Blue Ocean Planet

Colin Serjent from Nerve spoke to Carlee Graham, founder of environmental group Blue Ocean Planet, who talked, among other ecology-related topics, about the various projects they run to raise awareness about the profound problems facing the global ecosystem.

Feature by Colin Serjent

Blue Ocean Planet was founded in 2011 by Liverpool-based Carlee Graham, whose prime aim is to conserve marine wildlife and make people more aware of the plight facing the natural world, both at sea and on land.

Carlee was influenced as a youngster in regard to a love of the environment.

"My grandad had a massive garden when I was a child, almost like a magic garden in ways. It had lots of trees, plants, birds and hedgehogs. We were always surrounded by animals.

"As children we often visited beaches, where, for instance, we would rescue seagulls with a broken wing, or go to nature-based sites.

"I have always had a kinship with nature, including domestic and wild animals.

"Despite people becoming more detached from the natural world I still feel there are natural rhythms hidden deep within the city."

We spoke about how living in the countryside as a child, and experiencing its many pleasures and adventures, can prove very beneficial and a positive force later in life. I myself, as a youngster, spent a lot of time, away from Liverpool, living with my family in a caravan on a very large farm in Scarisbrick, based a couple of miles from Ormskirk.

"Human beings are considered highly advanced in terms of intelligence," added Carlee, "but this intelligence is not leading to us developing a healthy, holistic planet Our connection with nature is not being reflected in school education. Very little teaching overall is offered on how we can protect the planet and the eco system.

"This is leading to only a minority of people having a sense of empathy with nature.

"This lack of education or awareness of the natural world is shown in a recent survey of 250 kids from different parts of the country. Only 2 in 30 knew how fish were caught and how plastic bags are created.

"Children are being brought up in a bubble, a society of consumerism, with little exposure to the countryside.

"All the kids involved in our community projects and skill-based lessons, that have taken place in the past three years in Formby, Ainsdale, Cumbria and Portsmouth - with a particular focus on marine issues - have all loved taking part."

Before and after photos of a beach clean by Southport

Other places for children to visit are in the planning stages by the environmental group.

Blue Ocean Planet's current project is linking up with kids in Liverpool, Egypt and the Philippines, with Carlee supervising the scheme in England. The aim is to bring the children from these countries closer together.

She has strong links with environmentalist and artist AG Sano in the Philippines, whose slogan is ' Dolphins Love Freedom'. Described as the Dolphin Guy, he paints environment-based street murals.

"What happens in one part of the world, in regard to the environment, can have a direct impact in another part of the world." added Carlee.

She regularly liaises with local schools on Merseyside, with an emphasis on outdoor learning. The workshops run include focusing on plastic pollution and its widespread impact upon marine species.

Carlee also runs after school groups, which involves children and their parents. For instance, they encourage them to visit a local coast. One aim is for the participants to create something artistic at the end of the project.

She often revisits schools in regard to setting up further ecology-based projects. For example, she has been asked to return to Vincent St. Paul school. Kids are often proactive in asking her to revisit them.

Blue Ocean Planet set up new projects as well as repeat projects which have already taken place.

They have a team of four workers, Carlee, the coordinator, a marine biologist, an art therapy teacher and a primary education teacher.

Since she was 20-years-old, Carlee, who has a BSc in Zoology, has been involved in environmental projects in Australia, Madagascar and Asia.

Plans for the future include running an ocean protection programme from Spring 2015. Further details will be available on their website www.blueoceanplanet.org

I asked Carlee what has kept her optimistic in regards to helping to preserve the environment, given the massive destruction that has taken place in the past 40 years or so?

"There is no other option. You can't give up. There has to be a pronounced shift of consciousness of people becoming more aware about the planet and its limited resources."

In regard to the population explosion Carlee believes that the more people there are on the planet the more they will exploit the ecosystem. "Homo sapiens are the only species on Earth who exploit the planet.

"I will always be encouraging other people to get actively involved in in taking part in ecology projects, etc."

In one of her final comments she believes that nature, music and art are strongly connected.

I totally agree!

Blue Ocean Planet website: www.blueoceanplanet.org

*** For further information about the environment and ecosystems Carlee suggested referring to the work of James Lovelock, a scientist, environmentalist and futurist: www.jameslovelock.org

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