Show Notes
There’s a crisis unfolding at the U.S.-Mexico border that’s polluting beaches, harming marine life, and putting communities at risk…and it’s been happening for decades. In this episode, we chat with Patrick McDonough, an attorney from San Diego Coastkeeper, to break down the transboundary pollution crisis in Tijuana and Imperial Beach.
Millions of gallons of untreated sewage and toxic runoff are flowing from Tijuana into Southern California’s waterways, closing beaches, threatening public health, and devastating ecosystems. It’s a massive, complicated issue, but we’re unpacking it in a way that makes sense so you can walk away with a clear understanding of what’s going on, why it matters, and what’s being done to fix it.
We also dive into how Coastkeeper and other organizations are fighting back through litigation, pushing governing bodies to take real action and be held accountable. If you care about clean water, healthy oceans, and the communities that depend on them, this is an issue you need to know about.
🌊 Connect with San Diego Coastkeeper: @sd_coastkeeper
More from Ocean Stories
What if the best conditioner you’ve ever used also happened to be plastic free? In this episode, we talk with Kate and Jonathan Assaraf, the minds behind Dip– “an environmental awareness company parading around as a damn good personal care company.”
What happens when you follow your curiosity, trust the signs, and take the leap into something bigger than yourself? In this episode, I sit down with Brooke Buckman, the founder of a streetwear brand that doesn’t just look good…it does good, actively fighting ocean plastic with every purchase. Planet Deep Blue aims to be more than just clothing, from pulling plastic pollution out of the ocean to raising awareness about sustainability in the fashion industry.
Fast fashion is fueling ocean pollution. Are we even talking about that? Every time we wash synthetic fabrics tiny microplastic fibers shed into our waterways, harming marine life and ending up in our food. Add in the constant cycle of overconsumption, and it’s clear: the fashion industry is wreaking havoc on the planet. Why is fast fashion so hard to resist? What can we actually do about it?
Welcome back! I wish it was under better circumstances. If you feel super in the dark on what’s going on with NOAA and the federal government, this is a very basic overview that I hope sheds some light. What is NOAA, and what does it actually even do? How are the layoffs at the National Park Service & NOAA potentially going to impact our daily lives? What does he mean, “drill baby drill”!?!? These are the topics we’re talking about today. Let me know what you think and what I missed.
I always wondered what it takes to become someone that works with sharks for a living. Kaitlyn McQueeney walks us through her career journey, from studying marine biology to getting on boats and to finally becoming the wildlife guide and shark conservationist that she is today. We chat about what it’s like being responsible for the safety of others in the ocean with sharks around, and the most common misconceptions about the animals. If you've ever wondered how people get into the field of dive tourism, you'll like this episode!