Over the last 100 years, 90% of fish have been eaten and half of the coral reefs have gone in a very short time. Since 1950, 40% of the phytoplankton in the sea has been destroyed. Most of the oxygen we breathe comes from these microscopic organisms. According to Sylvia Earle, a renowned oceanographer, “Our life depends on maintaining the integrity of our life support system.” Today, 97% of the world’s nature remains to be discovered, most of it underwater. The ocean accounts for 72% of the planet’s surface. 95% of the ocean is still unknown. We have gone to the moon but have not yet explored the largest feature of our planet, the mid-ocean ridge that covers 23% of the planet. There is more history underwater than in all museums combined, but we are destroying marine life before we can even learn from it. Sylvia Earle was chief scientist for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1990–1992. She won the TED prize in 2009. A great marine explorer, she is a pioneer in raising awareness on protecting the oceans that she defines as “our life support system”. Without blue, no green. >Back |