This week I feel extremely grateful to sit down with Kristin Hoel, a project manager in the East Coast Whale Entanglement Mitigation Program for Ocean Watch Australia AND one of my closest friends. Kristin works to balance both fishers livelihoods and humpback whale conservation outcomes, describing the constant jigsaw puzzle of human-wildlife conflicts.  

She shares with us about her work with a cohort of fishers to advance sustainable fishing gear and the unique opportunities for Australian commercial fishers. We discuss a range of topics regarding her work including the bias that fishers face, working with whale conservationists, fishery certification schemes, and stakeholder engagement.

In the second half of the episode we shift towards Kristin herself and her journey to her present role that she values deeply. She reflects on switching from pre-med to marine biology (in Wisconsin), roadtripping around the USA to figure out why she couldn’t land an internship, her experience in Australia during COVID at James Cook University, and now working as a marine biologist. I really loved our discussion on dealing with burnout and balancing life and purpose-driven career towards the end of this episode.

RESOURCES:

The social complexities of shark depredation

Seaspiracy critique
Marine Stewardship Council Certification 

Connect with Kristin:
@ofwildseas

HIGHLIGHTS:

6:48 - How the growing humpback whale population poses challenges for the set gear fishing industries

13:27 - “They are on the water every day, they are the ones who are out there way more frequently than researchers, whale watching boats, a lot of conservationists.”

18:44 - “Finding these ways to facilitate conservations with them because at the end of the day they dont want to be entangling whales just as much as anyone else doesnt want to see an entangled whale

23:28 - The differing issue between fisheries and humpback whale entanglement in Australia versus in the North American lobster fishery and right whales

30:00 - What are some of the good and bad aspects of fishery certification schemes?

37:24 - We’re really promoting whale conservation but at the same time we’re also promoting conserving these fisheries and trying to say okay well what are ways that we can look towards coexistence”  

38:10 - “I really value having like good conversations and discussions with people who dont necessarily agree with me. 

41:00 how Kristin got her start in marine biology

46:28 “we’re in a terrible time in our history that people just dont get back to you if they dont want you” 

58:30 “Wow…I think i’ver really found what excited me in this field” 

1:05:38 “How do you stay grounded, how do oyu prevent burn out, what boundaries have you learned from your work?”

1:12:20 “What are you most proud of from the work you’ve done over the last few years?”

?? “I’m really proud of recognizing when I was so burnout that I needed to quit my job, even though I was two months away from my contract… No job is worth your mental health. At the end of the day you don’t really owe them your soul.”

1:21:38 - Rapid Fire Questions!

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Dr. Asia Haines fondly calls manta rays "the gateway drug to marine conservation." Have you ever wanted to know why manta rays aggregate in large numbers in places like the Maldives? Why they are so big? What they feed on? And did you know there’s a pink manta ray?!

This week's dive into the marine world interviews Dr. Asia Haines for a peek into the lives of the manta rays along the east coast of Australia. Studying these charismatic megafauna for over a decade, Asia has focused her research on their spatial ecology and movement patterns. She is a research fellow for Project Manta, based out of the University of the Sunshine Coast, as well as for Leaf to Reef - a research group focused on the biodiversity of Lady Elliot Island on the Great Barrier Reef. The island I use to work on is known as "the home of the manta ray." Her research contributions are critical to the Important Shark and Ray Area project for the International Union of Conservation's (IUCN) Shark Specialist Group.

Get in touch with Dr. Asia Haines below:
Research profile
Project Manta
Upload your manta ray pictures (Australia only)
Leaf to Reef

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6:40 - Who is Leaf to Reef and why are they studying Lady Elliot Island? 

9:10 - The truth about the pink manta ray

11:30 - The evolution of manta rays

 > Dr. Misty Page-Tran article on filter feeding of manta rays

18:00 - Some of manta rays biggest threats

28:00 - Did a manta ray kill Steve Irwin?

