What we put into the atmosphere in terms of burning fuel is unprecedented.

That attitude of arrogance, that attitude of "It's all about me. It's all about what I can get out of life now" - well, I'm personally driven by wanting to get out of my life the best I can achieve as a gift for those who come after me.

If you think the ocean isn't important, imagine Earth without it. Mars comes to mind. No ocean, no life support system.

It's a fact of life that there will be oil spills, as long as oil is moved from place to place, but we must have provisions to deal with them, and a capability that is commensurate with the size of the oil shipments.

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

Use your power to do whatever it takes to secure for humankind an enduring place on this little blue speck in the universe - our only hope.

It isn't too late to shift from the swift, sharp decline of ocean systems in recent decades to an era of steady recovery. There is time, and there is a growing awareness, which is the best way to counter indifference. People who know might care.