Growing demand for meat is driving the planet toward climate catastrophe. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock and their byproducts emit 18% of all greenhouse gases globally, more than the emissions produced by all transportation.

The ocean has absorbed over 90% of the excess heat trapped by the increase in greenhouse gases over the last several decades. Ocean warming melts ice shelves, raising sea levels and threatening coastlines. It also jeopardizes the survival of coral reefs and the marine life—and human lives—that depend on them. Warming even alters ocean currents, with far-reaching effects on climate and ocean food chains. In addition to warming the ocean, excess carbon emissions acidify the water, weakening the calcium shells and skeletons of animals like corals, clams, and oysters, scientists say.

The good news is that we can go a long way toward solving these problems with our food choices.

Meat-eaters are responsible for almost twice as many dietary greenhouse gas emissions per day as vegetarians and about two and a half times as many as vegans. A widespread switch to veganism would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70%, according to a 2016 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It would also stem the outpouring of manure into the ocean that fuels blooms of toxic algae and oxygen-starved “dead zones” the size of New Jersey. In addition, it would prevent hormones, antibiotics, and pathogens from running into the ocean and harming marine life.

While animal agriculture is often viewed as a vital part of the economy, farming as a whole only accounts for 1% of the U.S. GDP, compared to 19% for industry and 80% for services, according to the USDA. The economic benefits of switching to a vegan diet far outweigh the contribution of farming animals. Due to the disease-preventing health benefits of a vegan diet—endorsed by the American Dietetic Association—the money that would be saved on healthcare, lost working days, and reduced emissions, among other benefits, would amount to trillions of dollars.

We keep trying to convince ourselves that we can have our steak and eat it too, when the reality is that there is no truly sustainable way to eat animals. Our voracious appetite for animal protein is depleting resources, polluting the ocean, and warming the planet. We cannot afford the cost to human lives and the environment of eating so much meat.

Replacing all fossil fuels with renewable energy will take decades and billions of dollars, while replacing meat with legumes, grains, and vegetables can be done instantly. So, what’s stopping us? Is the taste of meat worth the death of our ocean?

A bloom of moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) in the Red Sea, Egypt. Photo by Alexander Vasenin.

Jellies are extremely simple animals. Their bodies are over 95% water. They don’t have brains, bones, or blood, yet they can swim and react to their environment. Some even actively hunt their prey.

Their simplicity makes them versatile. Unlike most animals, they can survive in almost any conditions—extremes in temperature, salinity, acidity, and oxygen hardly seem to bother them. This puts them in a unique position to benefit from the rapid changes our ocean is undergoing.

Box jellyfish, some of the most venomous animals in the world, swim in the waters off Cape Town. Photo by Peter Southwood.

Overfishing, for example, has depleted populations of the turtles, birds, mammals, and fish that feed on jellyfish, removing the natural predators that would normally keep jelly populations in balance. Rising ocean temperatures speed up the metabolism of jellies so that they eat more and reproduce faster. Pollution from agriculture feeds increasingly large oxygen-starved “dead zones” where most marine life can’t survive—but jellies thrive. Since jellyfish feed on the larvae of fish and other animals, they prevent other species from re-colonizing the area even if oxygen levels recover.

Lion’s mane jellyfish weigh down fishing nets. Photo by Anne Burgess.

The link between jellyfish and climate is not robust due to a lack of evidence. We’ve never had much of a reason to worry about jellies until now. But we know that we are continuing to push the ocean toward conditions that threaten entire ecosystems while remaining hospitable to ever-adaptable jellyfish.

We can look to Japan to see the havoc wreaked by jellies. Blooms of Nomura’s jellyfish that used to occur every few decades now invade almost annually, perhaps due to increased agricultural runoff from neighboring China. These jellies, which can weigh up to 440 pounds, tear fishing nets, kill fish, injure fishers, and can even capsize boats. Jellies have also been clogging up power plants around the world.

Nomura’s jellyfish have become a blight to Japan’s fishing industry. Photo by Janne Hellsten.

So what can we do to stop the impending jellyfish invasion? The answer, simply put, is to keep doing the same things we should all be doing to slow climate change and ocean pollution. Do the best you can to reduce your carbon footprint. Eat less meat to prevent polluting coastal waters. Cut back on seafood or eat only verified sustainable seafood so your fish doesn’t come with a side of sea turtle bycatch.

The ocean will continue to exist no matter what we do to it. But whether it sustains a beautiful diversity of life or a mass of gelatinous predators is a choice we must make, and soon.