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

If there’s any scientific focus right now that feels like a constant uphill battle, it's climate change. But for dive instructor and social scientist Dr. Yolanda Lee Waters, she saw an opportunity to investigate how we can inspire climate action with the deep connection that people already have with the Great Barrier Reef. Since completing her PhD, she is now focused on communicating her research with the tourism industry, government stakeholders, and the public. This led her to found her own non-profit Divers for Climate, as a way to alleviate her own climate anxiety, and collaborate with other divers and ocean-lovers to push for collective action on climate change. A leading voice on climate action in the Great Barrier Reef, Yolanda shares her stories, lessons, and aspirations with this work on local, national, and global levels.

Cover Photo by the Undertow Media

Connect with Yolanda:

https://yolandaleewaters.wixsite.com/yolanda-lee-waters

https://www.diversforclimate.com/
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Episode Highlights:

6:47 “We have just witnessed the 5th mass bleaching event on the GBR in 8 years…how are you feeling?” 

23:14 Yolanda’s journey to the reef, scuba diving, and her PhD work

37:14 The creation of Yolanda’s own climate action group: Divers for Climate

49:36 “Do you think there was a huge contrast between what youve started to created with divers for climate versus whats going on on the global policy level?”

57:05: “Whats it like being a woman, being young, being not white…when you go into those places where you feel like an imposter? How does that affect you?”

1:08:30 Sharing experiences out on the reef!

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Links and Resources:

Outlook Report: https://outlookreport.gbrmpa.gov.au/

Reef Snapshot: https://elibrary.gbrmpa.gov.au/jspui/handle/11017/4043

Guardian article: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/23/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-tourism-impact

Climate action groups: https://www.cana.net.au/  

Girls that Scuba video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT_-r7SFe3Y

The Undertow Media: https://www.theundertow.com.au/

Black in Marine Science: https://www.blackinmarinescience.org/

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How do you find the intersection between storytelling and beautiful imagery while supporting yourself ($$) and the Earth? Arisa Yoon sits down to share with us her path from her environmental science degree to brand photographer and creative director. With an ethos of 

“empowering others to care about the planet and themselves,” Arisa aims to create branding strategies that foster a deeper connection to our planet. Though she was not immediately successful, she shares how she stayed focused and driven to create what is now her current reality. Even when our work may not feel directly connected with environmental work, Arisa shares her tips and reminds us how to stay grounded in whatever we define as our own path of success.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[9:33] “I remember taking my first underwater breath and feeling this sense of peace and tranquility that I had never experienced in my life...I was just addicted from that moment” - AY

[12:14] “I am much more someone who likes to take action and build community and raise awareness and do more of the public awareness and outreach…” - AY

[17:26] “You start to feel the weight of our planet and our climate and it’s current poistion and I think I always knew I wanted to be part of that storytelling” - AY

[20:36]  “These renegade routes aren’t always profitable when you first start…how did you balance working on those skills and also being able to financially support yourself?” - AS  

[24:02] “You want to be able to do what you love right? you want to be able to be the person who wakes up everyday and is ‘living their best life’ and doing what they’re passionate about. But thats not always reality, and I think we also have to create a better balance…between doing what we love but also supporting ourselves. ” - AY

[29:12] When I first started out, more so in content creation, I was realizing how wasteful al lot of it is…as I’ve been able to be a little bit more just particular about who I work with…I really do try to ingrain trying to be as mindful as possible”  - AY

[32:11] “If you can’t envision the life that you want and the career that you want, how are you ever going to get there?”  - AY  

[38:39] “there definitely became a time where I started to realize that I was devoting a little too much time and I had begun to see the effects that SM had on the way that I lived and saw my life…” -AY 

[50:45] “You have to get real with yourself about what success actually looks like to you…and how it will always evolve” -AY

[53:38] “Celebrating our successes even if the’yre small or if they dont seem like they’re success, is really just allowing ourselves to be present and thankful ourselves for the mind and body that we have in this moment.” - AY

