Editor's Note: This is the first post from Katharine Leigh, the 18-year old National American Miss Teen State Ambassador and founder of Green Catch. In her OnEarth blog, she'll share her work and her passion for sustainable seafood.

As a new writer for OnEarth, I would like begin by sharing a little more about myself than the little bit you see in my bio. Almost every summer of my childhood, my family would try to vacation in Pacific Grove, which is right next to Monterey Bay. I remember the hours spent building sandcastles, exploring tide pools, and dodging waves, all the bike rides along the coast, the seafood restaurants, and the costal sunsets. But what I remember more than anything else, were the trips to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  Every year we would visit, and every year there would be something new and exciting to explore. Most likely I was born with an innate affinity for the sea, but there is no doubt in my mind that this appreciation for the ocean was cultivated into a passion because of my childhood.

As a Girl Scout, I set out to design a Gold Award project that could really make a difference. I knew I wanted to do something with the ocean, but what exactly I wanted to do, I had no idea. Then I remembered the Monterey Bay Aquarium's organization, Seafood Watch. Seafood Watch is a leader in sustainable seafood advocacy. Their Pocket Guides enable consumers to make wise seafood purchases. One thing led to another and, being a self-described “foodie," I began to focus on restaurants. I noticed a gap in consumer knowledge. Why, I wondered, do grocery stores and seafood markets display where their seafood comes from and how it is caught, but restaurants do not? This seemed extremely inconsistent to me, and I began to ask questions. After questioning many restaurants, I discovered most restaurants do not show anything about the origins of the seafood they serve, and many do not even know. This, I realized, was a big problem.

I wanted to fix this problem, thus, my Gold Award project, Green Catch: Sustaining Blue by Catching Green, came into being. The best way to do this seemed to be through education. After researching a bit, I realized I could not just start with restaurants, I had to address sustainable seafood as a whole. Seafood is the world’s main source of protein, yet over 90% of the world’s big sea fish are gone. With seafood being such an integral part of all of our lives, sustainable seafood is not only an environmental necessity, but also an economic necessity. Green Catch spreads the word about this necessity. I believe that Green Catch has the potential to instill responsibility and awareness within our society.

I can see Green Catch and its philosophies securing global sustainability, and I hope you will join me in this journey towards a sustainable future! Please check this blog as I will be posting updates on GreenCatch and sustainable seafood in general. Also, check out my website for more information on the GreenCatch program, and find out how you can teach GreenCatch, too. Got a Facebook account? Then check out GreenCatch’s Facebook page: and its sister page.

Thank you and remember, sustainability is not just an idea, it's an action!