Passionate About Protecting Our Oceans - A Conversation with Madison Frazier

SolPods' Lucy Callender sits down with Madison ("Madi") Frazier, a naturalist and educator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Madi tells us about her personal passion for ocean conservation and shares tips for anyone interested in entering the field.  Madi shows us what a day in the life of a Monterey Bay Aquarium employee looks like, from feeding baby manta rays to learning about previously undiscovered species.

Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium website
Follow Monterey Bay Aquarium on Instagram: @montereybayaquarium
Check out Seafood Watch: seafoodwatch.org
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute: mbari.org
Cal State Monterey: csumb.edu

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Transcript

Lucy 00:03 

Welcome to SolPods Studio. We're not your average social network. We're a community of professionals, enthusiasts and students taking sustainability to the next level. Join us on our journey and get inspired by earth heroes just like you. 

Lucy 00:20

Hi, everyone and welcome back to SolPods Studio. I'm Lucy, coming to you from sunny Los Angeles, and today I'm here with Madison Frazier, who works at the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a naturalist.

I'm so excited to introduce her to you and let her tell you a little bit more about her awesome job and very inspiring backstory. Madi, we're so excited to have you join us today and to tell us more about your journey. Thank you so much for being here. Could you start us off by telling us how you first became passionate about protecting and preserving our oceans?

Madi 00:52

Yeah, absolutely. Well, first of all, Lucy, thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. And to be a part of the SolPods community, it's such an encouraging platform that I feel like really seeks to unify people of all walks of life with a common goal of being stewards for our planet. So I really appreciate just being here. It's really my pleasure. But in terms of kind of how I got to love and protect the ocean. So I grew up in the central valley within an agricultural community of Houston, California. Oftentimes people think that I'm from Houston, Texas, but it's Houston. So that is where I'm from right outside Modesto. So because I'm from an agricultural community, the natural world isn't something I'm unfamiliar with. I had the opportunity to take a lot of trips to Monterey, California. A little over two hours away from us growing up in Monterey is such a beautiful location right on the water, right by the Pacific Ocean. And I was able to take a lot of trips specifically to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and that is where I really started to grow my love for the ocean. And the Monterey Bay Aquarium specifically, which is actually the organization that I work for. Now, as you were mentioning, it's consistently been centered around ocean conservation through its time. So it has this incredible ability to educate people in such a beautiful way by showing not only the animals that are close to home in the Pacific Ocean along the shore, but also the ones that are a little bit further out from the shore as well in the deep sea. So really a big portion of what got me into ocean stewardship is simply having access to learning about it in really cool institutions, with my physical exposure to the ocean, my parents raised me with a view of the natural world of something that needs our protection. I grew up in a Christian household and within the Christian faith, we believe in the Bible. The Bible literally says that we're called to be stewards of God's creation and stewards of the natural world. So this goes beyond just the physical realm. To me, it's also part of my spirituality. And I was also homeschooled as well. So I was able to be exposed to those ideals in a really healthy and positive way. And it helps too that my dad was actually interested in marine science when he was growing up. So my family in general is very supportive of me getting into ocean conservation and being inspired to inspire others to conserve the ocean as well. And so growing up in grade school, animals were something that I was always interested in. And as I reached high school, I had to figure out what I was going to do with my life. And so I was like, how can I take something that I'm passionate about and turn it into a career field? And when I was looking at different colleges to go to, I ended up going to California State University Monterey Bay and taking a tour of their campus. And that's really where I felt God calling me and flash forward to being in CSUMB which is Cal State Monterey Bay. I came into the environmental studies major and actually started in marine science, but ironically, it was a little bit too “mathy and sciencey” for me. I'm more of the social studies type of person. And so I ended up in the environmental studies field with a concentration in environmental education and outreach. And so the way I like to say it is with environmental studies, we're taking the scientific information that people in environmental science and in marine science are doing, and we're taking all of this complicated scientific jargon that's really important and we're making it digestible for the human public. So we're learning how to have these conversations about climate change and about ocean stewardship and environmental stewardship. And so it's an honor to have been able to find a career field that really melds all of these different passions together; passions for the environment and passions for simply just coming alongside people and educating them on such a really important topic. So that's the reader's digest of how I got to be how I got to be into environmental stewardship in general.

Lucy 5:09

Thank you so much for sharing. It's amazing to hear that the aquarium was somewhere that you loved visiting as a kid, and how cool that now you get to be a part of what makes that exciting for some other young kid who might want to follow in your footsteps one day. I love that. I understand that you started working for the aquarium as a membership and adventures representative while you were in college. Can you share with us how you found that position originally?