[1:09:00] Rapid Fire Questions

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On this episode we share the knowledge and work of Dr. Simon Foale, a marine scientist and anthropology professor at James Cook University in Townsville, Australia. Growing up in the Solomon Islands, he always had a love of the ocean, but it was only when he recognized the importance of traditional ecological knowledge that he started wandering into the anthropology realm. We discuss capitalism, neoliberalism, inequality, and the roots of the environmental, social, and political issues we currently face. We love stirring the pot!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
[13:40] “Marine science is one of the precarious career paths…you’re definitely not guaranteed a job.” - SF
[29:51] “That is how these people con the rest of society…through tax evasion” - SF
[32:19] “The state is essentially an organization that represents the people and its job is to redistribute collective wealth into service” - SF
[39:53] How do we have better nuanced conversations and sharing more complicated ideas without alienating people? - AS
[47:07] “My criticism has always been about the ways in which conservationists operating across big economic and cultural boundaries, working with very poor people, have been insensitive to poverty and ignorant about culture.” - SF
[50:48] “The problem is that a lot of grassroots conservationists, even if they understand that stuff, they’re still working in a machine, right? They’re still working in a system, the agenda of which is dictated by some rich guy…so the NGO world is intrinsically tricky to work in.” - SF
[55:52] “I’m a product of the 500 years of colonial history just as much as the villagers that i’m working with are a product, they just got the worse end of the deal.” - SF 
[58:39] “The Europeans have extracted a lot of wealth from the Global South, the global economic periphery, and that has enriched them to a ridiculous extent. And now they think that’s normal…” -SF
[1:06:15] Rapid Fire Questions
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RESOURCES MENTIONED:
This Changes Everything: Capitalism versus the Climate - Naomi Klein
Words of the Lagoon - Bob Johannes
Jason Hickel
***Gapminder on UNDP data
***Wealth Shown to Scale
Hickel Nature paper
Limits of Growth (1972)
UNDP Human Development Index
Harry Truman inaugural address
Nicholas Shaxson’s Treasure Island
Gillian Tett   

Find Simon and his work:
https://research.jcu.edu.au/portfolio/simon.foale
https://www.academia.edu/840517/Wheres_our_development

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

It’s our final week of a month of refusing single-use plastic and decreasing our reliance on plastics ! Thank you all so much for participating, and I hope you all come back to these episodes whenever you want to take on a challenge to reduce your reliance on plastic. 

This week we try to Strengthen our Voice: that means educating ourselves about the issue we are trying to combat. This means finding a topic that interests you, and just spending some time this week educating yourself about the different options are available to you, or how other people may be disproportionately affected by plastic waste. Or maybe you start to participate or volunteer with organizations working to petition for plastic reduction.

Our guest this week is the phenomenal Dr. Marina Santana. Microplastics may be a term you’ve heard, but dont know much about. Marina has been investigating how these tiny plastic particles are affecting the ocean environment, and we discuss why they should be on our radar.
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RESOURCES

Officeworks recycling 

Staples recycling 

Chile Fast Fashion Desert 

Dr. Santana publications: 

• Dawson, A.L.; Santana, M. F. M.; Motti. 2023. Taking control of microplastics data: A comparison of control and blank data correction methods. Journal of Hazardous Materials.
• Gulizia, A.M.; Brodie, E.; Daumuller, R.; Bloom, S.B.; Corbett, T.; Santana, M.F.M.; Motti, C.; Vamvounis, G. 2022. Evaluating the Effect of Chemical Digestion Treatments on Polystyrene Microplastics: Recommended Updates to Chemical Digestion Protocols. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics.
• Agostini, L.; Moreira, J.C.F.; Bendia, A.G.; Kmit, M.C.P.; Waters, L.G.; Santana, M.F.M.; Sumida, P.Y.G.; Turra, A.; Pellizari, V.H. 2021. Deep-sea plastisphere: long term experimental colonization of plastic-associated bacterial and archaeal communities in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Science of the Total Environment.
• Santana, M.F.M.; Moreira, F.T.; Pereira, C.D.S.; Abessa, D.M.S; Turra, A. 2018. Continuous exposure to microplastic does not cause physiological effects in the cultivated mussel Perna perna. Arch. Environ. Contamination & Toxicoly.
• Oliveira, A.L.; Barbosa, L.; Camargo, R.M.; Santana, M.F.M.; Moreira, F.; Turra, A. 2018. Integrating geotechnology in marine litter on beaches – a citizen science approach. Sustainability, Agri, Food and Environmental Research.
• Santana, M.F.M.; Turra, A. Toxicity of microplastics in the marine environment. In: A handbook of environmental toxicology. 1st Ed. Edinburgh, UK: CAB International. 2020. Pages: 436-453.

