Special Edition Spring 2018: Oceans

A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE GRAPHIC

OCEANS

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How the Coast Has Changed Over the Years

Malibu Comes Together to Keep Oceans Clean

Swimming For Survival: Following the Journey of the Pacific Gray Whale

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Larry Beard: An Extraordinary Passion Meets Extraordinary Experiences

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Faith in Nature: All Is Good

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The Coast of California: Finding the Hidden Gems

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Chasing Coral: Scientists and Divers Discuss Vanishing Coral Reef

Climate Change Threatens Oceans

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Grunion Greeters Aim to Advocate for Grunion

Choosing Positivity and Keeping Hope

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Letter From The EDitor I like to say I was raised with the water. Where the fine grains of sand meet deep, foamy hues of blue — the ocean has always been the place I’ve felt most at home. The sea holds a sweet and delicate piece of my heart that nothing can quite compare with.

Before I could even walk, I was out on the water, riding waves off California’s coast with sea spray and family all around me. Before I could even comprehend that there was an ocean before me, it became a part of me.

I think my past with the ocean is why I’m so passionate about protecting it; it’s why I care so deeply about the animals that find their home beneath the surface; the deepness of the current below that is oftentimes forgotten by even those lucky enough to call its coastal reserve their backyard.

With roots that run to the depths of the sea, I’ve seen firsthand the joy that comes with a life on the water. My family business is a fishing and whale watching company, built from the ground up by my grandfather and now run by my father and my aunt with my older brother working alongside them as a boat captain.

My grandfather’s passion for the ocean drove his purpose for Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching — his drive to grow the community’s appreciation for the sea

and the animals that reside within the ever-changing currents. As a young boy who used to roll his little red wagon to the end of the San Clemente Pier and offer to carry fishermen’s catch to their cars, his passion for fishing and dedication to his community ran deep in his soul.

Now at age 83, he’s spent more than 50 years as a captain, working toward the conservation of our oceans, our fisheries and all sea life that reside off the coast of California and beyond.

From a very young age, I experienced the beauty and splendor of the ocean and learned the importance of taking care of it. I learned just how easily litter and plastic on the streets can have grave impacts on the ecosystems that lie in deep waters. I watched as changes along the California coast created new limits and regulations for fishing; how whale migrations worked and what seasons each precious creature was going to be off our coast.

I worked alongside my family at our business and learned the ins and outs of the sea and sea life, developing my passion deeper the more I surrounded myself with those whose appreciation for the ocean spanned decades.

My best childhood memories always go back to that little coastal town of Dana Point — spending countless days with the tides, swimming in the

shallow water, fishing off the bobbing boats and working in the little old office that smelled of salt and brine in the charming little harbor I still call home today. The harbor where the currents lap against the old wooden planks of the docks, where boats drift back and forth in their slots, where sea lions bark and seagulls caw as they glide through the sky.

My heart lies in the depths of the sea and my soul tethers there. From that little seaside town that shaped me, to Malibu two hours north, my passion for the sea flourishes as my knowledge of the world expands. Experiencing the beauty and magnificence of the ocean first-hand pushes my desire to save and protect the grandeur of the sea for generations to come. With each majestic breach of humpbacks, spy hops of grays, and flukes of mighty blues — my appreciation for the sea and the animals that call it home grows deeper and deeper.

The brilliance of it all is unmatched to anything I’ve ever seen and the responsibility to take care of it and keep its beauty alive falls on our shoulders.

We were all put here on this planet for a reason, one of which surely is to care for earth’s most beautiful and valuable natural resource.

Shannon Hansen Editor-In-Chief

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CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shannon Hansen DESIGNER MoNICA AVILA EXECUTIVE EDITOR CASSandra STEPHENSON MANAGING EDITOR BRIA DUNLAP COPY CHIEF SAMANTHA GONZALEs ADVISeRS ELIZABETH SMITH COURTENAY STALLINGS Front and back cover photo shannon hansen

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WRITERS Mikaela bisson Jonathan Boeri Logan hall bryce hanamoto nenah mikuska kelly rodriguez channa steinmetz lauren young photographers larry beard amelia edmondson joan hobbs tim horton michael murrie chase riekhof maverick turner dana wharf lauren young

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SWIMMING FOR

SURVIVAL

following THE JOURNEY OF

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THE PACIFIC GRAY WHALE 5-6 final.indd 2

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By: cassandra stephenson

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avier Monzon, a mammalogist and Assistant Professor of Biology at Pepperdine, stood waiting with his class for nearly two hours at Point Dume in hopes of catching a glimpse of a Pacific gray whale.

In the two years since he started teaching at Pepperdine, Monzon brought his Zoology and Animal Behavior classes to this spot in March — usually a prime time for observing the whales on their long trek to their northern feeding grounds.

But on this day in 2017, there were no whales to be seen. The group walked back to the bus. Just as they were about to step on, Monzon turned to the ocean to see a baseball-sized eye staring at them.

The whale breached the surface mere feet away off Westward beach. For a moment, the group and the whale were eye-to-eye, sharing in mutual observation.

“I’m just as fascinated as the students are,” said Monzon, who had never seen a whale before moving to Southern California from the East Coast. “Any time that I get a chance to see one of the whales I’m just as wide-eyed as anybody else.”

This whale, an adult likely headed for the feeding grounds in the Bering Sea, was embarking on the second leg of its approximately 12,000 mile journey. The Pacific gray whale’s migration from their northern feeding grounds to the breeding lagoons in Baja is “not a trivial trip,” Monzon said. In fact, their migration is one of the longest of any mammal on earth.

The Pacific gray whale is not the only whale that swims in the waters off of Southern California — pilot whales, minke whales, humpback whales and blue whales are just some of the species that inhabit the rich coastal environment. But

the close-to-shore migration patterns of Pacific gray whales mean that these animals are the most likely to be spotted by people from land.

Todd Mansur is on the Gray Whale Foundation Board of Directors and is an American Cetacean Society certified marine naturalist. He started learning about whales in the 1970s. His whale knowledge is rooted in “incredible on-the-job training” while captaining a boat that served as the floating marine ecology lab for the Orange County Marine Institute (now the Ocean Institute) for four years in the 1990s.

After that, his work with whales “just snowballed for the last 38 years." For the past decade, Mansur has been teaching gray whale-centered curriculum to students in the Capistrano Unified School District and hosting whale-watching field trips as part of the Gray Whale Foundation. In the past 10 years, he said he’s taken more than 20,000 students out on the water to see these gigantic animals.

When he’s not focused on whales, Mansur is a fisherman (mostly sport fishing) and a charter boat captain. But whales have largely taken over in his goal of making a living while working with the ocean.

“I would say that they’re half of my life, but realistically, whales are three quarters of my life,” Mansur said. “I actually spend close to seven months a year just observing whales, whale watching, lecturing on whales [and] studying whales.”

The gray whale’s migration along the Southern California coastline is “fairly predictable,” Mansur said.

“I can predict it most years based on inclement weather in the Pacific northeast,

how long they’re going to feed before they evacuate the feeding grounds which freeze over in the winter time and what route they’re going to take,” he said. “And the route does change."

Delayed Departure This year was a “late departure” year for the gray whale population. The majority of the population spent more time in the feeding grounds, not embarking on their massive journey until around the first week of October, Mansur said. In an “early year,” by contrast, the whales would leave in the second or third week of September.

“It’s not like there’s this huge window that changes — they start evacuating within about 21 days, early to late,” Mansur said. But the whales still need to get to the lagoons in Baja by December or early January, he added, so adult whales will swim faster and further away from the shore to make it to the lagoons in time for mating and calving rituals.

Gray whales have clearly increased their time in the feeding grounds, which are spreading further north as Arctic waters warm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Mansur said the whales normally feed near the Bering Straits in the Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea. But depending on how far the ice retracts in the summer, the whales can travel as far as the Beaufort Sea — far north of their usual grounds — in search of food.

Gray whales gain most of their nutrients from the sediment on the ocean floor in these cold water environments.

“They go down to the bottom, they lay

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on their sides, and wag their tongues back and forth to loosen the sediment and extract the nutrients in it, just like digging dirt in your garden,” Mansur explained.

“There’s going to be worms and snails and spiders [in your garden].” For gray whales, it’s arthropods and crustaceans on the menu.

While warming waters and melting ice in the north mean more available feeding grounds for the whales, the arthropods and crustaceans that make up their diet thrive in colder conditions, Mansur said.

Colder water has higher oxygen levels and lower salinity levels, which encourage growth. As summer approaches and seasonal ice melts, light penetrates the waters.

“We get light penetration, fresh water and oxygen, so you have an enormous amount of nutrients, especially when you get into shallow water because light can penetrate through,” Mansur said.

Reduced ice cover and the melting of multi-year ice are well-documented, NOAA reports, but any connections between these Arctic environmental changes and the whales’ extended feeding grounds are unclear and debated.

