WHAT WE DO

Educate - During a 3-month tour last fall, representatives of the COOL campaign toured 11 states and presented a 45-minute slide show to 235 groups ranging from students to divers to recreational fishermen. Our field representatives host free presentations in their areas. We continue to provide free educational materials, including fact sheets, brochures, posters, and the COOL slide show in CD format. From time to time, coalition members will write educational e-mails about a particular aspect of the ocean and offer insight into the need for ocean stewardship.

Unify - COOL brings people and groups together as one voice for ocean conservation. We have a broad-based coalition of supporters who may not otherwise have an outlet for expressing their concern for marine resource management. In the dive community, COOL acts like the Divemaster, bringing the group together, pointing out important things to look at, and providing guidance for those who want to take their diving to the next level. In this case, the next level is conservation.

Mobilize - Using our comprehensive database of coalition members and partners, COOL is able to communicate regularly about current marine science and policy issues. When necessary, we send out action alerts requesting your help in writing letters or making phone calls to your member of Congress to show your support for healthy ocean policies. Communication with our elected officials is essential to protecting the waters we love. Only when enough of us speak up (and LOUDLY) will our message be heard: divers care about the future of the ocean.

Spread the Word - COOL uses print media, the internet, and good old fashioned phone calls to get the word out about COOL news and activities. We work with other non-profit marine organizations (The Ocean Conservancy, Coral Reef Alliance, Marine Fish Conservation Network, to name a few) so we stay up-to-date on who's doing what in the conservation community. We rely on members and partner groups to help us spread the word through newsletters, e-mail listserves, and word of mouth. What better way to spend the ride to the dive site than talking about the COOL campaign?