Microplastic monitoring data: https://portal.aodn.org.au/

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

We are halfway through Plastic Free July and I'm so proud of all of you!! I'm so excited you've been keeping up with these episodes, and I hope you've learned a few things and are eager to expand your plastic awareness beyond yourself this week, because it's all about caring for our community. Additionally we speak to Caitlin Smith, a PhD student at University of Sunshine Coast using biomonitoring tools to study the impacts of chemical exposure and toxicity on turtle health due to plastic ingestion.

NOTE: Blog post for this week is delayed until the end of the week unfortunately!

IN THIS EPISODE:

•  [1:36] Challenge - Week 3
• [4:05] Remember that viral video with a turtle that had a straw stuck in its nose? Turns out it might not be the only problem we should be concerned about
• [5:35] What are some of the other major dangers associated with plastic debris?
• [8:33] What are some of the novel methods being used in Caitlin's research?
• [12:22] Plastics were found in a human fetus!
• [13:23] What does it mean that Caitlin is finding plastics in external tissues of turtles?
• [15:56] What are Caitlin's hope in this space moving forward?
• [17:15] What even are biodegradable plastics?
• [19:00] What does Caitlin's research mean for the future of turtle populations?

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

Welcome back to Week 2 of Plastic Free July and our new episode series!

We hope you're joining us to keep going on your Plastic Free July Journey. In this episode we reflect on last week's tasks, and how it feels to start becoming aware of how much plastic is in our lives. Our topic for this week is about greenwashing, how to break up with Amazon, and how to better critically think about our products with our friend and sustainability homegirl Krystina Jarvis from A Drop in the Ocean Shop.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [2:38] Challenge: week 2
• [6:45] How a plastic-free documentary ad gave me the ick
• [13:40] How do we stop relying on Amazon?
• [17:40] "We cant consume our way into a sustainable future" - KJ
• [21:24] Don't be afraid to call people out and make sure you know companies are greenwashing
• [25:30] Are influencers promoting a lifestyle that is not inherently sustainable?

RESOURCES:
How to break up with Amazon blog post - A Drop in the Ocean Shop
Corporate regulation of greenwashing in AUS

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

Welcome to the first episode of our new shorter format episode series! The microdOcean aims to communicate information on marine science, species, and sustainability topics. And what better way to start it out than with a month-long challenge, and new microdOcean episodes every week?!

Plastic Free July was founded by what is now the Plastic Free Foundation, and aims to challenge participants to spend the most refusing the use of single-use plastics. We hope that by providing you with a bit more structure and goals every week, you'll take part in this challenge with us!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Welcome to the microdOcean
• Welcome to Plastic Free July: a challenge to reduce your dependence on single-use plastics and unnecessary waste.
• [4:16] Challenge: week 1
• [6:02] What the heck even is plastic? 
• [7:48] Harmful effects of plastic manufacturing, refinement, and transport. 
• [9:50] Welcome to the Plasticene
• [12:03] Why has plastic become ingrained into our culture? 

RESOURCES
Check out the challenge in text form with access to more resources: https://fromairandsea.com/blog

EP. 254 Diary of a CEO
Tiktok - Yoke Lore
Waste audit template - https://adropintheoceanshop.com/blogs/blog/personal-waste-audit
Ohio train derailment with PVC piping material:
- https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08022023/ohio-train-derailment-pvc-plastic/
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/chemical-health-risks-from-the-ohio-train-accident-what-we-know-so-far/
Dark Money - Jane Meyer
Dark Waters - Netflix
The Brief History of Plastic video

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

We love friends supporting friends! Dylan shares his experience on working towards his passion of starting his own non-profit based on diving and citizen science where local community members can contribute to reef  resilience in Oahu, Hawaii through monitoring and restoration efforts. We also take the time to discuss how the context of Hawaii and local ecological knowledge plays an important role in his initiative. We touch on failures, timing, and having a good team. Enjoy!

