3 National Geographic explorers reveal what it's like protecting the Earth

Each person has a fascinating story to tell.

Aug. 12, 2022

3 National Geographic explorers reveal what it's like protecting the Earth

National Geographic explorers are some of the most impressive people around.

They're people who help protect our planet and its myriad of living creatures through their dedication in science, exploration, education, and storytelling.

To celebrate them, National Geographic recently released a 12-episode podcast series titled Expedition: Earth that dives into the lives and stories of National Geographic explorers.

Immortalizing identity and the environment with Josh Irwandi's lens.

Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Josh Irwandi is driven to create memories. His work has been featured on National Geographic, TIME, The Times of London, and The Guardian.

"I believe as we create memories, we create new perspectives. These new perspectives create an endless cycle of opportunities to look and therefore reconsider our human condition and state of the world we live in. They provide us with reasons for a change in a very much injured world. I believe in this very power of photography that made me decide to become a documentary photographer."

His latest project, 'Not A Blank Canvas', was funded through the the National Geographic Society exploration grant in 2021. It focuses on the changes in identity and landscape of the Asmat people of West Papua, Indonesia.

"Construction and development are taking place at an unprecedented rate. For a group of hunter-gatherers, who were once labeled as ‘headhunters’ or ‘people from the Stone Age’, they are shot into the future and expected to accept everything that’s happening on their land without a say. Every decision made about them does not take the environment and their livelihood into account. What elements of their culture and identity left behind as such rapid progress sweep across their land? Is there anything we can do so that they can determine how best to carry on forward?"

Josh hopes that through his photographs, he is able to inspire people to be more conscious about the environment.

"We desperately need a stable environment, us living in it conscious of our own identity, for us to be able to thrive. When these are dying, we have a real cause for concern. The world is moving at a direction that most of us are not hoping it to be. Having someone document the process and the result is crucial. That we open our eyes to the realities, ours and others’. Photographs have the power to galvanize a conversation. Photographs can spur us into taking certain actions. I believe in the ability of this medium and that is why I do what I do."

Celebrating our oceans through Nathaniel Soon's stories.

Similar to Josh, diver-photographer Nathaniel Soon sheds light on some of the ocean’s smallest, biggest, and most magical creatures, from the scientific unknowns of the nudibranch to the social cultures of whales.

The Singapore-based marine ecologist and visual storyteller founded 'Our Seas, Our Legacy', a platform he uses to engage communities, amplify voices, and communicate science for our oceans.

"I often put myself in the shoes of a typical layperson who may not know or care much about a particular topic. For instance, ocean resilience, or nature-based climate solutions. What exactly will bring them in? What issues will potentially make them interested or care? These become my main focus in telling the story," Nathaniel tells Mashable Southeast Asia.

"It's quite pointless in my opinion for storytelling to cater to an echo chamber. If I could reach one person who otherwise wouldn't have known or cared about an important message through an image, film or article, I think that's success!"

Despite the complexities involved, Nathaniel is optimistic that humans can address climate change, specifically when it comes to regenerating marine environments.

"The future requires individuals and communities to unite in creating innovative solutions that both meet our everyday needs but also tap on nature's resilience to allow marine ecosystems to regenerate and thrive."

"Human civilization has come so far in such a short span of time, relative to our entire evolutionary timescale as a species. Yet in that short span of time, we've also done so much damage to our planet and environment. That in itself is evidence that if we were truly committed to our planet, and the lives of generations to come, we can very much take that same innovation, ingenuity, and passion to reverse the degradation and harm we've caused, and rethink the future through a more sustainable and equitable lens."

Good kind of fishy business with Naomi Clark-Shen.

When Naomi Clark-Shen was 14, she watched a shark documentary. There and then she decided that she wanted to be a shark conservationist.

Today, the Singapore-born is enrolled in a PhD program studying the small, often-forgotten sharks and stingrays accidentally caught in fishing nets around Southeast Asia.

"My entire life has been full of rescue pets, nature documentaries, and exploring the great outdoors. I was never one of those children with dolls and Barbies, I just had a lot of animal figurines and cuddly toys. So since I was very young I knew I wanted to work with, and help animals for the rest of my life," Naomi, who also trains and performs in wrestling (WWE-style), said.

Now, her focus is more on fish welfare, an area which is least explored according to Naomi.

"When it comes to fish everyone focuses on ‘sustainability’ and no-one thinks of their welfare. But research has shown that fish are quite complex beings. They feel pain and stress, have good memories and can solve problems, and have different personalities. Now that we have this evidence, I think it is our duty to be more compassionate towards fish and reduce (or ideally completely stop) their suffering. No one likes to think of their pet dog or cat experiencing pain or neglect, so why can’t we extend this same compassion to other animals?"

Due to her belief in her findings, Naomi is also a vegetarian, advocates for animal welfare, and lives as eco-friendly as possible. She also does conservation work with lesser-known sharks and stingrays.

"Overfishing is the biggest threat to marine populations, and entire ecosystems are in collapse. Many people think the solution is to simply avoid eating certain animals, like sharks, turtles, or tuna, but continue eating everything else. The truth is far more complex than this. Many sharks, turtles, and tuna continue to get accidentally caught in fisheries targeting other animals (like prawns and fish). Additionally, if you overfish prawns and fish, what are sharks, turtles, and tuna going to eat? We need to think more holistically."

You can listen to Josh, Nathaniel, Naomi, and 13 other National Geographic explorers on Expedition: Earth.

The podcast series is hosted by National Geographic explorer and multimedia storyteller Lillygol “Lilly” Sedaghat and it's available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and YouTube.