tackle the impossible and succeed; people who don’t know they can’t do things, so they go ahead and do them; people who may inspire you to do the same…

When? 2020 and beyond…

Who can get involved?  Classroom teachers and students, college classes, professors, homeschoolers, citizens,  non profit and environmental organizations, etc.

How?  In addition to our blog, videos and interviews, as part of our S4S project, we are also offering Skype video technology in real-time – linking select classrooms with our climate and oceans work on the water (and in the field). If you have ideas for collaborating, we would love to hear from you! And if you are interested in partnering with us on this educational adventure and bringing our ocean research and educational programs into your classroom, drop Dave an e-mail at: dave@cellonline.org or give him a call at (207) 230-4025. We look forward to hearing from you!

One person can make a difference!  Click on this link The Boy and the Starfish.

“No water, no life. No blue, no green.” —Sylvia Earle

What is citizen science?

Citizen science is a way for ordinary citizens to collaborate with scientists in the collection of data that will assist in the protection and conservation of our oceans. Many people, including: fishermen, recreational boaters, eco-tourists, non profit organizations, retirees, teachers, students, families and many others are collaborating with organizations like NOAA, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, National Science Foundation, Audubon Society, National Weather Service, colleges and universities, etc. in research projects, data collection, and educational programs that enhance efforts to conserve our oceans. CELL is exploring ways to incorporate citizen science projects into future ocean conservation and education programs. If you have ideas for collaboration, please contact us!

If the success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do… How would I be? What would I do? 

— Buckminster Fuller

Why stories?

It has been said: “We are the stories we tell ourselves.” Our story defines who we are and how we relate to others and our environment. Our story enables us to interpret the world around us and gives meaning to our lives. But many of the stories we tell ourselves are NOT our story at all, but simply a parroting of a cultural story that has been repeatedly told to us and one we have unconsciously accepted as our own. “The problems we face are too big and the individual is too small to make a difference” is one example of a cultural story we hear broadcasted around us. But there are a few adventurous souls among us who have not succumbed to parroting this cultural story; they have the passion and courage to tell their own authentic story and to let that story guide their lives — inspiring others to do the same. CELL is looking for adventurous souls whose lives are testamonials to the values they hold and stories they live by. We are initially focusing on stories relating to actions people are taking to reduce carbon pollution and conserve our ocean habitats and local community life. We will be interviewing these inspiring individuals and publishing a blog to champion the work they are doing and to inspire others to take action. Check out Our Oceans our Lives video for more details. Story telling is an important part of CELL’s educational mission. When we invite people to tell their own story, we invite them to sound the depths of who they are and inspire others to do the same. We can then help build community stories that will heal and transform our world. Stories of possibilities. Stories focused on real-life solutions. Stories of ordinary citizens doing extraordinary work. Stories of our interconnected and interdependent social, environmental, and economic systems. Stories of hope, not a Pollyanna-type hope, but the sense conveyed by David Orr when he says: “Hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up.”  Stay tuned for more details. But, in the meantime, if you know of an inspiring story waiting to be told, let us know. We’d love to meet and interview the storyteller!

For more information:

Check out our video on “Our Oceans Our Lives.” If you are interested in learning more about CELL’s Ocean Conservation Program, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Telephone: 207.230.4025
Email: info@cellonline.org

Recent Blog Posts

Check out some of our recent Ocean Conservation Program blog posts below, or head on over to the full Ocean Conservation Program blog here.