Uniting ocean enthusiasts over a pint! Ocean Hoptimism is a monthly gathering of ocean conservation, science, exploration, art, recreation, policy, & beer enthusiasts in SF Bay Area. Pint-sized hope for a brighter ocean future! www.oceanhoptimism.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqzcrxmikk2jEvery movement needs witnesses. Before becoming one of America’s leading ocean advocates, David Helvarg reported from war zones, the AIDS epidemic, Antarctica, and the front lines of climate change. His career has been spent asking one question: what’s really happening to our world? 🌊🧵19 Jul 2026 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqzcrxmikk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqxss7fkt22wOh, hey… did we mention our homeport, Faction Brewing, is the official beer of this weekend’s Mosswood Meltdown in Oakland? 🍻 Grab a Punk Flamingo, their John Waters tribute beer, while it lasts. Available only until it’s sold out. We fully support pairing great punk with great beer. 🤘🦩19 Jul 2026 03:14 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqxss7fkt22whttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqxk7bspes2rJoin us, Thursday, July 23. Free and open to all. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blue-forests-growing-hope-for-kelp-along-our-coasts-tickets-1993214683775?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&sg=5bd37592d8aa3d650216012c1378b6d8c1e3bd5094a585afaf8dad2efbf4d7b475f51cbf4521802f6a43259bf312d5e061c9f5c97500c91b6e6912853809101f14947dd9248a3d5991f01bae272619 Jul 2026 00:40 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqxk7bspes2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqx5p3kwm22rIn just 13 months, Ocean Hoptimism has explored resilient coral, SF Bay defenders, Steinbeck & Ricketts’ legacy, rafting iguanas, beach art, marine mammal rescues, oyster reefs, wild ocean swimmers, kelp restoration, sustainable seafood, and trans-inclusive diving. All with ways to get involved. 🌊18 Jul 2026 20:57 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqx5p3kwm22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqwyhgljfc2uSequoias of the Sea, directed and produced by Natasha Benjamin and Ana Blanco, is a breathtaking documentary celebrating the beauty, loss, and recovery of kelp forests. Meet co-director Natasha Benjamin on July 23 for a behind-the-scenes conversation on the film and hope for our blue forests. 🌿🎥18 Jul 2026 19:23 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqwyhgljfc2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqutoko7ts23Another Friday news dump. Another attack on science and endangered species. Another gift to industries that profit from destroying the places wildlife needs to survive. You can’t protect endangered species while legalizing the destruction of their homes. Habitat is survival. https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/about-us/about-the-aquarium/newsroom/press-releases/monterey-bay-aquarium-denounces-trump-vance-administration-weakening-the-endangered-species-act17 Jul 2026 22:52 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqutoko7ts23https://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqubr62clk2uTwo extraordinary storytellers. A global story of kelp forests. Endless reasons for hope. Join filmmaker Natasha Benjamin and Blue Frontier founder David Helvarg on July 23 at Ocean Hoptimism. 🌿💙 www.oceanhoptimism.org/save-the-date17 Jul 2026 17:31 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqubr62clk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqrtgg7mw22aNobody set out to build an organization. We simply kept making room for people to gather, learn, laugh, connect, and leave a little more hopeful than they arrived. That community built something bigger than any one evening. And today, thanks to you, Ocean Hoptimism is now officially a nonprofit. 🌊16 Jul 2026 18:09 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrtgg7mw22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqrm7qnm7k2zOn July 23, join legendary ocean advocate David Helvarg as he shares insights from his new book Forest of the Sea—a global look at kelp forests, why they matter, and how we can help protect them. Signed copies available for purchase after the talk. 🌿📖 www.oceanhoptimism.org/save-the-date16 Jul 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrm7qnm7k2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqrjw3cq722dYou can confront reality and have the courage to act on evidence, or you can rewrite the rules until reality matches your delusions. Laws can silence scientists, defund research, and erase words. They can’t negotiate with physics, chemistry, biology, or the climate. https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/top-us-science-body-readies-172341056.html16 Jul 2026 15:19 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqrjw3cq722dhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqpdvdljws2iThe ocean has lost one of its great champions. Coral reef scientist and fish taxonomist Kent Carpenter advanced our understanding of marine biodiversity and inspired generations of researchers, following in the footsteps of his mentor Jack Randall. May he find justice. Fair winds, Kent. https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/philippine-police-are-investigating-the-killing-22344384.php15 Jul 2026 18:26 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpdvdljws2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqpd7rvnmc2iIf people protect what they feel connected to, then unequal access to the coast is more than an equity issue—it's a conservation issue. This new research shows that communities historically excluded from the coast also miss many of the ocean's greatest contributions to human wellbeing. [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jul 2026 18:14 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpd7rvnmc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqp4hgzyw22cThe future of California’s kelp forests won’t be written by scientists alone—it needs all of us. In just 8 days, join filmmaker Natasha Benjamin and author David Helvarg for an evening of conservation, recovery, community, and hope. 