Our June 2013 Newsletter

Dear Friends,  What You Can Do is spending this summer honoring our oceans from coast to coast.  Recently, we made trips to The Parker Manatee Aquarium at The South Florida Museum and The Monterey Bay Aquarium to interview their experts on the current health of our oceans, and what people can do to help.  Our videos spotlighted the issues of climate change, plastics, sustainable seafood, and the human impact of overfishing and trash disposal.  More importantly, we highlighted one minute ways to make an impact and help.  In addition, on June 22nd, What You Can Do's video: Help Fight Hunger in New York City, featuring one of our favorite organizations, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, screened at the Manhattan Film Festival in Greenwhich Village.  Thanks to the festival for including us. We had a blast! Wish you and yours a happy kick off to the summer,  The On the Leesh Team A few weeks ago, Amanda visited The Monterey Bay Aquarium to interview experts on the most pressing topics affecting our oceans today.  First up, Amanda interviewed Jim Covel, the Senior Manager of Guest Experiences, about the state of our oceans and ocean health in general. All the choices we make affect our oceans.  Everything from the pesticides we use on our lawns, the cars that leaks oil onto pavement, and the cleaning products that we choose for our homes, all will eventually run off into our seas. Even if you're in the middle of the country! Check out the video to learn how you can help make better choices to protect one of our most valuable resources.  Next up, Ryan Bigelow, outreach manager for the Seafood Watch Program, explained that we have already lost over 85% of the big fish in our oceans. According to the aquarium, catching fish faster than they can reproduce may be the single biggest threat to ocean ecosystems. Downloading the app or a pocket guide  from Seafood Watch, allows consumers to make better choices at restaurants and supermarkets.  Making better choices and talking about the issue of overfishing will help bring back fish populations.  It has worked to bring back Swordfish and Chilean Sea Bass, so let's give it a try! Watch this video to find out more.     Thanks to The Monterey Bay Aquarium for such a warm welcome, and to everyone who got involved in the conversation on Facebook.  Be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube. UP NEXT July continues What You Can Do's dedication to our oceans.  We're traveling to Bradenton, Florida to interview Marilyn Margold at The Parker Manatee Aquarium at The South Florida Museum.  The Parker Manatee Aquarium is the home to the ambassador of Manatees, Snooty. He's turning 65 this year, so stay tuned to find out who you can celebrate manatees in his honor.  Marilyn also discusses the biggest threats to our marine wildlife and how we can help make a difference.    If you're an artist, we're holding a contest in honor of our oceans in New York City. We're seeking works of art made from recycled plastic that will be featured as part of a show at Bushwick Coffee House, a coffee shop in Brooklyn, NY. The contest will culminate in an event and concert with the Sea Monsters on July 20th.  Write us at info@ontheleesh.com for more information.     Be sure to write in and share your ideas on how to protect our oceans!

What You Can Do Featured on +Social Good Site: Support Ocean Health in One Minute

This summer we have been focusing on Ocean Health and how we can make a difference in our Oceans over the long term.

We are excited that two of our summer videos about helping Sea Turtles and Protecting Ocean Health are being featured on the website +Social Good.  A website that was inspired by the Social Good Summit.  It is a place that "Unites a global community of innovators around a shared vision:  The power of technology and new media to make the world a better place."

You can check out our feature here:

http://www.plussocialgood.org/Post/This-summer-discover-ways-to-support-Ocean-Health-in-just-a-minute/fe8dcb87-f17c-4668-a0df-e7de0613173d

If you want to learn more about how you can help protect our Oceans for generations to come please check out our youtube site for more great videos about how you can be the change you want to see in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsIUjdZM2Mk&feature=youtu.be

Thank you +SocialGood for helping us spread the word about how you can make a difference even one minute at a time. A huge thanks to our friends at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for letting us visit their amazing facilities and learn about our oceans. And finally a big thank you to our friends at www.iamthedarkranger.com for helping us with our video about Protecting the Night for Sea Turtles.

#bethechange
#oceans

What You Can Do Honors Our Oceans

This summer, What You Can Do is partnering with the Parker Manatee Aquarium at South Florida Museum and the Monterey Bay Aquarium to bring you up to date information about the ocean and how you can help to improve its health.

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Shot and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Edited by - Amanda Blohm
Music by - Buick Audra
Additional Footage Courtesy of Shutterstock Inc.

