OVERVIEW

I think it's about time to wake up! We need change more than ever. And it all starts with you. Right here. Right now.

OVERVIEW on Vimeo.

Losing Nemo

Give it a thought, ppl..!

REVOLUTION

I'm already very curious to watch Revolution - the sequel to Sharkwater, which has already been so incredibly stunning and enlightening. It's about time that people acknowledge that nothing we got is understood and that nature gives us everything we need, if we are only willing to act responsibly. We have destroyed so much of it already and this really needs to come to an end. Change is overdue.

"Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life adventure of Rob Stewart, this follow-up to his acclaimed SHARKWATER documentary continues his remarkable journey; one that will take him through 15 countries over four years, and where he'll discover that it's not only sharks that are in grave danger – it's humanity itself."

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Follow-Up

Revolution on Facebook
Sharkwater on Facebook

Watch Sharkwater. Heroes of the Sea. on YouTube
Sharkwater Pt. I
Sharkwater Pt. II
Sharkwater Pt. III
Sharkwater Pt. IV

The Twenty

Twenty men, for twenty years, for twenty miles. This is the story of the Surfrider Foundation, Santa Barbara Chapter’s epic struggle to preserve the Gaviota Coast - southern California’s last remaining stretch of unspoiled, rural coastline.

For twenty years, twenty men have withstood a slew of deep-pocket developers, major corporations, and elected officials in their effort to protect the Gaviota Coast’s incredible biodiversity and unparalleled scenic beauty.

Theirs is an inspiring story of ordinary people, fueled by their passion and love for the Gaviota Coast, who stand together against improbable odds to defend one of California’s last great places.

Will you join the 20? We need much more than 20 people to save the coast, forever... Join the fight by inviting your friends HERE!

Requiem 2019

The last remaining blue whale comes eye to eye with its only enemy; mankind. The film was directed by Rutger Hauer & Sil van der Woerd, who felt an urge to bring attention to the ongoing whaling. If you love whales and oceans like we do, please share this film!

Captain Paul Watson Sends Sea Shepherd First Message for Supporters Since Departing Germany

For the first time since the world began speculating why Captain Paul Watson made the decision to forfeit his bail and depart Germany after being held there under house arrest for 70 days, the Captain himself is speaking out. He relayed a message to Sea Shepherd headquarters over the weekend, asking that it be provided to his supporters. The complete message follows:

Captain Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Photo: Mike Mulle To my friends and supporters,

I am presently in a place on this planet where I feel comfortable, a safe place far away from the scheming nations who have turned a blind eye to the exploitation of our oceans.

The German government said I betrayed their trust by leaving Germany, yet they had already betrayed my trust. The German politicians had made up their minds politically before the German court had made a decision, and during the time I was held in Germany, the Japanese negotiated with Germany to file for an extradition order to Japan on fabricated evidence provided by former Sea Shepherd Crewmember, Peter Bethune.

In 2010, the Japanese ship Shonan Maru #2 deliberately rammed and destroyed the Ady Gil, nearly killing 6 people. The Japanese captain was not even questioned, damages were never paid, no charges were filed and they took the Ady Gil captain, Peter Bethune, back to Japan where he cooperated to provide false evidence to the Japanese Coast Guard to blame me for the boarding actions, despite the on-camera documentation that I specifically advised against the boarding by Bethune.

We have cost the Japanese whaling industry tens of millions of dollars and in October 2011, they were allocated a war chest of some thirty million dollars in misappropriated Tsunami Relief Funds to combat Sea Shepherd. With that money they have increased security at sea, filed civil suits in the U.S. Courts against us, and they have researched just where we might be vulnerable.

And the one possibility they found was a decade-old incident that occurred in Guatemalan waters in 2002. This charge simply involves obstructing a Costa Rican long-liner with water hoses. It was an action that occurred with permission of the Guatemalan government and it was against a fully documented illegal shark-finning operation that was also filmed for the award-winning documentary film, "Sharkwater." It was against a vessel that only a year before had been convicted of shark-finning in the waters of the Galapagos National Park Marine Reserve, where our vessel the Sirenian had helped to apprehend them.

Japan had previously tried to have me arrested by Interpol for the Bethune incident but Interpol refused their request for a 'red' notification, allowing them only a 'blue' notice, meaning that countries could report my movements to Japan but could not arrest me.

