TEDxBerkeley
David Lang: Let's protect the oceans like national parks
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You don't have to be a scientist to help protect the world's oceans, says underwater drone expert and TED Fellow David Lang -- in fact, ordinary citizens have pulled together to save the planet's natural treasures many times in history. Lang asks us to take a lesson from the story of the US National Parks Service, offering a three-point plan for conserving underwater wonders.
David Lang - Maker
David Lang is a maker and the co-founder of OpenROV, a community of ocean lovers who build underwater robots. Full bio
David Lang is a maker and the co-founder of OpenROV, a community of ocean lovers who build underwater robots. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So, of all my childhood memories,
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there is one that stands above the rest.
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And that is the time that my brave parents
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rented an RV, packed it
with me and my brothers,
with me and my brothers,
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and drove west
from our house in Minneapolis,
from our house in Minneapolis,
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out to Yellowstone National Park.
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We saw all the sights, like the geysers,
we stopped at the Badlands,
we stopped at the Badlands,
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but more than any of the places,
I remember this as an adventure.
I remember this as an adventure.
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This was my introduction to the Wild West.
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But it wasn't until I got older
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and I learned more
about the National Park System
about the National Park System
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that I realized just how lucky I was.
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One, to have that experience,
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but also that, hundreds of years ago,
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people had the foresight
to set aside the very best places,
to set aside the very best places,
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the very best ecosystems
in the country, for everyone.
in the country, for everyone.
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And for future generations.
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And to really appreciate
just how prescient that idea was,
just how prescient that idea was,
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you have to go back
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and you have to look at the history
of the National Parks Service.
of the National Parks Service.
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So, a lot of people know, the first
national park was Yellowstone, in 1872.
national park was Yellowstone, in 1872.
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A lot of people think of John Muir,
the poet, naturalist,
the poet, naturalist,
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who was such a visionary
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in getting people inspired
by the idea of conservation --
by the idea of conservation --
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that we need to take
the best places and protect them.
the best places and protect them.
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He had an audience in very high places --
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there's a great story
of Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir
of Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir
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going hiking, in Yosemite,
during his presidency,
during his presidency,
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four days, completely off the grid,
just the two of them.
just the two of them.
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Can you imagine a president
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actually just going completely
off the grid for four days?
off the grid for four days?
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(Laughter)
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No tweeting.
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(Laughter) (Applause)
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Like that idea.
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(Applause)
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But he had a great impact
on Theodore Roosevelt.
on Theodore Roosevelt.
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And he created dozens of national parks,
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hundreds of thousands of square acres
of national wildlife refuges.
of national wildlife refuges.
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It was an important administration,
but it wasn't a done deal.
but it wasn't a done deal.
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Even less than 10 years
after he created all of those new places,
after he created all of those new places,
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the future of those places
was very much in doubt.
was very much in doubt.
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And it wasn't until this guy,
Stephen Mather,
Stephen Mather,
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a businessman from Chicago,
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wrote an angry letter
to the Department of the Interior, saying,
to the Department of the Interior, saying,
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"You guys aren't doing a good enough job
protecting and preserving these places."
protecting and preserving these places."
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Then, something was done about it.
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The Department of the Interior
wrote him back.
wrote him back.
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"Mr. Mather, if you care
so much about this,
so much about this,
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why don't you come to Washington
and do it yourself?"
and do it yourself?"
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(Laughter)
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And he did.
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He took a job at the Department
of the Interior,
of the Interior,
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but more importantly,
he started a campaign.
he started a campaign.
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He actually had a meeting
two blocks from here, in 1914,
two blocks from here, in 1914,
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in California Hall,
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and he brought together the park
superintendents and a few other people
superintendents and a few other people
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who cared about this idea of conservation.
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And they put together a plan,
they hatched a campaign
they hatched a campaign
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that eventually led to the
National Park Service in 1916.
National Park Service in 1916.
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And that's really important.
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Because it went from an idea
that we should protect these places
that we should protect these places
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to an actual plan,
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a way for people to enlist
and carry that idea forward
and carry that idea forward
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for future generations,
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so little kids like me can go
and have these amazing experiences.
and have these amazing experiences.
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That is the history
of the National Parks on land.
of the National Parks on land.
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The ocean, what I want
to talk to you about today,
to talk to you about today,
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is a completely different story.
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And we are almost precisely
100 years behind.
100 years behind.
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So, the first marine
sanctuary was in 1972,
sanctuary was in 1972,
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after the oil spill in Santa Barbara,
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people got interested
in taking that concept
in taking that concept
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and applying it
to underwater environments.
to underwater environments.
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We've had our own John Muir,
who's Dr. Sylvia Earle,
who's Dr. Sylvia Earle,
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who's been a tireless advocate
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for creating these marine
protected areas around the world.
protected areas around the world.
