I’ve always felt a connection to the ocean and beach. I can sit for an entire day on the beach, listening to the waves crash, looking out onto the horizon, enjoying sunsets (or sunrises), and soaking in the beach culture.

In my professional career, the ocean has been a source of inspiration and awe. I’ve always been interested in fish, and in college, I studied and wrote papers on one of my favorite ecosystems, coral reefs. The symbiotic relationship between corals and algae illustrated to me the interconnectedness of nature, including with people and community-based conservation. A deep appreciation for the beautiful interconnectedness of nature still holds true for me today.

“Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath that you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume. Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea.”

~ Dr. Sylvia Earle

For World Ocean Day, our singular ocean and its deep currents connect all of us. An estimated 40 percent of the world’s population lives within 50 miles of the ocean and about 1 billion people depend on the ocean for most of their food. The ocean’s microscopic plant life accounts for 50 percent of the oxygen in every breath we take. It helps regulate the climate and has absorbed excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The ocean covers over 70 percent of our planet. The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest habitat and sustains the largest species to ever grace our planet. Yet, we have explored outer space more than our own ocean. Additionally, from space, our planet looks blue. Perhaps Planet Earth should have been named Planet Ocean.