Healthy Seas

Children's Literature - Amie Rose Rotruck

The ocean covers so much of the earth's surface that it can be difficult to imagine humans having any affect on it. Over the past hundred years, however, the impact that humans have on the earth's waters has increased so that there is a real danger of destroying a significant portion of aquatic life. Carol Inskipp examines the delicate ecosystem of the seas and how pollution and over-fishing from humans places many animals and plants in jeopardy. She looks at how changing the way humans acquire fish can both help the environment and hurt the people who have their jobs eliminated by regulations. Tourism is a double-edged sword for the environment because, while pastimes such as whale watching encourage communities to ensure the animals' survival, without careful supervision, tourists can disturb or hurt the animals they are observing. Inskipp has a few suggestions that any reader can implement to help the oceans, such as buying organic fruit and not touching wildlife when on vacation. This book is an excellent resource for environmental or biology lessons. Part of the "Sustainable Futures" series.