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So, I know there's a lot
of bad news about the ocean,
of bad news about the ocean,
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there's plastic pollution,
coral bleaching, over-fishing --
coral bleaching, over-fishing --
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it's hard to take it all in sometimes.
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But this idea of setting aside
places for nature is working.
places for nature is working.
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Science tells us that if you
set these places aside,
set these places aside,
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nature will come back
and we can keep the oceans healthy.
and we can keep the oceans healthy.
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So we know this idea works.
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And Dr. Sylvia Earl
has been influential, like John Muir,
has been influential, like John Muir,
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with administrations --
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George W. Bush and Obama
were both fantastic ocean presidents,
were both fantastic ocean presidents,
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creating marine protected areas
all around the country.
all around the country.
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This is not a conservative idea
or a liberal idea,
or a liberal idea,
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it's not even an American idea,
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it's just a good idea.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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But --
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(Applause)
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Here we are, a few years later.
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And now the administration is proposing
to roll back a lot of the progress
to roll back a lot of the progress
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we've made in the past 20 years.
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So, so, don't mourn -- organize.
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We need to do what
Stephen Mather did 100 years ago.
Stephen Mather did 100 years ago.
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We need to start a campaign
to get people engaged with this idea.
to get people engaged with this idea.
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And I think we need a league
of citizen scientists for the ocean.
of citizen scientists for the ocean.
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And I've seen glimpses of this future,
and I know that it's possible.
and I know that it's possible.
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My friend Erik and I started building
underwater robots,
underwater robots,
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these little swimming cameras
with lights that you can see underwater.
with lights that you can see underwater.
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We started building these
in his garage five years ago,
in his garage five years ago,
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and we've watched that grow
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into this community of thousands
of people around the world,
of people around the world,
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who believe that everybody
should have access to these places.
should have access to these places.
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We all deserve the tools
to go and explore.
to go and explore.
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There's stories like Laura James,
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who used her robot to find out that
sea stars in her area were dying.
sea stars in her area were dying.
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And she started this whole
citizen science campaign,
citizen science campaign,
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collected data and drove awareness
for sea-star wasting syndrome,
for sea-star wasting syndrome,
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to try and figure out
what was happening there.
what was happening there.
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There are stories of fishermen in Mexico,
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who used the robot to create
marine protected areas
marine protected areas
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where Nassau grouper were spawning,
to protect the future of this species.
to protect the future of this species.
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It's really amazing stuff.
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We found that if you give
people the tools,
people the tools,
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they'll do the right thing.
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But we need to take it a step further.
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And, actually, I think we can dust off
Stephen Mather's playbook.
Stephen Mather's playbook.
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So what did he do?
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So, the first thing that he did
was he focused on infrastructure.
was he focused on infrastructure.
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So 1914 wasn't just
a time for the parks,
a time for the parks,
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it was also a time for the automobile,
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the Model T was rolling off the line,
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and Stephen Mather understood
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that this was going to be
an important part of American culture.
an important part of American culture.
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And so he partnered with highway
associations around the country
associations around the country
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to build big, beautiful highways
out to these parks.
out to these parks.
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And it worked, he's basically
invented car camping.
invented car camping.
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And he knew that if people
didn't go to these places,
didn't go to these places,
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that they wouldn’t fall in love with them
and they wouldn't care.
and they wouldn't care.
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So that was a really insightful
idea that he had.
idea that he had.
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The second thing they did,
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was they focused
on visionary philanthropy.
on visionary philanthropy.
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So, Stephen Mather was a successful
businessman from Chicago,
businessman from Chicago,
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and anytime there was
a parks association that needed funding,
a parks association that needed funding,
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anytime there was a highway
association that needed funding,
association that needed funding,
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they'd step in, write
the checks, make it happen.
the checks, make it happen.
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There's a great story
of his friend William Kent,
of his friend William Kent,
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who recognized there was a small patch
of redwoods left on the base of Mount Tam,
of redwoods left on the base of Mount Tam,
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and so he quickly bought the land
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and donated it
to this National Parks effort.
to this National Parks effort.
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That's Muir Woods today --
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it's one of the most popular
national parks in the whole country.
national parks in the whole country.
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My parents are visiting here
from Minnesota,
from Minnesota,
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and they don't really even
care about this talk,
care about this talk,
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all they're talking about
is going to Muir Woods.
is going to Muir Woods.
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(Laughter)
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But the last thing is critical --
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Stephen Mather focused on engagement.
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In one of the first meetings that they had
around this new system, he said,
around this new system, he said,
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"If you're a writer,
I want you to write about this.
I want you to write about this.
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If you're a business owner, I want you
to tell your clubs and your organizations.
to tell your clubs and your organizations.
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If you work for the government,
I want you to pass regulation."
I want you to pass regulation."
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Everybody had a job.
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"Each of you, all of you,
have a role to play
have a role to play
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in protecting these places
for future generations."
for future generations."
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Each of you, all of you.
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I love that.
