Thursdays, 4:30–5:30 pm
6 January–10 March 2011
School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences
102 Fishery Sciences (auditorium)
1122 NE Boat Street (map)
University of Washington
Reception follows each talk
For more information, contact:
Trevor Branch, 206-221-0776
tbranch@u.washington.edu
courses.washington.edu/susfish
Funding for the Series is generously
provided by Tanya Bevan, friends of Don
Bevan, the UW School of Aquatic and
Fishery Sciences, and NOAA's Alaska
Fisheries Science Center and
Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
Ocean Acidification: Effects on Fisheries and Oceans
3 Mar
Sven Huseby & Barbara Ettinger
Producer & Director, "A Sea Change"
Science, Media and Messaging
Abstract
We will be discussing how we came to make our film, "A Sea Change" and how it became a vehicle that contributed to ocean acidification awareness. It will include a description of what we, the filmmakers learned about new ways of doing outreach. Our success is seen in the fact that the film has now been screened in 33 countries and is available in 8 languages.
Imagine a world without fish
It’s a frightening premise, and it’s happening right now. A Sea Change follows the journey of retired history teacher Sven Huseby on his quest to discover what is happening to the world’s oceans. After reading Elizabeth Kolbert’s “The Darkening Sea,” Sven becomes obsessed with the rising acidity of the oceans and what this “sea change” bodes for mankind. His quest takes him to Alaska, California, Washington, and Norway as he uncovers a worldwide crisis that most people are unaware of. Speaking with oceanographers, marine biologists, climatologists, and artists, Sven discovers that global warming is only half the story of the environmental catastrophe that awaits us. Excess carbon dioxide is dissolving in our oceans, changing sea water chemistry. The more acidic water makes it difficult for tiny creatures at the bottom of the food web to form their shells. The effects could work their way up to the fish 1 billion people depend upon for their source of protein.
Bio
Sven Huseby co-produced Two Square Miles and serves on the board of several environmental organizations; he is a retired independent school head who worked as a teacher and administrator at The Putney School for 30 years. He remains involved with non-profits to build organizational capacity and to plan for the long term. He has a B.A. in history from Yale. When not engaged in film work Sven can also be seen riding his bicycle around Columbia County, NY, and walking the dogs with his wife, Barbara.
Barbara Ettinger is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work includes Martha and Ethel, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995 and was distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, Two Square Miles, which was broadcast on PBS and chronicles a grassroots battle against the incursions of a multinational cement plant, and most recently, A Sea Change. This film tackles the immense and under-reported environmental issue of ocean acidification, which threatens the very survival of our ocean ecosystems. The story is told through the moving tale of a grandfather, Sven Huseby, his grandson Elias, and Sven’s round-the-world quest to learn what must be done to preserve the oceans for future generations. A Sea Change was broadcast on Discovery’s Planet Green channel and has enjoyed a wide release through screenings organized by community groups, non-profits and educational institutions worldwide. When not busy at work making films Barbara might be found on the tennis courts, behind her still camera or out walking with her two dogs and her husband Sven.