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And how saving your oyster shells can help save our oceans.
Dear Reader,
Dot began her career in publishing as a fact-checker. My job was to take a story and essentially re-report it, ensuring that every quote was confirmed as accurate and every bit of information backed up. Sometimes, it was a straightforward task. Other times, not so much. For instance, a writer once produced a story that included a reference to a specific wing of a somewhat obscure First World War plane (I’ve long forgotten what it was) that the subject of the story had suspended from the ceiling of his large home. It wasn’t enough that the subject said the wing came from a specific First World War plane; I had to confirm that it was, indeed, what he said it was.
And so began my search for someone who had deep expertise in old planes. When I found that person at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, I was delighted. Getting swept up in another’s knowledge and passion is one of life’s pleasures.
All of which is to say, let Dot introduce to you today’s Climate Champ … The Orca Man.
The Orca Man is Fred, who, thanks to the “Free Willy” video that came free with the DVD player in his parents' then-new Chevy Venture van, fell in love with whales at the age of three. He was so enamored that his parents “adopted” a whale for him from The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, Washington, and Fred later volunteered on a museum trip to the Orca Mecca of San Juan Island.
After moving to British Columbia to study geographic computation and environmental history, Fred wanted to share his Orca research. He began posting about his passion on social media, giving himself the moniker, The Orca Maven, which morphed into The Orca Man. You see, it isn’t enough for Fred to love Orcas; he wants us to love them, too. As he puts it, “I … wanted to find a way to connect people to the species that has brought me insurmountable joy.”
And it’s hard not to fall in love with them, thanks to The Orca Man, who produces a beautiful printed “zine,” delivered to your door, as well as online tips for land-based whale watching and in-real-life tours you can join to share his Orca love up close.
Let’s send thanks to The Orca Man for reminding all of us that the creatures with whom we share this world are fascinating, awe-inspiring, and worthy of our reverence.
Flukily,
Dot
Young oysters attach themselves to a hard surface, like another oyster shell, to survive, and oysters play a key role in filtering ocean water from pollutants. Read more about The Billion Oyster Project in the New York Harbor and shell recycling on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Check out our sustainable seafood buying guide for more information on buying oysters.
For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.
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