For Amy and Oliver with all my heart xo R.S. For Sky and Luna my companions in adventure who have spent countless hours by the sea with me N.D. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to the fantastic team at Kids Can Press especially Stacey Roderick for your patience and thoughtful insights and Marie Bartholomew for your incredible vision A special thank you to Natasha Donovan for bringing my words to life so vividly Thank you to Catherine Dorton for all the coffees treats and the incredible support Thank you to my family who are the best cheerleaders out there And a very special thank you to Nate and Maddie Willis my wonderful beta readers Finally I am truly grateful to the following amazing individuals who answered my myriad of questions and shared their knowledge Rita Bell Monterey Bay Aquarium George Matsumoto Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Susan Haynes NOAA Ocean Exploration Collabralink Technologies Inc. Diz Glithero Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition Nicole Straughan and Abigail Speck Ocean Wise A. E. Copenhaver Susan Gesner Sabrina Suluai Mahuka Isabel Gaoteote Halatuituia Danika Strecko and Tami Lunsford Thank you also to the Ontario Arts Council for their financial support
CONTENTS Earth's Beating Heart About the Global Ocean An Ocean Of Diversity Rough Waters Changing Climate Changing Ocean Warming Waters Sinking the Carbon Sink A Sea of Trash The Plastic Problem A Fishing Frenzy A Cost to the Coastline Waves of Change Finding YOUR Wave Note to Teachers Parents and Guardians Index
EARTH'S BEATING HEART What if Earth had a beating heart that powered everything on the planet In a way the global ocean is like Earth's heart When you look on a map of the world you see five great oceans the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean the Indian Ocean the Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean also called the Antarctic Ocean But what you may not realize is that these oceans are all linked by a system of water that moves between them So these five oceans are actually connected to form one single circulating ocean the global ocean This global ocean is Earth's most important feature It moves heat oxygen and nutrients around the planet supporting all life on Earth much like your heart pumps blood through your body to move oxygen and nutrients It is also home to more species and more habitats than anywhere else on the planet Its water shapes Earth's climate and influences its weather The global ocean stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and supplies oxygen for us to breathe It is also a source of food for many of Earth's inhabitants living in the ocean and on land And for humans it provides food energy minerals and transportation as well as a place to play explore and enjoy A healthy global ocean is what keeps the planet flourishing and sustains all life on Earth just like the beat of your heart keeps you alive and well But the global ocean is in trouble Let's dive into the pages of this book to learn about the issues affecting the global ocean and what we can do to help it and the planet heal
