[Music] [Applause]
so I grew up as a dependent of an active
so I grew up as a dependent of an active duty service member my family and I
duty service member my family and I
duty service member my family and I traveled the world and we moved around
traveled the world and we moved around
traveled the world and we moved around often and out all the places that I
often and out all the places that I
often and out all the places that I lived okey now Japan was by far my
lived okey now Japan was by far my
lived okey now Japan was by far my favorite it gave me this natural
favorite it gave me this natural
favorite it gave me this natural comforting sense of home I knew one day
comforting sense of home I knew one day
comforting sense of home I knew one day that I had to get back eventually in
that I had to get back eventually in
that I had to get back eventually in 1998 my journey brought me back here and
1998 my journey brought me back here and
1998 my journey brought me back here and I’ve been here ever since
I’ve been here ever since
I’ve been here ever since okay now as a sub tropical paradise with
okay now as a sub tropical paradise with
okay now as a sub tropical paradise with warm weather and beautiful beaches it
warm weather and beautiful beaches it
warm weather and beautiful beaches it has some of the best scuba diving in the
has some of the best scuba diving in the
has some of the best scuba diving in the world and the people are some of the
world and the people are some of the
world and the people are some of the kindest people you ever meet it’s also
kindest people you ever meet it’s also
kindest people you ever meet it’s also rich in nature scenery as well and we
rich in nature scenery as well and we
rich in nature scenery as well and we have a variety of endemic species that
have a variety of endemic species that
have a variety of endemic species that are only found in the northern part of
are only found in the northern part of
are only found in the northern part of Okinawa in the ya’muru forest now in
Okinawa in the ya’muru forest now in
Okinawa in the ya’muru forest now in 2010 I got heavily involved in
2010 I got heavily involved in
2010 I got heavily involved in documenting the animals of the riyuku
documenting the animals of the riyuku
documenting the animals of the riyuku Islands primarily focusing on wildlife
Islands primarily focusing on wildlife
Islands primarily focusing on wildlife conservation as well as the protection
conservation as well as the protection
conservation as well as the protection of endangered species
of endangered species
of endangered species June 10th 2010 a friend and I were
June 10th 2010 a friend and I were
June 10th 2010 a friend and I were exploring central Okinawa we stumbled
exploring central Okinawa we stumbled
exploring central Okinawa we stumbled upon a terrestrial hermit crab that was
upon a terrestrial hermit crab that was
upon a terrestrial hermit crab that was adapting with her waist and when I saw
adapting with her waist and when I saw
adapting with her waist and when I saw this I was absolutely amazed because
this I was absolutely amazed because
this I was absolutely amazed because I’ve never seen anything like this
I’ve never seen anything like this
I’ve never seen anything like this before I had to take a second look it’s
before I had to take a second look it’s
before I had to take a second look it’s like something like we discovered a new
like something like we discovered a new
like something like we discovered a new species or something absolutely amazing
species or something absolutely amazing
species or something absolutely amazing and so of course I took multiple
and so of course I took multiple
and so of course I took multiple photographs of it and on the drive home
photographs of it and on the drive home
photographs of it and on the drive home all I could think about was this hermit
all I could think about was this hermit
all I could think about was this hermit crab why was it adapting with our waste
crab why was it adapting with our waste
crab why was it adapting with our waste and I wanted to learn as much as I
and I wanted to learn as much as I
and I wanted to learn as much as I possibly could about this adaptive
possibly could about this adaptive
possibly could about this adaptive behavior so as soon as I got home I got
behavior so as soon as I got home I got
behavior so as soon as I got home I got on the computer I researched information
on the computer I researched information
on the computer I researched information concerning this and I couldn’t find
concerning this and I couldn’t find
concerning this and I couldn’t find anything out there so I immediately made
anything out there so I immediately made
anything out there so I immediately made contact with a popular publication
contact with a popular publication
contact with a popular publication agency and I told the story of finding
agency and I told the story of finding
agency and I told the story of finding this hermit crab adapting with our waste