The vaquita (“little cow” in Spanish) is a tiny porpoise that lives only in the Gulf of California. In March of 2018, a wildlife trade watchdog group reported that only about a dozen vaquitas were left in the Gulf, which means they will soon be extinct unless drastic action is taken.

The reason for the vaquita’s decline is the use of gillnets to harvest the totoaba, a critically endangered fish that is also endemic to the Gulf of California. Since the totoaba and the vaquita are similar in size, vaquitas also get caught in the gillnets as bycatch. Fishing for totoaba is illegal, but the swim bladders of the fish are highly sought after for use in Chinese medicine. When one totoaba bladder can sell for thousands of dollars, it’s virtually impossible to stop illegal fishing.

Vaquitas are caught in gillnets aimed at catching other species. Photo by Christian Faesi, NOAA.

Scientists don’t know much about the elusive vaquitas, so it has been difficult to find and monitor them, let alone come up with a strategy to protect them. In 2017, the Mexican government approved a plan to capture the remaining vaquitas in order to keep them out of harm’s way, but the plan was called off after a vaquita died shortly after being captured.

Currently, the Mexican government, along with environmental organizations like Sea Shepherd, are focused on ramping up enforcement of fishing regulations and removing as many gillnets as possible. But even with these increased conservation efforts, we might lose the vaquita to extinction as soon as this year.

Why did we wait until the vaquita was nearly extinct to try to save it? Could the resources be better spent on other conservation projects with more certain results? What does it mean if the vaquita goes extinct?

The fishing restrictions aimed at protecting the vaquita also protect other animals in the Gulf of California, including the endangered totoaba and other target fish and shrimp species. If the vaquitas go extinct, presumably the restrictions will be lifted, allowing even more intensive fishing of the region.

The vaquita may not have much value to us in itself, but it supports the ecosystem in which it lives, and ecosystems need to be diverse to be resilient. Saving the vaquita means protecting the ecosystem of the Gulf of California.

Regardless of the “value” of vaquitas to humans or to their ecosystem, surely they deserve to continue living in their own right. Right?

When a species goes extinct, we irretrievably lose a unique form of life. To me, saving species from extinction is a moral imperative.

Do you agree?

Featured image by Tom Jefferson, NOAA.

I have been in love with the ocean for as long as I can remember. My favorite places as a child were the beautiful beaches of San Diego and the Birch Aquarium. My favorite book was Hungry, Hungry Sharks. I never wanted to stop learning about all the amazing things that live in our oceans. So in fifth grade, when I read about the marine biologist, writer, and conservationist Rachel Carson, I knew I wanted to be like her.

Rachel Carson. Photo courtesy of USDA.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) wrote Under the Sea Wind, The Sea Around Us, and The Edge of the Sea, critically acclaimed books that beautifully described life in the ocean. When she saw how the pesticide DDT devastated birds and other wildlife, she wrote Silent Spring, a landmark novel that launched the environmental movement. Her work showed people the beauty of the ocean, the interconnectedness of nature, and the dangers of dominating and polluting the environment.

Like Rachel Carson, Sylvia Earle is a marine biologist and author. She is also a lecturer, activist, and ocean explorer. She has lived at an undersea research station for weeks at a time, logged thousands of hours underwater, and built dive suits and submersibles. She has authored over 150 publications, including Sea Change and The World is Blue. She was the first woman to serve as chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. At age 82, she remains a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, advises several organizations, leads expeditions around the world, and advocates for protecting and exploring the ocean as president of the non-profit she founded, Mission Blue.

Sylvia Earle preparing to dive in a JIM suit. She set a record for the deepest dive without a tether in this suit in 1979. Photo courtesy of NOAA Photo Library.

These women are true heroes for our oceans: scientists, communicators, and protectors of life on Earth. What women inspire you?

“We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it. Because they do.” – Sylvia Earle

