Meet Christine Figgener, a marine biologist who sparked a global movement against single-use plastic when her YouTube video of a turtle having a straw removed from its nose went viral in 2015.  

In this conversation, Christine shares her journey from growing up in an industrial town in Germany to running conservation programs in Costa Rica, where she first fell in love with leatherback turtles over 17 years ago. Reflecting on the eight years since her video “accidentally” fuelled a global debate over ocean pollution, Christine talks us through transition from scientist to storyteller and activist, and what it takes to save a species on the brink of extinction and in the face of climate change.   

Find Out More:

 Website:  https://www.seaturtlebiologist.com/

Instagram: @seaturtlebiologist

"My Life with Sea Turtles : A Marine Biologist's Quest to Protect One of the Most Ancient Animals on Earth" will be released on May 21, 2024 by Greystone Books

This episode of Hope Is A Verb was hosted by Angus Hervey, cofounder of Future Crunch and Amy Davoren-Rose, creative director. 

The soundtrack for this podcast is "Rain" composed and performed by ⁠⁠El Rey Miel ⁠⁠from their upcoming album "Sea the Sky."

Audio Sweetening by Anthony Badolato- ⁠⁠Ai3 Audio and Voice⁠⁠.

We would like to acknowledge that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri and Woi Warring People. These conversations are inspired by our charity partners and our Humankind Project that celebrates the people who are stitching our world back together.

You can contact us at: [email protected]

Transcripts will be available on our website soon.