These changes could be explained by the warming of Arctic waters, the invasion of other species also looking for food or potential over-grazing by a sizable whale population, NOAA states.

The current gray whale population rings in at around 26,000, according to the World Wildlife Fund. This number reflects what Mansur calls the “baby boomer generation” of juvenile whales born during a population surge in the early to mid 2010s. The Pacific gray whale became the first marine creature to be removed from

the endangered list after a population bump in 1994. But between 1999 and 2000, scientists logged 200 to 300 stranded whales per year, very high compared to the average count of approximately 40, according to a 2002 NOAA report.

The population’s growth has slowed in recent years, Mansur said, “but we’re still seeing a lot of healthy mothers and calves.”

Pepperdine Chair of Natural Science and Professor of Biology Karen Martin also noted that warmer waters are one theory for why some gray whales appear to be shortening their trip, turning around before reaching the lagoons. Scientists believe the whales traveled to Baja to calve because of the warm water conditions there, Martin said.

“But now, they’re starting to have their babies on the way down instead of waiting until they get to Mexico, and just not even going all the way to Mexico sometimes,” she said.

Mansur has also seen a pattern in gray whales giving birth before reaching the lagoons. In fact, data from the ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project show that 50 to 52 percent of gray whales are born north of Los Angeles, he said.

Taking into account the roughly 12-month gestation period for whales, this means that the calves were likely conceived even further north instead of in the southern mating grounds, Mansur said. But it’s typical of females to start accepting mates as far north as Oregon and continue to accept mates until they reach the lagoons to increase the chances of conception, he added.

Whale sightings during February of this year’s migration season are falling

far below sightings in previous seasons, according to the ACS/LA Gray Whale census. At this time last year, nearly 1,000 whales were spotted from the project’s observation deck in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The average number of whales recorded from this point for the past 10 seasons is just shy of 800. This year, nearly 700 whales have been recorded as of Feb. 28.

This doesn’t mean that there are fewer whales, but rather offers a glimpse into the mammals’ migration paths and timing, according to the gray whale census. Mansur said that with late season departures, whales that are sexually mature or about to birth calves swim outside of the Channel Islands, reducing coastline sightings.

“This is one of those years, so in the beginning of the season, when we were predicting to see large numbers of whales here in Southern California, they were actually offshore,” he said.

A Journey of 12,000 Miles The adult gray whale spotted by Monzon and his students could have been a female on her way back to the feeding grounds after mating in the Baja lagoons.

What each whale does in the lagoons depends on their sex and age, Mansur said. Adult whales more than 8 years old go to the lagoons to mate. Sexually mature males will “hop” between each of the four lagoons — San Ignacio, Guerrero Negro, Lopez Mateos and Magdalena Bay — in search of mature females.

“They’re so eager to mate because that’s all they have to do for about six months,” Mansur said.

Juvenile whales under the age of 8 do not mate or court and tend to steer clear of

Photos Courtesy of Dana Wharf

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the lagoons for fear of crossing paths with much larger mature males. These younger whales are more likely to head north earlier, where they might be able to “start picking their way into the Bering Sea early,” Mansur said.

The female, newly impregnated, will make the seven-week journey back to the feeding grounds later in the season to pile on about 30,000 pounds of blubber. She’ll need it for the trip back down the coast and for feeding her calf — gray whales shut down their digestive systems after leaving the Arctic, and mothers can lose an average of 1,000 pounds per week on the trip.

By the time she swims to the lagoons in Baja, she will give birth to her calf. Gray whale calves are 12 to 15 feet long at birth and weigh between 1,500 to 2,000 pounds.

“The mothers separate themselves from the general population,” Mansur said.

“When you’ve got a 42-foot, 50,000 pound male that is trying to court every female in the lagoon, and there’s another thousand of them doing the same thing, having your 15-foot baby out there is not a smart thing to do.”

The mother will nurse her calf with up to 55 gallons of milk each day. The milk contains 53 percent milk fat, and her calf gains about two pounds every hour.

“They’re just literally big, fat babies with no muscle,” Mansur said.

Mothers are often friendlier while in the lagoons as well — Mansur said he has kissed and hugged them. One mother in particular liked to have her tongue scratched, and would warn him to remove his hand by spitting out some water before she closed her mouth.

Mothers and calves are usually the last to

leave the lagoons to swim north in March.

While migrating north with her calf, the mother will take it into beaches and coves where the water surges to exercise her calf and help it build the muscle it will need to survive the trip.

“This happens a lot in Southern California,” Mansur said. “You’ll see these animals frolicking and playing in the surf, building up muscle.”

As the calf builds muscle, they also build more myoglobin, oxygen-storing proteins that exist in muscles and help the calves hold their breath for longer periods.

The calf will need this exercise to face the 6,000 mile journey — and any inclement weather and predators — ahead.

The mother and her calf hug the coastline as they swim north — staying in an average of 50 feet of water or less. The gray whale’s 12,000 mile migration route could be shortened to 9,000 miles if they were to “cut corners” and swim in more open water, Mansur said.

But though adult whales have few to no predators and energy enough to withstand deeper waters, the same cannot be said for the calves.

Sharks and orcas are the main concerns for gray whale calves, Martin said.

Not all orcas — also known as killer whales — hunt gray whales, Martin noted.

Only transient pods, which travel long distances, hunt marine mammals like seals and small gray whales.

Though it is more common for these transient pods to hunt whales in the Pacific northwest, they can travel to Southern California, Martin said, and some have been spotted hunting this year.

Adult gray whales don’t have much to

worry about from killer whales, as the orca’s cone-shaped teeth prevent them from being able to tear much meat from a large carcass.

“There’s no way of cutting flesh from the carcass if you have a 50,000 pound animal; you have no way of using the force of the animal itself to pull apart flesh from the carcass,” Mansur explained.

Instead, transient killer whales seek out the depths of areas like Monterey Bay on the northbound migration to target the much smaller calves.

“For hunting whales, they want depth,” Mansur said. “And they want depth by surprise."

Mother gray whales tow a fine line at the southeast point of Monterey Bay — if they swim just a few hundred yards too far away from the coast, they will suddenly be in 600 feet of water, Mansur said.

“And here’s an orca waiting beneath the surface to come up and blunt-force hit mom, trying to knock the wind out of her, grab her pectoral flippers, grab her tail, yank her underwater and start doing everything they can to exhaust her,” Mansur said.

With the mother exhausted, she will abandon her calf, which can then be drowned. Experienced transient pods can separate a mother from her calf in under an hour, Mansur added. Just last May, a killer whale pod killed an “unprecedented” four calves in seven days in Monterey Bay. But if the mother stays close to the shore, both she and her calf have better chances, Mansur said, because they are less likely to be surprised or exhausted in shallow waters.

Gray whale mothers are known for fiercely defending their calves, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Mansur said there is empathy and sympathy in the bond

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between the two and other gray whales.

“You know there’s empathy and sympathy especially going back into the days [when] they were hunted,” he said, “If a mother was killed and the calf was alive but yet in danger, other adults would come and try to protect it.”

If the mother and calf survive the journey to the Bering Sea, she will teach the calf how to feed for the duration of the summer season. By the time they leave, the calf will be about 26 feet long, and the mother will weigh about 80,000 pounds.

On the southbound migration, around the place where the calf was born, the mother will abandon her calf.

“As far as science knows, they never recognize the sound or visual appearance of their mother ever again,” Mansur said. “And they’ll live to be about 60 to 80 years as far as we can tell right now. Amazing animals."

This respect for the whales is what drives Mansur to continue watching and teaching about them.

“I’m doing it because people want to hear it,” he said.

“They really appreciate it. And even though our population of gray whales is off the endangered species list — it has been since 1994 — nothing is safe completely out there.”

Mansur added that it’s important for humans to better manage their interactions with the ocean.

“The human population is too much for the ocean,” he said. “We have to start respecting it more and more and more.”

Photo by Shannon Hansen

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n Hall

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Malibu

comes together To Keep Oceans Clean By: Logan Hall

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Malibu City Councilman, Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner, walked along Pacific Coast Highway, angrily eyeing candy wrappers, cigarette butts and plastic straws that had been left in the street just outside of his surf shop.

As he made his way just off his store’s property line, he pointed at a sewage drain on the sidewalk.

“This drain collects runoff water, and it leads straight to the ocean,” he said. “As water flows toward the drain, it picks up all this trash with it.”

That trash also eventually makes its way to the Pacific Ocean, contributing to what the California Coastal Commission estimates is anywhere between 15 and 51 trillion pieces of litter and debris floating around in the sea, weighing in at anywhere between 93 and 236 metric tons.

Not only is this trash soiling the habitat of marine life, it is becoming the silent killer of fish and birds all across the globe, according to the California Coastal Commission. Birds, mammals and fish are affected by litter in the ocean in a number of ways. In a study of deceased Laysan Albatross, a sea bird, 97.6 percent of all carcasses contained plastic.

