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Beneath the waves, in the darkness of the deep ocean, lies one of Earth's last pristine wilderness areas – a place we've barely begun to understand. Now, a high-stakes race is underway to mine valuable minerals from the seafloor, with profound implications for marine ecosystems and our planet's future.

Richard Charter from The Ocean Foundation takes us on an eye-opening journey into the complex world of deep sea mining. He expertly breaks down the three distinct types of extraction threatening different ocean ecosystems: hydrothermal vents with their unique energy-transforming life forms, mineral crusts that form along seamounts, and polymetallic nodules scattered across vast stretches of seafloor. These aren't just minerals – they're living habitats that took millions of years to evolve.

What's particularly alarming is the permanence of any damage we inflict. Charter reveals that test mining tracks created 26 years ago remain perfectly visible today, as if freshly made. "If it took millions of years to evolve these life forms in the sea," he warns, "then we know that for them to come back, first of all they may come back in a different form, and it may take millions of years. This is beyond human scale."

While mining companies frame their work as essential for the green energy transition, providing minerals for electric vehicle batteries and renewable infrastructure, Charter challenges this narrative. He points out that automotive technology is already evolving beyond these specific metals, and effective recycling programs could meet many of our needs without risking irreparable harm to ocean ecosystems. Meanwhile, the deep sea may harbor undiscovered solutions to humanity's greatest challenges, including potential cancer t

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Leigh Anne Lindsey, Producer Sea Storm Studios, The Sea Ranch, North Sonoma Coast

Scott & Tree Mercer, Co-hosts/Producers, Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study, Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts.

Planet Centric Media is Media for a Healthier Planet. Resilient Earth is a project of this 501 (c) (3) non-profit that is developing & producing media to elevate awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things.

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What do marine mammals tell us about the health of our oceans? The answer might surprise you—and it's more urgent than ever as climate change transforms our coastal environments.

Adam Ratner, Director of Conservation Engagement at The Marine Mammal Center, takes us behind the scenes of the world's largest marine mammal hospital as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. From rescuing seven marine mammals in 1975 to today's operation saving up to 1,000 animals annually, the Center has become a global leader in understanding how these magnificent creatures serve as sentinels for ocean health.

The conversation reveals concerning trends, including the discovery that 30% of rescued marine mammals experience human disturbance or harassment before rescue. Ratner explains the Center's recent response to 14 whale deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area in just weeks—many showing signs of malnutrition related to warming Arctic waters where gray whales feed. These deaths echo the 2019-2021 Unusual Mortality Event that saw gray whale populations drop by approximately 30%.

Yet amid these challenges, there are remarkable success stories. The Center's work with endangered Hawaiian monk seals has helped increase their population from about 1,000 to over 1,600, with approximately 30% of all living Hawaiian monk seals owing their lives to conservation interventions. Ratner also describes surprising opportunities for urban wildlife viewing, like harbor porpoises visible from the Golden Gate Bridge and humpback whales feeding within view of city skylines.

Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast, concerned about climate change, or simply curious about the ocean, this episode offers practical guidance on responsible wildlife viewing and ways anyon

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Thank you for listening, subscribing, & supporting Resilient Earth Radio!

Leigh Anne Lindsey, Producer Sea Storm Studios, The Sea Ranch, North Sonoma Coast

Scott & Tree Mercer, Co-hosts/Producers, Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study, Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts.

Planet Centric Media is Media for a Healthier Planet. Resilient Earth is a project of this 501 (c) (3) non-profit that is developing & producing media to elevate awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things.

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The battle for California's coast has erupted once more as offshore drilling returns to Santa Barbara and threatens to spread northward along the entire Pacific coastline. This alarming development follows Trump's late April executive order, which targets even our most protected ocean areas—National Marine Sanctuaries—for oil and gas exploration for the first time in history.

Richard Charter, Senior Fellow at the Ocean Foundation and veteran defender of our coastal ecosystems, explains that this aggressive push by the administration targets specific areas off Bodega Head, Sea Ranch, Gualala, Point Arena, and Mendocino Village. Unlike previous attempts to drill offshore, this one specifically targets marine sanctuaries—areas that took decades of scientific research and public advocacy to establish as protected zones.

The consequences of offshore drilling disasters are etched into California's history. From the infamous 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill to the 2015 Refugio disaster (where oil traveled 150 miles along the coast) and the 2021 Huntington Beach pipeline rupture, California has repeatedly suffered from industry negligence. These aren't just environmental catastrophes—they directly threaten coastal economies dependent on tourism, fishing, and recreation.

What's particularly disturbing is how the administration is dismantling protections from within. Many NOAA scientists have resigned rather than approve drilling permits in sanctuary waters. Safety regulations designed to prevent another Deepwater Horizon disaster are being removed. Even President Biden's January withdrawal of the Pacific coast from oil development—a legally binding protection that courts have upheld—is being simply ignored.

The public has until June 16th to comment on the proposed five-year offshore leasing program through SaveMyCoast.org. Charter reminds us that California's coast isn't just any coastline—it's a global model for marine protection, with carefully designed networks of protected areas studied by planners worldwide. The ecosystem here supports one of the planet's most productive upwelling systems, essential not just for marine life but for the oxygen we breathe.

As Peter Douglas, founder of California coastal protection, famously said: "The California coast is never saved, it's always in the process of being saved." Now is the time to continue that fight.

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Thank you for listening, subscribing, & supporting Resilient Earth Radio!

Leigh Anne Lindsey, Producer Sea Storm Studios, The Sea Ranch, North Sonoma Coast

Scott & Tree Mercer, Co-hosts/Producers, Mendonoma Whale & Seal Study, Mendocino and Sonoma Coasts.

Planet Centric Media is Media for a Healthier Planet. Resilient Earth is a project of this 501 (c) (3) non-profit that is developing & producing media to elevate awareness of the interconnectedness of all living things.

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We still have time to make a positive impact on the future of life on this planet.