Madi 5:34

Yeah, absolutely. I actually just got asked this by a guest today. I had someone say, is it hard to get a job at the aquarium? How do you get into it? And the way that I got into working at the aquarium is actually one of my favorite stories to tell. So I actually happened to be in Monterey, looking at the Cal State Monterey Bay Campus when I was figuring out where I wanted to go. And I just so happened to go to the aquarium with my parents as I had done many times before growing up. I was at the Southern Sea Otter feeding, and a lady by the name of Andrea who was working there at the time– incredible woman– She actually saw my mom and I do something kind and she saw that and she said, “hey, I saw that you did something kind for somebody else, so I actually really want to reward that because we believe in positive reinforcement here at the aquarium. We use it with our animals, all these different things. And so, do you want to go check out some behind the scenes of the sea otters?” And so of course, I said yes. So I went with my parents behind the scenes to the sea otters and we're talking to Andrea and I'm telling her about how I really want to get into the field of marine conservation and ocean conservation and all of these things. And so she actually ended up being a connection for me and encouraged me to fill out an application for the guest experience department, which I started as a guest experience representative and then moved to membership at adventures representatives, which essentially just means that we are in charge of welcoming people into the aquarium, whether it be with ticket processing, whether it be with holding some moon jellies and showing them some cool moon jellies and educating them on those aspects. So I started in more of an entry level position. That really helped me build my love for the aquarium and my love for interacting with the general public because it's such a powerful moment when you can see a light bulb go off in people's eyes. When they see this incredible creation before them, they see all of these incredible animals and they learn that they can help protect them. You cannot put a price on that. That's such a powerful part of my job. And so I started in that entry level position, I simply filled out an application. I really honestly didn't have that much job experience. I had some volunteering experience in kids programs, things of that nature, but not necessarily a lot of environmental focused volunteer opportunities. So that's why I always tell people you have to start somewhere, right? Like at the end of the day, someone has to have to be your first environmental job or be your first environmental opportunity in terms of volunteering or things of that nature. And so I was very blessed to have the Monterey Bay Aquarium as my first job essentially. And so I started as a guest experience representative, I used Andrea as a reference. She was awesome in helping me in that regard. And then I interviewed and ultimately, what they were looking for was not necessarily a ton of experience in the field, but they were looking for someone who is passionate about the mission of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is to inspire conservation of the ocean. And so they're constantly looking for people who really, truly have a passion for what they're doing. And so I started in that position and then fast forward to once I had gotten my degree. It was interesting because during the COVID-19 pandemic, I moved home and I finished my degree online and I wasn't working at the aquarium at the time. And so I went, oh man, you know, there was my opportunity to grow in the industry and go to a different department and turns out they loved me and they wanted me to come back. And so I actually reached out to them and asked if they had any positions for naturalists once I had gotten my degree in environmental studies, and they said that they were interviewing for the interpretive programs, naturalist team, which was my dream job. And so I was super excited to interview and I had the honor of obtaining a seasonal position. And then they loved me so much that they kept me on. So I am absolutely honored to be part of the interpretive programs, naturalist team and the interpretive programs department. And in terms of what we do to kind of break it down a little bit, we are in charge of the public programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. So we are on the microphone all the time. We're doing feeding programs, we're doing auditorium programs, we're doing unscheduled feeding opportunities. So we're really public speaking all day, which is really exciting for me. I love public speaking. It's something that I feel like is just in my blood. And so it's an honor to be able to talk to such a wide variety of guests, hundreds upon thousands of guests a day to be the one on microphone that's guiding them through a feeding that's going on or guiding them through an auditorium program about a sea otter that we rescued, rehabilitated and then released back out into the wild. So that's kind of how I got into the aquarium and just a little bit about what I do now before we go deeper into what I do.

Lucy 10:35

Thank you for sharing. I love that the whole way you started, really just started with an act of kindness and human connection. I think that's such a testament to who you are and who the aquarium is as a whole and, and what they represent.  I think that's an amazing full circle moment. So I'm fascinated by what you do and I would just love to hear a little bit more about a day in the life as a naturalist working at the aquarium. What's your favorite part? What are parts you weren't expecting?