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EP HIGHLIGHTS:

[17:35] “for my own mental health I need to have those one or two days off a week and it alloewd me to then focus my dry energy on OAP and backend stuff to get gears in motion so it can start” - DB

[24:03] “Goal is to restore the reef with more thermally-resistent corals better adapted to climate change…with the need to get community members involved  ” - DB

[27:34] “if we’re relying only the people who went to school for marine biology to solve   all the oceans problems then we’re fighting a losing battle” - DB

[31:29] “the culture and history of hawaii is very specific, it was a soverign nation thats basically been taken over illegally by the US so how has that impacted…this whole initiative?” - AS

[34:27] “There are people with maybe no marine biology training, no marine biology degree, and they still will  likely know a lot more than me about these ecosystems” -DB

[39:18] “Why do you personally put so much value in citizen science and why did you choose that specifically to be the basis for your non-profit?” - AS

[44:18] “One of the biggest critiques [of volun-tourism] is that a lot of the time it’s really supportive of people who are privileged enough to have the money to spend on those programs…” - AS  

[44:07] “Did you have a mentor or person in the field that youre working with or has inspired you to work through these obstacles  or just help keep yourself motivated?” - AS

[55:15] “I’ve gotten really familiar with the thought of failing and every time I welcome it. i’ve built it up so if it fails, its okay, its still a winning idea” - DB  

[56:07] “You gotta build a plan and then you gotta follow through on the plan” - DB

[1:02:02] Rapid Fire Questions
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Crown of Thorns Culling Effectiveness and Rationale 

Finlay comedy Millenials vs. Gen Z 

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz 

Eye on the Reef Australia and Hawaii 

Emil Wakim comedy [depression in your 20s] 

Ep. 324 Green Dreamer  

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Find Dylan:

IG @oceanallianceproject
https://www.oceanallianceproject.org/

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

These days with social media showing us pictures and videos of wilderness adventures and unbelievable animal interactions, everyone wants to be a content creator. I mean, the perks have to be great right? When you work in media, there's a lot of competition, which means there's a lot of rejection, but when you find your niche - thats when it all comes into alignment. This episode we get a bit more into the technical details of how to make it in the filmmaking world as we chat with Harriet Sparks, one half of the Grumpy Turtle Films duo. And she didn't really explore the ocean world until she was 19! Listen to this episode to learn about how to connect with yourself and the world beyond, creating media for good, and advice on how to develop your skills and why it pays off to stay persistent in pursuit of your dreams.

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

[10:23] "You need to have this intersection of something you're good at, something you enjoy doing, and then something that the world needs. So that's the intersection of things to make positive impact..." - HS

[15:52] "Is there a story...that made you really excited about doing impact-driven films?...and it gave you that reassurance of 'yes, I really want to do this work'" - AS

[21:11] "Figure out the style that you like and look at other photos, I even go to the library still and just look at the photo books they have there..." - HS

[24:31] "There's a saturation of content creation...If you're trying to make a career out of those visual stories...how would you suggest people stand out without giving away their craft?" - AS

[29:56] "What would you suggest to someone...who wants to build up that portfolio but can't fully commit to that as a job? What opportunities should people keep their eye out for where they can practice but still pay the bills?" - AS

[34:44] "We’re all just messy humans doing our bit. So I’m trying to be a bit more open to  learning about other people’s perspectives because I haven’t always been like that." - HS

[38:34] "I really think if you care about the planet, and not just the planet but people, you do need to be a part of politics and be politically engaged and follow whats happening in the news" - HS

[40:16] "What are some of the biggest lessons you've had to learn over the years on this self created journey and following your passion rather than doing it for money?" - AS

[44:45] "What are you personally most proud of since pursuing this path?" - AS

[47:43] Rapid fire questions

Find Harriet at:
https://grumpyturtlefilms.com.au/
IG and FB: @grumpyturtlefilms

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

This episode is a bit of a switch up! Instead of having a conversation with someone else, Aliya takes the opportunity to share and dive into her current state of mind after taking a little trip away to restore and reflect on everything going on in life. We start the episode with a poem on change and how to find meaning in our lives, which is touched on throughout the episode. We also discuss the concept of leisure as inspired by Jack Hodges or @dowatfeelsgood. Aliya discusses her reflections on his art exhibition and how rest can be a part of the path to change in yourself. She also goes  through a short life planning session and some tips on how to get back to yourself and your dreams. Please leave us some feedback on how you feel about the style of this episode!