Whether it is entanglement or mistaking trash for food, the litter that is being left along the highway is killing these creatures and the Malibu community is at fault.

This is a problem that starts right in the streets of Malibu. The actions of residents and visitors alike are resulting in the polluting of oceans and the killing of marine life. While California’s West Coast communities spend more than $520 million a year to combat litter, according to the California Coastal Commission, Wagner and others in the community are hard at work, trying to change the culture of Malibu.

Residents love to assign blame when it comes to the issue of litter, according to Wagner. Most think it is CalTrans’ problem or that the Coastal Commission should take care of it, but Wagner said he is fed up with all the talk and no action. So every day, he grabs his broom and dustpan and takes to the streets, sweeping and picking up the trash on his own.

“You can point fingers all day, but what I’ve elected to do on my own time, is to point at myself, and if I do it, maybe other people will adopt my cleaning policies, the city will benefit and so will our oceans,” Wagner said.

What Wagner is doing is far more than just keeping his side of the street clean, it is part of a much bigger plan to affect real change in residents’ lifestyles and to set a good example for generations to come, and the community is picking up on the message.

It all started with a few honks and waves of thanks from residents passing by on the highway. That has now evolved into a community of environmental advocates and local businesses rallying together to take matters into their own hands.

These homegrown activists are fighting pollution and litter by taking Wagner’s platform and inviting the whole community to join in and clean up the beaches. On any given weekend, Malibu residents and environmentalists join together in beach clean ups.

Groups like the Surfrider Foundation and the locally founded Heal the Bay have used the power of social media to spread the word among Malibu’s neighborhoods. Creating Facebook events and posting about their beach clean ups has clearly been a successful tactic in getting the word out.

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Photos Courtesy of Tim Horton

These groups are targeting younger generations through social media and creating a lifestyle-type brand that is truly changing the mindset of the youth in these communities. Armed with gloves and trash bags, these dedicated community members are doing what they can to make sure that the trash that’s left on the beach will not end up harming any marine life.

Activist groups are not the only ones who are trying to get active in the clean up community. Local businesses are starting their own events to show that they care about Malibu and that it really is more than just a place of business to them.

A locally owned medical cannabis dispensary, 99 High Tide, hosts monthly beach cleanups, promoting their cause to over half of Malibu’s residents, who are patients at the dispensary. Their project, the 99 Surfrider Beach Clean Up aims not only to keep beaches clean but to promote an ecologically aware lifestyle in Malibu.

Creating an awareness of eco-friendly choices means more than just not littering, it is about creating a community where products that can negatively affect the environment are no longer used. 99 High Tide has consciously eliminated harmful and unnecessary cannabis packaging methods by only using reusable, glass containers.

Falling in line with the progressive, ecologically aware lifestyle, Malibu’s City Council has taken major steps politically to keep Malibu and its oceans clean. Through public policy efforts and a campaign that took years to plan, Malibu’s city council has banned plastic straws, stirrers and containers.

“April 1, plastic dies,” Councilman Skylar Peak famously proclaimed after a unanimous vote by the council on the plastics ban in February.

The effort shown from the City Council comes from a deep place of love for Malibu and it's environment. These new policies are meant to show that environmental stewardship is the cornerstone of their political beliefs.

"The city of Malibu has a strong standing for the environment, and most of our votes in the city of Malibu about the environment are five to zero," Wagner said.

MALIBU'S PLASTIC BAN Malibu City Council banned all single-use plastic straws and cutlery Feb. 26 The law goes into effect June 1

WHY? Plastic is non-biodegrable and pollutes local oceans and beaches www.malibucity.org

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larry beard an Extraordinary Passion meets Extraordinary Experiences

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BLUE WHALE, Sri Lanka Photo Courtesy of Larry Beard

Courtesy of: Larry Beard 16

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By: Shannon Hansen Professional surfer and photographer Larry Beard has had his fair share of unparalleled underwater experiences — including some extraordinary swims with whales.

“Over the top. It’s just these overthe-top experiences slapping you in the face,” Beard said of his close encounter with the humpbacks in Tonga. “You don’t even really have time to process things properly.”

Beard spent three weeks in this little island country in Oceania during September 2017, the first week as a guest and the remaining two as a photographer. He said the experience was life-changing, and to this day he catches himself remembering that this life can be so much more brilliant than we think.

“I can’t just slip into who I was before,” Beard said. “It’s about keeping that euphoria.”

Beard is a well-known oceanic photographer living in San Clemente, Calif. Having been a professional surfer along California’s coast for decades, Beard said his background with the sea fosters a deeper appreciation for the ocean.

Most well-known for his wave photography, his close-up images of whales on a recent trip to Tonga have become staple pieces of his work. He first started in fashion and commercial photography, only shooting nature in his spare time, until his passion overcame him and he redirected his sole efforts to capturing the beauty of the sea.

He said he’s always dreamed of one day swimming with whales, saying he noticed the disconnect between being on shore capturing footage and actually being in the water where everything is much more up-close and personal.

Beard said the boat in Tonga will drop those adventuring into the waters right in the midst of the whales’ heat run, which is when the male whales chase the females in hopes of reproducing.

“If you are afraid, right away you get a sense of communion between the humans and the whales,” Beard said, noting the level of trust that falls between the animals and people.

With this level of trust also comes an acute awareness the whales have of their surroundings, so much so that Beard says they don’t even touch you.

“The calves will come right up to you, and the mothers will be watching from below,” Beard said. “One time, I lifted my arms because I thought one of them was going to bump into me, but he didn’t even touch me.”

He also said surfing gave him a feeling of freedom he’s been drawn to ever since, and his knowledge of the tides and currents have helped him to know where to go for the best shots when taking pictures. “As a pro surfer, you get to know the oceans and the waves, and you learn how to respect them,” he said.

But Beard was not always a photographer. He said he’s been a part of 15 different businesses throughout his life, the keeper of an entrepreneurial spirit he learned from his father.

Beard said he was 36 years old, working in marketing and advertising, when it all began and he first realized the potential for him to express and explore his artistic side further.

“We were on a shoot, and my friend nudged me, and he was like, ‘Larry, couldn’t you take these photos?’”

And the rest is history.

Beard said there are times when he’s

shooting inside the barrel of waves and the strength and power of them can throw him. “In ways, it’s like a pit bull with a rag doll,” Beard said.

Even still, he said he prefers to shoot in more shallow water where breaks in the waves are more dramatic, making for more interesting pictures.

After being a photographer for the past 17 years, Beard said the constant opportunity to create something incredible keeps him inspired. “It keeps me intrigued,” he said.

Beard also works extensively with I Support A Clean Ocean Project to bring awareness to all the little things people can do to protect and conserve our oceans.

As for ocean conditions changing, Beard said that in recent years, water clarity has actually improved. He also thought back four or five years ago when a virus came down from Canada and devastated the starfish population.

“Once a starfish contracted the virus, it would jellify and fall apart,” Beard said.

The disastrous effects of the virus spanned years and only recently has the starfish begun to repopulate.

Beard said one of the best parts of his photography is bringing experience to people who may have otherwise never been able to have it. “We get to sell our imagery as art for people to enjoy.”

He said he loves bringing the experience and illusion to people who may see the water from the shore, or may have never seen the ocean at all.

“Two things [keep me going]," Beard said. "I never got a good photo from the couch. And [the idea that] I could capture one of the best photos of my career today.”

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cALIFORNIA'S CHANGING COASTLINE By: Jonathan Boeri With more than 40 percent of the U.S. population living in coastal areas, the state of the earth’s oceans has become an ever-increasing concern.

In recent decades, rising population, global temperatures and sea levels have resulted in changing migration patterns, species endangerment, environmental pollution and introductions of invasive species, particularly along the Southern California coast.

Coastal mountains have yielded to stretches of homes and structures as far as the eye can see. While humans have been interacting with coastal waters for millennia, only recently has the impact of those interactions become unavoidable.

One of the most notable issues that has arisen in recent decades is the concern of changing water conditions. Global sea temperatures have risen approximately 2 degrees since the year 1900, while half of that warming has occurred in the past 40 years, according to a survey by the Environmental Protection Agency. Though such a temperature change may

seem inconsequential, Karen Martin, Frank R. Seaver Chair of Natural Sciences, said this change is unnaturally accelerated and has affected the migration patterns of marine animals.

“One of the big [problems] is the temperature of the water," Martin said. "We keep getting warmer and warmer and the animals that we see are responding to that by shifting their habitats, so that’s been a really interesting thing to see over time. The warming is happening more quickly than what would be a natural cycle, so this is something that we are concerned about.”

Though Martin said certain ocean processes are occurring more quickly than normal, some say that though certain migratory patterns may seem unusual, they are still part of a larger, natural cycle.