🌿💙15 Jul 2026 16:13 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqp4hgzyw22chttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqngcdrdx22xBeing ruled by morons is exhausting. https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5966065-map-cases-of-explosive-diarrhea-illness-continue-to-climb/amp/15 Jul 2026 00:04 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqngcdrdx22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqmqmjg5vc2xLaFawnduh was the best thing that ever happened to Kip. A kelp forest is the best thing that ever happened to us. We're 100% positive it's our soul mate. Find out for yourselves on July 23 when we welcome filmmaker Natasha Benjamin & author David Helvarg for a conversation about Blue Forests.14 Jul 2026 17:36 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqmqmjg5vc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqkqgnuros2kConservation didn’t just adopt business tools—it too often absorbed corporate culture. ROI, optimization, KPIs, and outcomes became the measure of worth, while relationships, curiosity, mentorship, and joy were sidelined. Conservation isn’t just about what gets saved. It’s also about who stays. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Jul 2026 22:27 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqkqgnuros2khttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqhsnqtcjk22Politics, funding, and institutional inertia aren't trivial—they shape nearly every conservation outcome. But sometimes it helps to set them aside and ask a simpler question: What would it actually take to save the world's coral reefs? Here are five priorities. https://www.oceanhoptimism.org/post/first-principles12 Jul 2026 18:29 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqhsnqtcjk22https://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqflb37dnc22The Pacific off California just had its warmest June in 177 years. That’s more than a record—it could mean added stress for kelp forests, recovering sea stars, salmon, seabirds, marine mammals, and fisheries, while influencing the storms and weather arriving this fall and winter. 🌊🌡️ https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/noaa-warm-pacific-ocean-22339564.php11 Jul 2026 21:11 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqflb37dnc22https://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqfchcq4kc2fStand with the Moana. 🌊 On July 16–17, Pacific communities and allies around the world will gather at their special ocean places in solidarity against deep-sea mining. Join this growing wave to honor, protect, and stand with the ocean. Register your participation today. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScytyd-QHg3bySTO-lfaMFIkzR4qz-DUwXvZeN3l1RYjtCsGQ/viewform11 Jul 2026 18:34 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqfchcq4kc2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqf7lq6tis2tDon’t miss an unforgettable evening with two outstanding kelp forest storytellers. Award-winning filmmaker Natasha Benjamin and Blue Frontier founder and author David Helvarg will share stories of loss, resilience, and recovery—and why there’s real hope for kelp along our coasts. 🌿🌊11 Jul 2026 17:42 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqf7lq6tis2thttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqexh3oc2c2g“Open to Work” has acquired an entirely new meaning. https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/linkedin-dating-app-22340622.php11 Jul 2026 15:17 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqexh3oc2c2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqdaifrwf22tThe Trump administration buried this on a Friday: it just weakened Endangered Species Act protections by stripping habitat destruction from the definition of “harm.” Habitat is survival. Call your representatives. Light up the switchboards. Wildlife can’t lobby for itself. https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/department-interior-restores-clear-esa-enforcement-rescinding-misguided-harm10 Jul 2026 22:53 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqdaifrwf22thttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqd4fx53mc2kPorcula sounds sus… but that’s exactly the point. 😆 The pygmy hog (Porcula salvania) nearly got lumped into the Sus genus with other pigs. Genome analyses vindicated the original classification: Porcula is its own distinct genus. Long live the little lineage that could! 🐗🧬 [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jul 2026 21:40 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqd4fx53mc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqcycidpqs2kReplacing independent scientific expertise with political loyalty isn’t innovation—it’s a dangerous old experiment. History has repeatedly shown what happens when ideology overrides evidence: bad decisions, preventable suffering and deaths. We’ve run this experiment before. It didn’t end well. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jul 2026 20:27 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqcycidpqs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqcwul62as2kTwo powerful voices. One unforgettable evening. Join award-winning filmmaker Natasha Benjamin & pioneering ocean advocate David Helvarg on July 23 for stories, insights, & hope from the front lines of kelp forest recovery. Don’t miss this Ocean Hoptimism event. 🌿 www.oceanhoptimism.org/save-the-date10 Jul 2026 20:01 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqcwul62as2khttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqa5rcvurc27Even more reason to join us July 23! Alongside Natasha Benjamin’s film and David Helvarg’s new book, Reef Check will be on hand with the latest on California’s kelp forests—and ways to roll up your sleeves and get involved. Hope starts with showing up. 🌿🌊 Read more: https://www.reefcheck.org/kelp-forest-program/09 Jul 2026 17:27 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqa5rcvurc27https://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mqa3lsef7s2fJohn McPhee called alewife and shad America’s “founding fish” because their annual migrations fed Indigenous communities, fueled colonial settlements, and nourished entire river ecosystems. Now, dam removals in Maine are bringing them back. Sometimes restoration really is this tangible. 🐟🌊 https://insideclimatenews.org/news/06072026/maine-dam-removal-efforts-lead-to-fish-comeback/?emci=9500c3ca-e87a-f111-b337-000d3a1558ce&emdi=3a0e8fe0-a67b-f111-b337-000d3a1558ce&ceid=24227709 Jul 2026 16:48 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqa3lsef7s2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/oceanhoptimism.org/post/3mq7zjlmqe22fConservation isn’t just protecting what’s left. It’s actively sustaining, restoring, and recovering nature while supporting healthy relationships between people and the living world. Encouraging to see conservation leaders articulate a definition fit for today’s challenges. https://scbnorthamerica.org/index.php/scbnas-definition-of-conservation/09 Jul 2026 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:dlxtgefigsdyd4gluph6udwv/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7zjlmqe22f