A Green Hero Defending a Blue Planet
By Avery Neil, EarthScope Reporter


The buzz of the city’s excitement was unequalled to that which that was churning inside me as I rode the elevator up to the Center of Biological Diversity. On Wednesday July 10th, the Earthscope internship group booked three interviews with staff attorneys that, in my eyes, would be more accurately named as heroes.
These meetings were conducted as an utility to both help us improve our interviewing skills and as way to learn directly about the issues we will be addressing in our radio broadcasts.
I interviewed a woman Emily Jeffers who is a staff attorney in the ocean program at the center. She attended Berkeley Law School after working as a scientist for several years.
“When I went to college I went to become a scientist.. After a while I decided the things I really cared about needed advocates and you that you can only do so much as a scientist. So, I decided to go to law school.”
Despite the direction the questions were pointed, Jeffers consistently funneled the information away from herself and towards the environment. Her selflessness was evident and it was apparent where her priorities laid: first the environment, then herself.
She spoke with knowledgeable compassion, clearly explaining the repercussions of ocean acidification in basic terms.
“Ocean acidification is called global warming's evil twin. It is an evil twin that not many people know about,” Jeffers said.
Ocean acidification is an ongoing decrease of the pH in the ocean that is caused by chemical reactions when carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater. The decrease of pH has resulted in destruction of coral reefs, shellfish, and has caused increased plastic toxicity that has climbed its way through the food web.
“We’re just beginning to understand the magnitude of ocean acidification and how much this is going to impact the ecosystems,” said Jeffers. “Can you imagine there being no coral reefs in the next 100 years? That is happening.”
Coral reefs provide ecosystems to millions of undersea organisms- many of which are not even discovered yet. With these habitats destroyed, existing organisms cannot survive vastly slashing the marine diversity.
“Scientists say that corals can not survive with the pH of 7.8 and that is predicted within the next 50 to 100 years,” Jeffers said heavily.
When I fished for a solution to the cause, Jeffers shoved me away from focusing on the repairing aspect, and urged me too look at stunting the cause.
“The way we go about addressing the issues is we submit petitions to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), asking them to admit species under the Endangered Species Act. We ask the EPA to designate critical habitat for the species that are under the act giving species extra protection,” said Jeffers. “We also sue the government if they do not follow the environmental laws.”
As the time ticked away, I took in every aspect I could. The information she was providing, the office space and the feeling in the air. I couldn't help but recognize the irony that an environmental firm was perched twelve stories up in the heart of a city’s financial district. But I understand it.
I plan to go to law school and be in Jeffer’s shoes in the future. Although I have had an idea of what I wish to do, sitting there, talking to Jeffers really clinched my decision. One day the Earthscope interns will be coming to interview me. They will be coming to ask me how I am fighting the biggest battle this world has ever seen.