Cyrill Gutsch’s activism has a somewhat surprising origin story. In 2012, the German designer and brand developer learned about Captain Paul Watson—founder of Sea Shepherd—whose work protecting the oceans had seen an international warrant put out for his arrest. Intrigued by his tale and inspired by his actions, Gutsch flew to Germany to meet him. The conversation that followed—held in the office of Watson’s legal team—moved Gutsch to found Parley for the Oceans: an organisation redefining environmental activism.
Parley tackles some of our planet’s most pressing challenges—plastic pollution, overfishing, and climate change—by enlisting the creative community and the mechanisms that drive the world of design. Parley aligns its activist goals with leading names and global trends, with partners including artists Jenny Holzer and Doug Aitken, luxury brands and retailers Dior and Dover Street Market, and business giants like G+D and Thales.
Whether it’s running education initiatives, masterminding global cleanups, or accelerating the development of eco-innovative and biofabricated materials, Parley’s work reframes the way we approach and understand our environment.“Activism is no longer a fringe movement, it’s become a mainstream force,” explains Gutsch. “When we work together with urgency, we can change the course of history.”
hube: The ocean is the foundation of life on Earth and a vital force sustaining the planet’s natural balance. In your view, how close are we to causing irreversible damage to this ecosystem?
Cyrill Gutsch: We’re already at the critical tipping point. This is it, our last chance to turn ourselves around. The ocean is under enormous stress, and while ocean ecosystems can be resilient if protected and left alone, much of the damage we’ve inflicted is already irreversible. Human activity is rapidly harming life that formed over billions of years; now pollution, overfishing, and climate change threaten to collapse the stability of something we all depend on and are only just starting to understand. Plastics have infiltrated every part of the ocean, from the surface to the deepest trenches. Ancient coral reefs are bleaching and dying due to rising ocean temperatures and acidification. In the past couple of years, ocean heat was so high that scientists thought their instruments were broken. Sea surface temperatures broke records for 15 consecutive months and key ocean currents that regulate global weather are slowing down. Biodiversity rates are plummeting while sea levels climb and unprecedented storms have become the new norm.
The oceans are our life support system. They regulate the climate, house 99.9% of the biosphere, and provide most of the oxygen in the air we breathe. Our actions will determine whether we can restore the balance of vital ecosystems or continue down a path of destruction. This is why all of us must act—to cut plastic waste, stop overfishing, and support global initiatives to protect and regenerate marine ecosystems. The ocean is huge and resilient, but as Dr. Sylvia Earle says, it’s not too big to fail. I refuse to accept that our generation will leave behind a dead ocean, so I’m trying to create change while we still have the opportunity to act.
h: Our priorities are influenced by our standard of living, education, and social norms. How do you think art impacts or shapes this process?
CG: I believe art plays a powerful role in shaping our priorities, encouraging us to question and reflect on how we relate to the planet and to one another. Art transcends the limits of language and communicates on a deeper level, calling on our emotions, our imagination, and our ability to see the world differently. It can shift perceptions, challenge norms, and inspire action in ways that traditional methods like education or policy alone can’t—that’s why artists have always been at the heart of our cause.
When we started Parley for the Oceans, we realised that people need to feel the urgency of the situation. Facts and statistics can be overwhelming and impersonal, but art has the ability to create a sense of shared responsibility and empathy that drives change.
h: Modern philosophers are expanding the idea of humanism to include all forms of life. This shift is seen in posthumanism and ethical discussions around the Anthropocene, which focus on humanity’s responsibility to the environment and other life forms. Do you agree with these ideas?
CG: Absolutely. We humans are relatively new here, infantile on a geological time scale. And in a blink we changed everything. For too long, we’ve placed ourselves at the centre, acting as though we are separate from, and superior to, nature. This mindset has led us to exploit ecosystems, poison the oceans, and disregard the delicate balance that sustains life on Earth—but we’re learning. We now have the tools and knowledge to see how our world truly works, to learn from the species we share this planet with, and therefore, we have a responsibility to challenge our warped perception of our place within the larger web of life.
The idea of expanding humanism to encompass all organic life is a profound wake-up call. It forces us to rethink our role not as rulers, but as part of a vast, interconnected system. Every species, every organism—from plankton to whales—plays a critical role. We can no longer pretend that our actions don’t have devastating consequences for the biosphere. Climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean pollution—these are not isolated issues, they are symptoms of a deeper disconnect, a failure to understand that we are not above the planet, but within it.
To shift this perspective, we need a radical rethinking of our values. This is not some abstract intellectual exercise, it’s about tangible, urgent action. It’s about understanding that humanity’s survival is tied to the survival of the ecosystems around us. If we want a future, we must restore our connection to the planet and recognise that every living being has inherent value.
Our future depends on our ability to evolve from a path of domination and exploitation to one of coexistence, responsibility, and stewardship. We must accept this truth: we are all in this together, and it’s time to act like it. The ocean—the heart of life—needs us now more than ever.
h: An important aspect of your project is not only rejecting harmful technologies, but also supporting scientific initiatives aimed at environmental safety. Could you explain this further?
CG: At Parley, we understand that protecting our oceans and the planet is not just about rejecting harmful technologies, it’s about actively supporting the science and innovations that can drive real change. We’re not just looking to stop the damage, we’re focused on creating solutions that help regenerate and restore what has been lost.
We recently launched a core initiative, Parley Future Material®, which is dedicated to driving a material revolution. This is about shifting from harmful, resource-depleting materials like plastic and finding new, eco-innovative solutions that are regenerative by design. We partner with scientists, designers, research institutions, and brands to accelerate the creation of materials that are not only safe for the environment but which can also be part of a circular economy. By supporting these kinds of scientific advancements, we aim to transform industries, reduce our dependence on harmful substances, and help build a world where the materials we use regenerate the planet rather than harm it.
Ultimately, our goal is to supercharge collaboration and combine action with science. We need to make bold decisions and invest in solutions that will help us reduce harm and create a future where humans and nature coexist.
h: You channel your creative energy and talent into environmental preservation. What do you find most challenging about this path?
CG: The most challenging part of this journey is shifting the collective mindset. We’ve been conditioned to see the planet as something we can exploit for our gain, rather than as a living, interconnected system that we are part of. Changing that mindset is hard. But creativity is the key to breaking through it—rethinking everything from design to business models to how we live. It changes the conversation and makes this work exciting. Environmentalism and sustainability don’t have to be seen as sacrifices, we have the opportunity to reinvent everything, and we have the ultimate motivator: our own survival.
Facing the scale of damage is also incredibly challenging. When you see the state of our oceans—the plastic pollution, the dying coral reefs, the loss of biodiversity—it can feel overwhelming. But we can’t just focus on the problems when there are just as many solutions. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, we have the creativity. What we need is the will to act on a global scale, to make systemic changes to the way we live, create, and consume.
The work we do at Parley is a constant reminder that we are all responsible for this planet—and that means that every individual, every organisation, and every government must be involved in the solution. It’s about building collaborations across sectors, industries, and countries. We want to invite everyone to be a part of the solutions movement. Ultimately, the greatest challenge is convincing people that the survival of the ocean—and our future—depends on changing the way we think, create, and live. In an overwhelming and uncertain world, we try to remind people of the positive change that’s possible when we work together and decide to actually do something.
All images courtesy of PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS
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