Digest for 12/5/2025

Corals in the Caribbean have been dying off at an alarming rate. Yet Kristen Marhaver gives us a few reasons why she is not ready to give up hope for their future.

Legendary ocean researcher Sylvia Earle shares astonishing images of the ocean -- and shocking stats about its dire fate -- as she makes her TED Prize wish: that we will join her in protecting the vital blue heart of the planet.

What if we could save the fishing industry and protect the ocean at the same time? Marine ecologist Enric Sala shares his bold plan to safeguard the high seas -- some of the last wild places on earth, which fall outside the jurisdiction of any single country -- by creating a giant marine reserve that covers a third of the ocean.

What's the key to using alternative energy, like solar and wind? Storage -- so we can have power on tap even when the sun's not out and the wind's not blowing. In this accessible talk, Donald Sadoway takes to the blackboard to show us the future of large-scale batteries.

Boyan Slat shares his bold plan to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch using innovative technology to harness ocean currents.

David MacKay provides a numerical perspective on the feasibility of renewable energy sources to power nations, discussing land requirements and practical solutions.

Allan Savory has devoted his life to stopping desertification. He now believes -- and his work so far shows -- that a surprising factor can protect grasslands and even reclaim degraded land that was once desert.

David Katz explains how turning plastic waste into currency can incentivize collection and reduce ocean pollution.

Less than 10% of plastic trash is recycled -- compared to almost 90% of metals -- because of the massively complicated problem of finding and sorting the different kinds. Mike Biddle has developed a cheap and incredibly energy efficient plant that can, and does, recycle any kind of plastic.