Michelle Platz
On Saturday, February 9th, 2019 Strong Coasts fellow Michelle Platz had the opportunity to meet with legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle and discuss ocean conservation solutions with a group of students, conservation activists, and local Dunedin community members. Conversation focused on local efforts to improve community sustainability, the importance of youth participation in conservation initiatives, local natural resource management and protection, and the nomination of the Tampa Bay Area to be one of Mission Blue’s Hope Spots: places identified as being critical to the health of the ocean.
In 2009, Dr. Earle launched her Hope Spot campaign as part of her TED Prize Wish, asking people around the world to “use all means at your disposal” to inspire public support for marine protected areas, with the hope of creating a protection network large enough to restore the ocean. The Strong Coasts cohort is doing its part to respond to Dr. Earle’s call to action, utilizing their academic platform to investigate the food-water-energy nexus within coastal regions and develop solutions to make human production and consumption more sustainable. By taking a systems thinking and community-engaged approach, Strong Coasts strives to develop students who will bring about long-lasting, impactful change, protecting both our societies and the ocean on which we depend. In order to have truly healthy oceans and thriving fisheries, we must first have strong coasts.
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