10/2 Chapter 11: Oceans

Everybody knows that Earth is mainly composed of water, over 71% of it to be exact. The ocean's water is what makes Earth so livable to so many species. In the ocean lives millions of different species of animals and plants, millions that scientists even have yet to discover. I'd say that many humans take the ocean for granted, we swim in it, take water from it, but do wee really appreciate what it does? The ocean holds an entire other world, a world in which the human race relies on for food and life in general. It's amazing to think that the ocean provides 50% of the oxygen we breathe every day (197). Some communities rely on the ocean for their means of economic advancements, their main industries and exports may involve sea food. Yet, the sad part of the lack of the appreciation for the ocean is the millions of people that allow the ocean to be littered with the pounds and pounds of trash that we throw out everyday. Just the other day I was shown a video of what is called the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" which is literally a massive landfill in the middle of the ocean. The idea of how many animals die from all the trash in the ocean is disturbing and makes me embarrassed of how we treat our planet, which, if I may add, is the entire reason for our existence.

Skelton, Laura, et al. Exploring Global Issues: Social, Economic, and
     Environmental Interconnections. Seattle: Facing the Future, 2013. Print.