DeepSummary
In this podcast episode, oceanographer Tessa Hill and science journalist Eric Simons discuss their book 'At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans' and share insights into humanity's relationship with the ocean. They explain how they came to collaborate on the book, aiming to help people connect with the vast changes happening in marine environments that are often unseen.
Hill and Simons highlight the importance of incorporating diverse perspectives, including those of indigenous communities, to gain a holistic understanding of the ocean and its challenges. They emphasize the need to weave together different forms of knowledge to address issues like climate change, overfishing, and plastic pollution more effectively.
The authors reflect on the challenges of conducting research and interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic, which unexpectedly opened up new opportunities for engaging with people virtually. They encourage readers to cultivate hope by taking small actions, engaging with their communities, and advocating for systemic changes to protect the ocean's health.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The book 'At Every Depth' explores humanity's evolving relationship with the changing oceans and the need to incorporate diverse perspectives, including those of indigenous communities, to address marine challenges.
- The authors highlight the importance of weaving together different forms of knowledge, such as scientific research and traditional ecological knowledge, to gain a holistic understanding of the ocean's challenges.
- The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly opened up new opportunities for the authors to conduct virtual interviews and gain personal insights from people around the world.
- The book encourages individuals to cultivate hope by taking small actions, engaging with their communities, and advocating for systemic changes to protect the ocean's health.
- The authors emphasize the need to balance resource extraction from the ocean with a deeper understanding and preservation of these environments, particularly in the largely unexplored deep sea.
- The book aims to inspire readers to build or rekindle their connection with the ocean, and to use that connection as a starting point for taking action towards a more sustainable relationship with marine environments.
- The authors' collaborative approach and willingness to learn from each other's perspectives and expertise was crucial in shaping the book's message and incorporating diverse viewpoints.
- The book highlights the interconnectedness between humans and nature, and the importance of learning from indigenous communities' perspectives on living in harmony with the environment.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We were interested in the things that connect some of those approaches, philosophical underpinnings of those, but also wanted to let people in different places tell their own story about how they understood the world and how they used their understanding to make decisions.“ by Eric Simons
- “I think the deep sea points, this is back to a little bit what we were talking about before with the deep sea and how it's changing. And I remember this list. We were looking at a study, one of the very few studies of one of these, I don't know, what do they call them, exclusive economic zones or something out in basically the international ocean. And we know very little. But one of the few things that we do know is how to go down and get the resources that are there. And that's kind of how we tend to go into places first. It's why we tend to go into new places a lot of times because there's something there that we want and let's go get it.“ by Eric Simons
- “I think we need small steps to take. We need connection, and we need a plant.“ by Tessa Hill
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Episode Information
New Books in Environmental Studies
Marshall Poe
6/14/24
At Every Depth: Our Growing Knowledge of the Changing Oceans (Columbia UP, 2024) takes readers on a journey from California tidepools to Antarctic poles, showcasing myriad efforts to research and protect marine environments. Through insightful interviews, oceanographer Tessa Hill and science journalist Eric Simons offer a compelling exploration of humanity's relationship with the ocean. They shed light on research methodologies, the ocean's importance, and the vital role of indigenous peoples in ocean stewardship.
Tune in to their interview with the New Books Network, where they share stories from how the research came together, how COVID affected their investigation, and what people can do today to build closer relationships with the ocean.
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