Our Unlikely Allies

I have grown up watching shark week and have always had a huge interest and respect for sharks. And maybe the early years of shark week bred my love and awe of these inspiring creatures. Maybe it was also growing up surfing and sharing my turf with them. I was never one to be scared or apprehensive about their presence. Although I was wary of them, I have this trust for them...Some people think I am crazy, especially when they see my photo with a large Tiger in the Bahamas! They may be potentially dangerous but if treated with respect and understanding they really are just a fascinating animal. I get upset when I watch the newer series of Shark Week and it has become so focused on the shark attacks instead of the science and conservation of them. I get it fear is what sells and they are business selling ratings.  But it is the same shark attack stories retold every year because the fact is sharks really don't' kill very many people, maybe 5 a year.  And like I said, fear sells. Most People don't want to be reminded about our global environmental crisis and our complete lack of conservation. Even with my art when customers ask about my cute little snail and I tell them it is a copepod dissolving as a result of the ocean acidifying due to the increased atmospheric carbon dioxide being absorbed into the worlds oceans, they shrink away backwards looking for a quick escape out the back door.  And I don't think it is because people don't care, I think it is out of guilt. I know I am guilty of it too. I see where we are headed and I feel like it is going to take a miracle to stop the destruction we have put into motion. We don't want to be reminded of the overwhelming problem our world faces.  Because individually we feel like we can't fix it alone. It has truly become a global issue and I think it causes people to shy away from action.  And of course this is a very big generalization. There are lots of great advocates out their fighting for global change and it does trickle down from a global level to an individual, being if you just take the time to pick up a piece of trash and recycle it or bike to work one day. This is why the new Shark Weeks make me so angry. Their ratings are off the charts and they are filled with stories and fear when they could be using at least half of their air time to educate on conservation of sharks and our worlds oceans. So in the midst of all this hype don't forget about looking behind the hoop la and remembering what is truly important so instead of this drawing by a little girl during shark week last year, maybe there could be more drawings of saving the sharks and our oceans.

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