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That's the plan --
simple, three-point plan.
simple, three-point plan.
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I think we can do the same.
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So, this was the headline
when Obama created
when Obama created
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the Papahanaumokuakea National Monument:
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"Lots to see, but good luck
trying to get there."
trying to get there."
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But like Mather, we should focus
on the technology of our time,
on the technology of our time,
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all of this new, amazing,
digital infrastructure
digital infrastructure
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can be built to engage people
with the oceans.
with the oceans.
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So, the National Marine Sanctuary
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has created all these
wonderful VR 360 videos,
wonderful VR 360 videos,
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where you can actually go
and see what these places look like.
and see what these places look like.
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Our team is continuing to build new tools,
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this is our latest, this is
the trident underwater drone,
the trident underwater drone,
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it's a diving submarine, it's sleek,
you can fit it in a backpack,
you can fit it in a backpack,
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it can go down to 100 meters,
deeper than most divers can go.
deeper than most divers can go.
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It can see these environments
that most people have never had access to.
that most people have never had access to.
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New tools are coming
and we need even better tools.
and we need even better tools.
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We can also use
more visionary philanthropists.
more visionary philanthropists.
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So, when Erik and I started this,
we didn't have any money,
we didn't have any money,
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we were building this in his garage.
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But we went to Kickstarter.
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And we found over 1,800 people,
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almost a million dollars
we've raised on Kickstarter,
we've raised on Kickstarter,
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finding other people who think,
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"Yeah, that's a good idea.
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I want to be a part of that."
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We need more ways for people
to get engaged
to get engaged
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and become visionary
philanthropists themselves.
philanthropists themselves.
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We've also had
traditional philanthropists,
traditional philanthropists,
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who've stepped up to fund us
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in the SEE initiative --
the Science Education and Exploration,
the Science Education and Exploration,
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who are going to help us get donated
units out to people on the frontlines,
units out to people on the frontlines,
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people who are doing the science,
people who are telling the stories,
people who are telling the stories,
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inspiring communities.
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You can go on to OpenExplorer.com
and see what people are doing,
and see what people are doing,
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it's hugely inspirational.
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And it will also, hopefully,
spur you to get involved.
spur you to get involved.
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Because there is plenty of room
to get involved.
to get involved.
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We want to hear what ideas you have
for telling these stories.
for telling these stories.
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Because that's just it --
this is all about engagement.
this is all about engagement.
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There's all sorts of interesting,
new ways for people to participate
new ways for people to participate
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in the protection of these places.
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And the understanding.
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Like, Reef Check -- scuba divers
are going down and swimming transects
are going down and swimming transects
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and counting fish and biodiversity data.
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They're getting the information we need
to protect these places.
to protect these places.
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If you're going down to the beach,
participate in MPA Watch.
participate in MPA Watch.
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Document what activities you see
going on in these different areas.
going on in these different areas.
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There is room for everybody
to participate here.
to participate here.
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And that's just it, that's what we need.
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We need to build a future
for our grandkids' grandkids.
for our grandkids' grandkids.
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Last month, I went out sailing,
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and we got out to the Farallon Islands,
25 miles off the Gate.
25 miles off the Gate.
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And most people think of this
as kind of a bird sanctuary,
as kind of a bird sanctuary,
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but we took our robot, and we sent it in.
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And the people on the boat were astonished
at the life beneath the surface.
at the life beneath the surface.
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I mean, these are really,
really important ecosystems.
really important ecosystems.
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Really, and this is a whole
wild world we haven't yet explored.
wild world we haven't yet explored.
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And we have an opportunity right now,
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just as they did 100 years ago,
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to protect these places, to put in a plan,
to keep people engaged.
to keep people engaged.
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So last year, when the executive
order came out,
order came out,
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putting all of the progress we've made,
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all of these new marine protected
areas, under review,
areas, under review,
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there were over 100,000 people
who commented online.
who commented online.
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Almost all of these letters were saying,
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"Don't do it; protecting these places
is the right thing to do."
is the right thing to do."
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My message to those 100,000 people,
those 100,000 letters is:
those 100,000 letters is:
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don't wait for Washington.
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We can do this ourselves.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
David Lang - MakerDavid Lang is a maker and the co-founder of OpenROV, a community of ocean lovers who build underwater robots.
Why you should listen
David Lang is a maker whose craving for adventure turned him into an amateur ocean explorer. A few years ago Lang and NASA engineer Eric Stackpole went looking for lost gold (literally) in an underwater cave in the foothills of the Sierra Navada. But they weren't quite sure how to go about it. Without much expertise (or money), the two put initial designs for an underwater robot explorer online. Soon OpenROV was born: a community of citizen ocean explorers who build and constantly improve upon these small remote operated underwater robots.
Lang is also the author of Zero to Maker and a 2013 TED Fellow. He lives on a sailboat in the San Francisco Bay.
David Lang | Speaker | TED.com