Special Thanks to Allison Barratt, Marilyn Margold, Jessica Schubick, Snooty the Manatee and everyone at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum

For more information on What You Can Do, please visit:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/whatyoucando
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/whatyoucando
Other YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.coom/whatyoucando365
Blog - http://www.whatyoucandoseries.blogspo...
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/1minette
Website - http://www.whatyoucando.com

For more information on Buick Audra, please visit:
Website - http://www.BuickAudra.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/buickaudramusic
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/BuickAudra


For more information on the Monterey Bay Aquarium, please visit:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/montereybayaquarium
Twitter - https://twitter.com/montereyaq
YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/MontereyBayAquarium
Seafood Watch Program - http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
Website - http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/

For more information on the Parker Manatee Aquarium at the South Florida Museum, please visit:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SouthFLMuseum
Twitter - http://twitter.com/SouthFLMuseum
Website - http://www.southfloridamuseum.org/TheAquarium.aspx

Alicia's love of elephants

Arguably my first love

I have always loved elephants. Always. When my sister liked Disney Princesses, I liked Dumbo. I watch the movie now and find it incredibly depressing, so I have to think it was  that lovable face and floppy ears that drew me in.  I know the story must have registered with me on some level, but there's a lot of "strange" happening in that movie.  And, well,  I've been known to fast forward through depressing moments. It's safe to say that Dumbo in Mom's trunk through the bars is probably the event that started that quirk.  I'm welling up just thinking about it.  Either way, it's clear that my developing brain was sucked in to all things elephant.  Whether I have Walt Disney to thank or the species itself, I was hooked from an early age.

The Hindu God, Ganesha

My favorite toy from childhood was a yellow stuffed elephant that played Brahm's Lullaby.  I have it to this day even if she's a little worse for wear.  I also have countless Dumbo figurines and stuffed animals. He was always by my side growing up, and one of the only things that stopped my epic tantrums.  I have earrings, necklaces and bracelets.  I have stationary and Christmas ornaments.  There's just something about them that I find amazing.

Whenever something speaks strongly to me, I'm always drawn to the symbolic meaning behind it. Perhaps it was being raised by a therapist or growing up with a sister fascinated by Greek Mythology,  Something rubbed off, and now I am fascinated by symbology and meaning.  According to what's-your-sign.com, the reason why I find elephants so attractive is very apropos.  The symbology "deals primarily with strength, honor, stability and patience." All attributes I have, or yearn for.  And then there's the Hindu god Ganesha.  He removes the obstacles that stand in your path, bestows luck and guarantees success and blessings.   Honestly, who wouldn't want to have this guy in your corner?

Nicholas at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary

Every time I look into the eye of an elephant, I feel that they see the world differently than we do.  I was glued to the screen during the 60 Minutes segment about the extraordinary American scientist named Andrea Turkalo.  She has devoted her life to observing a group of wild African elephants.  Through her tireless devotion, she has begun to compile a list of their complex and subtle communications. She's turning these into the very first elephant dictionary. If you haven't seen this segment you have to watch it. I mean! Amazing! Click here to watch it.

The more I learn about these creatures, the more I see them as a giant allegory of our times. About removing the ways of the past without understanding the consequences. We're acting without thinking and not learning along the way.  Add to that the fact that elephants certainly look like creatures from another era. They look more like Wooly Mammoths than they do to any other living animal.  They are giant creatures that need companionship. Loving and supportive beings who have strong emotions like us. They raise their children like we do, mourn like we do and support each other like we do. There habitat is getting destroyed in the name of progress, and we're running out of time to stop it.  We have so much to learn from these animals, and I fear that we will lose them before we learn all there is to know.

So now, dear readers, I may have taken you to the murky place that Jessica calls ISD. This place makes me want to crawl under my covers and just cry and cry.  BUT that's not what we do here at What You Can Do.  We're here to give you simple one minute actions to help.  So, instead of burying your head, check this out.  One of our favorite organizations, Defenders of Wildlife, has a whole page that shows you what you can do to help elephants, and they're all easy 1 minute steps!

In honor of these beauties,  I'm unofficially dubbing this month - Alicia's obsession with Elephants month.  I don't think they'll pass it into law, but it seems natural as many of my activities will be focusing on these gentle giants.  Throughout May, I will contribute a few entries about various things I've learned and organizations we have worked with.

Mara at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary

First of all - my very good friend Sam and I went to the PAWS Elephant Sanctuary in San Andreas this past weekend for their "Seeing the Elephant" weekend getaway.  It was amazing.  I learned so much about the conditions of circus elephants and how we need to educate people, so that they will stop using these animals as spectacle. Without getting on a soapbox, I'll write more about this wonderful sanctuary later.

Secondly, Sam and I are going to see Daphne Sheldrick speak at the American Museum of Natural History next Tuesday.  Dame Sheldrick founded the The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with her husband, David, in Kenya.  This foudnation rehabilitates orphaned elephants with the goal of releasing them back in to the wild.  It's a team effort between man and elephant (the graduates come back to help for the last part of the journey).   This place is amazing, and I will fill you in on the information that I learn from Dame Sheldrick after her talk.

Speaking of, did anyone see Born to be Wild?  It features Daphne Sheldrick as well Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas who works with orphaned orangutans in Indonesia.   If you haven't seen it, YOU GOTTA!! It's narrated by Morgan Freeman, so you can't go wrong there.  And for a nature film, it's uplifting and hopeful. Don't get me wrong, I cried at several parts, but not because of horror. It was a "good cry" if you will.  So this gives me another topic to discuss as well.

For now, I wanna know what you think?  Do you agree with me? Are elephants intoxicating?  What's your favorite animal?  And If you wanna get involved and help protect these animals right away, consider symbolically adopting one through Defenders of Wildlife.  It only takes a minute. Watch the video below to find out how.

love and elephants,
Alicia

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