As a tree-person, I have never had as great an appreciation or understanding for the realms, aqueous as I have for forests. Things that lurk in the water are ever alien and strange, and even somewhat sinister, to me no matter how many times I see them. The oceans are vast beyond comprehension, and distances take on entirely new meanings. The deepest point in the Ocean is the Marianas Trench, seven miles deep; only two people have ever been there. A span of seven miles across a field or through a forest is almost inconsequential, a stroll of a couple of hours at even the most leisurely pace. In the ocean, though, it is a distance almost incomprehensible.
Since we first began exploring the oceans they were teeming with life, so abundant as to seem endless. Even today, the vast majority of the Ocean’s depths remains unexplored; and the parts we are familiar with we know next-to-nothing about. The Ocean has always seemed impenetrable, eternal; impossible to think we insignificant humans could ever have an altering effect on it’s workings. How easy it is to forget the power of the Swarm.
As with other areas of ecologic impact, we have seriously underestimated our capacity for effecting ecosystems. Our ability to damage and alter biospheres is well-documented through history, back to the leveling of the great cedar forests of Iraq (that’s right); but this is the first time in history that our effect is of potentially global magntitude. Human activity and resource extraction covers every corner of the map; there aren’t any more refuges to migrate to when the land turns fallow, allowing to respite in which it might regenerate. We’ve only just begun to understand the impact we’re having on our global climate, soil, fresh water; and we have not yet even scratched the surface of what we’re doing to the oceans.
We’ve gone way, way too far. We’ve fished the mightiest species to near extinction, and we’re irradiating the remainders.
The Ocean is home to about 97% of all Life on Earth; maybe even the Universe. The pillaging of our oceans and the lack of care with which it is done is one of the great ecological tragedies of our Age.
ZackBlog 