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Back to My wish: Protect our oceans | Sylvia Earle, with Sylvia Earle.

Why Is the Ocean So Important to Us

With every drop we drink, every breath we take, we are connected to the sea no matter where we live. Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere is generated by the sea. Over time, most of the planets’ organic carbon has been absorbed and stored there. The ocean drives weather, stabilizes temperature, shapes earth’s chemistry, and much more.

Transcript

My wish: Protect our oceans | Sylvia Earle ·

TED Talks Daily

More from this episode

  1. What Are Some Changes in the Sea That Have Affected UsThere are several changes we are seeing.
  2. How Does Excess Carbon Dioxide Affect the OceanIt not only drives global warming, but it’s changing ocean chemistry, making the sea more acidic. It’s bad news for coral reefs, planktons, and us.
  3. What Should We Be Doing When We Eat Something From the SeaWe should be thinking of the real cost. For every pound that goes to the market, more than 10 pounds — even 100 pounds— may be thrown away as bycatch.
  4. What’s the Good News and Bad News About the OceansThere are more than 4,000 places in the seas around the world that have protection. The bad news is, you have to look hard to find these places on Google Earth.
  5. How Can We Cope With Climate ChangeWe need new ways to generate power. We need new and better ways to cope with poverty, wars, and diseases.
  6. What Is One Wish About the Ocean to Fulfill in the FutureSylvia’s wish is that we would use all means at our disposal to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas— hope spots large enough…

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