In December, the President of Costa Rica met with the Prime Minister of Japan. I had attended the Hamburg Film Festival in November 2011 without being arrested in Germany. In March I traveled to Spain and France without incident. Yet in May of 2012, I was arrested in Germany on an extradition warrant from Costa Rica. And what I found was that Costa Rica, like Japan, had issued an Interpol notice and Interpol at the end had dismissed the request.

Germany however, a country without an extradition treaty with Costa Rica or Japan, decided to apprehend me on what they described was a bilateral agreement with Costa Rica. This, of course, caught Japan's attention and they began negotiations to apply directly to Germany with a request for my extradition. That request by Japan was approved by Germany on July 23rd, 2012. I was alerted to this by reliable sources on July 22nd.

With Costa Rica, I had the evidence on film and with two dozen witnesses I was confident that I could win the case against the allegations of the shark finners. My only concern was that Costa Rica would then hand me over to Japan. For with Japan, there is the absolute certainty that once in Japanese custody, I will never be released.

That certainty meant that there could only be one option: I made the decision to depart Germany immediately.

I find it absurd that in all the years I have been campaigning for the protection and conservation of marine life, where I have not caused a single injury to a single person and have only interfered with illegal operations as defined by international conservation law, that Japan can make accusations against me after destroying a two-million-dollar vessel, injuring a crewmember and almost killing five others.

I am very disappointed with the German government. For me it is obvious that the German government conspired with Japan and Costa Rica to detain me so that I could be handed over to the Japanese. For me it is clear that they made the political decision to turn me over to the Japanese even before a court decision was made. All the German people that I have met were supportive of the work I do. I did not meet a single critic in the streets, in the courts, in the media or at any of the events and presentations that I attended. Even the police and members of the court were supportive.

I am very thankful for the support that I received in Germany and especially from the sympathetic sources that provided me with the information about the decisions made and the impending political decision to accept the Japanese demand to extradite me to Japan, once a court decision would be on their desk.

This was never really about Costa Rica. It has been about Japan all along.

We have confronted the Japanese whalers for eight seasons and we have humiliated them at sea and more importantly we have frustrated their illegal profiteering from the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

This is not about justice; it is about revenge. It is about a small group of dedicated volunteers opposing an economic super power and a multi-million-dollar whale poaching operation in a whale sanctuary. It is about speaking truth to economic and political power.

Costa Rica and Germany have simply been pawns in the Japanese quest to silence Sea Shepherd in an attempt to stop our annual opposition to their illegal whaling activities.

I know the whale killing poachers of Japan will continue to exploit all avenues to find a way to stop me. I have, however, eluded them once again and I will continue to try and keep a step ahead of them, no matter what risks and costs have to be made.

I can serve my clients better at sea than in a Japanese prison cell and I intend to do just that. In December, our ships will sail forth for the ninth campaign to oppose the outlaw Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The campaign will be called Operation Zero Tolerance and we will risk our ships and our selves yet again in the effort required to stop these pelagic bandits in their remorseless slaughter of the gentle giants of the seas.

Thank-you for your continued support,

Captain Paul Watson


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Background: Captain Watson had been detained in Germany for 70 days despite thousands of letters of support sent to the German Ministry of Justice from the public, celebrities, politicians and other luminaries arguing for his release of this politically motivated warrant. He was arrested in Frankfurt on May 13th on a 10-year-old warrant from Costa Rica while en route to Cannes, France. He was being detained in Germany for extradition to Costa Rica for an alleged "violation of ship traffic," which occurred during the 2002 filming of the award-winning documentary, "Sharkwater." The specific incident took place on the high seas in Guatemalan waters, when Sea Shepherd encountered an illegal shark-finning operation run by Costa Rican vessel, the Varadero. On order of Guatemalan authorities, Sea Shepherd instructed the crew of the Varadero to cease their shark-finning activities and head back to port to be prosecuted. While escorting the Varadero back to port, the tables were turned and a Guatemalan gunboat was dispatched to intercept the Sea Shepherd crew. To avoid the Guatemalan gunboat, Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where the crew uncovered even more illegal shark-finning activities in the form of dried shark fins by the thousands on the roofs of industrial buildings.