Chris Pica, captain of the Dana Pride and Reel Fun for Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching in Orange County, said fish species and numbers have changed, but the change is expect-

ed. Pica is also an active member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration whale disentanglement team.

“I’ve seen different changes going on with different migration patterns and that has to do with [water] currents and different fish that come through,” Pica said.

For instance, he said he doesn't catch as many barracuda as he used to due to the change in currents.

"Things like that have changed," he said. "It’s natural. It’s just how the earth is. It’s an ever-changing world in which we live in.”

Pica said he attributes many of these migratory changes to natural phenomena, such as global earthquakes and tsunamis, which refigure the ocean floor and water currents.

Brian Woolley, captain of the Sum Fun for Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching, agreed with Pica, and noted that migratory fish tend to adjust their migrations to best fit the conditions.

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“Factors such as water temperature, prevailing currents and food source are key factors,” Woolley said. “If these migratory fish find suitable conditions and don’t have to travel far to find them, then of course these fish aren’t going to make these huge migrations.”

Environmental Pollution In addition to temperature increases, California’s coastal waters have been affected by an accumulation of pollution and waste. Pica said the spread of residential neighborhoods along the coast have significant effects on the local waters.

“If you look up on the coastline, there’s a lot of golf courses up there,” Pica said. “There’s a lot more houses up there with yards and schools and soccer fields. They use the fertilizers for the grass and for the plants and there’s more fertilizer up there that’s not natural anymore. So, when you have a big runoff it ends up out in the ocean, so those fertilizers they were using produced all this plankton bloom.”

Pica said while the increase of plankton, a microscopic organism upon which many fish feed, had some benefits such as an increase of bait fish on which larger fish can prey, that much plankton is unnatural and caused some species such as lobsters, crabs and shrimp to suffocate and die from oxygen depletion in the water.

Chemical waste such as the pesticide Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, has impacted Southern California’s coastal ecosystem in particular. Excesses of DDT pollution in the environment can cause nervous system damage, birth defects and organ failure in animals.

Much like the fertilizer runoff from coastal communities, DDT enters the food chain at a microscopic level. After larger animals feed on those lower in the food chain, they ingest and accumulate all of the DDT in their bodies, an effect known as bioaccumulation. Some of the human and animal side effects of DDT overexposure include cancer, infertility and miscarriages, according to the Pesticide Action Network.

Between the late 1950s and early 1970s — only a span of roughly 15 years — Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, a chemical production company located in Palos Verdes, dumped more than 1,700 tons of DDT into the Pacific Ocean at the Palos Verdes Shelf near Los Angeles, according to the EPA. By entering the the food chain at the micro level, DDT pollution resulted in a score of environmental damage, including the endangerment of California’s brown pelican population, which fed on fish with extremely high traces of the deadly chemical. The EPA identified Montrose Chemical Corporation of California a superfund site, which is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste that poses a risk to human and environmental health.

Martin said the effects of this DDT pollution are still prevalent in modern marine ecosystems.

"It’s still in the water and in the animals and in the food chain," Martin said. "That was something that

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was banned a long time ago in the '60s and its still present 50 years later, so it’s better to not do it than to figure out what to do later.”

In recent decades, the coastal ecosystems have been widely affected by both uncontrolled populations of marine life such as sea lions, and new invasive species such as Sargassum, a nonnative form of marine vegetation that has begun to take control of the ocean floor.

According to Martin, the species is rampant throughout Southern California, especially near Catalina Island off the coast.

“We have always had on our coast this beautiful kelp forest with the giant kelp,” Martin said. “It is unfortunately now being replaced with this invasive species which is very different in the way that it grows, so it creates a different kind of habitat that is not as conducive to fish life and to the kind of ecosystem that we think of as a kelp forest."

Sea Lion Overpopulation The overpopulation of the California Sea Lion is one of the more significant, immediate changes that has occurred in recent decades. With a population estimated at only 10,000 in the 1950s, sea lions were highly endangered as a result of poaching for commercial uses such as procuring their oils and hides as well as for use as a protein in the early dog and cat food industry, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The current population has more than tripled in the past 40 years, exceeding 300,000, according to NOAA. This is principally due to the Marine Mammal Protection Act passed by President Richard Nixon in 1972, which banned any attempt “to hunt, harass, capture or kill” any marine mammal by any citizen except subsistence fishermen native to Alaska.

NOAA: national oceanic and atmospheric administration The California Sea Lion population estimated 10,000 in the 1950s and the species was highly endangered. Today, the Sea Lion population has more than tripled and exceeds 300,000. http://www.noaa.gov

While some argue that the increased sea lion population in recent years has been a positive result of progressive legislation, others disagree. Don Hansen, who founded Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching and also served as the chairman of the Pacific Fishery Management Council for 40 years, said the population is both out of control and in need of new legislation.

“They finally came out about two or three weeks ago and said they finally reached carrying capacity," Hansen said. “There’s over 400,000 sea lions now, and it’s just way too many. They’re just out of control, and they need to be controlled somehow, some way. Nobody wants to look at that issue, and it’s a major issue.

They’re eating salmon. Salmon are protected with the Endangered Species Act, but you can’t do anything with the sea lions because they’re protected by the MMPA, so it’s a catch-22 what you do with that one.”

Woolley agreed with Hansen, noting that though their population was once at risk, their prevalence and overprotection has created problems in local ecosystems such as depleted fish counts for a variety of spe-

cies, especially salmon, as Hansen said.

“From like 10,000 animals in 1950 to over 300,000 now. A real success story,” Woolley said. “But here again is one of those crossroads of an unintended result. The sea lion population skyrocketed. It’s gone through the roof … this is where the effects on other species start to be affected. The small schooling fish like sardines and anchovies will start to see depletion.”

Woolley attributed a large portion of this overpopulation to some local humanitarian groups that attempt to nurse large quantities of injured sea lions back to health that would otherwise die of natural causes.

"The same pup that nature was trying to cull has a new life,” Woolley said. “The same pup that had natural sickness is now inoculated against these natural sicknesses and had developed antibodies against it."

After the sea lions are cured, they reproduce and pass the antibodies they received to their offspring. As a result, sea lions become immune to naturally occurring diseases and illness.

Another instrumental piece of legislation charged with preserving the coastal waters is the Marine Life Protection Act of 1999, which was passed to protect natural diversity and conserve marine life population by creating marine protected areas — MPAs. These areas function as sanctioned portions of ocean in which fishing or tampering with marine life is prohibited.

According to the World Commission on Protected Areas, global MPAs cover 5.1 percent of the world’s oceans.

Woolley said even this regulation has its drawbacks, regardless of its beneficial intent.

“So what do you think logically happens to the unprotected areas? While one area is being gloriously rebuilt — the MPA — another is being beat, pounded and fished hard,” Woolley said.

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Photo Courtesy of Tim Horton

Legislative Response Even with government regulations such as the Marine Life Protection Act and the Marine Mammal Act, Martin said it will be up to members of the marine commerce industry to preserve the natural state of the the oceans.

“If they want to continue to enjoy what they do they’re going to have to recognize that conservation is also necessary and I think that’s also with fishermen,” Martin said. “Fishermen want to keep fishing and want to keep having those fish come in. They want to make sure you’re not taking too many or you’re not

Photo by Shannon Hansen taking them at the wrong time of their cycle where it’s going to do more damage.”

Hansen said the future is promising for ecological study as a result of new technologies that allow marine biologists to examine marine ecosystems with a minimal effect on the life therein.

“Our science that we base our fisheries on is based on the work that NOAA does in their surveys,” Hansen said. "They’re getting more and more into electrical, so they don’t have to kill the fish to find out what it needs. It’s a new way of looking at things and an exciting way of looking at things because before they

used to have to put a net down and see what was actually there. Now they’ve learned with all the technology they have how to do this electronically.”

Ultimately, the future of the Southern California coast lies in the hands of those who depend on the bountiful resources that it offers.

“Balancing between sportsman and conservationist is a long-aged battle,” Woolley said. “We want to protect our resources as best we can. We can’t totally understand all of it and we are charged with being responsible stewards, while at the same time being given the right to use these resources as we like.”

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Faith in nature: all is good By: Nenah Mikuska Genesis 1:1-25 describes the creation of the world as told by the Bible. As God created the world, starting with darkness to light, water to land, it is written that: “The land produced vegetation … and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”

(NIV) The Bible tells readers that the Earth, our planet on which we have grown and learned since the beginning of creation, is a beautiful creation of God. It wasn’t until six days into Genesis that it is said Adam and Eve were first placed in the Garden of Eden, with the words, “Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28 NIV) While it is said that man was given the Earth to rule, that did not give Adam and Eve the power to destroy the work of art placed before them.

A king who is considered a successful ruler has protected both his people and his kingdom from devastation; a human who rules over the land should also protect it from ruin, not only for the sake of religious ideology but for the future of mankind.