this hermit crab adapting with our waste
this hermit crab adapting with our waste now I think it would make a great topic
now I think it would make a great topic
now I think it would make a great topic for your magazine and I provided the
for your magazine and I provided the
for your magazine and I provided the images as well and kindly respectfully
images as well and kindly respectfully
images as well and kindly respectfully the editor got back to me and stated
the editor got back to me and stated
the editor got back to me and stated thank you but we do have the
thank you but we do have the
thank you but we do have the makes a great topic but we do have our
makes a great topic but we do have our
makes a great topic but we do have our stories already planned out for the year
stories already planned out for the year
stories already planned out for the year but please post it on our online
but please post it on our online
but please post it on our online photo-sharing site so sure enough I did
photo-sharing site so sure enough I did
photo-sharing site so sure enough I did and I didn’t get any feedback from it
and I didn’t get any feedback from it
and I didn’t get any feedback from it and I slightly discouraged because I
and I slightly discouraged because I
and I slightly discouraged because I knew in my mind that this would make a
knew in my mind that this would make a
knew in my mind that this would make a powerful topic years went by without
powerful topic years went by without
powerful topic years went by without seeing another hermit crab adapting with
seeing another hermit crab adapting with
seeing another hermit crab adapting with our waste and it wasn’t until 2014 when
our waste and it wasn’t until 2014 when
our waste and it wasn’t until 2014 when I started focusing on photographing the
I started focusing on photographing the
I started focusing on photographing the animals on her coastline specifically
animals on her coastline specifically
animals on her coastline specifically during the night that I started finding
during the night that I started finding
during the night that I started finding more of these hermit crabs adapting with
more of these hermit crabs adapting with
more of these hermit crabs adapting with her waste so at that point I decided to
her waste so at that point I decided to
her waste so at that point I decided to start my own project called crabs with
start my own project called crabs with
start my own project called crabs with Beach trash homes and I was highly
Beach trash homes and I was highly
Beach trash homes and I was highly motivated to document as many as I
motivated to document as many as I
motivated to document as many as I possibly could and I even had friends
possibly could and I even had friends
possibly could and I even had friends and family assisting with this as well
and family assisting with this as well
and family assisting with this as well and with her help we were able to
and with her help we were able to
and with her help we were able to document over 60 crabs that were found
document over 60 crabs that were found
document over 60 crabs that were found naturally using our waste now this was a
naturally using our waste now this was a
naturally using our waste now this was a great opportunity for me to focus on
great opportunity for me to focus on
great opportunity for me to focus on improving my photography skills as well
improving my photography skills as well
improving my photography skills as well as my lighting now I wanted to deliver
as my lighting now I wanted to deliver
as my lighting now I wanted to deliver documentation photographs but I also
documentation photographs but I also
documentation photographs but I also wanted to provide dramatic lighting as
wanted to provide dramatic lighting as
wanted to provide dramatic lighting as well so all the images did not look the
well so all the images did not look the
well so all the images did not look the same so I spent most of my time
same so I spent most of my time
same so I spent most of my time photographing these hermit crabs with
photographing these hermit crabs with
photographing these hermit crabs with high-powered flashlights as well as
high-powered flashlights as well as
high-powered flashlights as well as flash on camera as well as flash off
flash on camera as well as flash off
flash on camera as well as flash off camera with different diffusion
camera with different diffusion
camera with different diffusion materials and different light angles I
spent most of my time photographing
spent most of my time photographing these hermit crabs on beaches with
these hermit crabs on beaches with
these hermit crabs on beaches with abundance of trash and it seemed like
abundance of trash and it seemed like
abundance of trash and it seemed like the trash here of the beach the more
the trash here of the beach the more
the trash here of the beach the more hermit crabs I seem to find most of
hermit crabs I seem to find most of
hermit crabs I seem to find most of these items that were washed ashore were