1. Bring a reusable water bottle with you. A million plastic bottles are bought every minute, and that number keeps growing. Only a tiny fraction of these bottles are recycled and made into new bottles. Most of them end up in landfills and in the ocean, where they break down into smaller pieces that permeate ocean ecosystems and threaten sea life. Instead of buying bottled water while you are out, invest in a sturdy glass or stainless steel reusable water bottle, fill it before you go out, and take it with you wherever you go. This one simple swap will make a big difference in your plastic footprint, and will save you money on bottled water. Bonus: carrying a reusable water bottle with you will remind you to stay hydrated!
2. Use a reusable thermos or tumbler for your coffee runs. If you go out for coffee frequently, you may be going through a lot of plastic lids, cups, straws, and stirring sticks. Instead, use an insulated metal thermos for hot drinks and a reusable tumbler and straw for cold drinks. Many coffee shops, including Starbucks, will give you a discount for bringing your own cup!
3. Keep reusable shopping bags in your car so you don’t forget them at home when you go shopping. If you accidentally leave them in the car when you go into the store, you can always quickly run to your car to grab them before purchasing your items. This tip could save you hundreds of plastic bags every year. Let’s say you go grocery shopping once a week and use five plastic bags every time. That’s 260 bags per year you could save. In California, where bags now cost 10 cents each, that adds up to $26! You can often get reusable tote bags for free at events, and they are available for purchase for $1 and up at almost every grocery store. While you’re at it, invest in some reusable produce bags to avoid using those small plastic bags to hold fruits and vegetables.
4. Buy in bulk and bring your own containers. Try to visit grocery stores that sell products in bulk, such as Sprouts, Whole Foods, Winco, or your local co-op. This way, you can bring your own container and fill it up at the store, instead of buying a whole new package of something every time you run out. This saves a lot of packaging, and bulk items are often much cheaper than their pre-packaged counterparts. If you can, bring containers you already have, such as mason jars, Tupperware, or extra plastic bags. If you need to use the containers provided in the bulk section, be sure to bring them back to reuse when they are empty.
5. Reuse and recycle your plastic. In today’s economy, it’s practically impossible to avoid plastic entirely. When you do end up using plastic, reuse it as many times as you can, and be sure to recycle it when you are done using it. Instead of throwing your plastic shopping bags in the trash, stick them in your car or purse to reuse while shopping, use them as trash bags, or bring them back to the store to be recycled. (Do not put plastic shopping bags in your recycling bin at home—they can’t be recycled at most facilities.) Plastic containers such as bottles and jugs that are labeled with the recycling symbol and a number can be placed in the recycling bin. Click here for more information on how to recycle, and make sure to check the guidelines for your state.
6. Ask for your drink without a straw. Straws are an unnecessary convenience that generate a huge amount of plastic pollution. This one can be hard to get used to, because when out at a restaurant or bar, drinks often come with a straw automatically. Try to get in the habit of saying “No straw, please!” after your drink order, and others will take note. If you prefer to use a straw, bring your own. Take the pledge to say no to straws, along with Maroon 5, Jack Johnson, Chevy Chase, Governor of Connecticut Dan Malloy, and Dr. Sylvia Earle.

Remember, you don’t have to eliminate plastic from your life entirely, but you can easily reduce your plastic consumption with these simple tips. Like any new habit, these tips take some getting used to, so don’t panic if you forget your reusable bags or travel mug occasionally.

I hope this list helps you reduce your plastic footprint and inspires you to do more to help the ocean this year! What are your new year’s resolutions? Do you know any other helpful tips for reducing your plastic use?

Featured image by Kristen Kelly/NOAA Photo Library.

Sea Spider

Sea spiders belong to a group of arthropods called the pycnogonids, so they are technically not true spiders, although they are just as creepy-looking. These bizarre animals have organs in their legs, since they don’t have much of a body. Deepwater species can grow to nearly three feet.

“Sea Spider” is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

Ghost Shark (Chimera)

These ghostly cartilaginous fishes, also known as chimeras, roam the ocean floors down to 8,500 feet. Their bodies are soft to withstand the extreme pressure at these depths.

“Chimaera” is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program.

Deep-Sea Dragonfish

Deep-sea dragonfishes live between 1,600 and 15,000 feet deep, far below where any light reaches. They have special light-producing organs called photophores that they use to illuminate and attract their prey. They have huge, fang-like teeth and two sets of jaws to swallow large prey.

“Ocean Exploration 2020: Deep-sea Fish” is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Modified from the original version.

Giant Isopod

Unlike pill bugs, their tiny terrestrial relatives, these giant crustaceans can grow to 30 inches long and can weigh nearly four pounds. These animals exhibit deep-sea gigantism, which is the tendency for deep-sea animals to reach a larger size than their shallow-water relatives. The colder temperatures in the deep ocean are associated with increased cell size and life span, which lead to an increase in maximum body size.

“Ocean Exploration 2020: Isopod” is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Modified from the original version.

Colossal Squid

The colossal squid is the largest invertebrate on Earth, reaching lengths of up to 46 feet long and weights of up to 1,650 pounds. Its limbs are covered in toothed suckers and sharp hooks for capturing prey and fighting off predators. Its eyes are the largest of all animals, even bigger than those of blue whales.

“Squid” is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research.

I hope you enjoyed learning about these spooky sea creatures. Happy Halloween!

