“The living ocean drives planetary chemistry, governs climate and weather, and otherwise provides the cornerstone of the life-support system for all creatures on our planet, from deep-sea starfish to desert sagebrush. That's why the ocean matters. If the sea is sick, we'll feel it. If it dies, we die. Our future and the state of the oceans are one.” IfsFeelsMatterStatesDiesSupportSeaPlanetsCreaturesOceanSickClimateWeatherDesertChemistryOur FutureOur PlanetCornerstonesSupport SystemsDeep SeaStarfish Book:Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans Source: Sea Change: A Message of the Oceans
“It's an appreciation for life generally, every bit of life, the smallest creature that lives in the intestines of termites that make termite life possible - to the leaves that turn out oxygen and grab carbon dioxide and with water make simple sugars that feed much of the world. I mean, these are everyday miracles.” WorldMeanTurnsBitsWaterSimpleCreaturesMiracleEverydayAppreciationSugarSmallestCarbonOxygenCarbon DioxideIntestines Author:Sylvia Earle
“We want to think of ourselves as truly special creatures that are unique in the universe and, well, we are. And we have that capacity to wonder, to question, and to see ourselves in the context of all of life that has preceded the present time, and all that will go off far into the future, one way or another.” ThinkingWayWantWellsUniverseWonderSpecialCreaturesUniqueCapacityOne WayPresent Time Author:Sylvia Earle
“Just as we have the power to harm the ocean, we have the power to put in place policies and modify our own behavior in ways that would be an insurance policy for the future of the sea, for the creatures there, and for us, protecting special critical areas in the ocean.” WayWould BeSeaSpecialPolicyCreaturesBehaviorOceanAreasCriticalHarmInsurance Policy Author:Sylvia Earle
“No creature on Earth ever has organized themselves in ways that we have, with the capacity to alter the nature of nature the way we have.” WayEarthCreaturesCapacityOrganized Author:Sylvia Earle
“Humans are the only creatures with the ability to dive deep in the sea, fly high in the sky, send instant messages around the globe, reflect on the past, assess the present and imagine the future.” HumansPastAbilityImagineSeaSkyCreaturesMessagesInstantGlobes Author:Sylvia Earle
“By the end of the 20th century, up to 90 percent of the sharks, tuna, swordfish, marlins, groupers, turtles, whales, and many other large creatures that prospered in the Gulf for millions of years had been depleted by overfishing.” YearsEndsMillionsCenturyCreaturesPercent20th CenturySharksWhalesTurtlesTunaOverfishing Author:Sylvia Earle
“Nothing has prepared sharks, squid, krill and other sea creatures for industrial-scale extraction that destroys entire ecosystems while targeting a few species.” SeaCreaturesPreparedSpeciesScalesSharksEcosystemsExtractionSquids Author:Sylvia Earle
“Places change over time with or without oil spills, but humans are responsible for the Deepwater Horizon gusher - and humans, as well as the corals, fish and other creatures, are suffering the consequences.” HumansWellsSufferingCreaturesConsequenceResponsibleFishesOilHorizonSpillsOil SpillChanges Over TimeSuffering The Consequences Author:Sylvia Earle