these items that were washed ashore were
these items that were washed ashore were single-use items or throwaway items
single-use items or throwaway items
single-use items or throwaway items found lots of medicine prescriptions
found lots of medicine prescriptions
found lots of medicine prescriptions styrofoam plastic twist top caps as well
styrofoam plastic twist top caps as well
styrofoam plastic twist top caps as well as bottles plastic forks knives spoons
as bottles plastic forks knives spoons
as bottles plastic forks knives spoons lighters flip-flops shotgun shells ropes
lighters flip-flops shotgun shells ropes
lighters flip-flops shotgun shells ropes cigarette butts and more I also took a
cigarette butts and more I also took a
cigarette butts and more I also took a scientific approach when photographing
scientific approach when photographing
scientific approach when photographing these hermit crab
these hermit crab
these hermit crab I photographed him for the meteor
I photographed him for the meteor
I photographed him for the meteor neighbor’s project which is dedicated to
neighbor’s project which is dedicated to
neighbor’s project which is dedicated to connecting people worldwide with the
connecting people worldwide with the
connecting people worldwide with the wildlife in their community and this
wildlife in their community and this
wildlife in their community and this method really stood up stood out because
method really stood up stood out because
method really stood up stood out because it focused on the beauty in the detail
it focused on the beauty in the detail
it focused on the beauty in the detail of the hermit crab as well as what trash
of the hermit crab as well as what trash
of the hermit crab as well as what trash it was using and it eliminated any
it was using and it eliminated any
it was using and it eliminated any distracting elements in the background
but at first this project just didn’t
but at first this project just didn’t get the recognition that I expected that
get the recognition that I expected that
get the recognition that I expected that was is because I didn’t have the
was is because I didn’t have the
was is because I didn’t have the powerful content or was it because I
powerful content or was it because I
powerful content or was it because I wasn’t reaching the right people or the
wasn’t reaching the right people or the
wasn’t reaching the right people or the right editors or was it because people
right editors or was it because people
right editors or was it because people don’t enjoy looking at images of trash
don’t enjoy looking at images of trash
don’t enjoy looking at images of trash on their wall right because
on their wall right because
on their wall right because realistically what people prefer to have
realistically what people prefer to have
realistically what people prefer to have on their walls are images of beach
on their walls are images of beach
on their walls are images of beach scenes seascapes sunrises and so at this
scenes seascapes sunrises and so at this
scenes seascapes sunrises and so at this point I decided to change the
point I decided to change the
point I decided to change the perspective of things and photograph
perspective of things and photograph
perspective of things and photograph these hermit crabs in beautiful light
these hermit crabs in beautiful light
these hermit crabs in beautiful light during sunset next to these scenes so
during sunset next to these scenes so
during sunset next to these scenes so people would start looking at this issue
people would start looking at this issue
people would start looking at this issue they would see it in a different light
they would see it in a different light
they would see it in a different light now the hermit crabs are the caretakers
now the hermit crabs are the caretakers
now the hermit crabs are the caretakers of the shoreline they mainly feed on
of the shoreline they mainly feed on
of the shoreline they mainly feed on them the marine life that wash ashore as
them the marine life that wash ashore as
them the marine life that wash ashore as well as they feed on fruit and help out
well as they feed on fruit and help out
well as they feed on fruit and help out with seed dispersal and they even clean
with seed dispersal and they even clean
with seed dispersal and they even clean up after our waste after beach barbecues
up after our waste after beach barbecues
up after our waste after beach barbecues and parties when people throw the
and parties when people throw the
and parties when people throw the leftovers on the ground that the
leftovers on the ground that the
leftovers on the ground that the scavengers at the shoreline these hermit
scavengers at the shoreline these hermit
scavengers at the shoreline these hermit crabs they prefer to have a solid shell
crabs they prefer to have a solid shell
crabs they prefer to have a solid shell to protect their sensitive body they’re
to protect their sensitive body they’re
to protect their sensitive body they’re sensitive abdomen and they will even
