on October 28th I was at a marine biology conference in Indonesia and I
biology conference in Indonesia and I
biology conference in Indonesia and I went diving on a coral reef I felt like
went diving on a coral reef I felt like
went diving on a coral reef I felt like I dropped into an impressionist painting
I dropped into an impressionist painting
I dropped into an impressionist painting gliding over blue waters across orange
gliding over blue waters across orange
gliding over blue waters across orange corals surrounded by hundreds of
corals surrounded by hundreds of
corals surrounded by hundreds of colorful fish suddenly a large sea
colorful fish suddenly a large sea
colorful fish suddenly a large sea turtle came along beside me
turtle came along beside me
turtle came along beside me and we made eye contact and for the rest
and we made eye contact and for the rest
and we made eye contact and for the rest of the dive we swam side by side over
of the dive we swam side by side over
of the dive we swam side by side over that reef until at the end the turtle
that reef until at the end the turtle
that reef until at the end the turtle turned out towards the open ocean and I
turned out towards the open ocean and I
turned out towards the open ocean and I went back to the boat it was a magical
went back to the boat it was a magical
went back to the boat it was a magical encounter three days later I was
encounter three days later I was
encounter three days later I was returning home to the US and we stopped
returning home to the US and we stopped
returning home to the US and we stopped in Taiwan to refuel for the 11 hour
in Taiwan to refuel for the 11 hour
in Taiwan to refuel for the 11 hour journey back to Los Angeles amazingly we
journey back to Los Angeles amazingly we
journey back to Los Angeles amazingly we were in the middle of a hurricane and
were in the middle of a hurricane and
were in the middle of a hurricane and the plane shook and shuddered on the
the plane shook and shuddered on the
the plane shook and shuddered on the tarmac shortly before midnight the plane
tarmac shortly before midnight the plane
tarmac shortly before midnight the plane taxied out to the runway and accelerated
taxied out to the runway and accelerated
taxied out to the runway and accelerated and we started to take off and slammed
and we started to take off and slammed
and we started to take off and slammed into construction equipment which
into construction equipment which
into construction equipment which pierced the engines and the plane
pierced the engines and the plane
pierced the engines and the plane exploded in a massive fireball in the
exploded in a massive fireball in the
exploded in a massive fireball in the violence of that crash I was thrown from
violence of that crash I was thrown from
violence of that crash I was thrown from my seat and hurled across the plane and
my seat and hurled across the plane and
my seat and hurled across the plane and then flung across the other way and as I
then flung across the other way and as I
then flung across the other way and as I flew through the air I looked down and
flew through the air I looked down and
flew through the air I looked down and saw a fireball shoot by where I’d been
saw a fireball shoot by where I’d been
saw a fireball shoot by where I’d been sitting I was catapulted through the air
sitting I was catapulted through the air
sitting I was catapulted through the air again this time hitting the side of the
again this time hitting the side of the
again this time hitting the side of the plane and getting knocked out and I came
plane and getting knocked out and I came
plane and getting knocked out and I came to under a pile of debris soaked in jet
to under a pile of debris soaked in jet
to under a pile of debris soaked in jet fuel in a wreck that was on fire luckily
fuel in a wreck that was on fire luckily
fuel in a wreck that was on fire luckily I found a way out and escaped and I
I found a way out and escaped and I
I found a way out and escaped and I found myself standing on the tarmac in
found myself standing on the tarmac in
found myself standing on the tarmac in Taiwan in the dress I was wearing no
Taiwan in the dress I was wearing no
Taiwan in the dress I was wearing no shoes stunned nothing else now a plane
shoes stunned nothing else now a plane
shoes stunned nothing else now a plane crash was chaotic because it’s not
crash was chaotic because it’s not
crash was chaotic because it’s not supposed to happen nobody really knows
supposed to happen nobody really knows
supposed to happen nobody really knows what’s going on who made it out who
what’s going on who made it out who
what’s going on who made it out who didn’t who got taken to hospital what
didn’t who got taken to hospital what
didn’t who got taken to hospital what hospital where is everybody
hospital where is everybody
hospital where is everybody and for a survivor it’s particularly
and for a survivor it’s particularly
and for a survivor it’s particularly bewildering for the next week I was
bewildering for the next week I was
bewildering for the next week I was trying to get a passport to get home
trying to get a passport to get home
trying to get a passport to get home find shoes for my feet and deal with
find shoes for my feet and deal with
find shoes for my feet and deal with what I’d seen
what I’d seen
what I’d seen and I just couldn’t sleep I couldn’t
and I just couldn’t sleep I couldn’t
and I just couldn’t sleep I couldn’t rest no matter what I did I could not
rest no matter what I did I could not
rest no matter what I did I could not sleep finally one afternoon I just
