'It Should Be Cool to Care,' Says Sylvia Earle

The world’s oceans are facing a series of escalating crises—from the death of coral reefs to overfishing that threatens marine ecosystems. But sitting at the TIME100 Talks in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 4, legendary explorer and oceanographer Sylvia Earle wanted to take a minute to look backward at a threat to oceans from the previous century: whaling.

From the time the practice became a significant industry in the 18th century to its official ban in 1986, whale hunters were heralded with songs and literature celebrating their exploits. And the global population of whales declined precipitously to the point of near extinction.

Then, as Earle recalls, a cultural shift happened as campaigners highlighted the plight of the whales: humans across the globe began to find whale hunting distastef