Episode #14
How can young people make our oceans trendy? - Kirsty Crawford, community engagement expert at the Marine Conservation Society
Send us Fan Mail Kirsty Crawford argues that conservation of marine life needs to be a collaborative effort, explains how inland waste and litter damage marine ecosystems, shares how children become devoted to sea through nursery rhymes, music, and English literature and how we should let young people lead the fight for cleaner oceans, restored habitats and stopping sewage pollution. Kirsty is the Learning and Community Engagement Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, leading national programmes that connect communities with climate conservation, science, and the arts, focusing on equity and inclusion. Her role includes managing a team of six regional staff, overseeing strategic development, fostering partnerships, and managing budgets to deliver impactful education and outreach initiatives. She is committed to creating inclusive opportunities that empower communities to participate in conservation efforts and foster meaningful connections with the natural world. NOTES 6:20: Oceans absorbing the heat 7:55: Flood gardens and rain gardens 8:55: successful regeneration of Flat European Oysters in the UK, the unsung hero of marine conservation: https://www.mcsuk.org/what-we-do/regeneration/oysters/ 12:20: Planet Earth documentary series: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795176/ 13:10: 80% of all the marine litter starts inland, through streams, canals or flushed through the sewage system, and includes the small micro fabrics that get washed from our washing machines 15:55: 90% of the planet relies on fish as their primary source of protein 16:40: the bi-yearly Good Fish Guide published by the MCS, most recently pointing out cod and mackerel being under pressure and therefore being downgraded: https://www.mcsuk.org/goodfishguide/ 19:50: peatlands and oceans acting for natural carbon capture - but with question marks 22:40: the success story of working with turtles in the Turks and Caicos Islands 22:50: Community Voice Method to promote active participation to become trusted friends 24:20: Rapid fire quiz: Natural resources Nutrient pollution Net zero 26:40: my first citizen science activity focusing on nitrogen and phosphate in the nearby river 27:35: why Net Zero is a difficult concept to grasp and identify with about Net Zero: https://netzeroclimate.org/what-is-net-zero-2/ 29:40 - Youth Ocean Network for youth aged 13-25: https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/youth-ocean-network/ 33:00: dozens of things you people can do to help the oceans - and we help them develop the skills to do these well 35:00: a list of activities young people can do in marine conservation 37:05: Ocean Literacy through seven principles 37:40: national consultation about natural history GCSE in England and Wales, taking place now: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/gcse-natural-history-proposed-subject-content Open until the 23 July! 39:35: the importance of cross curricular learning for children, for example using English literature classes to unlock imagination of young people by reading short stories and essays, instead of reading maths and science 40:15: for 4-5 year olds, rhyme is so important, for example reading The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfAsZdCtHOc 41:20: Maths in the Wild - using data collected on beach cleans 42:20: BBC Symphony Orchestra coming to the classroom to share the sounds and soundscapes of the sea 43:50: ‘Dear Future Ocean’ letter competition: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marine-conservation-society_what-would-you-say-to-our-future-ocean-activity-7478372402033500160-aUMK 47:15 there are children who have lived in a city their whole life, they don’t know what the sea looks like, smells like, tastes like. 48:25: Source to Sea litter quest: https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/volunteering/source-to-sea/ If you liked the episode, make sure to follow Ready, Steady, Green! on your favourite podcast channel, share the episode with your friends and invite others to listen. You can catch up with our earlier episodes and tell who would you like to hear next. Help us get the message through: We must act on sustainability now! This was Gabor Sarlos, with Ready, Steady, Green! podcasting: Ready, Steady, Green news and views: LinkedIn action: COPmitment