End Overfishing

Despite an increased awareness of overfishing, the majority of people still know very little about the scale of the destruction being wrought on the oceans. This film presents an unquestionable case for why overfishing needs to end and shows that there is still an opportunity for change. Through reform of the EU‘s Common Fisheries Policy, fisheries ministers and members of the European Parliament can end overfishing. But only if you pressure them.

KONY

Well, you've all heard about this cause and most probably seen the video. In case you haven't, take your time and watch it to take part in numerous discussions wether this is something to support or not.

KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.



FOLLOW-UPs
Check out these links and read/watch through plenty of controversial opinions on this topic: (Many of the links have been gathered by my buddy Roman - thanks for that!)

Kony 2012 und Invisible Children
http://www.spreeblick.com/2012/03/07/kony2012-und-invisible-children/

Stop Kony, yes. But don’t stop asking questions
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2012/03/07/stop-kony-yes-but-dont-stop-asking-questions/

What's wrong with the Kony Campaign?
http://www.cihablog.com/whats-wrong-with-the-kony-2012-campaign/

My response to KONY2012


KONY 2012 SCAM... Bankers Outsmarted by Millions of Young Activists?


KONY 2012 ~ A Powerful SCAM?

Spain/France Surf Trip 2011

Well, it took me quite a while but finally I managed to process my photos from our recent surfing trip to Spain and France. Peter, the 2 Tommy's and me flew to Bilbao, ES to roam around by car and check out some of Europe's best surfing spots. The whole trip turned out to be just awesome since the conditions could've hardly been any better. We checked out Zarautz, Hossegor, Capbreton, Lafitenia, Meron in north-eastern Spain and south-western France and Valdoviño and surroundings in the stunning region of Galicia, north-western Spain. To sum it up - it was an amazing trip with my best friends, what more could you ask for? :) Life's good, go surfing!

Check out some of the shots or see myFlickr for the whole set..

Back to the Start

'Back to the Start' by film-maker Johnny Kelly shows the transformation of a little farm into an industrial animal factory. In the end the farmer realizes his wrong decision and opts out for a more sustainable future. The soundtrack is Coldplay's classic 'The Scientist' performed by country music legend Willie Nelson. Both the film and the soundtrack were commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.

Wasting Water is Weird

Great campaign against the waste of water. Kinda makes sense, don't you think? Visit wastingwaterisweird.com for more.


Use water responsibly!


"Wasting water is weird. It really is when you think about it—and that’s the problem. We don’t. You see, there’s this moment when using water becomes wasting water. That’s when things start getting weird."


Dishwasher



Bathroom



Car Wash

Water Changes Everything.

Take some time to watch this. Ain't it awesome that there is a solution to one of our thousands of environment-related problems at last? Think about it..

Oil'd

think about it..

HELP JAPAN

Source: Signalnoise.com



DONATE NOW.

• Canadian Red Cross
• American Red Cross
• Doctors without Borders
• The Salvation Army
• Oxfam
• Global Living
• Care
• ShelterBox

We Are All Connected

great spot for WWF by Troublemakers director Mato Atom, illustrating the interdependency of all creatures on our planet. so always keep in mind that anything you do affects your environment in whatever way..

Against Dumb

once again, Buck pieced together a nice spot for Smart Cars. the core statement is about not blowing resources carelessly, only buying things we really need and sharing things wherever possible. beautifully executed, however, it's still a commercial..

This blog is now carbon neutral!

great initiative to help protecting the environment through planting a tree by posting this button on your blog! can't be easier to contribute, so join in!!



Being part of the initiative “My blog is carbon neutral” is an active contribution to help the environment! All you have to do is described here. Make it happen - make it green!

via rawmeyn's blog

_RESPOND

Hi Miro,

thank you so much for participating in our initiative and making your blog carbon neutral! Your tree will be planted this month by the Arbor Day Foundation. The scheduled start plant date was Monday, April 19 and the trees will be planted by a contracted crew. The roads are being plowed, all contracts solidified, and twelve shipments of 150,000 seedling each are being assembled. We thank you for the support!

There are still some trees looking for a sponsor. So if you know some people who have a blog or website, pass it on and we'll make their blogs carbon neutral too!

Best,
Christin