Covering over 70% of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is an unrecognized hero in the fight against climate change. It’s the world’s most powerful carbon sink, absorbing an astounding 90% of excess heat and storing four times more carbon than the Amazon rainforest. Even more remarkably, the ocean generates up to 85% of the oxygenContinue reading “Protecting Our Oceans: The Need for the High Seas Treaty”
Author Archives: Pallavi Kulkarni
Deep sea mining: the unknown devil
You may have heard the story of a man who had a hen that laid golden eggs. Each time the hen laid a golden egg, the man sold the egg and became richer. Finally, the man decided not to wait until she laid the next egg. He killed her, expecting to get all the goldenContinue reading “Deep sea mining: the unknown devil”
Why Marine Protected Areas are Key to Fight Climate Change: A Dive into Catalina’s Ecosystem
The silhouette of Catalina Island finally emerged on the horizon. For the past hour, the ferry had made its silent progress over the unchanging blue waters of the Pacific. Situated off the Californian coast near Los Angeles, Catalina Island is not just a scenic spot but also a beacon of marine conservation with an impressiveContinue reading “Why Marine Protected Areas are Key to Fight Climate Change: A Dive into Catalina’s Ecosystem”
Meet the ocean’s scariest predators. And sharks.
William McKeever was onboard a boat with two fishermen in Montauk, New York. His goal was to film a shark hunt, which he later described in his book, ‘Emperors of the Deep – The Ocean’s Most Mysterious, Most Misunderstood, and Most Important Guardians‘. Several teams were participating in this “tournament” aiming to catch the biggestContinue reading “Meet the ocean’s scariest predators. And sharks.”
Incredible Octopus Intelligence: Why We Should Respect and Protect These Fascinating Creatures
Inky the octopus must not have been too happy in his tank at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. I know I wouldn’t be if I was locked up in a small room like a prisoner for a crime I didn’t commit. Inky wanted out. And one night, he got just the opportunity. The lidContinue reading “Incredible Octopus Intelligence: Why We Should Respect and Protect These Fascinating Creatures”
How killer whales went from being hated to loved
The air was thick with anticipation. People scanned the blue surface for the next glimpse. And then, gasps, as two sleek black bodies emerged. I was aboard a whale-watching tour boat. The two killer whales (or orcas) we’d spotted were brothers, named Onca and Lynx, aged 18 and 14 years, respectively. I wondered how theyContinue reading “How killer whales went from being hated to loved”
Mind full to mindful: give your brain a break from your phone
The sunlight wakes me up on a Saturday morning. I reach for my phone to check my notifications as I roll out of bed. While brushing my teeth, I play a funny video to avoid wasting those precious few minutes. Scrolling through LinkedIn as I drink water, I read advice on making our mornings productiveContinue reading “Mind full to mindful: give your brain a break from your phone”
How to destroy the ocean
There’s a simple way to destroy our oceans and we’ve already made great progress. Let me show you how you can also contribute to this incredible global phenomenon. Step 1: To make sustainable, long-lasting changes, we start by making gradual shifts in our lifestyle. Like if you wanted to get fitter, you’d start by settingContinue reading “How to destroy the ocean”
Incremental vegan: 5 ideas for the vegan-curious
3 years ago today, coincidentally on World Vegan Day, I decided to quit dairy and go vegan. I was a vegetarian my whole life and the decision to switch was not made without solid reasons and plenty of information. I just replaced milk with almond milk and gave up all other dairy products. But soon,Continue reading “Incremental vegan: 5 ideas for the vegan-curious”
What’s happening with people, power, and the planet?
On 06/29 at 2 pm, I was notified about potential power outages. I was sitting in in the sweltering heat of 39˚C (about 102˚F) in front of a plug-in fan that was working its hardest to cool 5 sq. ft. of area. Owing to mild summers, two thirds of apartments in Washington state, including mine,Continue reading “What’s happening with people, power, and the planet?”
Human Nature 