As the title implies, this short documentary features three concerned individuals taking action to improve the state of our oceans. With plastic and other debris washing up on shores daily, the fish population declining, and the beautiful coral reefs deteriorating, the earth’s oceans are under assault. Global warming, careless fishing, and a throwaway culture are impacting the health of the oceans.
In this environmental film, artist Tess Felix, fisherman Dick Ogg, and photographer Barbara Crites illustrate how individuals can make a difference for the environment; these three ocean advocates serve as examples of what the rest of society can do to improve the environment, especially with respect to oceans.
Located near San Francisco Bay, Tess Felix and her colleagues collect plastic and other debris from the Pacific Ocean. Tess washes the items, sorts the plastic by color or shape, and turns the items into art. From a distance, Tess’s full-length portraits resemble a painting. Up close, viewers can see that all of the features are comprised of assembled plastics and other materials.
To honor environmentalists, Tess creates portraits of individuals such as Sylvia Earle, oceanographer. Tess is appalled by society’s “throw-away” culture and hopes with her art to persuade individuals to become conscious of their habits and improve them.
In Bodega Bay, crab fisherman Dick Ogg notes how much warmer the ocean is from years past. With warming, whales are now seeking food closer to where the fishing boats are positioned, and, sometimes whales are getting tangled in the lines. Ogg has worked to improve the lines to prevent entanglement. He also volunteers with NOAA to survey the water looking for whale and crab patterns and helps test for domoic acid which poisons shellfish and leads to algae blooms.
In St. Johns, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbara Crites photographs and documents marine life along the coral reef in the Caribbean Sea. Crites has been documenting marine life since 2008 and states she now has over 93,000 photos. Saddened that 80% of the coral reef has been lost in the last 20 years, Crites wants people to learn about the value of oceans for their life-giving medicine, oxygen, food, and enjoyment.
Directors Cynthia Abbott and Andrea Leland point out several actions individuals can take to improve the environment and emphasize that anyone can become a citizen scientist. At a half-hour in length, this environmental film is ideally suited for classroom viewing and discussion. Recommended for science academic library shelves. Aud: J, H, C, P.
Discover more titles for your film collection in our list of environmental movies.