sleep finally one afternoon I just
sleep finally one afternoon I just filled the bathtub and I jumped in there
filled the bathtub and I jumped in there
filled the bathtub and I jumped in there under that water and I put myself back
under that water and I put myself back
under that water and I put myself back on that coral reef with that sea turtle
on that coral reef with that sea turtle
on that coral reef with that sea turtle immediately I felt calm I felt relaxed
immediately I felt calm I felt relaxed
immediately I felt calm I felt relaxed I felt safe and I knew I felt ready to
I felt safe and I knew I felt ready to
I felt safe and I knew I felt ready to take on the stresses as soon as I got
take on the stresses as soon as I got
take on the stresses as soon as I got home I knew I had to get back out in
home I knew I had to get back out in
home I knew I had to get back out in nature to heal and so I walked on
nature to heal and so I walked on
nature to heal and so I walked on beaches I snorkelled I hiked in
beaches I snorkelled I hiked in
beaches I snorkelled I hiked in mountains and in forests and it was
mountains and in forests and it was
mountains and in forests and it was there in nature that I was able to
there in nature that I was able to
there in nature that I was able to confront what I’d seen how I felt about
confront what I’d seen how I felt about
confront what I’d seen how I felt about it and how I was going to use it to move
it and how I was going to use it to move
it and how I was going to use it to move forward
forward
forward nature was my source of resilience how I
nature was my source of resilience how I
nature was my source of resilience how I recovered now every one of you has a
recovered now every one of you has a
recovered now every one of you has a place in nature that you like to go and
place in nature that you like to go and
place in nature that you like to go and I’d like you now to mentally go there
I’d like you now to mentally go there
I’d like you now to mentally go there for just a minute close your eyes
for just a minute close your eyes
for just a minute close your eyes experience being there and now come back
experience being there and now come back
experience being there and now come back to me how do you feel that experience is
to me how do you feel that experience is
to me how do you feel that experience is your personal resilience courtesy of
your personal resilience courtesy of
your personal resilience courtesy of nature and it’s always there for you but
nature and it’s always there for you but
nature and it’s always there for you but now I want to take that experience and
now I want to take that experience and
now I want to take that experience and raise it up a notch and bring it into a
raise it up a notch and bring it into a
raise it up a notch and bring it into a much broader round I want to take you
much broader round I want to take you
much broader round I want to take you where that journey took me and show you
where that journey took me and show you
where that journey took me and show you how you can purposely use nature to
how you can purposely use nature to
how you can purposely use nature to build community resilience few years
build community resilience few years
build community resilience few years after that plane crash the Indian
after that plane crash the Indian
after that plane crash the Indian tsunami roared ashore and devastated
tsunami roared ashore and devastated
tsunami roared ashore and devastated parts of Southeast Asia
parts of Southeast Asia
parts of Southeast Asia those receding waves dragged debris from
those receding waves dragged debris from
those receding waves dragged debris from land back into the ocean onto the seabed
land back into the ocean onto the seabed
land back into the ocean onto the seabed and marine habitats and I went back to
and marine habitats and I went back to
and marine habitats and I went back to that region as a volunteer scientist
that region as a volunteer scientist
that region as a volunteer scientist working with many amazing other
working with many amazing other
working with many amazing other scientists with scuba divers from Patti
scientists with scuba divers from Patti
scientists with scuba divers from Patti from Project Aware and local groups and
from Project Aware and local groups and
from Project Aware and local groups and we were removing debris from the reefs
we were removing debris from the reefs
we were removing debris from the reefs and restoring ecosystems everywhere I
and restoring ecosystems everywhere I
and restoring ecosystems everywhere I worked
worked
worked from Sri Lanka to the Maldives to the
from Sri Lanka to the Maldives to the
from Sri Lanka to the Maldives to the coast of Thailand I saw the same pattern
coast of Thailand I saw the same pattern
coast of Thailand I saw the same pattern repeat those communities that had
repeat those communities that had
repeat those communities that had protected their natural resources fared
protected their natural resources fared
protected their natural resources fared better and were recovering faster how so
better and were recovering faster how so
better and were recovering faster how so well along many coast the Barrier Reef
well along many coast the Barrier Reef
well along many coast the Barrier Reef broke the force of the waves so this the
broke the force of the waves so this the
broke the force of the waves so this the sea came in slower and not as far
sea came in slower and not as far
sea came in slower and not as far coastal marshes did much the same but it
coastal marshes did much the same but it
coastal marshes did much the same but it wasn’t only the physical presence of