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

[09:43] “its easy to get caught up in the noise, we’re never alone”

[11:57] “its so hard to know what we want deep inside of us if we’re constantly putting noise in our head”

[15:27] what’s better than having a little weekend getaway with yout best friend?!

[21:43] “time is leisure, and leisure is presence, how much can we really be in the moment and aware of whats happening?”

[23:39] “presence is an underrated characteristic or people and life”

[25:05] “Commitment was my word of the year, commitment to me was commitment to myself, my heart and doing the things that I really want to do.” - life planning session!

[32:37] "Its figuring out the things that are important to you, defining what that looks like, and then breaking it into steps of what you can actually do"

[34:18] 3 final tips how to get in tune with yourself and how to make the changes you want in your life

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EPISODE RESOURCES

Glisten - The Album Leaf https://open.spotify.com/track/5dXGjKpaLiZSsnIDptjIpL?si=a106168b69394d22

On Purpose by Jay Shetty episode on solitude 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HpbbItt9lrvU35uQgsdmz?si=8f1b2942db9d4406

@Dowatfeelsgoods IG - Jack Hodges

Allie Michelle - poet https://www.alliemichelle.co/

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

We continue our conversation with interdisciplinary scientist Dr. Brock Bergseth to discuss avoiding burnout, making authentic connections, framing our perceptions and how to empower ourselves with the magic of life. Listen to hear about philosophy, a little bit of science, and a whole lot of goodness!

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Episode Highlights:

[07:46] Avoiding burnout 

[15:51] How do you stay flexible in career trajectories, when you’re not sure what you want but have a general idea? - AS

[19:07] (With networking) how do you not only find connections with where you want to be, but the authentic and genuine connections…with people that you personally feel are moving in the same direction that you want to move toward? - AS 

[24:12]  The only wrong decision is not making a decision

[28:38] The language with which you use to define yourself and the way you navigate the world (an important lesson) - BB 

[32:14] “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value” - Albert Einstein  

[43:08] Rapid fire questions
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RESOURCES MENTIONED: 

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mlk-capitalism-prophet-of-discontent/amp
Prophet of Discontent by Jared A. Loggins and Andrew J. Douglas

Dr Joe Dispenza 

Tools of Titans - Tim Ferriss

Range - David Epstein

The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life -  Boyd Varty

Gabe Brown - regenerative rancher

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

Aliya chats with supervisor and mentor Dr. Brock Bergseth, a DECRA research fellow at James Cook University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. An interdisciplinary conservation scientist, Brock bridges the domains of marine biology and human behavior to help bolster conservation outcomes. He’s also a man driven by his passion and love for the outdoors, hunting, and self-development. His unique take on being a scientist is inspiring for anyone who feels boxed in by their current career or life path. 

This episode is divided into two parts, with Part one focused on Brock’s background, his take on conservation, and his relationship with nature and the academic/science world. 

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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

0627: “I was three years down the pre-med path…I wasn’t doing it for all the right reasons…what really interests me?” - BB

1450: “conservation to me is my highest calling…what are the needs in conservation today?” -BB

1917: “What is your definition of conservation, why do you think its necessary, and how do you address the issue?” - AS

2501: “I think a lot of the issues that were dealing with in modern society is  the fact that we’ve so far removed ourselves from nature. Most people are lucky if they see a park for a whille. What is a park? Manicured grass…” - BB

3000: “Conservation almost boils down to conflict resolution…when you are working in field of conservation, you are navigating incredibly political decisions that have drastic impacts on peoples welfare, on people’s wellbeing…” - BB

35:14 “what do you view we need to best help marine conservation?” - AS

42:26 “[In academia] how do you navigate being on a grind, doing the kind of work you want to do, but also ensuring that you're bringing in different ways of thinking to... communicate with people [beyond science]?” - AS

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Braiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall Kimmerer

Dunning-Kruger Effect (psychology)

Ecologically noble savage debate (Hames 2007) - https://www.unl.edu/rhames/ms/savage-prepub.pdf

Rahui system (Bambridge 2016) - https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1bw1hdq

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Dr. Brock Bergseth
JCU Research profile - https://research.jcu.edu.au/portfolio/brock.bergseth/
ARC Centre of Excellence profile - https://www.coralcoe.org.au/legacy/person/brock-bergseth
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/docb_rock/

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

Aliya chats with Krystina Jarvis, an inspiring friend that she met during her time in undergrad. After completing a zoology degree at The Ohio State University, Krystina pursued a Master’s in conservation biology where she discovered the world of zero-waste. Join to learn how and why her focus of conservation shifted from large-scale research science to a focus on sustainable living for individuals.

