What is the ocean for?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/ceide.16076079e.2025.26.4.12Keywords:
ocean, anthropic perspective, ecological crisis, ecosystem function, environmentAbstract
For a long time, we have seen the ocean as something that exists for us: to fish, to sail, to vacation... and also, whether we want to admit it or not, to dump our trash. This text questions the common idea that the ocean exists solely to meet our needs. Through a series of conversations, data, and reflections, it raises a more urgent point: the seas are not infinite, magical, or immune. Their true value lies not only in what they give us but in what they do for the planet. They regulate climate, produce oxygen, store carbon, and sustain life as we know it. If we continue treating them as warehouses and landfills, we risk losing much more than our beach vacations. This article invites readers to see the ocean differently—not as a resource, but as a living system to which we literally owe our breath.
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