The Oceanic Preservation Society is a

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

-based

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that promotes

marine conservation Marine conservation, also known as ocean conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas through planned management in order to prevent the over-exploitation of these marine resources. Marine conservation is in ...

and

environmental protection Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair dam ...

by combating complex

global issues A global issue is a matter of public concern worldwide. This list of global issues presents problems or phenomena affecting people around the world, including but not limited to widespread social issues, economic issues, and environmental issues ...

such as

biodiversity loss Biodiversity loss includes the worldwide extinction of different species, as well as the local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat, resulting in a loss of biological diversity. The latter phenomenon can be temporary or permanent, de ...

, climate change, illegal wildlife trading, deforestation, and unsustainable fishing ''through documentary, film and media.'' It was founded in 2005 by photographer and current award-winning Executive Director

Louie Psihoyos Louis (Louie) Psihoyos (born April 15, 1957) is an American photographer and documentary film director known for his still photography and contributions to National Geographic. Psihoyos, a certified SCUBA diver, has become increasingly concerned ...

and

Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo County ...

entrepreneur

Jim Clark James Clark Jr. OBE (4 March 1936 – 7 April 1968) was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965. A versatile driver, he competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the Indianapol ...

. In 2009, OPS released '' The Cove'', an Academy Award-winning

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

that describes the annual mass slaughter of

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...

s in a national park at

Taiji, Wakayama 270px, Taiji Town Hall 270px, Taiji Whale Museum is a town located in Higashimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 2960 in 1567 households and a population density of 510 persons per km². The tot ...

. The organization's second project, Emmy-nominated documentary, ''

Racing Extinction ''Racing Extinction'' is a 2015 documentary about the ongoing anthropogenic mass extinction of species and the efforts from scientists, activists and journalists to document it by Oscar-winning director Louie Psihoyos, who directed the documen ...

'', focuses on the mass extinction of species, disappearance of coral reefs, and the rise of toxins in the ocean. In addition to documentary film projects, OPS is actively working to save our oceans and planet throug
collaborative impact campaigns
that connect a global network of partners, including conservation organizations, frontline defenders, and policy makers. Confronting the greatest threats to environment, lik
climate changeunsustainable fishing
th
commercial wildlife trade
an
deforestation
requires action from each of us.

Mission statement

Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) works to inspire, empower, and connect a global community of activists, using film and visual displays to expose the most critical issues facing our planet.

Films

The Cove
- Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary, 2009. The film follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers, and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, exposing a deadly secret of unparalleled cruelty where dolphins must fight for their lives to survive. This OPS project demonstrates how film, along with social media, can ignite a global movement.
Racing Extinction
- In Racing Extinction, Academy Award-winning director Louie Psihoyos assembles a team that goes undercover to reveal the threat of mass extinction worldwide - a serious issue driven by the international wildlife trade and the collateral damage from the relentless burning of fossil fuels and the beef industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Game Changers
Directed by Louie Psihoyos and executive produced by James Cameron, The Game Changers tells the story of James Wilks — elite special forces trainer and winner of The Ultimate Fighter — as he travels the world on a quest for the truth behind the widely held belief that meat is necessary for protein, strength and optimal health.
Leuser: The Last Place on Earth
- This action-adventure documentary, currently in production, delves deep into the extraordinary Leuser Ecosystem — the last place on earth where orangutans, rhinos, tigers, and elephants still roam freely in the wild. An undercover film team chronicles the plights of the heroes fighting to save this biodiversity hotspot on the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia from rampant corruption and destruction — and through their journey, it becomes clear that the difference between life and death in this distant land lies in the decisions each of us makes every day.
Mission: Joy
- Directed by Louie Psihoyos and Peggy Callahan, Mission: Joy captures the special relationship between the Dali Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and traces their life stories. The two men are opposites in many ways, but their friendship proves that our shared humanity is bigger than our differences. Their lives remind us that joy comes from inside, that joy and pain are inseparable, and that deep connection is one of the secrets of joy.

Projecting Change

Utilizing state-of-the-art technology, OPS's project
Projecting Change
highlights environmental beauty and biodiversity fragility through the projection of images onto iconic buildings and other structures with creative partner Obscura Digita. To date, OPS global projection events have achieved over 5.3 Billion impressions. *

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

: �
IllUmiNations: Protecting Our Planet
�� - projection event at the United Nations in New York City on September 20, 2014 achieved 42+ million impressions. *

Empire State Building The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the st ...

: �
Projecting Change
�� - projection event at the Empire State Building in New York City on August 1, 2015 achieved 939+ million impressions. * St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican: �
Illuminating Our Common Home
�� - projection event at St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican on December 8, 2015 achieved 4.4+ billion impressions.

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Marine conservation organizations Nature conservation organizations based in the United States 501(c)(3) organizations Organizations established in 2005 Environmental organizations established in 2005 Environmental organizations based in California