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Proverb: "To know and not to do is not know."
Activists know this adage well. Ignorance may be bliss but, once you have the facts, you have the responsibility to not sit on your hands and do nothing. Ocean conservationists know this as well and strive not only to enlighten the decision makers and the general public as to the challenges threatening the seas but to express what needs to be done about it.
The BLUE Ocean Film Festival, based in Monterey, California, has in only two short years become a well-recognized and respected event that brings together wildlife filmmakers, ocean conservation leaders, and the general public in a multi-day event of moving imagery, insightful discussions, and the knowledge that says "you now know, so go and make a difference."
As valuable as this now bi-annual event is, Debbie and Charles Kinder, the festival's executive organizers, knew that something needed to be done in the interim, something proactive. BLUE On Tour was the result: a multi-media, educational traveling roadshow that takes the soul of the BLUE Ocean Film Festival and makes it available worldwide."BLUE On Tour is a traveling film festival and conservation event, making the world's greatest collection of ocean films available to communities and audiences around the world.
BLUE On Tour's goal is to use the power of film to INFORM millions of people around the globe about the importance of the ocean and INSPIRE action that leads a lasting commitment to ocean stewardship.
Empowerment, education and inspiration are the driving philosophy of the BLUE On Tour outreach initiative. We are excited to be able to provide the opportunity for each host to present their own tailored film festival event featuring customized selections from our extensive film catalog.
BLUE On Tour also provides access to the filmmakers, explorers and marine science experts who created these amazing films, which give us an awe-inspiring and informative window into the underwater world." - From the BLUE On Tour website.
BLUE On Tour can be hosted by a variety of organizations: schools and universities, museums, libraries, community organizations, government agencies, non-profits and even retailers or other for-profit businesses - essentially anyone who wishes to educate and motivate others on marine environmental issues. There is a basic package which can be modified to meet the needs of an organization or event. As an example, Auburn University staged a three-day event in March that combined BLUE On Tour with master classes and panel discussions on ocean issues and a day set aside for just kids.
BLUE On Tour currently has a 2011-2012 schedule that includes Mexico, Washington D.C., New York City, Hawaii, El Salvador, Australia, and more. If you have an organization, small or large, that is interested in staging an ocean conservation event, I would strongly suggest you contact BLUE On Tour. They can help you in developing a successful celebration of the oceans that would enhance your organization, illuminate the minds of your community and, of course, benefit the oceans as well.
To learn more about BLUE On Tour, click here.
To learn more about the BLUE Ocean Film Festival, click here.
Mankind stands at the edge of a dark night. Faced with enormous environmental and ecological challenges, we hesitate to take a first step, unsure of ourselves without a clear understanding of what is happening and what is at stake. But science can illuminate the future of this planet.
We ask a lot of science. It has done everything from having given us better-tasting ice cream to the hydrogen bomb. It has answered fundamental questions about the existence of the universe and shown us how to hold up our pants with Velcro. And now we seek solutions to environmental problems - mostly of our own making - that threaten the survival of thousands of species, including us.
In a world where communication can be near instantaneous and pervasive, we look for guidance to make the right decisions that can insure a future for this planet. We are looking for subject matter experts who can speak to us - simply and effectively - and science has been doing its best.
But it is just the tip of the iceberg. Science is not doing enough.
In the years that I have spent as a nature filmmaker and media producer, I have come to find that there is an enormous amount of data being generated from countless research projects, expeditions, and studies that is not reaching the people. It's not reaching the policy- and decision-makers. It is not having the impact on the future of this planet as it should.
To a large extant, this is understandable. Scientists, researchers, and academics spend years developing the skills to study, hypothesize, and analyze. They are trained to make science but not necessarily to sell it. To effectively communicate in today's world requires scientists and researchers to consider an additional discipline to their work, one that understandably may not be a part of their background or comfort level: Media Communications.
Media Communications
The techniques of communicating effectively to a general or targeted audience by utilizing today's available technologies that best transmit a message, generate a response, and invoke action.
This is an exciting time for media communications. The ability to reach people through a variety of communication mediums or formats is literally exploding. But to do it successfully requires strategic planning. One must examine what it is being communicated and then match the appropriate audience with the right communication vehicles to maximize the power of the message. Media communications itself is part science, part art form. And it requires an experienced hand to formulate, execute, and manage an ongoing, dynamic plan.
To demand this expertise of the scientist or researcher is not fair. After all, there are people who devote entire careers to media communications. After having spent over a dozen years in television commercial production, I migrated into corporation communications and marketing. I had seen the power of the visual image in delivering a message and then spent a decade dealing with the full range of message delivery through print, word-of-mouth, visual and audio broadcast and, of course, the ubiquitous Internet.
With the issues facing the world today, the old formula of writing a paper for publication in a scientific or academic journal, followed by a press release from the supporting university or research organization, is becoming wholly inadequate. In fact, as important as it is to the scientists involved or however much it adds to the prestige of the supporting organization, it actually is doing a disservice - it is shortchanging the potential of that research to really make a difference. And that's what is at stake here: making a difference in the future of planet Earth.