Madi 11:07

Yeah, absolutely. So I mentioned that with the interpretive programs department, we're doing a lot of public programs. And one of the coolest things that I get to do is usually I'm interpreting a feeding. So I'm talking about what a particular trainer or a member of the animal care team is doing. But there's one particular feeding where I actually get to be the one to feed the animal and it is the bat ray feeding. So bat ray is a type of, yes, they're a type of elasmobranch. So they're cousins to sharks and skates. So a lot of people think of pelagic stingrays, pelagic, meaning open water. Now, bat rays are essentially bottom feeders and so they feed along the bottom of the ocean and they're usually in wetland and slew like areas. So we have a touch pool for them. So I have the honor of getting into some super cool, super fun waders and getting into the exhibit and actually being able to broadcast, feed them. So I broadcast the food out into the water. Sometimes I can even hand feed them if they're feeling extra friendly. And so it's really incredible to be able to interact with animals in such an intimate way, in such a, such a caring way and to be able to get up close and personal with them and to be able to see people having that same experience on the other side of the touch pool and being able to get up close and personal with these animals. So I would say that's definitely, I feel like one of my favorite feedings that I do because it's such a unique experience to be able to say, oh yeah, I feed bat rays for a living. I know not everybody can say that. So I'm very honored and very privileged to be able to say that. And I would also say one of my favorite parts about my job is actually after the presentation happens because after any feeding program or auditorium program where either we're telling a story or we're interpreting the action, we will encourage people to come up to us and to ask us questions or chat with us. I always make the joke, I promise I'm friendly and it's so incredible to be able to travel the world without ever leaving the building because we have people from all walks of life that enter our doors and that support our mission. And so I get a variety of different questions from all of these incredible people ranging from a two year old to a 90 year old, you know, the sky's the limit for the people that come into the aquarium. And so it's really encouraging to have people that are genuinely curious about what we do and about what we stand for. And especially when a little one comes up to me, that is my absolute weakness because it's so fun to see them come up and to, you know, to thank me for the presentation and to ask really good questions. You know, these kids that are coming up are the next generation of ocean stewards. And so, it's really impactful to be in a job where every single day you can step back and you can know the difference that's being made. And this is not just by me like we're, I'm a part of something that's larger than myself. And we're all collectively working together as a moving body. Essentially, we're, we're inspiring conservation of the ocean together. So it's definitely not just me. And it's really encouraging to be able to take a step back and know that we're each a puzzle piece within this, within this movement that's going on. So it's really an incredible job for sure.

Lucy 14:24

Wow, that's awesome. I'm sure you're also learning something new every single day about our ocean's health through the work at the aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Are there any super surprising discoveries you've learned while you've been there?

Madi 14:39

Yeah, absolutely. So, the Monterey Bay Aquarium does partner with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. It's located in Moss Landing. It's about 20 miles north of us. So it's between us and Santa Cruz. And the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is actually studying the Monterey Canyon. Now, for those of you listening, who don't know, the Monterey Canyon is an underwater canyon right off of our back deck at the aquarium in the ocean in the bay. And it is deeper than and as wide as the Grand Canyon. So there is a lot to discover out there. It's actually over 292 miles out to sea and it's over 2.5 miles deep. So there are tons of new discoveries to be made. And so the Monterey Bay Aquarium research institute or MBARI for short, is constantly studying the Monterey Canyon and learning more about it. And we actually have an exhibit that opened not too long ago. One of our special exhibits at the aquarium is called Into The Deep: Exploring our Undiscovered Oceans and it houses a variety of deep sea creatures never before seen in an aquarium setting until now. So the people that are coming in to visit us are seeing animals that have never been seen before in this setting. And that's all thanks to us, partnering with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. And collectively being able to learn more, is really encouraging. And one of my favorite parts of that exhibit is that we actually have a space titled New Discovery and we have a jelly on exhibit that is so new, it doesn't even have a name yet. So that's just a testament to our researchers and our scientists that are constantly going down into the canyon with remotely operated vehicles or ROVs or other really cool robots that are heading down there and they're making these new discoveries all the time. So the fact that the ocean is such an unexplored frontier is so exciting that we are living in an age where we're constantly exploring new frontiers essentially and we're discovering new things.

Lucy 16:53

How cool to have such a hands-on experience with all these new discoveries. That's awesome. Thank you. And how do you inspire visitors to get involved in ocean conservation when they're there?

