You don't have to touch the ocean for the ocean to touch you

Places change over time with or without oil spills, but humans are responsible for the Deepwater Horizon gusher - and humans, as well as the corals, fish and other creatures, are suffering the consequences.

Far and away, the greatest threat to the ocean, and thus to ourselves, is ignorance. But we can do something about that.

If you make the choice to just go with the flow, that is a choice to make a difference in a negative way.

Never again will we have this good a chance as we now have to find an enduring place for ourselves within the natural systems that keep us alive. It's a sweet spot in history. That's why this is such a critical time.

I want everybody to go jump in the ocean to see for themselves how beautiful it is, how important it is to get acquainted with fish swimming in the ocean, rather than just swimming with lemon slices and butter.

My parents moved to Florida when I was 12, and my backyard was the Gulf of Mexico.