There is an indisputable truth that everything in our world is part of a delicate system. Trees take in carbon dioxide, utilize water and sunlight to grow, and release oxygen, of which all breathing animals must have to survive. Humans and other animals exhale carbon dioxide. Creatures that do not photosynthesize use the energy of the trees and other vegetation to create energy, or they eat the meat of another creature that utilized that energy, all of which is renewed back into the cycle.

Within this system is the ultimate piece of the puzzle: Life and death all depend upon the precious cycles of nature. Should those cycles be disturbed, it is not difficult to imagine the devastation that follows.

This puzzle and the way in which nature is so expertly bound together is evidence of the work God put into the planet for life to be sustained.

Therefore, it must be cherished.

For those who do not believe in a higher power, there is absolutely another reason to argue for saving, protecting and cleaning our environment: Our world is not renewable. We do not get a re-do when it comes to this planet, our only home in our vast solar system.

How many videos are uploaded to the internet

of a kind person saving a turtle or a seabird from a plastic bag? Does this not give way to evidence that we as human beings have hurt our fellow Earth-inhabitants?

How did this happen? Climate change and human impact on the environment became evident after the onset of the Industrial Revolution. The 19th century saw massive increases in urbanization and technology, from factories to coal-powered engines and eventually, automobiles and trains. In the 20th century, evidence of the effects of these advancements began to appear.

A catastrophic Dust Bowl hit the Midwest in the 1930s in line with the Great Depression.

According to history.com, the land on which thousands of families farmed and harvested was overworked and in response, the agricultural plant life began to die.

Without the topsoil to sustain crops, plants withered and the land became a dry, desolate landscape susceptible to massive dust storms. This phenomenon, which devastated thousands of families and hundreds of thousands acres of farmland, caused massive famine and economic damage. The land had revealed a new reality, not even our soil is invincible.

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In 1952 London suffered a horrific fog, composed of sulfurous fumes from coal fires, exhaust from vehicles and power plants. The “killer fog� was brought on by a disturbance in wind patterns and pollution in the air. It lasted four days, with an estimated death toll of 12,000 people and more than 150,000 hospitalizations. Those who survived suffered lingering effects of the polluted air, which are even felt today. Research is now suggesting that a large part of the problem resulted from sulfur dioxide released by coal burning, according to a Business Insider article, published on Nov. 18, 2016.

Today, evidence of pollution is still evident.

Smog above major cities such as Los Angeles and Beijing create health problems. Oil fracking destroys the land from the inside out. Extreme weather has hit the planet from California to the East Coast and across the pond.

There is no visible expiration date, but our world is dying before our very eyes. Polar ice caps which have sustained life for thousands of years are now melting. Glaciers have begun melting atop the highest mountain peaks, the fish we eat in our sushi is contaminated with plastics and waste, and the rainforests of South America have been

utterly devastated. Humankind must do better.

This is not to suggest one should feel disgusted over the advances humankind has made. As a species, we have created incredible things, art, technology, music and more. This is not intended to shame the advancements we have made, but instead to urge for progressive thinking.

This planet is not ours alone. It belongs to the animals and plants, even the bacterium, that depend on it. But above all, it belongs to the future generations. Our children and their children will someday be in charge of the planet. To provide them with hope for a clean and healthy future, action must be taken.

Funding must go into major restoration projects, such as ocean cleanup prototypes, and preventing further damage to physical ecosystems such as the rainforest are small steps in the right direction. Rather than suffer a devastating situation similar to that in "Wall-E," mankind must embrace the technologies such as solar power and wind energy, which are available to improve our carbon footprint and put efforts into reversing the damage already done.

Once upon a time, humankind did not know nor understand the impact they could have on the

planet. But humans are smarter now. The science behind climate change is evident in everything we see, from the food we eat to the land we hike on.

Because we understand the devastation we can cause, it’s important to push forward to improve our technologies to clean the environment, prevent further damage and create sustainability that will last beyond our lifetimes.

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the coast of

Photo Courtesy of Maverick Turner

c a l i f o r n i a

By: MIKAELA BISSON From North to South, California has it all.

There’s a reason why hundreds of songs talk about it.

Why people spend their entire lives dreaming about it.

Because driving up (or down) the coast of California can change your life. It can show you sights you only ever knew from pictures. It can make you feel big, make you feel small, and make you feel an endless slew of other emotions.

For some, the name California insights images of Hollywood, movie stars and Los Angeles. However, there is so much more to the state. Stretching thousands of miles along the Pacific Ocean, the state of California offers mesmerizing cliffside ocean views, downtown city streets and breathtaking forests all wrapped up into one.

While many people know about the major places to hit along the way, there are still some hidden gems not everyone knows about quite yet, spots the locals do not want anyone finding out about.

Pepperdine junior Amelia Edmonson has made it her undergrad goal to see as many of these “hidden gems” as possible. Edmonson’s Instagram is chock-full of breathtaking images straight out of a magazine. The student spends her weekends in new locations, connecting with nature and the world around her.

Edmonson, an avid camper, often visits different national parks in northern California. Last year, when it came time for Spring Break, Edmonson found herself drawn to visiting Portland, Oregon. However, that plan fell through and Edmonson found herself in Trinidad, California, a little town hidden within Humboldt County in Northern California.

FINDING THE HIDDEN GEMs From North to South, California has it all

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The coast features a rocky beach and overlooks the ocean. Edmonson describes the tiny town as a “hippie’s dream,” complete with restaurants free of plastics and all home-grown food.

“It was almost like we went back 30 years, I felt like we were in the 70's. It had the most incredible vibe,” Edmonson said. “It was very slow paced without a lot of commotion; you could really appreciate the people you were meeting and the nature around you. Everyone is so kind; it’s a completely different place than Southern California.”

Edmonson is not alone in her adventures. Pepperdine Senior Maverick Turner has taken his fair share of staycation trips as well, traveling all throughout the state to see life-changing landscapes including: San Diego, Big Sur, Napa Valley, Carmel and countless others.

One of Turner’s favorite spots? June Lake. The June Lake Junction is just north of Mammoth Mountain and east of Yosemite National Park.

“It’s a very scenic place. You can hike, camp, ski and even fish on the lakes. The mountain is a lot less crowded than Big Bear or Mammoth, but the hills are just as good," Turner said. “It’s like the Switzerland of California.”

Turner has spent his fair share of weekends both camping and skiing throughout June Lake and said that the scenery is breathtaking, no matter the time of year.

“It’s this big winding road with mountains on the left side and lakes on the right side. Depending on what time of year it is, it will either be super green with waterfalls down the mountains,” Turner said. “In the fall all the trees are colorful and beautiful. Then in the winter it’s completely white because there’s so much snow there. It’s very picturesque.”

While June Lake is his favorite hidden gem to visit, Turner has been to countless others, naming Yosemite as his favorite place to camp, hands down.

The senior took a trip up there his freshman year of college and fell in love instantly. Between the views and the hiking trails, the park has become a go-to spot.

“There are a lot of hikes. My first time we hiked North Falls,” Turner said. “But we were not prepared. It was warm during the day then at night it dropped to about 20, so we learned to pack layers.”

“I love adventure. People, at least at Pepperdine, go above and beyond with the places they travel to and might miss out on things that are close by.” said Turner when asked why he takes all of these trips, “In a state like California, you have the beach and the mountains all at your fingertips. I want to seize the opportunity to explore both of them, there’s so much unchartered territory since it’s such a big state.”

Moving through the state, you’ll find Malibu. A quiet beach town that’s seen its tourist numbers skyrocket over the past few decades.

Even Miley Cyrus coined a song after the sleepy town.

Within the picturesque 27 miles of beach and Santa Monica Mountain side city you’ll find hidden gem locations.

One of the most popular hideaway spots comes in the form of a refurbished Airstream Trailer. Renting for $600 a night, the Airbnb has become an Instagram maven's dream location.

The getaway has been used as the background for countless photo shoots, including one starring none other than Taylor Swift. Just check out the locations' Instagram for all the scenic pictures. The cozy getaway sleeps two comfortably, a romantic location like few others.

The listing on Airbnb describes the Airstream as having been “redesigned into a large studio with three large frameless glass panels that slide open to a huge cantilevered deck with unrivaled views of the pristine Santa Monica mountains rolling down to the Pacific Ocean below.”

Photo Courtesy of Amelia Edmondson

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A couple hours south of Malibu, just through Palm Desert, stands Salvation Mountain. Painted by Leonard Knight, the mountain shares a simple message, God is Love. Edmonson lists it as a must-see spot in Southern California.

“It’s a very easy day trip to do, and it’s so wild.”

Edmonson said, “You drive through inland, middle of nowhere desert, past all these shacks and buildings that have these psychedelic paintings on them. Then you end up in this wild area that’s painted all over and covered in bible verses and art.”

In the year 2000, The Folk-Art Society of America

declared the mountain to be “a folk-art site worthy of preservation and protection.” To this day it is a protected and breathtaking hidden gem within the desert of California.