Photo by Albert Kok licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

It’s estimated that 100 million sharks are killed by humans every year. That’s almost 200 sharks per minute. Some fisheries intentionally target sharks, while fisheries that target other species kill millions of sharks as unwanted bycatch. The cruel and wasteful practice of shark finning alone kills up to 73 million sharks every year, only to use less than five percent of the sharks’ bodies. On top of that, government-sponsored shark culls indiscriminately slay sharks and other wildlife in a misguided attempt to protect beachgoers.

Sharks have lived on Earth for 450 million years—long before the dinosaurs, and even before trees! They have survived not one, but four mass extinction events. Now, humans are driving sharks to the brink of extinction with unsustainable catch rates. What we have failed to realize is that by removing sharks from the ocean, we threaten a much wider diversity of marine life.

Here’s why sharks matter—to the ocean, and to us.

Sharks Keep Ocean Ecosystems in Balance

Sharks are apex predators in marine ecosystems, which means they have few natural predators and feed on animals below them in the food web. Sharks limit the abundance of their prey, which then affects the prey of those animals, and so on throughout the food web. Because sharks directly or indirectly affect all levels of the food web, they help to maintain structure in healthy ocean ecosystems.

Sharks affect the behavior and distribution of their prey species through fear. This indirect control on prey species can affect the greater ecosystem. For example, sharks help preserve seagrass meadows by intimidating their prey, turtles, which eat seagrass. When sharks are present, the turtles move around more, grazing over a broad area of seagrass without overgrazing a single area. Without sharks, the turtles graze heavily in fewer locations. This degrades valuable seagrass meadows, which are important habitats for many fish, shellfish, and birds.

Coral reefs may also benefit from the protection of sharks, as a 2013 study showed. The removal of sharks from coral reef ecosystems has been shown to trigger an increase in smaller predators that prey on herbivorous fish. Consequently, herbivore populations decline, and without enough herbivores grazing on algae, algae can quickly overgrow a coral reef. This shift from a coral-dominated reef to an algae-dominated reef reduces biodiversity and decreases the resilience of the reef to disturbances such as coral bleaching and storms.

Sharks Keep Carbon Out of the Atmosphere

Since sharks support healthy seagrass meadows by preventing overgrazing, sharks play an important role in the carbon cycle. Seagrasses absorb vast amounts of carbon and store it in the plants themselves and in the sediment, preventing greenhouse gases from warming the atmosphere.

Sharks store a lot of carbon in their own bodies, too—a 2010 study showed that by depleting populations of large animals in the ocean, such as whales and sharks, we have reduced the ocean’s capacity to store carbon by millions of tons. And that means more carbon in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.

Sharks Boost the Economy

In 2011, declared global imports of shark fins totaled over $438 million, and global exports of shark meat were worth over $432 million. Together this amounts to $870 million, and that doesn’t include the trade in other shark products such as liver oil, skin, and jaws, which is poorly documented. These profits can’t last, though, as many shark fisheries are driving themselves to collapse with unsustainable catch rates.

Sharks in some areas are worth much more alive than dead due to the growing popularity of shark ecotourism. While a single dead reef shark in Palau might sell for about $108, the same live reef shark could bring in nearly $2 million in tourism revenue in its lifetime. Killing a shark for its fins or meat only yields a one-time profit, while a living shark can benefit the local economy and ecosystem over its entire lifetime. While the shark finning industry has been on the decline for the past 10 years, in contrast, shark ecotourism generated more than $314 million in 2013, and that number will likely more than double to $780 million within the next 20 years.

How You Can Help Sharks

A healthy ocean needs sharks. We have to stop this slaughter to rebuild shark populations and restore ocean ecosystems.

Here’s what you can do to help save sharks:

• Pledge to never consume or serve shark fin soup. Contact your government representatives and urge them to support a ban on the shark fin trade.
• Never buy shark cartilage, liver oil, skin, teeth, or jaws.
• If you choose to eat seafood, make sure it’s sustainable. Consider superfood seaweeds such as kelp!
• Educate your community about the importance of protecting sharks.
• Donate to or volunteer with a reputable conservation organization, such as Oceana, WildAid, Shark Stewards, Shark Team One, and PADI AWARE.

“Sharks are beautiful animals, and if you’re lucky enough to see lots of them, that means that you’re in a healthy ocean. You should be afraid if you are in the ocean and don’t see sharks.” – Sylvia Earle

1. Sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic field as a compass. This adaptation helps them return to the exact spot where they were born to lay eggs after spending years migrating thousands of miles at sea.
   

   Scientists study the movements of sea turtles using satellite tracking. Photo courtesy of USGS.

