Malama o ke kai. Take care of the ocean. Did you know that the ocean covers more than 70 % of the surface of our planet?  In fact 97 % of the earth’s water can be found in the oceans.. The ocean is a part of our ecosystem that provides us with many benefits, so we must take care of it.  Pollution is dangerous to our oceans. If we continue to pollute it with chemicals and trash it will weaken our ocean ecosystem and also the sea life in it. The ocean provides us with healthy oxygen, food and it is home to other living things, so we need to take care of the ocean.

First of all, the ocean provides us with oxygen for life. For example, 50% to 80% of the earth’s oxygen comes from the ocean. When the ocean is polluted the ocean’s oxygen becomes lower. I think this is very important because oxygen is what all living things breathe. If the ocean is polluted we will  have poor and dangerous air quality for humans, animals, sea life, and plants. 

Second, the ocean provides us with food. We can eat sea life in the ocean, different types of fish, seaweed, and shellfish which are good sources of protein. There are ingredients from the ocean that are used in different foods and drinks like peanut butter and soymilk. The ingredients in the ocean are also used for different medical products.  I think this is very important because without the ocean life our food supply and some medicines could become limited. 

Lastly, the ocean is home to many other living things. The ocean provides shelter for sea life. For example, some shelters in the ocean are the coral because it’s good to help protect the little fish and to help eels hide from predators or to catch prey. The coral reefs have been called the rainforest of the sea because of the wide variety of animals that can be found there.  I think this is very important because it gives the prey and predators places to survive.

Pollution to the ocean is not pono! It’s poison to the air that we breath, the food we eat, and the future ahead of us. The ocean provides us with healthy oxygen, food and shelter for living things. Responsibility is key! If everyone will do their part we can come to  solutions that  malama o ke kai.