Throughout the state of California, there are thousands of places to go. Travelers can surf, ski and stargaze all within the borders of one state. From top to bottom, then back down up again, California offers endless possibilities. For all budgets and levels of adventure, California is sure to have something, and somewhere, for everyone.

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LIKE THE GRAPHIC? TRY IT BYTE-SIZED. G o t t o r e b r a n d . ly / p g m P i x e l t o s i g n u p f o r o u r w e e k ly d i g i ta l n e w s l e t t e r .

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Photo Courtesy of Lauren Young

By: Lauren Young Is the ocean endangered?

Oceans, which cover over 70 percent of the earth, contribute to various ecosystems across the globe by producing over half the earth’s oxygen, providing food for humans and animals, regulating the earth’s temperature and protecting coasts.

However, the recent threat of climate change has endangered these oceans by causing extreme weather events, warmer water temperatures and rising sea levels.

Currently, the earth’s oceans are warming at a faster rate than its land. Oceans absorb over 90 percent of earth’s “greenhouse gases” (harmful pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane) that become trapped in the earth’s atmosphere, causing radiation and excessive amounts of heat. According to the National Environmental Education Foundation, increased oceanic temperatures can endanger numerous ecosystems and coastal communities, causing a shortage of food for marine animals, rising sea levels, varying patterns of ocean currents and coral bleaching.

“Coral bleaching” occurs when ocean temperatures in specific parts of the world become too

warm to support the algae that lives on the coral, ultimately resulting in the death of the algae and a transformation of the reef's vibrant colors to a skeletal white.

The Great Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of Australia has already begun bleaching and scientists project that if oceans rise by just 2 degrees celsius, (a scenario not far off, according to the graph created by the Environmental Protection Agency) it will be extremely detrimental to not only coral reefs but to ecosystems all over the world.

While discussing subjects like climate change, it can be tempting to conclude that the future of our planet and its warming oceans looks bleak.

However, one should always leave room for hope.

Christopher Doran, associate Professor of Religion at Pepperdine University and author of the book "Hope in the Age of Climate Change," recognizes the effects of climate change and encourages humans to act. However, unlike many other environmental scholars, Doran chooses to have a hopeful perspective that “God will provide novel possibilities for a different future if we are only willing to listen ... and trust in God rather than ourselves.”

In his book, Doran covers topics of Christians' responsibility as effective “stewards” of the earth, the church’s role as a beacon of hope for the world and our responsibility to create a world of hope for the future of our planet.

Only miles from Malibu, the ocean’s increased temperatures have also triggered what is commonly known as “red tide,” a harmful algal bloom that can poison marine life, birds, plants and humans. These red tides have been occurring all over Southern California during the past few years, spurring environmental organizations like the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) in Laguna Beach to take action.

The PMMC is a rehabilitation center for marine mammals, such as seals and sea lions, who have washed up on the beaches of Orange County malnourished, abandoned, diseased and/or poisoned by the algae from the red tide. Many of the mammals that need rehabilitation are pups, meaning they are too young to hunt for food themselves. The PMMC therefore rescues these animals and nurses them back to health until they are well enough to return to the ocean.

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Wendy Leeds, animal care coordinator at the PMMC, is passionate about saving these animals and the environment. She has hope that small actions can create big change, and often provides informational training to local lifeguards and students in the community, explaining the effects of the harmful algal blooms on the marine mammals and how the blooms are becoming more intense as a result of climate change.

The toxic algae becomes irritated by warmer temperatures in the water, which causes it to grow at extreme rates, according to Leeds. The algae is then eaten by small fish and, as the disease travels up the food chain, more and more organisms become infected. "It creates a neurotoxin and goes straight to the brain, [which] can cause brain damage,” Leeds said. As a result, the poisoned seals and sea lions can often wash up on beaches and stumble around in a “drunk” state.

"Many of the female seals and sea lions are pregnant in the springtime as well, meaning they are eating for two and often have even greater infections.

While [the algal bloom] is a natural thing, we have exacerbated problem,” Leeds explains.

Human activity, such as automobile pollution, runoff containing agricultural fertilizers and toxic pesticides, sewage, plastics and others contribute to the declining state of the ocean. Leeds has been working

with the Pacific Marine Mammal Center for over 20 years and says she has seen a tremendous increase in the abundance of toxic algal blooms and the amount of marine mammals washing up on shores.

“They’re a sentinel species," Leeds said. "They’re at the top of the food chain, so when something this big [is occurring, like] having a huge die-off of our sea lions, [it] should tell us there’s something wrong with our oceans, and we really need to stop and pay attention to what’s going on out there.”

In addition to suffering marine animals, the effects of climate change on our oceans can also cause problems for humans as well. Although rising sea levels can be attributed to melting glaciers and polar ice caps, it is not the only element of oceanic climate change.

Water expands as it gets warmer, which results in higher sea levels simply because oceans are beginning to take up more space. This process, labeled “thermal expansion,” according to National Geographic, will threaten coastal communities all over the world within the next few decades.

Countries like Bangladesh and Japan, and island communities like the Maldives, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are already suffering from the negative effects of rising sea levels, with extreme flooding that can result in destroyed homes and saltwater contaminated crops causing famine and other serious issues

for those who rely on local agriculture for food.

Miami, Florida, a city that is home to over 7 million people and is already experiencing flooding sidewalks during certain times of the year, has been projected to be submerged by the next few decades if nothing is changed, according to National Geographic.

Ultimately, climate change and the effects it is having on our oceans has been proven to be primarily influenced by human activity, and we currently live in a critical window of time where it becomes necessary to act before it is too late. With simple actions of hope, such as carrying a reusable water bottle, recycling, eating less meat, purchasing organic produce at your local farmer's market, taking reusable bags to the store, and even bringing your own mug to Starbucks, we can create meaningful change in our everyday lives.

By making a commitment to be effective "stewards of the earth," we can use our actions and voices to provide a sustainable world for future generations while simultaneously working to preserve the beautiful blue planet we call home. Conclusively, it is up to humans to advocate for the earth and its oceans, and it will all start with one's small, simple steps of hope that can lead to big change.

Photos by Shannon Hansen

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Scientists and Divers Discuss documentary, Vanishing Coral Reefs

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By: Channa Steinmetz The 2017 documentary and Sundance award-winner, "Chasing Coral," followed scientists, divers and photographers on their journey to explore coral reef depletion. Those who worked on the film discussed the reason, effects and possible solutions to the rapidly vanishing coral reefs.

As less than five percent of the ocean has been explored, one of Earth's major biomes remains a mystery. The 2017 documentary, "Chasing Coral," dives into the unknown by examining a crucial marine ecosystem, coral reefs.

"Chasing Coral" follows a team of scientists, divers and photographers all attempting to understand, capture and reveal the deadly phenomenon of coral bleaching. Director and producer of "Chasing Ice" and "Chasing Coral" Jeff Orlowski explained that the documentary is an educational tool on coral reefs, but also a story of the passion and perseverance behind the film's cinematography.

"It was one of those things where you never know what the challenges are going to be," Orlowski said in a phone interview. "We knew we were going to have to continue to adapt, build things and figure out a solution. In the end, there came a story on the value of hard work and persistence and how it all paid off."

Underwater photographer Richard Vevers reached out to Orlowski after watching "Chasing Ice" to work on the project that eventually became "Chasing Coral." Orlowski shared that he was a newcomer when it came to the underwater world that is the ocean, but it was a story he knew he had to help tell.

“It was something where I thought I knew about climate change, but after speaking with Richard, what I had known was just the tip of the iceberg,” Orlowski said. “The conversations we had were really this enlightening, eye-opening perspective around just how bad things are and what is at stake, especially with coral reefs.”

Coral Bleaching As shown throughout the documentary, there are several species of coral that come in different shapes, sizes and colors. They can range in appearance from large, dull rocks on the seafloor to flower-like petals on branches of colorful plates. In the past 30 years, divers and scientists have discovered bright white coral.

Since the 1980s, large portions of coral reefs were found mysteriously turning white. Scientists found through experiments that the only thing which could be done to turn the corals white was to raise the water temperature two degrees celsius.

Associate producer of "Chasing Coral" and President of Code Blue Foundation Shari Sant Plummer explained a life-form that has been around for around 300 million years cannot adapt to a sudden temperature change.

"In some places, that change is 10 degrees warmer," Plummer said. "Corals have a symbiotic algae that lives within them, zooxanthellae. The heat impairs the zooxanthellae, and there's a stress response in which the corals expel the zooxanthellae."

"The corals then bleach because the zooxanthellae gives them the color, along with their food source," Plummer continued. "If this continues for a prolonged period, then the corals die because they starve to death."

The Effects Approximately 25 percent of all marine life rely on coral reefs, according to "Chasing Coral."

