One year later, from the shores of beautiful Monterey Bay, the horrific images of the BP blowout seem like a distant memory. Media stories talk of recovery, though it will be decades before we understand the true impacts of this disaster. (A team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford University is studying one critical area: the long-term impact on tunas and related species.)
The national oil spill commission, comprised of an outstanding set of citizens with deep expertise, produced an excellent set of recommendations that offers a blueprint for reform in safety and oversight of offshore drilling. Their recommendations are practical and sane -– but will they be implemented? Only if people care.
Our oceans are an irreplaceable treasure and give us so much, from jobs to food to inspiration. We know this in our hearts -– and yet so often we fail to act on their behalf. But when we do, amazing results can follow.
There’s no better example than along the coast of California, where we can point to the most inspiring demonstration of public will on behalf of the oceans that I can think of. From my lucky vantage point on Monterey Bay, I can see the expanse of the largest National Marine Sanctuary on the coast of North America, a network of fully protected state marine reserves along the shore, and abundant ocean life that’s thriving because we have acted to protect this wild place.
People have taken action on their convictions, from supporting wildlife protection bills and coastal land conservation, to choosing sustainable seafood and investing in the many respected marine science institutions ringing the shore of the bay. Not the least among them, and (of course) my favorite is a place designed to tell these stories –- stories of animals, and of people working together on behalf of the oceans: the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The story of Monterey Bay and the aquarium is already a source of inspiration for people far and wide, and with your continued support, we’ll carry this message far into the future. We’ve clearly demonstrated how individual actions do make a difference -– whether through your direct support of our work, or your everyday decisions that make a difference for the future of the oceans.
If we take away one lesson from the Gulf of Mexico disaster –- that we truly have the power to make a difference –- then the future is bright for the oceans we all depend upon and love so much.
Julie Packard is the executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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