wasn’t only the physical presence of
wasn’t only the physical presence of those ecosystems that made a difference
those ecosystems that made a difference
those ecosystems that made a difference in the aftermath of the tsunami healthy
in the aftermath of the tsunami healthy
in the aftermath of the tsunami healthy reefs were a source of fish and
reefs were a source of fish and
reefs were a source of fish and fisheries adjacent forests were a source
fisheries adjacent forests were a source
fisheries adjacent forests were a source of fuel for cooking and wood for shelter
of fuel for cooking and wood for shelter
of fuel for cooking and wood for shelter and it was these ecosystems that
and it was these ecosystems that
and it was these ecosystems that provided the resilience for communities
provided the resilience for communities
provided the resilience for communities to recover now we don’t all experience
to recover now we don’t all experience
to recover now we don’t all experience tsunamis or hurricanes or plane crashes
tsunamis or hurricanes or plane crashes
tsunamis or hurricanes or plane crashes fortunately but every single one of us
fortunately but every single one of us
fortunately but every single one of us is experiencing the effects of a rapidly
is experiencing the effects of a rapidly
is experiencing the effects of a rapidly changing climate today and for many that
changing climate today and for many that
changing climate today and for many that experience is overwhelming it’s
experience is overwhelming it’s
experience is overwhelming it’s traumatic and it’s confusing carbon
traumatic and it’s confusing carbon
traumatic and it’s confusing carbon dioxide levels already above 400 parts
dioxide levels already above 400 parts
dioxide levels already above 400 parts per million for cities like Miami
per million for cities like Miami
per million for cities like Miami flooding is the new normal our planet is
flooding is the new normal our planet is
flooding is the new normal our planet is on track for global average temperatures
on track for global average temperatures
on track for global average temperatures to rise above 2 degrees C and we are
to rise above 2 degrees C and we are
to rise above 2 degrees C and we are literally watching entire island nations
literally watching entire island nations
literally watching entire island nations disappear before our very eyes how can
disappear before our very eyes how can
disappear before our very eyes how can we not feel powerless what can we do
we not feel powerless what can we do
we not feel powerless what can we do well plenty as it turns out first of all
well plenty as it turns out first of all
well plenty as it turns out first of all realize we’re not alone in this we have
realize we’re not alone in this we have
realize we’re not alone in this we have an ally nature is our ally by aligning
an ally nature is our ally by aligning
an ally nature is our ally by aligning our actions with nature we can better
our actions with nature we can better
our actions with nature we can better navigate these unprecedented changes
navigate these unprecedented changes
navigate these unprecedented changes that we’re facing
that we’re facing
that we’re facing how by maintaining our coastal reefs and
how by maintaining our coastal reefs and
how by maintaining our coastal reefs and our oyster reefs these reefs protect us
our oyster reefs these reefs protect us
our oyster reefs these reefs protect us against sea-level rise a living coral
against sea-level rise a living coral
against sea-level rise a living coral absorbs between 80 and 90% of a waves
absorbs between 80 and 90% of a waves
absorbs between 80 and 90% of a waves energy reducing flooding
energy reducing flooding
energy reducing flooding a dead reef simply collapses and the
a dead reef simply collapses and the
a dead reef simply collapses and the water flows in unimpeded in the valleys
water flows in unimpeded in the valleys
water flows in unimpeded in the valleys of Idaho forest or key to flood
of Idaho forest or key to flood
of Idaho forest or key to flood protection they bind the soil and they
protection they bind the soil and they
protection they bind the soil and they absorb water with deforestation or
absorb water with deforestation or
absorb water with deforestation or forest fires that kill trees we do not
forest fires that kill trees we do not
forest fires that kill trees we do not have these services and our communities
have these services and our communities
have these services and our communities are vulnerable to flooding and to
are vulnerable to flooding and to
are vulnerable to flooding and to landslides as well as the economic
landslides as well as the economic
landslides as well as the economic effects that go with it
effects that go with it
effects that go with it protective forests counteract these
protective forests counteract these
protective forests counteract these effects so nature is our ally we can
effects so nature is our ally we can
effects so nature is our ally we can rely on nature but think and act locally
rely on nature but think and act locally
rely on nature but think and act locally every one of us lives on an ecosystem
every one of us lives on an ecosystem
every one of us lives on an ecosystem whether you’re in the mountains whether
whether you’re in the mountains whether
whether you’re in the mountains whether you’re in the coast or whether you’re in
you’re in the coast or whether you’re in
you’re in the coast or whether you’re in a city we construct our communities our
a city we construct our communities our
