hippity HAPPITY holidazeeee!!

Can you believe 2017 is already coming to a close?! ...oh how the time flies in the world of fancy pants =) Back in February when we launched our Under The Sea collection, we mentioned that a portion of the proceeds would be used to support ocean conservation. But before we get into the AAAAHHHHHMAZING news, here's a word from our founder:

We did a lot of research to find what we felt was not only a strong and reputable foundation, but also one that fell in line with the values we uphold here at Eagle Rock WERKSHOP®. That’s why when we came across Mission Blue: Sylvia Earle Alliance we knew we had found the perfect organization to work with. Thanks to all of your support for Under the Sea, Eagle Rock WERKSHOP® will be donating $5,000 to this amazing organization. And to make it even better, every dollar donated is going to be matched by Mission Blue. This means that a grand total of $10,000 will be put towards igniting awareness for ocean conservation and the support of Hope Spots!

.... What is a Hope spot? Good question ;) Hope Spots are special locations across the globe that are critical to the health and survival of the ocean. The concept was first proposed by world renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle in her galvanizing 2009 TED talk, which lead to the launch Mission Blue soon after. 

"With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, no matter where on earth you live, you are connected to the sea." - Sylvia Earle

The basic idea behind Hope Spots is to create for the sea what so many National Parks have done for land conservation. Currently about 12% of the land around the world is under some kind of protection but less than 4% of the sea receives a similar level of protection. Through the creation of Hope Spots and expeditions to support them, Mission Blue strives to create a global movement to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.

One of the reasons we connected with Mission Blue so much is that their campaign is very accessible and realistic. Anyone  can nominate a Hope Spot // click here for details about hope spots and how to nominate your own! // and they can either be new areas that are not yet protected or existing Marine Protection Areas that need more support. For example, one of my favorite Hope Spots is the “White Shark Cafe” -- a shared offshore foraging area in the Pacific ocean believed to be a critical breeding ground for Great White Sharks. Sharks are my favorite animal and are so critical to the balance of life in the ocean, so anything protecting them gets a round of applause and support from me (and #teamWERKSHOP)! Through donations like ours, Mission Blue is able to increase the visibility of Hope Spots like the White Shark Cafe and provide resources to help coordinate research expeditions, get legal support for the protection of the Hope Spot, and also connect you with organizations relevant to maintaining your Hope Spot.

Hope Spots now span 27 million square miles, and Mission Blue has over 300 nominations in 75 countries. Mission Blue is currently the only organization that provides a global platform for nominating unique places in the marine world that need protection. These special places recognize, empower, and support individuals and communities to keep our ocean safe and healthy. They allow us to plan for the future, and look beyond current marine protected areas. Thanks to YOUR support for our Under the Sea collection, our donation to Mission Blue is helping to fulfill Dr Earle's wish: "to protect and restore the ocean- the blue heart of the planet." 

To learn more about Mission Blue, Hope Spots, and how you can get involved visit https://www.mission-blue.org/ , check out their amaaazing insta @mission_blue , and follow them on Facebook  and Twitter!

And if you are fans of documentaries like we are, definately take a dive into their Emmy Award Winning film on NETFLIX: “Mission Blue” :)

P.S. See other sea themed collections:
Scales and Medusa

Ciao for meow and thanks a MILLION!!

Bay and the Eagle Rock WERKSHOP® Famdizzle. xoxoo

cover image © Kip Evans for Mission Blue

story images © Lee Cherry for Eagle Rock WERKSHOP® - Featuring Taylor Swantek, Erica Broderick and Eric Muñoz