April 24, 2013
50 States Expedition: Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
Ocean Doctor’s 50 Years – 50 States – 50 Speeches Expedition continues with the first presentation in the state of Maryland at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Maryland during Earth Week on April 24th, 2013.
Ocean Doctor’s 50 Years – 50 States – 50 Speeches Expedition is a journey of outreach, education, and discovery announced by Dr. David E. Guggenheim on his 50th birthday to bring at no charge speeches and multimedia education programs about the oceans to schools in all 50 U.S. states and 5 inhabited U.S. territories. By its culmination, the expedition will reach more than 100 schools and tens of thousands of students, with whom the “Ocean Doctor” is sharing firsthand accounts and important lessons about the oceans and their conservation. The expedition is also promoting renewed interest in science and science careers among the students visited. Finally, the expedition is collecting thousands of messages from the students to be delivered to leaders in Washington, DC at the conclusion of the journey.
This is a private event and not open to the general public.
April 22, 2013
Earth Day 2013 Press Conference: Great Whale Conservancy
Event: A press conference will be hosted by the Great Whale Conservancy (GWC) at noon (EDT) on Earth Day (April 22nd, 2013), in Freedom Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC 20004 (nearest Metro: Federal Triangle). The public is welcome!
Purpose: To call for action against the unnecessary killing of blue whales from ship strikes in waters offshore of Southern California.
Speakers:
- David E. Guggenheim Ph.D., President, Ocean Doctor (Washington, DC)
- John Calambokidis, Director of the Cascadia Research Group (Seattle, WA; invited)
- Gershon Cohen Ph.D., co-Director of the Great Whale Conservancy (Anchorage, Alaska)
- Michael Fishbach, co-Director of the Great Whale Conservancy (Anchorage, Alaska; Saving Valentina)
Also in attendance will be Mz Blue, the GWC’s life-sized 90-foot blue whale inflatable (see photo below.)
Background: The shipping lane between San Francisco and Los Angeles is one of the busiest in the world, moving people and goods from Asia between U.S. ports on the west coast. Unfortunately, the shipping lane cuts right through critical blue whale feeding habitat. Every year, blue whales are killed by propeller cuts and direct collisions from cargo ships, oil tankers, and cruise ships. An alternative shipping route exists ~15 miles to the southwest, which the scientific community believes would eliminate 80-90% of the ship strikes. This unofficial route passes through a U.S. Navy exercise area and is supposed to be off limits to commercial traffic. However, ships have, and continue to transit those waters without direct objection by the U.S. Navy. Nevertheless, many ships will still not use the unofficial route for fear of expulsion.
GWC will be delivering a request from the many of the world’s largest whale conservation organizations along with the signatures of ~100,000 citizens to the Obama Administration asking the President to direct the Navy to approve an alternate transit lane for the months of July through October when the blue whale population in the area reaches its highest concentration.
For more information please contact:
Gershon Cohen PhD, co-Director
Great Whale Conservancy
907-766-3005 (office)
907-314-0028 (cell)
Mz Blue, the life-sized 90-foot inflatable Blue Whale, will be at Freedom Plaza for the Earth Day Event
May 9, 2009 – May 9, 2010
50 States Expedition: Orlando Public Library
Ocean Doctor, Dr. David E. Guggenheim continues his national speaking expedition, 50 Years, 50 States, 50 Speeches with a stop at the Orlando Public Library, Library Central on Saturday, May 9 at 10:30 a.m.? Dive right in and see videos and hear about his many adventures, and his enthusiasm for the wonder of the deep blue part of the planet.? Guggenheim set out on this expedition after his 50th birthday as homage to his father who was lost at sea when he was just 49 years old.? This special event, brought to you by the Friends of the Orange County Library System, is free and everyone is invited.
Orlando Public Library, Library Central, 101 E. Central Blvd.,?Orlando, FL
Orlando Public Library – Orange County Library System (Orlando, FL)