Madi 17:03

Yeah, I think it's, I think it's really easy when you're talking about ocean conservation and things like climate change and plastic pollution. It's really easy to get overwhelmed with those topics because a lot of times there's a lot of misinformation out there and we're hearing a lot of these different things about what's really going on out in the ocean. And so I feel like a lot of the other people at the aquarium that I work with, we try to focus on tangible things that our guests can do that they can take with them to join the movement for ocean conservation. So, one of the things that we do is we talk about Seafood Watch and that's a program that was actually created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We have pocket guide pamphlets for seafood watch throughout the aquarium. And there actually is a website for Seafood Watch, seafoodwatch.org, and it tells you all about sustainable seafood. So you get to eat seafood guilt free. And so I always like to make the joke, “do we have any seafood fans in the audience?” And then people raise their hands and I go, “don't worry, there's a bunch of acrylic between us and all the fish. I promise. I won't say that they look delicious.” So we don't want seafood to be a taboo topic at the aquarium. I know when we bring that up, sometimes people go, oh, I don't know why you're talking about it. but we know that seafood is a fact of life and we know that it's something that many people enjoy. And so we want it to be accessible to people in a sustainable way. And so with Seafood Watch, it works in a stoplight system;  we've got categories for levels of sustainability. So green would mean guilt free, sustainable seafood; yellow is good alternatives; and red is seafood that the science recommends you should try to avoid. And so this is all based on scientific research. So Seafood Watch is a tangible thing that these people can take with them. They can literally take those pocket guides with them or they can go to seafoodwatch.org. So they can feel that when all of us are doing it together, we're really making a difference. So seafood watch is something that we always try to talk about. Plastic pollution is something that I love to talk about, especially when I'm mentioning our seabirds because seabirds are often affected by plastic pollution in the ocean due to mistaking it for food or maybe their food ingested it. And so they're ingesting the plastic and I know plastic pollution can be really daunting. I think it's daunting myself. But I like to say that if you start with your own home and if you start with changing out your plastic water bottle for a reusable one or changing out your plastic grocery bag for a reusable one, those are again tangible things that people can do, to, to join the movement and they're already taking the first step by coming into the aquarium by supporting our institution. They're helping us learn more about the animals that we have and learn how we can protect them. We also plug voting, we plug standing up for candidates that commit to taking climate action. So voting is a big thing for us as well. We know everything can get overwhelming really fast. So, you know, it all comes down to what's one small step that you can take today to brighten the horizons of a sustainable future tomorrow. So it's taking that one step at a time.

Lucy 20:17

That's something we're really big on at SolPods too is just making sure people know, it doesn't have to be as daunting as we think it is, you know, and, and we're all beginners in some facet of sustainability. So we're all in it together. And specifically, I'd love to know a little bit more about your advice to young people who want to get involved because I know, as somebody who graduated college, I wanted to be involved in sustainability. I wanted to know how I could make a difference and sometimes you just don't really know where to turn. So, what would you say to someone who's kind of new to that world as a young person?

Madi 20:52

Yeah. Absolutely. Well, of course, I would always say you're never too young to care. You're never too young to care about the ocean. You're never too young to care about the planet. And there's room for everyone to be an ocean steward. I remember growing up and when I thought of an environmentalist or somebody that was in nature, I always pictured a particular type of person and I felt that I didn't fit that mold. And so when I got into environmental studies, I had a bit of this imposter syndrome because I was like, well, I don't go hiking all the time and I'm not camping all the time. And, you know, I don't mind a hotel with a shower, you know, like I would have these stigmas, just about like what an ocean or environmental steward looks like. But then I took this college course and it really showed me that an environmentalist is all of us, like we are all environmentalists at the end of the day if we choose to be. And there's room for everyone in the community to be an environmental steward and an ocean steward. And so I think just removing that stigma is a really powerful thing that we can do, collectively to lift up young people and understand that everyone from every single walk of life has something to say. They have a voice and it matters, every single one of us does. And I would also say there isn't just one way to get into the field if you want it to be a career field, if you want to get into volunteering, there isn't one way to the top of the mountain. As I like to say, there's so many avenues that you can take and there's so many local organizations that you can get into. that would more than likely take anybody's help, I'm sure. And I always say too that you may not start where you want necessarily in your career field, you might volunteer in a position that would get you to where you wanna go, but stay in your lane, stay the course, work hard and don't forget to step back from time to time and remember why you're doing this. Remember why you want to preserve the planet so we can continue to enjoy it for generations to come and we can protect it for those future generations. And of course, voting as well, you know, like I was saying, contacting your congress people, setting up clubs at school that I think is a really big thing. If you're in school, talk to your favorite teacher because chances are, if you're asking for an environmental club or something of that nature, then chances are some of your classmates are probably thinking about it as well. So, you're always gonna find your people somewhere.