Plummer explained that coral reefs are not only vital to ocean life, but human life, too. He compared the outcome of exterminating coral reefs to the outcome of exterminating the rainforest.

“It’s like if we lose all of the rainforest, and all of the species that depend on those rainforests,” Plummer said. “The ocean provides half of our oxygen. If that system isn’t functioning, we will either have to

adapt to having half of our oxygen, or we also won’t be able to survive.”

Marine biologist James Porter discussed in "Chasing Coral" significant effects coral reefs have on humans. Medical drugs such as bryostatin and prostaglandin come from coral and are used to fight cancer, Porter said. It also affects the food chain. Approximately a half billion to a billion people rely on coral reef fish as their main source of food, according to the film.

“Without that protein, they’re going to be malnourished,” Porter said in the film. “Their culture, their way of life, their economies are all reliant on healthy coral reefs.”

As shown in "Chasing Coral," the corals are dying in a vibrant manner. Corals in New Caledonia were reported to appear fluorescent. They were producing a chemical sunscreen to protect themselves from the heat, Vevers said in the film.

“This is the most beautiful transformation in nature,” Vevers said in the film. “The incredibly beautiful phase of death. And it feels as if it’s the corals saying, ‘Look at me.’”

Climate Change Burned fossil fuels such as oil, gas or coal cause carbon dioxide to go up into the atmosphere. The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the greater the amount of heat trapped in the Earth. Ninety-three percent of the heat trapped is going into the ocean, coral Reef Biologist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg said in "Chasing Coral."

“If the oceans weren’t doing the job of absorbing this heat, the average surface temperature of the planet would be 122 Fahrenheit,” Hoegh-Guldberg said in the film.

Plummer said along with rising ocean temperatures causing coral reefs to die, there is also the issue of ocean acidification. To explain the basis of the process, Plummer used an example of the Coca-Cola

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and baby tooth experiment.

“When you have carbon in the atmosphere, and it’s absorbed by the ocean, it changes the pH level in the ocean,” Plummer said. “It causes the ocean to be more acidic. It’s like the experiments with Coca-Cola and a baby tooth. If you put something with a calcium carbonate base (a tooth) in acidic waters (Coca-Cola), it will dissolve. In essence, that is what coral is, a calcium carbonate structure. If the ocean gets too acidic, the coral will not be able to form.”

What People Can Do To decrease the temperature and acidity of the ocean, the carbon dioxide in atmosphere must first decrease. Every human has a carbon footprint, or the total amount of greenhouse gases produced by an individual’s actions, which factor into the overall temperature. Plummer spoke of ways to reduce our footprints through education, local food and our choice of energy.

“The best things you can do are reduce your carbon footprint, vote for those who will have an aggressive climate policy to reduce carbon emissions and support renewable energy,” Plummer said.

Everyone needs to care about corals and about nature overall in order to have notable change, Orlowski said. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and prioritizing the issue of climate change.

“We are going to witness massive human migration this century because people will be affected by climate change,” Orlowski said. “It’s something we can't afford to ignore or our generation suffer immensely from the consequences."

“The biggest thing we have to do collectively is shift the mindset,” he continued. “We need to shift the way this country thinks about this issue, and we need to get everyone on board as fast as possible.”

For more information on coral reefs, check out "Chasing Coral" on Netflix or visit their site at http://www.chasingcoral.com.

For ways to decrease your carbon footprint, check out National Geographic’s article, “14 Easy Ways to Decrease Your Own Carbon Footprint.”

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Choosing Positivity BY: Shannon HANSEN Positivity and perspective.

Two seemingly unrelated ideas, both wrought with progressively deep meaning.

Perspective melds our outlook on the world like welders shape metal. It has influence on who we are and who we want to be: what makes us smile, what makes us laugh and what makes us cry. It has influence on every particle of our being: the very essence of who we are.

To be positive even in the stormiest of seas, when the waves seem like they will never stop crashing so haphazardly upon the shore. To be positive when the surface of the water seems just a little too far from reach and the weight of

the weightless is upon your shoulders.

The beauty of perspective is the impetus of understanding what makes people the way they are; it's the magic of how we see the world around us, of realizing that the power to view situations positively and gather ourselves up off the floor each time we fall to our knees is one of the most beautiful things on this earth. To realize that positivity can make or break the very essence of what makes us human. It can change even the darkest storms into the brightest mornings, the most devastating moments into the most impactful experiences.

Positivity is being able to

look past the obstacles, past the moments where you may have felt weak, where you may not have felt strength in your shoulders, potential in your soul. With a positive outlook comes an incessant striving for abundant joy — the unparalleled happiness that comes from a life lived with purpose and passion; a dedication to something bigger than yourself. To have setbacks come your way yet still be able to look at them as minute challenges in a bigger, more beautiful picture than any of us can imagine. To show strength beyond understanding and to create joy higher than any joy you've felt before.

When I think of the ocean,

I think of positivity; I think of the perspective that it has allowed me to foster and the joy it has brought to my soul.

I think of the potential for a prosperous future for the sea-life that make their home along our coastlines. I look at the ocean in light of its future.

I look with joy at the dolphins that skip and play in the wake of the boats; with gratitude at the whales who slap their flukes against the tides. I find joy in the possibility that the ocean could outlast any other structure on this planet if taken care of the way it should be. I smile knowing the beauty that falls deftly to the depths of the sea, forgotten yet majestic — perfectly imperfect.

We have the power to change the way the ocean is treated, the way it is viewed.

We have the power to change the narrative; change the norm and reverse the devastating lack of caution that so many who live along our coastlines demonstrate on a daily basis.

We have the power to change the way the ocean is treated by how we view it — by how we look with such positive perspective on its future. How we keep the health of the sea paramount simply by how we show our gratitude; how we care. Perspective has the power to make change — necessary change; impactful change; positive change.

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Hope. It’s a word we hear every day.

“I hope I do well.”

“I hope he likes me” “I hope you feel better.”

A word that has become so familiar we’ve almost forgotten its meaning. People have almost forgotten how to believe in something bigger than themselves. We’ve forgotten how to make a difference. We sit idly by and allow the world to happen around us. But what if we have no world? What if our idle behaviors cost us the greatest most irreplaceable thing we’ve ever known — our Earth?

With sea levels rising and shores washing away, it’s becoming easier and easier to write off what’s going on. We read the news and see the headlines, but don’t quite grasp what’s happening. Some look on in fear, while others doubt the truth behind it all.

Rather than sit in fear, paralyzed by the sheer scope of the issue; rather than ignore the facts that are in front of us and discount the importance — why don’t we all have a little more hope?

Hope that our generation may be the ones who finally come together and create change.

Hope that our generation puts an end to treating our Earth and our oceans as disposable income, endless resources.

Hope that maybe, if we all come together, we just might be able to make the greatest change of all.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, approximately 1.4 billion pounds of trash enters the oceans every year. The San Francisco Gate reported that an estimated 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic per year end up in the Pacific Ocean alone.

This trash and debris could be prevented from entering into our oceans and affecting our marine life. There is no reason why the ocean has to become our largest landfill. All

it takes is a little hope to make the change.

If people truly believe they have the ability to make a difference, they will. If accessible opportunities to get involved are made readily available, people will take them. While it may seem like a daunting task at first, having hope for our oceans is easier than it may seem.

There are numerous charities and initiatives that are encouraging people to protect our oceans. Organizations such as The Ian Somerhalder Foundation, The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and Oceana are helping people to get involved. The organizations provide opportunities for people to have hope, to do their part to make a change.

Despite the upsetting facts and the constant stream of discouraging information, there is hope. Within each individual on this Earth lies the ability to make a change.

If everyone were to dig inside themselves and find what it is they believe in, what it is they want to make happen, the world would change drastically.

We need to believe in ourselves. We need to believe that we can be the ones to turn things around. Instead of becoming scared or afraid, we need to become hopeful.

It may not be today.

It may not be tomorrow.

It may not even be next year.

But it can happen. A difference can be made. The sea levels can fall again. The trash can be removed. The plastic removed, the fish repopulated. All it takes is a little hope.

Not the four-letter word hope, but the deep feeling. The feeling in your heart, in your soul, there telling you that it will be alright.

That it will be better than all right. That every generation to come after us will know the joys of watching the sunset over the ocean, seeing dolphins on the horizon and feeling waves crash over your toes.

It just takes a little hope.

Keeping Hope hope BY:BY: mikaela bisson Mikaela bisson

Photos by Shannon Hansen

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Grunion

Greeters aim to Advocate for

Grunion

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By: bryce hanamoto and kelly rodriguez While coyotes and mountain lions rule the mountain ranges along California's coast, there's no animal that rules California's sandy beaches like the grunion.

"They are pretty wonderful little creatures that sparkle in the moonlight and bring us a lot of happiness," said Karen Martin, a professor of biology at Pepperdine and grunion specialist.