sensitive abdomen and they will even
sensitive abdomen and they will even adapt but the tree nut if nothing else
adapt but the tree nut if nothing else
adapt but the tree nut if nothing else is available now some of the most
is available now some of the most
is available now some of the most interesting man-made items that I have
interesting man-made items that I have
interesting man-made items that I have found the hermit crabs adapting with
found the hermit crabs adapting with
found the hermit crabs adapting with have been screws from light bulb ends
have been screws from light bulb ends
have been screws from light bulb ends glass bottles measuring scoops and
glass bottles measuring scoops and
glass bottles measuring scoops and laundry detergent caps so why do these
laundry detergent caps so why do these
laundry detergent caps so why do these hermit crabs adapt with our waste in the
hermit crabs adapt with our waste in the
hermit crabs adapt with our waste in the first place is there a limit
first place is there a limit
first place is there a limit number of shells due to over collecting
number of shells due to over collecting
number of shells due to over collecting on our shorelines that’s definitely
on our shorelines that’s definitely
on our shorelines that’s definitely possible but what we do know is these
possible but what we do know is these
possible but what we do know is these crabs they grow they get bigger and they
crabs they grow they get bigger and they
crabs they grow they get bigger and they have to currently they have to
have to currently they have to
have to currently they have to constantly upgrade their current mobile
constantly upgrade their current mobile
constantly upgrade their current mobile home they fight over this valuable real
home they fight over this valuable real
home they fight over this valuable real estate eventually the strong will push
estate eventually the strong will push
estate eventually the strong will push out the weak the weak will abandon the
out the weak the weak will abandon the
out the weak the weak will abandon the shell and eventually it has to find
shell and eventually it has to find
shell and eventually it has to find something to deal with to adapt with and
something to deal with to adapt with and
something to deal with to adapt with and they don’t prefer to have her waste to
they don’t prefer to have her waste to
they don’t prefer to have her waste to adapt with our trash they’re just
adapt with our trash they’re just
adapt with our trash they’re just temporarily making do with what is
temporarily making do with what is
temporarily making do with what is available at the time now no Kino hermit
available at the time now no Kino hermit
available at the time now no Kino hermit crabs have few predators mainly other
crabs have few predators mainly other
crabs have few predators mainly other hermit crabs ants birds and of course
hermit crabs ants birds and of course
hermit crabs ants birds and of course humans their biggest threat habitat loss
humans their biggest threat habitat loss
humans their biggest threat habitat loss and over collecting to the pet trade
and over collecting to the pet trade
and over collecting to the pet trade every hermit crab that you see in the
every hermit crab that you see in the
every hermit crab that you see in the pet shop was taken from the wild now at
pet shop was taken from the wild now at
pet shop was taken from the wild now at first I was absolutely fascinated with
first I was absolutely fascinated with
first I was absolutely fascinated with the crabs ability to adapt to a changing
the crabs ability to adapt to a changing
the crabs ability to adapt to a changing environment that was drastically
environment that was drastically
environment that was drastically affected by humans the more and more
affected by humans the more and more
affected by humans the more and more that I photographed these crabs the more
that I photographed these crabs the more
that I photographed these crabs the more concerned I was with the amount of waste
concerned I was with the amount of waste
concerned I was with the amount of waste that was washing up on her beautiful
that was washing up on her beautiful
that was washing up on her beautiful shorelines now we’re all guilty up
shorelines now we’re all guilty up
shorelines now we’re all guilty up looting our environment in some way or
looting our environment in some way or
looting our environment in some way or form so how can we fix this problem what
form so how can we fix this problem what
form so how can we fix this problem what can we do to make a difference first we
can we do to make a difference first we
can we do to make a difference first we could start off by reducing single-use
could start off by reducing single-use
could start off by reducing single-use items that we use and purchase on a
items that we use and purchase on a
items that we use and purchase on a daily basis and make the switch to
daily basis and make the switch to