Lucy 23:22

I love that. That's so inspiring. It's a really good reminder to zoom out and remember why we're doing this from time to time. That's absolutely true. I know we also have a lot of parents and teachers and other educators on the platform. And are there some key educational elements that Monterey Bay Aquarium offers?

Madi 23:42

Yeah, we actually have a variety of online courses, workbooks, resources, materials, all on montereybayaquarium.org. So if you head to our website, we have a “for educators” tab and that is ranging from little ones to teens. So we have a variety of access paths for folks who are interested in getting into those educational materials. I know that I've looked into some of those materials at times as well just to see what they're like. And I feel like they're very engaging, they're very fun, they're very educational. And I always appreciate that the aquarium tends to draw on hope rather than focusing on all of the things that are going wrong with the planet. I feel like the aquarium has always been an organization of hope and of coming together and coming alongside people so that we can collectively come towards solutions for a more sustainable planet and for a healthier planet. So, all of the resources are awesome. So definitely head to montereybayaquarium.org because there are great resources for that and come to the aquarium as well. Coming to the aquarium, there's field trips that we set up, there's free aquarium field trips that you can book. If you go to that “for educators” tab, there's more information on that. So definitely see what is available for you in terms of setting up a field trip because we have school kids in the aquarium all the time and they're absolutely adorable and they ask the best questions and they have the best energy. So it's always a blessing to see school kids learning things in real time as well. not only in a textbook and not only in those resources, but also being able to see those things come to life before their eyes is a really powerful thing.

Lucy 25:26

I'm sure. Thank you so much. I know that smaller aquariums also play an important role in educating how we can protect our oceans, and have you seen that work effectively in California and other west coast areas?

Madi 25:39

Absolutely. Yeah. For me personally, it started in my hometown with the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center. So that's an area that's near where I'm from and I remember going to that facility growing up as well along with visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium. And so, that really has shown me that other institutions help our guests connect what they know with what we're hoping to inspire them with. So I always love hearing our guests talk about the other experiences that they've had with other institutions closer to home because it shows they're making the connection that everyone affects the natural world and everyone can make a difference. And we are actually an AZA institution which stands for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. So those institutions are found across America. We actually tell a story about our African penguins that we have at the aquarium and we say that they're part of a colony over 900 members strong. But of course, we don't have 900 penguins behind the scenes, they're spread out across those AZA institutions across the country. So not only on the west coast but throughout the nation, there are impactful institutions and organizations that have similar missions to ours at the aquarium. And it's always encouraging to hear stories of those institutions and how this is not just something specific to the aquarium that we're trying to do, but this is nationwide and global that we're all collectively coming together for a healthier world. So it's very encouraging.

Lucy 27:17

I hope one day I can come up there and see those penguins, that’s very cute. 

Madi 27:20

Oh, please do, please. So we have a baby penguin right now. Her name is Jerry. She's absolutely adorable. She's awesome. Believe it or not, she was just hatched in November, but she is already the same size as the other penguins because they grow so fast and she is, oh, my goodness, this little thing and we've been able to watch her learn how to swim, how to go for her food. So  that is also a great reason to come to the aquarium, is to check out Jerry the penguin.

Lucy 27:50

Well, I've got to come visit. It's really inspiring just in how you speak about all this, how you combine your passion with your career. And I know you touched on your process in getting this job. But is there any specific advice you would give to anyone who's a college grad who might want to pursue a career like yours?

Madi 28:08

Yeah. Well, thank you, Lucy. That's very kind of you. And, it's always an honor to speak to somebody else who has that same passion as well. And I know that you and all of your friends at SolPods have that passion. So it's always really cool to meet and talk to other people who have that. But in terms of my advice, I would also, you know, once again, say that anyone can be a naturalist, don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't go into the field that you want to go into. I know a lot of people think the environmentalism industry is such a niche community and that it can be hard to get a job. But if you want to do this for the rest of your life, if you want to make this your career, then make this your career. It's such a rewarding career. It's a fun career. It's an impactful and important career field. And even if you're not necessarily in a job in the field, volunteering and other positions in that nature are as honorable, equally honorable. And I would also say use your resources, like use your connections. If you have a professor, a supervisor, a teacher, friends of friends, network with these people who might have a connection in the environmental industry and don't be afraid to apply for a job that you might not 100% be qualified for because you never know what's gonna happen. You can get your name out there, you can get experience interviewing for these types of jobs and simply enjoying the journey because you know, no matter what role we all play, we're all part of something bigger than ourselves as I was mentioning earlier. And I know it's very daunting to talk about things like climate change for a living, but it's so rewarding, seeing more and more people being inspired for ocean conservation and then going to their communities and inspiring other people and it really just starts that ripple effect. So yeah, just go for it with all of your might. If it's really what you want to do, use your resources, don't be afraid to ask for help. And just enjoy it. Just have fun because this is such a fun industry to be in. It's such an impactful one like I was mentioning.

