Today I had the pleasure of attending Audubon’s annual Women in Conservation luncheon, where they dole out their prestigious Rachel Carson Awards at New York’s Plaza Hotel. The room was packed with brocade-suited society ladies, former winners like the amazing Majora Carter, and this year’s honorees: oceanographer Sylvia Earle, REI’s CEO Sally Jewell, the Student Conservation Association’s Elizabeth Titus Putnam, and NBC’s Elizabeth Colleton, Jane Evans and Susan Haspel.Dr. Earle had the entire room on its feet when she got up to accept her award. Though she was expertly and sincerely gracious, she took the Sean-Penn-at-the-Oscars approach, and used the podium as an opportunity to send a message. She spoke about one thing we can all do to help protect our ravaged oceans: Stop. Eating. Fish.So should we forget the lists that tell you trout’s okay if it’s from one place, but bad if it’s from somewhere else? Or should we just stop? Is there such a thing as responsible consumption of fish anymore?She also said that these next 10 years will prove to be the single most important decade for hundreds to come, and that we have a rare opportunity to change our behavior before it’s too late. I say a woman who’s spent over 7,000 hours studying marine life underwater probably knows what she’s talking about. I hope she’s right, and I hope we do the right thing.There will be more from her in an upcoming issue of the magazine, and more about fish, too, but for now, that’s the takeaway. Adjust your behavior at your own discretion.
Tags
advertisement
More for You
-
14 images of badass women who destroyed stereotypes and inspired future generations
These trailblazers redefined what a woman could be.
Throughout history, women have stood up and fought to break down barriers imposed on them from stereotypes and societal expectations. The trailblazers in these photos made history and redefined what a woman could be. In doing so, they paved the way for future generations to stand up and continue to fight for equality.
-
Why mass shootings spawn conspiracy theories
Mass shootings and conspiracy theories have a long history.
While conspiracy theories are not limited to any topic, there is one type of event that seems particularly likely to spark them: mass shootings, typically defined as attacks in which a shooter kills at least four other people.
When one person kills many others in a single incident, particularly when it seems random, people naturally seek out answers for why the tragedy happened. After all, if a mass shooting is random, anyone can be a target.
Pointing to some nefarious plan by a powerful group – such as the government – can be more comforting than the idea that the attack was the result of a disturbed or mentally ill individual who obtained a firearm legally.
advertisement

