Sir David Attenborough, the 99-year-old biologist, natural historian, and English broadcaster, has researched and released his latest nature film to inspire and motivate humans to protect and repair our irreplaceable Earth. While this is a beautiful film, there are alarming images of the desecration that has been allowed to happen in our oceans.

(Note: all centered quotes are David Attenborough’s commentary in Ocean with David Attenborough | Official Trailer | National Geographic)

All life began in the deep blue sea. In this magical world, everything is more connected than we had ever imagined.

Listening to Attenborough’s distinguished voice commentate this 1 hour 35 minute documentary will resonate with nature lovers about the wonders of our oceans. The time is now to take a stand and defend these precious waters and all marine life.

After a lifetime of filming the natural world, I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land. It’s life at its most mesmerizing. And we must open our eyes to what is happening right now below the waves.

His voice echoes the sentiments of many concerned individuals, past and present, about the absolute destruction that is occuring in our oceans by humans.

We have drained the life from our ocean. I would find it hard not to loose hope. Were it not for the most remarkable discovery?

It was beyond our wildest dreams.

Before reading the next paragraph, I declare my respect and appreciation for all military sectors and am merely pointing out that there are less destructive options:)

One of the most destructive forces that has invaded our oceans is the use of SONAR, which has been described by the Center for Biological Diversity as “acoustic floodlights, sending sound waves through ocean waters for tens or even hundreds of miles to disclose large objects in their path… [and] entails deafening sound: Even one low-frequency active sonar loudspeaker can be as loud as a twin-engine fighter jet at takeoff… which far exceeds the Navy’s own safety limits for humans… sonar can displace whales from their preferred habitat and disrupts feeding, breeding, nursing, communication, navigation and other behaviors essential to their survival… sonar can directly injure whales– very often killing them– by causing hearing loss, hemorrhages and other kinds of tissue trauma, or by driving them rapidly to the surface or to shore.”

What is the need for these sonars if it causes this much disruption to life? Is there a better non-harming alternative? Could the use of sonar cease while other non-harming options are researched?

Ocean bottom and sand DREDGING is another invasive activity being allowed to harm and destroy marine life. Stanford University’s Center for Ocean Solutions published “Sand dredging encroaches on marine protected areas, scientists find” is an informative article about sand extraction from protected marine sanctuaries.

Is this the planet we want to leave for present and future generations? Humanity can do better! There is hope, and we can stand in solidarity for our oceans and all life on Earth. Prince William and Global Alliance’s EARTHSHOT Prize’s Revive Our Oceans category provides solution-based ideas to protect and restore our oceans.

Attenborough reassures viewers that the “most remarkable discovery beyond our wildest dreams” is that oceans can recover faster than previously thought possible. Observing protected ocean areas, marine life bounces back with remarkable speed when given the chance…. let’s give it a chance to regenerate.

If we save the sea, we save our world, the ocean, our final frontier. –David Attenborough

Join an organization(s) to support and add your voice to the collective movement in protecting and restoring our oceans. Below are just some of the organizations committed to this cause.

Oceana | Protecting the World’s Oceans

Ocean Conservancy

Surfrider Foundation

World Wildlife Fund

Sea Shepherd

The Nature Conservancy

Prayers for a healthy planet for all, Sarah Heinzelmann Andersen