Just in time to celebrate World Oceans Day, let’s dive into this fan favorite: Are plastic straws really that bad? Why is the sea salty? How do currents work? Do you have to be a marine biologist to help save the ocean? (Spoiler: No!) In a conversation with ocean and policy expert Dr. Ayana Johnson, Alie finds a balance between the wonders and the bummers. First, we learn weird ocean trivia, why we love the sea, and facts about the ocean's depths and beauty. Then, we get to the sad stuff: ocean health, climate change, acidification, pollution, policy and what we can all do.

If you've been feeling helpless, this episode gives you all the tools you need to understand and help our friend, the World Ocean.

Dr. Johnson's website, Bluesky and Instagram

Buy her book All We Can Save

Check out her podcast How to Save a Planet

A donation went to UrbanOceanLab.org

Full-length (*not* G-rated) Oceanology episode + tons of science links

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Sound editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Steven Ray Morris

Smologies theme song by Harold Malcolm