TED talk - Protect our oceans

Rating: ****

Ocean researcher Sylvia Earle, 2009’s TED prize winner used the opportunity to speak about protecting the ocean before its too late and shared shocking stats about its rapid decline.

Our fate depends on the ocean and every drop of water you drink, every breath you take is connected to the sea. The ocean provides us with most of our oxygen, it stabilizes temperature, forms clouds that make rain and snow and it is home to 97% of life in the world and possibly the universe. Some statistics from the past 50 years that impacted me: we’ve stolen 90% of the oceans big fish, ½ of all coral reefs have disappeared, for every pound of sea food, 10-100 pounds get thrown away and with a depletion of oxygen in the pacific tons of creatures are dying.

Sylvia’s most recent project was to get Google Earth to let people explore the ocean as well as land. Now you can explore the ocean and under the water to swim around on Google Earth. Even the deepest place 7 miles down, the Mariana trench where only 2 people have been can be explored on Google Earth. Her goal is to make the children of today and tomorrow aware of how to help her protect the big blue paradise. We’re clogging the sea with carbon-based units. Excess carbon dioxide, plastic, trash and fishing net is killing wildlife. The next ten years could be the most important. We need to invent new technologies and change our habits to protect biodiversity before time runs out.

“I wish you would use all means at your disposal—films! Expeditions! the web! More! —To ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, hope spot large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.” -Sylvia Earle

Earle, Sylvia. (2009, February) Sylvia Earle’s TED Prize wish to protect our oceans. [Video file] (2011, May) From web: http://www.ted.com/talks/sylvia_earle_s_ted_prize_wish_to_protect_our_oceans.html