Krystina shares with us the basic concepts of the zero waste movement and why it became her biggest passion. Now as a small-business owner, she hopes to empower people to take action and  support a more conscious and sustainable world. Using scientific evidence and vulnerability to form genuine connections with her customer community (EcoWarriors), Krystina describes how her passion and purpose-driven business has changed her life and inspires her to be a part of what she hopes the world can transform into.
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

[13:44] The main concepts of zero-waste lifestyle, and the differences of it being done on an individual level and a societal level. 

[22:46] “We’re arguing with each other about who needs to make the changes, rather than just doing what we can, when we can, where we can” -KJ

[37:24] “What did you envision or hope for when you created A Drop in the Ocean?” - AS 

[45:38] The purpose of Krystina’s EcoWarrior community serves and what value it brings

[50:51] “What are some of the most meaningful moments or opportunities that you maybe wouldn't have gotten to experience…if you had pursued any other path?” - AS

[59:17] “What are you most proud of since pursuing this path?” - AS

[1:08:23] “Being very intentional with the people that we surround ourselves with both online and offline, and listening without the intention of responding or reacting” - KJ

[1:10:11] How to get in touch with Krystina and A Drop in the Ocean 

[1:13:17] Rapid fire questions

[1:16:16] Key takeaways

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SHOW NOTES

- Ellen Macarthur Foundation 

- 6 R’s of zero waste 

- Zero waste challenge at the Columbus Zoo

- Blue Mind by Wallace J Nichols 

How to get in touch with Krystina and her zero-waste shop:

Adropintheoceanshop.com

@adropintheoceanshop - IG, TikTok, Pinterest

A Drop in the Ocean EcoWarrior Pod - Facebook

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

Aliya connects with her dear friend and fellow recent marine biology graduate Matt  who sheds light on how lockdown helped illuminate an idea that he hopes to now manifest into reality. Marrying the lessons from his aquaculture course and his passion for food and the connections it brings, he envisions creating a farm to table homestead that will be “a lifelong project”. They get candid about shifting away from the academic science world, being brutally honest with ourselves, and how to stay true to ourselves and find confidence in who we are and the kind of world we want to be a part of.  

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Episode Highlights:
[5:00] What led Matt to study marine biology

[15:42] How Matt used his Covid time to put into practice some of his ideas/dreams into action

[19:55]  Matt: “Failure is a really awesome opportunity to see what’s wrong and to make it better” 

[24:13] Aliya: “…the most beautiful thing about science, and honestly from the impact of COVID, we recognize that we need to be critically thinking about how we’re interacting with the Earth, how were interacting with each other…how we’re existing” 

[31:50] Matt: “Having confidence and believing in yourself of whatever your dream is…” 

[37:52] Matt: “…knowing that that time is still valuable and still has worth in your life, just because you might be going to a completely different field or seemingly lost interest” 

[41:41] Rapid fire questions

[47:51] Key takeaways from episode

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Resources:

- Rutgers Marine Biology Bachelors

- James Cook University Masters

- Aquaculture resources

- Homestead community resources

- The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

- Brene Brown

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)

How do we move forward in a globalized world that seems to rejects genuine connections, embraces broken systems, and is on the brink of ecological destruction? If you’re like me, you may not have a clear vision of what our lives or the future holds…but you do have an intuitive belief and hope in what it could be. 

This is the moment to embrace and fight for a life driven by purpose, passion, and connection. A connection with ourselves, our communities, and of course, our beautiful blue planet. Join me on a journey to learn and share the lessons and insights from the people attempting to do just that. 

This short episode introduces the podcast, your host, Aliya, and a bit about the path that led her to this audio creation. 

First interview episode drops on November 11, 2022! 

Aliya's book recommendations for reconnection with the soul:

The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz

The Untethered Soul - Michael A. Singer 

The Meaning of Happiness - Alan Watts

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)