Donor spotlight : Charline Auvinet

Tell us a bit about yourself 🙂   

After graduating a few years ago, I’m now a crime fiction editor. In this job, I have discovered a way to bring together many passions: the attention to language – to languages, by the way -, the attention to detail, and a way to satisfy my insatiable curiosity.

Although I currently live in the Paris region, but I grew up near the coast, so the sea has always held a special place in my heart, and I think it’s the landscape I miss the most on a daily basis.

Why is our cause important to you?

I fell in love with Coral Guardian a few years ago. It was for me more than an nonprofit defending the corals and trying to alleviate the ecological crisis. Coral Guardian represents for me values to which I adhere: include local populations, train them to make them independent; take advantage of coral transplants to advance scientific research; provide efforts to popularize the general public; try to protect marine areas legally; remain transparent … Supporting Coral Guardian is both a way for me to satisfy my curiosity by staying informed on the subject and to actively support an association that works for the ecology through acts that make sense.

Tell us about your favourite experience or memory in the ocean.

I’m not one of those who dive or practice impressive water sports, but I recently discovered a new type of link with the ocean, which I also consider important: coastal hiking. My best memories are, I think, on the Breton islands, and this year I was able to go for several days around the island of Ouessant with a friend. We had a magical time: we saw many animals running free, few people, we had all kinds of weather (from blue sky to fog), we watched the swallows shaving us and the sea birds circling over the waves, and the sea of course, again and again. I love the ocean in all its forms, and walking near it is a beautiful way for me to respect and celebrate it.

What worries you most about the current state of coral reefs?

Soaring temperatures. The more I learn about this, the more I find it mind-boggling how fast it is going. The bleaching episodes are a blatant proof of the unhappiness of the oceans. On the one hand I think it’s a shame that we have to wait for such signals to understand our impact and act, but on the other hand I’m grateful that the ocean is so clearly showing the consequences of human action and global warming on its natural cycle. I fear that coral reefs will disappear entirely, but I believe they give us the keys to help them survive and adapt.

What gives you hope for the protection of coral reefs?

Social media, despite all their shortcomings, brings many causes greater visibility, and I believe that protecting the oceans and corals is one of them. I think the internet – not just media like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, but also streaming platforms, which have allowed me to watch several fascinating and informative documentaries on the subject, or podcast platforms – are helping to raise awareness not only among those already knowledgeable about the subject, but also among the general public. People like me, whose connection to the ocean is sometimes distant, ordinary, perhaps, but who are curious or engaged. Younger people as well, who are – we can never say it enough – the future of our world. The more people are aware, the more indispensable actors such as Coral Guardian can take care of our planet.