Why do we protect our oceans? People need air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, new medicines, a climate we can live in, beauty, inspiration and recreation. We need to know that we belong to something bigger than ourselves. We want a better future for those we care about. To survive and prosper, we need healthy oceans. The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth, it is the planet’s life support system. Oceans generate half of the oxygen we breathe and, at any given moment, they contain more than 97% of the world’s water. Oceans provide at least a sixth of the animal protein people eat. Living oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce climate change impacts. The diversity and productivity of the world’s oceans is a vital interest for humankind. Our security, our economy, our very survival all require healthy oceans. So when Marine Conservation Institute works to improve marine protection through the Global Ocean Refuge System, maps the deep sea, advocates for California’s seamounts, tracks conservation progress in the Atlas of Marine Protection and defends our blue parks, we are working to save the ocean for all of us and future generations. Whether you live on the coast or far from it, whether you eat seafood or not, you and the future of all those you love depends on healthy oceans. Become an Ocean Guardian or make a donation to support our work for our incredible oceans.