What to do after watching David Attenborough's 'Ocean'

Watching the bottom trawler tear through the sea bed in David Attenborough's new movie 'Ocean' was absolutely harrowing. 

I went to see the film with my seven-year-old daughter, who climbed onto my lap and tucked her head into my neck for the bad bits.

I've spent the last ten years quite immersed in environmentalism and the film shook me up. Seeing wildlife desperately clamouring to survive, racing to escape the net. The big thing about 'Ocean' for me, however, is that it offered real hope: if we can just protect more of it, then the ocean will recover. Most of all, I felt galvanised and inspired to be part of the solution.

When we got home, my daughter immediately got to work making posters, painting the windows (with help!) and pledging vegetarianism. But I said 'we need to do more'. 

My daughter, inspired by David Attenborough's 'Ocean'

We researched and found the following ways to show our support: 

📨 We sent an email to the UK's Environment Secretary, Steve Reed, to demand a bottom trawling ban in marine protected areas.

🐟 We became a member of the Marine Conservation Society, to support their UK-based campaigns and conservation activities, and receive a magazine with the latest news.

🌊 We made a donation to Oceana UK, to support the campaigns and scientific research that they carry out around the world, to influence policy on a global scale.

📝 We sent an email to our local MP to ask him to pledge his support to a ban on bottom trawling.

Currently, only 3% of the ocean is protected. The aim is to get global leaders to commit to raising that to 30%, at the United Nations Ocean Conference in June. Let's help make that happen!