Lucy 30:24

I'm sure there's so many people who, who want to pursue this and, and maybe do have those fears that it's, it's not attainable or not realistic and it's really helpful to hear that no matter what age you are, you're never too young to start preparing for that dream career you have and I'm sure if you could tell little Maddie that she'd be working there, it would be so cool. So we also heard that you are passionate about diving. I was hoping you could tell us a little bit about that. And Kelp Forest Feeding, I think.

Madi 30:58

Yes. Yeah. So to start at the beginning, I got open water dive certified a few years ago through CSUMB, through my university. And I just got word that they are actually adding on more divers for our kelp forest feedings. So we have an incredible kelp forest exhibit at the aquarium. We call it our crown jewel because we were actually the first aquarium in the world to grow real kelp on exhibit. And our founders had to learn the perfect recipe to grow the beautiful kelp that you see when you're there. And it's really a majestic exhibit. It's definitely a fan favorite and one of my favorites as well. And so we actually have divers that dive into the kelp forest exhibit and feed all of the hungry animals in there. We've got fish in there, we've got sharks, we've got a variety of different incredible animals. And so they're reaching out to staff members to participate in those feedings as a diver as well. So we'll see if that comes to fruition. But just even the thought of being able to assist with those feedings, whether it be a diver or whether it be what I already do, which is to interpret on the dry side and talk about what the diver is doing, how the diver is feeding and talk about the natural history of all of the animals that the guests are seeing before them. It's such a cool thing. So it's really cool that being in the aquarium, we have the ability to use our strengths in really incredible ways. I also have worked in tandem with the social media team at the aquarium to put together some footage that we ended up putting on our social media. And with a cinematic arts minor from CSUMB I was able to draw on those strengths. So it's really incredible to be part of an organization where we're all kind of cross departmental at the same time. So it's cool to be able to simply work with all of these other departments and still collectively work towards that mission and to embody that mission of inspiring conservation of the ocean no matter what department you're in. So it's really fun.

Lucy 33:02

That's so awesome. Well, thank you so much, Madi, for sharing all of this with us. I feel like I've learned so much just talking to you today and I'm sure our listeners will agree. But we really love to close out every podcast episode with one final fun question. And I just want to ask you and hear your perspective as someone who loves the ocean. If you could have a sustainability superpower, what would it be and why?

Madi 33:30

That is a fabulous question. And I love that. I deeply wish that I could have the power where all of us could just be on the same page about what's going on out in the ocean and within the environment and with climate change and plastic pollution and all of those really important topics. I feel like a lot of us are getting vastly different information about what's really happening in the natural world right now. And I'd really like to just snuff out that misinformation and come alongside each and every person. I'd love to give them a hug. Let them know that there is hope and that there are people who are constantly joining this movement to protect the planet every day. So we can walk towards a more sustainable future together. I feel like at the end of the day, we're all doing what we think is right. So I would say, you know, let's just all take a deep breath and let's do it united. 

Lucy 34:22

That's a fabulous answer. I think that is the key. That's something that we try to push really hard at SolPods is community and collaboration and mutual understanding. So, thank you for sharing that and thank you so much for your time and for chatting with me today. Again, I've learned so much from you and you're a very inspiring person and I know you're gonna be inspiring all of our listeners, young and old. So thank you so so much.

Madi 34:51

Oh, you're so sweet and thank you too, Lucy. It's been a pleasure to get to know you and get to know the SolPods community and I'm so excited for what's next. It's so encouraging to see a community of people like I was mentioning earlier where we can all come together and we can collectively inspire each other and encourage each other. So, thank you for what you do as well because it's so impactful and it's so important. So, thank you. Thank you.

Lucy 35:14

We're happy to have you as part of the SolPods community. And thank you all so much for listening. This concludes our episode!

Lucy 35:22

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