a city we construct our communities our nature our local ecosystems provide us
nature our local ecosystems provide us
nature our local ecosystems provide us with valuable services whether it’s
with valuable services whether it’s
with valuable services whether it’s clean water or fisheries or fuel those
clean water or fisheries or fuel those
clean water or fisheries or fuel those services strengthen our resilience
services strengthen our resilience
services strengthen our resilience particularly during times of change they
particularly during times of change they
particularly during times of change they always have it’s why we settled our
always have it’s why we settled our
always have it’s why we settled our communities in these places in the first
communities in these places in the first
communities in these places in the first time there are three actions we can take
time there are three actions we can take
time there are three actions we can take today all of us first get acquainted
today all of us first get acquainted
today all of us first get acquainted with your local ecosystem how does it
with your local ecosystem how does it
with your local ecosystem how does it work how does it function what services
work how does it function what services
work how does it function what services does it provide you fishing industry
does it provide you fishing industry
does it provide you fishing industry food clean water secondly how healthy is
food clean water secondly how healthy is
food clean water secondly how healthy is your local ecosystem today is it robust
your local ecosystem today is it robust
your local ecosystem today is it robust enough to provide you with those
enough to provide you with those
enough to provide you with those services you’ve identified or is it
services you’ve identified or is it
services you’ve identified or is it degraded and diminished and not able to
degraded and diminished and not able to
degraded and diminished and not able to do so thirdly take action what specific
do so thirdly take action what specific
do so thirdly take action what specific action can your community do today to
action can your community do today to
action can your community do today to better use nature to give you those
better use nature to give you those
better use nature to give you those services now it may be as
services now it may be as
services now it may be as straightforward as restoring a wetland
straightforward as restoring a wetland
straightforward as restoring a wetland for flood protection but more likely
for flood protection but more likely
for flood protection but more likely it’s a little more sophisticated today
it’s a little more sophisticated today
it’s a little more sophisticated today and may involve blending ecosystems with
and may involve blending ecosystems with
and may involve blending ecosystems with traditional engineering work this is
traditional engineering work this is
traditional engineering work this is called green and gray infrastructure and
called green and gray infrastructure and
called green and gray infrastructure and that approach is going to be
that approach is going to be
that approach is going to be particularly important for cities
particularly important for cities
particularly important for cities we’re half of us live today and we’re
we’re half of us live today and we’re
we’re half of us live today and we’re two-thirds of us are going to live by
two-thirds of us are going to live by
two-thirds of us are going to live by 2050 how do we do that in these built-up
2050 how do we do that in these built-up
2050 how do we do that in these built-up areas we look first at the landscape
areas we look first at the landscape
areas we look first at the landscape beneath our feet and then we put our
beneath our feet and then we put our
beneath our feet and then we put our houses our services our construction our
houses our services our construction our
houses our services our construction our community on that landscape in a way
community on that landscape in a way
community on that landscape in a way that works with nature and not against
that works with nature and not against
that works with nature and not against her the tragedy of the flooding in
her the tragedy of the flooding in
her the tragedy of the flooding in Houston caused by Hurricane Harvey was
Houston caused by Hurricane Harvey was
Houston caused by Hurricane Harvey was exacerbated by us paving over nature to
exacerbated by us paving over nature to
exacerbated by us paving over nature to such an extent that she could offer us
such an extent that she could offer us
such an extent that she could offer us no protection or no value whatsoever
no protection or no value whatsoever
no protection or no value whatsoever cities like Houston Miami and all of us
cities like Houston Miami and all of us
cities like Houston Miami and all of us in our communities have the unique
in our communities have the unique
in our communities have the unique opportunity today to better use nature
opportunity today to better use nature
opportunity today to better use nature to help us build our resilience through
to help us build our resilience through
to help us build our resilience through this time of unprecedented change the
this time of unprecedented change the
this time of unprecedented change the message is simple nature is our ally
message is simple nature is our ally
message is simple nature is our ally protect nature nature protects us thank
protect nature nature protects us thank
protect nature nature protects us thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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