Elevator pitch on the Ocean

If you don't know much about the ocean, here's my elevator pitch on it. It's a complex, dynamic and interconnected ecosystem that's the foundation and life support of everything on earth. Believe it or not, but facts are facts and I mean EVERYTHING. Close your eyes, take a deep breathe and think about that for a moment. Everything comes from the ocean. Name any object. Your phone, a guitar, that building, electricity, that mountain. That's right, all the parts directly or indirectly can be traced back to the ocean. It's not just some high ass shit that philosophers and scientists came up with. The ocean is what our planet is. It covers over 70% of the Earth's surface but because of its crazy depths (of up to 7miles/11km), it accounts for 97% of our planet's inhabitable space. Inhabitable for all life forms, not just humans.

What do you think about when you think of the ocean? It's blue, vast and scary? There's sharks out to kill you if you go in it? It's dangerous? Or maybe you don't think anything of it because whether you realize it or not, maybe you're just disconnected from the natural world. Let's say, you get on a boat and are dropped off on an uninhabited island "in the middle of nowhere" with no possessions. Welcome to the natural world. The longer you are there, the more you will understand the seasons, the moon, the weather, the lifecycles of other living beings and most importantly that you are part of this amazing ecosystem, not separate, removed or the owner of it.

Unfortunately for our future generations, we as a species have overrun the Earth at bullet train speeds compared to all 5 previous mass extinctions, and it is now the most difficult time for us and any remaining wildlife to survive.

So what can you do? The answer is simple. Connect. No, not through social media, networking or socializing, but by going outside to the remaining wild places in the world. If you are not able to travel to the diminished wilderness, just getting somewhere where the ocean shores reach is a start. Connect to the ocean. Go to a beach, get on a boat, get in the water and explore the underwater world. Interact with wild animals in their natural habitat. How was your experience, what did you notice and what did you feel when you connected to the natural world? I personally feel freedom, a deep sense of understanding and humbled.

Without the ocean, there is no life on our planet. The ocean ecosystem is collapsing and if you like anything related to the ocean (seafood, the beach, boating etc.) and you have any interest in doing something good for the planet, then may I suggest that you take a step to simply connect to the ocean.

My top 3 recommendations:

• Go on an expedition in one of the last pristine archipelagos in the arctic with my expeditions and charter company World Sea Explorers

• Not able to get out? For a great summary of the earth and where we are today read "A Life on Our Planet" by David Attenborough or watch the accompanying movie on Netflix.

• For day-to-day advice on what you can do check out Count Us In