Jim Sherpa, a retired beach ranger for Torrey Pines and Doheny State Beach, said grunion were a big part of his upbringing in La Jolla.

"I remember seeing them in La Jolla while swimming," Sherpa said.

"You'd swim right through them, and they'd just separate."

As beloved as these fish are to Southern California residents, rising ocean and air temperatures and habitat destruction have contributed to a decline in population of grunion along California's coast. Local organizers are taking steps to preserve grunion populations through an open source data collection project.

What are Grunion?

Like coyotes and mountain lions, grunion are part of Southern California's iconic wildlife. They are a species of marine fish found along the coast of California and are known for their annual mating rituals that occur at night from March to August.

"This is a natural phenomenon, and it's a pretty spectacular thing to see in the middle of the night," Martin said.

Martin said she was drawn to studying grunion after she did research regarding tide pool fishes during her doctoral program.

"I'm interested in fish that come out of water," Martin said. "People in my doctoral program said 'if you're interested in fish that come out of water, you should look at grunion.' So, they just kinda drew me in."

Grunion only live about three to four years, according to Martin, but their main draw is how they choose California's sandy beaches for their mating and fertilization rituals.

The grunion's spawning season is March through August, but the best months to observe their spawning are April and May and into June, according to Martin.

While the lore of "grunion runs" — their spawning rituals — have become part of California's wildlife imagery, Martin said the number of grunion showing up to the runs has noticeably decreased.

"What we have found recently is that [there is] more of the smaller runs and fewer of the larger runs," Martin said. "What everyone wants to see is one where they're just covering the beach all over the place. But that is

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that is very rare, that would be two percent or so of the runs that you would see be big like that."

Sherpa said he grew up watching grunion come up onshore in San Diego.

"The beaches were solid grunion," Sherpa said. "You couldn't see the beach because there were so many."

Sherpa worked at Torrey Pines State Beach from 1988 to 1991 and then Doheny State Beach from 1991 to 2013. In his time as a ranger, he created Grunion Night, a local event where people could come and observe the grunion run. Although he retired in 2013, he is still involved in educational initiatives regarding grunion.

Sherpa said he noticed a decline in the grunion population when two years ago he went to observe grunion at Doheny State Beach.

"The last time I went to see a grunion run was two years ago, and it was a disappointing run," Sherpa said. "It might've been a bad night."

In his experience as a ranger, Sherpa said he only had one year when the grunion didn't come on time to his Grunion Night at Doheny State Beach.

"This one night in 2002, the grunion came 15 minutes after everyone left," Sherpa said. "For 10 years in a row, the grunion had never not shown up."

Climate Change One of the main reasons why the grunion population has declined recently is due to rising water and air temperatures along California's coast, Martin said.

"If you think about if their eggs are on the beaches, then they're actually responding to air temperatures as well as to water temperatures," Martin said.

Martin said her research shows that grunion have begun to move up north, near the San Francisco Bay. This is uncommon because grunion have traditionally enjoyed Southern California's warm waters.

Martin said the temperatures of the sand on the beach are much higher than what they have been known to develop in, but the grunion have adapted.

"They're now able to develop at these higher temperatures, but they don't do

as well," Martin said. "Even just the air temperatures are a problem for them while they're developing."

The warmer waters have caused some of the grunion to come ashore in beaches as north as San Francisco Bay, according to Martin.

"There are these warm water pulses that sometimes come up ... so they ride those," Martin said. "Then they get in northern California, [where] the outer coastal waters are still cold. But, if they get inside a bay like San Francisco Bay — [which is where] we’re finding them now — that’s warmer and that’s kind of a refuge for them."

The El Niño, a common warm water pulse, has had an impact in grunion moving north, according to Martin.

Despite that, Martin and Sherpa both said El Niños have been beneficial to grunion.

Martin said grunion, as warm-water fish, like El Niño.

"They like El Niños, which most fish don't in this area," Martin said. "But we'll see if that holds up into this year."

Martin said 2017, which followed an El Niño storm, was a "very good" year.

"It was one of our best years [in recent times]," Martin said. "It was more like 10 years ago."

Sherpa said he witnessed the grunion and El Niño connection in 2005, but it was not a pretty sight. In 2005, the warm-water phenomenon attracted "thousands" of grunion but also created a sandbar at San Juan Creek, leaving much of the grunion washed ashore.

"It left thousands of grunion stranded," Sherpa said. "It was a really sad sight."

Habitat Destruction As grunion have looked for safe water temperatures, they have encountered a bigger problem — habitat loss.

Sherpa said the rockier beaches of Northern California where they have settled recently have posed a threat to grunion trying to spawn in peace.

"Grunion are used to the sandy beaches," Sherpa said.

Martin said that even on sandy beaches, the grunion have battled erosion and loss of sand due to develop-

ments near the coast.

"There's a lot of habitat loss," Martin said. "That upper beach is where the grunion need to spawn. So there's a lot of places where we used to find grunion, but there's no room for them anymore.

The sand is gone, so their spawning site is gone."

Martin also said that this has led grunion to go to public beaches to spawn and that has brought some human versus nature conflict.

"They're more and more likely to be in the public beaches because those are still pretty big," Martin said. "Then they have all the issues with high human traffic and high human use in public beaches."

Martin said she has an email list with local beach groomers who remove debris from beaches. Through that, she works with the beach groomers to ensure they do not interfere with the grunion.

"They're pretty good, very good about keeping off that area where the grunion eggs would be," Marin said.

Although Martin said her work with beach groomers has helped, she said it wasn't enough to combat human interference during grunion season. This has led to the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), where grunion are protected against people interfering with their spawning sites.

Sherpa said there are three different groups of people that visit beaches each year during grunion season.

"You have the groups that come to see them, the groups that come to take them to eat and groups that come to take them as bait," Sherpa said.

The group that comes for observation is able to come to visit the grunion during both open and closed season.

Meanwhile, those that come to take the grunion face restrictions to what they can and can't do, according to Martin.

"What’s interesting with the grunion is even though they are so vulnerable, they are also considered recreational fishery," Martin said. "So, during certain months, it’s legal to take them, to just grab them with your hands if you have a fishing license."

Martin said some of the MPAs have restrictions that don't allow for people

to take the grunion even during open season.

But Martin said she thinks the current restrictions are not enough. She said the rules for recreational fishing have not been revised since 1949, and there has been a big change in California's human population since then.

Martin said the closed season should be longer. Currently the closed season is April and May, but Martin wants to have it extended to June.

Friendly Neighborhood Grunion Greeters Solutions like the MPAs and community awareness of grunion's problems have come from Martin and other grunion advocates' efforts with their open source data collection project called the Grunion Greeters.

According to Martin's informational website grunion.pepperdine.edu, the Grunion Greeters project brings together "hundreds of volunteers to study the spawning activity and habitat of grunion."

Martin said this data collection is "pretty straight-forward" and exists through the website.

"If anyone sees a grunion run, they can go to the website and put in what they observed," Martin said. "The runs are ranked as small or large depending on the scale."

The website contains primer information needed for a first-time grunion greeter. According to the website, a firsttime grunion greeter needs to attend a training workshop before they sign-up for an observation night. During grunion season, the website gets updated with announcements and tips for grunion greeters.

Sherpa said he has attended some of Martin's data collection nights and offered his insights from his past experiences with the grunion in his ranger days.

He said not everyone at the Grunion Greeters nights took it seriously.

"A lot of people thought it was a hoax," Sherpa said.

For other attendees, Sherpa said the sometimes frigid nights by the beach would be discouraging.

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"You'd be freezing cold and not seeing any grunion," Sherpa said.

However, Martin said the data collection process has helped and encouraged the study of grunion.

The website echoes Martin's sentiment saying, "this multi-year state-wide assessment program has increased public awareness and improved management efforts to protect and conserve wildlife and beach habitats."

Martin says grunion have learned how to adapt and have become accustomed to warmer temperatures.

Senior Callie Shelley, who has worked as a research assistant with Martin for three years, said a main theme in her research regarding grunion incubation is how they are able to quickly adapt to their environment — even in their embryo stage.

"Grunion are very adaptable," Shelley said. "I've seen in my research that they're able to stay alive in their embryo for up to 40 days due to a yolk reserve that delays their metabolism."

Shelley said people can start to help grunion by being aware that a decline in the grunion population is happening.

"I really want people to be aware of the decline," Shelley said. "There's a need to protect them because they're so valuable to Southern California. It's such an exciting thing to witness [grunion runs]. There's so much reason to protect them and study them."

Shelley added that although grunion are not part of a list of endangered species, Martin is advocating to get them on a list of endangered species.

Martin said people should think of beaches as animal habitats, not just recreational areas.

"People completely accept a kelp forest or tide pool or a coral reef as an ecological system that they want to recreate around and enjoy and not damage," Martin said. "I feel like that is kind of where we need to be with our beaches."

Photos Courtesy of Michael Murrie

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