Being Proactive
To say the Internet has become quite a game-changer for message delivery is indeed a gross understatement. From websites to videos to blogs, there is a mind-boggling amount of information awaiting the curious user at the end of a few keyboard clicks. And many academic and research organizations have done what they can to take advantage of this medium with informational websites and videos that document their research or illustrate the results. This is a good step forward, but its one weakness is that it is not necessarily a proactive step.
To consciously and deliberately bring information to a specific audience, one must be proactive and the Internet does not lend itself to a proactive approach. Fundamentally, it depends on the user to be seeking the information. The user either searches for the information via search engines like Google, Bing, Ask or others, or the information is compiled for them by complex search algorithms (like suggested YouTube videos or products on eBay).
Word of mouth plays a significant role in information delivery on the Internet. The "viral" effect that can bestow a YouTube video with millions of hits within a short period of time is definitely a plus. However, it is more in the hands of others and less of your own making.
Now, none of this is meant to imply that one should disregard the Internet. To the contrary, it is an absolutely vital component of a comprehensive media communications strategy. Its effectiveness can be enhanced by carefully selected keywords or a more traditional promotional approach through the use of banner ads - all designed to nudge the user in your direction.
However, overall, it is more of a "pull" rather than "push" delivery system, and a complete media communications battle plan must have proactive initiatives that bring the information to those who need it most. Someone who is interested in, say, ocean acidification can find a lot of information on the web, but how do we reach the person who, at this moment, is completely oblivious to the issue? How do we get this information in front of a politician or governmental regulatory body? Do we wait for them to ask or do we find ways to bring to their attention?
Part 2: Steps to building a media comm strategy
Just a reminder, adding my voice to a growing chorus, that Earth Day 2010 is coming up this Thursday, April 22nd. This is a perfect opportunity to make your support of our natural resources a more visible and actionable commitment.
The Earth Day 2010 web site has plenty of suggestions. They don't all have to be monumental; incremental steps can be better than no steps at all - every little bit helps. The Earth Day organization has a pretty lofty goal set out for themselves; but whatever they accomplish, it won't be possible without your support.
"Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day."
Also, on that same day, Disney's new Disneynature division will be releasing it's latest big-screen theatrical nature film: Oceans. I had the opportunity to see some scenes from it at last year's BLUE Ocean Film Festival and it looked pretty impressive. There is a interesting web site full of promotional info and also a page for educators, providing an activity guide for young students.
An additional plus: if you see the film during its opening week, Disneynature will contribute $0.20 to the Nature Conservancy for coral reef conservation. Disney's maximum commitment is $100,000 which comes out to 500,000 ticketholders in 7 days - not likely but certainly a worthwhile effort and cause.
So there's one thing you can do on Earth Day. And skip the popcorn.
2009 has been an "interesting" year - a mix of achievements and setbacks, as readers can tell just from the over 230 postings that ran in this blog over the past year. We're still in short supply when it comes to a full awareness in the minds of the public and the decision-makers as to the scope of the issues facing the oceans, the earth, and the air. Perhaps it's time for less lip service around the water cooler and more proactive efforts on the part of those who get it, those who are committed. Perhaps it's time for more action in 2010.
Patric Douglas of SharkDivers, who authors one of the leading shark conservation blogs, feels the time is right for all of us to get more involved. The Shark-Free Marinas Initiative he started is making significant progress, thanks in no small part to it's director, Luke Tipple, and the participation of many marinas worldwide.
And we have the CITES meeting in March to look forward to, where important, jeopardized species will be considered for protection (or heightened protection) 
under the current international agreement which has claimed success for many other threatened flora and fauna.
But with the economic turmoil of the past view years offering only glimmers of improvement with which to start the new decade, many non-profit organizations - including many of our conservation favorites - are still feeling the pinch. This has impacted their outreach ability as they struggle to try to do more with less. I know this because I have been putting effort into promoting more film making/media communications for research groups and NGOs - and to say it has been a challenge would be a gross understatement.
But if we are to make any headway with the fence-sitters, the Doubting Thomases, or the 
outright critics of important issues - like global warming, ocean acidification, overfishing, and the consequences of deforestation, development, and the quest for fossil fuels - then science needs to make its work more visible and get its data and conclusions out into the public forum, not sequestered in libraries and scientific journals.
So let's make this next decade the time when we really put our money where our mouths are. We don't need to tear down the walls; we can work with the system (or maybe around it, when necessary). But it is definitely time to move from passive awareness to committed action.
May the new year be a good one for you, your friends, and family - and, of course, for mother Earth!
Proverb: "To know and not to do is not know."
BLUE On Tour can be hosted by a variety of organizations: schools and universities, museums, libraries, community organizations, government agencies, non-profits and even retailers or other for-profit businesses - essentially anyone who wishes to educate and motivate others on marine environmental issues. There is a basic package which can be modified to meet the needs of an organization or event. As an example, Auburn University staged a three-day event in March that combined BLUE On Tour with master classes and panel discussions on ocean issues and a day set aside for just kids.