daily basis and make the switch to reusable resources now the two items
reusable resources now the two items
reusable resources now the two items that pose the biggest threat in our
that pose the biggest threat in our
that pose the biggest threat in our community in our oceans are plastic bags
community in our oceans are plastic bags
community in our oceans are plastic bags and twist stop caps from beverage
and twist stop caps from beverage
and twist stop caps from beverage bottles we could easily switch to
bottles we could easily switch to
bottles we could easily switch to reusable products on a daily basis we’re
reusable products on a daily basis we’re
reusable products on a daily basis we’re all capable of doing that next we need
all capable of doing that next we need
all capable of doing that next we need to do a better job of preventing the
to do a better job of preventing the
to do a better job of preventing the waste from getting in the ocean in the
waste from getting in the ocean in the
waste from getting in the ocean in the first place by ensuring that we’re
first place by ensuring that we’re
first place by ensuring that we’re disposing of our trash as well as
disposing of our trash as well as
disposing of our trash as well as recycling it better and last we need to
recycling it better and last we need to
recycling it better and last we need to do a better job of collecting the waste
do a better job of collecting the waste
do a better job of collecting the waste from the ocean as well as the shoreline
and how can all of us make a difference
and how can all of us make a difference in this by simply participating in a
in this by simply participating in a
in this by simply participating in a beach cleanup this is extremely Bennett
beach cleanup this is extremely Bennett
beach cleanup this is extremely Bennett official to the environment as well as
official to the environment as well as
official to the environment as well as to the community we’re all capable of
to the community we’re all capable of
to the community we’re all capable of doing it all ages and we have the
doing it all ages and we have the
doing it all ages and we have the ability to inspire others through social
ability to inspire others through social
ability to inspire others through social media posts to do something great for
media posts to do something great for
media posts to do something great for the environment because the more we
the environment because the more we
the environment because the more we learn about nature the more we want to
learn about nature the more we want to
learn about nature the more we want to protect it so why is it important to
protect it so why is it important to
protect it so why is it important to remove this trash its plastic pollution
remove this trash its plastic pollution
remove this trash its plastic pollution on our shorelines now now the longer it
on our shorelines now now the longer it
on our shorelines now now the longer it stays on the shore it becomes weathered
stays on the shore it becomes weathered
stays on the shore it becomes weathered it becomes brittle it breaks down into
it becomes brittle it breaks down into
it becomes brittle it breaks down into smaller pieces that photo degrades then
smaller pieces that photo degrades then
smaller pieces that photo degrades then it becomes much more difficult to clean
it becomes much more difficult to clean
it becomes much more difficult to clean up to pick up as well as eventually it
up to pick up as well as eventually it
up to pick up as well as eventually it washes back out to sea and starts
washes back out to sea and starts
washes back out to sea and starts affecting the wildlife from the bottom
affecting the wildlife from the bottom
affecting the wildlife from the bottom of the food chain and working its way
of the food chain and working its way
of the food chain and working its way back up now the hermit crab is one of
back up now the hermit crab is one of
back up now the hermit crab is one of the few animals that could successfully
the few animals that could successfully
the few animals that could successfully adapt for their waste now we are
adapt for their waste now we are
adapt for their waste now we are destroying our environment with these
destroying our environment with these
destroying our environment with these single-use items at an unstoppable rate
single-use items at an unstoppable rate
single-use items at an unstoppable rate we’ve seen all the warning signs now
we’ve seen all the warning signs now
we’ve seen all the warning signs now it’s time to act all it takes is making
it’s time to act all it takes is making
it’s time to act all it takes is making some small changes in our daily
some small changes in our daily
some small changes in our daily activities that can make a difference in
activities that can make a difference in
activities that can make a difference in our future thank you
our future thank you
our future thank you [Applause]
”
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