Discover the real impact of our ocean conservation projects through the stories of the people, communities, and marine life that make it all possible.
What began as recurring nightmares transformed into a lifelong calling. Marine biologist Dr. Nadia Sandoval shares her personal journey and reflects on how the ocean continuously called her back; shaping her path as a scientist, diver, mentor, and conservationist.
The wind bustles through my hair, salty air fills my lungs, and the swaying of the boat challenges my balance. I’m venturing out on another dive into the beautiful blue. My fellow divers swap stories of the incredible sites they’ve seen throughout their lifetime. We’re all here for the same reason: to swim with sharks.
What if I told you that beneath the calm surface of the ocean lives a world full of noise, color, and life? In this story, Dana shares what corals taught her as a diver and why their survival is closely tied to ours.
Hi everyone ! As a futur ecologist and illustrator, wildlife is one of my biggest passions ! I’ve decided to make short videos to help spread knowledge and my love about animal with my illustrations :))
Imagine a massive, tangled fishing net dumped in the middle of your living room. Heavy, smelly, slick, and slimy. Now picture that same net burned or buried in your backyard, releasing wafts of methane or leaching contaminants into the soil beneath your feet.
What if I told you that you can build your own path to ocean impact? In this story, Dana shares how her journey from Tech to Diver to Digital Ocean Advocate shows that connection, purpose, and action can start from anywhere: land or sea.
There’s something in the water Perhaps you’ve seen them, in movies, in antique shops, books and documentaries. The real ones are hard to find, rather expensive and are extremely delicate. Used by many, carried across distant places and delicately crafted by skilled hands. But I’m sure you know what I mean and we all can easily make a mental picture of what they look like: The ancient sea maps, and visualizations of our earth.
When many people think “sustainability,” they picture forests, solar panels, or wind farms. But the ocean? It’s the quiet giant that absorbs our excess heat, stores carbon, and produces oxygen. Yet, it rarely gets the spotlight it deserves! Let’s dive into what ocean sustainability actually means and how the sea is our strongest ally in the climate fight.
Learning about the state of our oceans can feel like watching a cherished home crumble under the weight of neglect. The dismantling of a house is methodical: permits secured, utilities disconnected, and furniture removed. Then comes the demolition, cascading from the roof, down to the walls and windows, until the foundation itself is bulldozed.
The Balean Founders Story with Bart Oor and Sander Brienen
Conservation is about collaboration, and collaboration is what we are discussing today.
The ocean was once a stranger to me. I would have loved the exposure as a kid; waves at my feet, sand between my toes, and salty air in my lungs. Instead, I knew blizzard-swept winters and summers marked by wide horizons and fields without end. As a young kid, the ocean was just a vast blue body of water for playful seals, a dolphin or two (thanks, Free Willy), and the menacing Great Whites of Jaws. With only films to frame my view, I couldn’t have known about the intricate life processes beneath the waves.
We all have experienced a heat wave in our lives. So we all know how tiring and oppressive that is. Oceans can have heat waves as well, warming up the water. This has some consequences.
What's cooking? What are we working on? Be part of the Balean community to make impact.