Our Ocean to Save
How to Protect Our Greatest Climate Ally
Our Ocean to Save makes clear the urgency of ocean conservation—and our own unique role in protecting our greatest climate ally.
From the beaches of her home in the UK to the blisteringly beautiful Antarctic to the coastline of Sri Lanka, acclaimed environmentalist and marine biologist Emily Cunningham grapples with the beauty and horror she’s encountered around the world in Our Ocean to Save. With precise prose and a passionate voice, Cunningham calls upon us to defend an ecosystem on the brink of collapse.
“We all depend on a healthy ocean – for food, for our health and wellbeing, for resources, for a stable climate, even for the air we breathe,” she reminds readers in this ultimately inspirational and optimistic call to action.
Our Ocean to Save takes readers from “Ocean Emergency,” delving into the threats both large and small, to “Ocean of Possibility,” arguing why we must resist doomerism and what the future could look like if we all took a stand.
Offering practical tools and information needed to take action to protect the ocean, Our Ocean to Save is both uplifting and realistic, making clear that while we cannot recover all we have lost, there is still so much to save.
Reviews & Praise
—Pete Malinowski, president and CEO, Billion Oyster Project
“Rigorously researched, carefully told, personal and powerful; this is a book which comes from the heart, and is rooted throughout by Cunningham’s inimitable passion and experience for all that is blue.”
—Sophie Pavelle, author of To Have or To Hold and Forget Me Not
“Were we being entirely honest, we would have named our home planet Ocean, not Earth. And in this fine book, Emily Cunningham reminds us of the implications of that fact: We have to fight to protect the sea that lies at the center of all life.”
—Bill McKibben, author of Here Comes the Sun
“If you or your community want to discover your reserves of hope and willpower to restore the ocean’s health, and thereby our own, read Our Ocean to Save.”
—Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
“If you are feeling anxious about our future, read this. If you want a shortcut into
the world of marine biology without taking a degree, read this. If you want to help but don’t know where to begin, read this. If you are looking for inspiration, read this.”
—Joanna Ruxton, MBE, founder, Ocean Generation; producer, multi-award-winning documentary A Plastic Ocean
“It’s not easy to walk the tightrope between optimism, realism and paralysis. Emily has done this brilliantly—with passion and compassion.”
—Sandy Luk, CEO, Marine Conservation Society
“A must-read for anyone looking to better understand their own role in shaping the future of our big blue planet.”
—Dr. Yolanda Waters, founder and CEO, Divers for Climate
“A passionate and urgent must-read.”
—Nancy Birtwhistle, bestselling author
“A fabulous book: truthful, energising and a joy to read. It shines with belief in the power of you.”
—Jay Griffiths, author of How Animals Heal Us
“A must-read for anyone who cares about our natural world and understands that a positive future for our oceans is people-powered.”
—Dr. Rose O’Neill, CEO, Campaign for National Parks
“A tour-de-force review of our ocean crisis and the things we can do to turn the tide.”
—David Helvarg, author of 50 Ways to Save the Ocean and Forest of the Sea
“An engaging resource that not only educates readers about ocean conservation but also motivates them to become part of the solution.”
—Edd Moore, climate education consultant, educator and author
“A truly inspiring read. I think that everyone should read this book so we can make a difference and save not just our ocean but our world.”
—Mary Tetley, CEO, British Sub-Aqua Club
“Emily’s passion for the ocean splashes out with every page turn of this book. Emily reminds us about the important role we as humans have if we are to protect our own blue backyard.”
—Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, Australian whale scientist