2. They are one of the few animals that eat jellyfish. Leatherback turtles can consume twice their own body weight in jellies and other soft-bodied animals per day. They have sharp points on their jaws to pierce jellies and spines in their throat to prevent jellies from slipping out before they can swallow them! Plastic pollution in the ocean is especially dangerous for leatherback turtles, who often confuse plastic bags for their favorite food.
3. Sea turtles survived the mass extinction event that killed the dinosaurs. 65 million years ago, an asteroid crashed into Earth, changing the planet’s climate and wiping out most life on Earth. Sea turtles, however, have many adaptations that helped them survive what other species couldn’t. They have a slow metabolism, requiring very little energy, so they can get by when resources are scarce. They can hibernate when it’s too cold, or burrow into the sand when it’s too hot. Turtles are tough­—it’s no wonder they’ve been around for over 120 million years!
   

   Sea turtles have lived on Earth for over 120 million years!

4. Only one in a thousand turtle hatchlings will make it to adulthood. It’s a treacherous journey from the nest to the water—birds, dogs, racoons and fish all prey on turtle hatchlings, and human disturbances make the voyage even more dangerous. Baby turtles use the natural light horizon over the ocean to find the water, and unnatural light from buildings, cars, and fires leads turtles in the wrong direction.
   

   It’s hard out there for a sea turtle hatchling.

5. Temperature determines the sex of baby turtles. The sex of turtle hatchlings depends on the temperature of the environment surrounding the eggs. More female hatchlings are born in warmer temperatures, while males are born in cooler temperatures. Sand that is too hot can even prevent the eggs from hatching at all. Increased sand temperatures due to climate change will affect sea turtle populations by changing natural sex ratios and decreasing hatch rates.
   

   Temperature determines the sex of baby turtles. Photo by Elise Peterson.

6. Sea turtles need our help. Six out of the seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered thanks to entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, habitat loss, climate change, and demand for their eggs, meat and shells. Here are some easy ways you can help sea turtles:
   • Never buy turtleshell products.
   • Reduce your use of plastic. Bring reusable straws when dining out and reusable bags while shopping. Read up on some easy ways to reduce your plastic footprint here. (Clicking on affiliate links and making a purchase will earn CurrentSea a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting CurrentSea!)
   • Reduce your carbon footprint by cutting back on meat.
   • Only buy sustainable, turtle-friendly seafood.
   • Protect sea turtles during nesting season.
   • Contact your government representatives to tell them to protect the Endangered Species Act.
   • Support sea turtle conservation organizations like Sea Turtle Conservancy.

The sea turtles will thank you!

A sea turtle escapes a net equipped with a turtle exclusion device (TED). Photo courtesy of NOAA.

1. The largest mountains and deepest valleys on Earth are in the ocean.
Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world measured from base to summit. Its base begins 19,700 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, making its total height 33,500 feet, almost a mile taller than Mount Everest. The Mariana Trench is the lowest point on Earth’s surface at 36,000 feet deep in the Pacific Ocean. Amazingly, it’s full of life.

The mid-ocean ridge is a 40,000 mile mountain range that extends through all major ocean basins. It is the single largest feature on Earth and the longest continuous mountain chain known to exist in the universe.

This beautiful jelly was spotted during the Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas expedition on April 24, 2016. Courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration & Research.

2. The ocean controls our climate.
The ocean plays the largest role in the global water cycle and provides most of the rain that falls on land. It regulates Earth’s temperature by absorbing and storing heat and carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

The ocean has absorbed over 90% of the excess heat trapped in Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gas emissions, temporarily slowing global warming.

3. We wouldn’t be here without the ocean.
Life on Earth began in the ocean. Most of the oxygen we breathe comes from photosynthetic organisms in the ocean. Billions of people depend on the ocean for their primary source of food.

Most of the oxygen we breathe comes from photosynthetic organisms in the ocean, like these diatoms. Courtesy of Carolina Biological Supply Company.

4. Most of the ocean remains unexplored.
The ocean contains 99% of the habitable space on Earth, but we have only explored less than 5% of it. Scientists estimate that we have yet to describe 91% of species in the ocean.

Scientists use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to explore the deep ocean. Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library.

5. No matter where on Earth you live, you are connected to the ocean.
“Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath 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.” ― Sylvia Earle, The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean’s Are One

We can’t survive without the ocean. We once believed the ocean was so vast that human actions could not affect it. Now we know that as we overfish, pollute, warm and acidify the ocean, we threaten our own life support system. Our future depends on restoring our ocean while we still can.

To celebrate World Penguin Day, I wrote a post for the Mystic Aquarium blog about the contribution of zoos and aquariums to African penguin conservation. Check it out here!