Our monthly Dinner For a Cause event not only brings people together to enjoy a delicious plant-based meal, it raises funds for community-focused charities and organizations championing causes near and dear to PMK’s heart.
In June 2017, we featured the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization, serving smoky split pea soup, open-faced sloppy joes, and strawberry shortcake for dessert! SSCS Founder Captain Paul Watson spoke to event participants via Skype all the way from New York City.
SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY
WHY SSCS?
Both the SSCS and PMK equally believe that animals belong in their natural habitat, unharmed and free to live with dignity. Plant Matter Kitchen fully supports SSCS’s work. Founded in 1977, SSCS is a 40 year old organization that works tirelessly to “end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.”
SSCS LONDON, ONTARIO
In May 2017, the Sea Shepherd London Ontario branch was formed as the fourth chapter in Canada. The group celebrated their inaugural event for this chapter. Their website describes the work of this chapter and other chapters:
Sea Shepherd uses innovative direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas. By safeguarding the biodiversity of our delicately balanced ocean ecosystems, Sea Shepherd works to ensure their survival for future generations.
CLICK HERE to follow SSCA London Ontario on Facebook today!
PAUL’S INSIGHTS
What began as a small organization is now an international movement.
During our event on June 4, Paul shared some incredible insight into the work he and 165 volunteers from 25 different countries on 12 active ships worldwide are doing to protect the global seas:
- SSCS gathers evidence that is used to influence the arrest of poachers.
- This year alone, SSCS has pulled 300 nets out of the ocean.
- SSCS has been operating in Ecuador on the Galápagos Islands for 18 years.
- SSCS’s current “Operation Milagro IV” campaign is working to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise.
- Stella McCartney is going to make a line of products out of the nets that SSCS has confiscated from the Sea of Cortez.
- The Martin Schene vessel, which is currently working on the coast of Mexico doing research on microplastic and whales, will continue its work researching the connections between salmon farms and the transmission of viruses and parasites to wild salmon populations along the coast of British Columbia.
- SSCS is working in partnership with “Parley For The Oceans” to stop use of plastics and removing plastic from the ocean.
- SSCS is working to oppose sonic pollution in the ocean and participates in beach clean-ups around the world.
- Because of SSCS’s intervention, 7,000 whales are alive and swimming in the Southern Ocean.
CLICK HERE to listen to Paul’s full talk and learn more about SSCS’s work.
WAVES OF CHANGE
In his research, Paul has found that successful social revolutions are carried out once support has been garnered by 7% of the population.
Be a part of that 7% and help change the way our seas are being treated, protected, and cared for, for generations of species and humans to come. Be part of the SSCS movement! Join Paul and his worldwide team of environmental defenders, on a mission to:
“… inspire people who come to us as volunteers to come out and follow their passion in other ways. So, the real strength of any movement has to lie in diversity, just like the strength of any ecosystem is in diversity. So, what people do is just go out and follow their particular passion. If everybody went out and said I really care about this particular species or this particular habitat, then devoted themselves to that, that could make all the difference in the world. I can’t think of anything more noble than because you lived, that a species has survived.”
Captain Paul Watson, Dinner For a Cause, Environmental Movement, Galápagos Islands, Operation Milagro III, Sea of Cortez, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Sea Shepherd London Ontario, Social Movement, Social Revolution, SSCS
