1-minute read
We’d like to draw your attention to hope: that feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. Hope is a noun and a verb. It’s a motivator and an incubator. Hope makes room for the possibility of positive change. Hope empowers recovery and resilience. It’s also a place where planetary angels dwell—angels like marine biologist, former NOAA chief scientist and IUCN Patron of Nature Dr. Sylvia Earle, who since 2009, has been on a mission to protect and restore the world’s oceans, one Hope Spot at a time. Through the launch of her marine conservation organization Mission Blue, Dr. Earle made a wish big enough to heal the planet by creating a global network of special places critical to the health of oceans.
Right now, less than 6% of the great big, deep blue is protected, but by recognizing and supporting the efforts of individuals and communities around the world to safeguard our oceans, Mission Blue aims to make that percentage a whole lot bigger. The thoroughly exciting news is that anyone can help by nominating and nurturing a Hope Spot. Large or small, a Hope Spot is any marine area that needs new protection or an existing Marine Protected Area that could benefit from more tender loving care.
So what makes a Hope Spot special?
• An abundance or diversity of species
• Rare, threatened, or endemic species
• Potential to reverse damage
• Spectacles of nature
• Significant historical, cultural, or spiritual values
• Economic importance to the community
There are currently 134 unique marine Hope Spots globally, ranging from Monterey Bay and the Maldive Atolls to the Great Barrier Reef and the Gulf of California, including a new 2021 addition of Jangamo Bay in Mozambique.
Do you have an outstanding oceanic area that you would like to add to the network? Mission Blue is calling all angels—individuals, communities, and organizations who would like to provide hope for a healthier planet through ocean conservation. You can nominate a Hope Spot and start making waves today by filling out this form—all it takes is a click!
If you don’t have a special place to nominate, but you’d still like to offer your support by volunteering at an existing location, contact a Hope Spot champion to find out how to pitch in.
You can learn more about Sylvia Earle’s bold endeavor by watching the Emmy® Award-Winning documentary Mission Blue—currently available on Netflix. And you can listen to Dr. Earle’s TED talk here. We think you’ll agree the high priestess of hope is a true force for nature!
