Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, humans
have burned
enormous quantities of coal, oil, and natural gas, rivaling nature’s
elemental cycles of C, N, and S. The result has been a disruption
in a steady state of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere, a warming of the planet, and changes in master variables
(temperature, pH, and pε) of the sea affecting critical physical,
chemical, and biological reactions. Humans have also produced copious
quantities of N and P fertilizers producing widespread coastal hypoxia
and low dissolved oxygen conditions, which now threaten even the open
ocean. Consequently, our massive alteration of state variables diminishes
coral reefs, fisheries, and marine ecosystems, which are the foundation
of life on Earth. We point to a myriad of actions and alternatives
which will help to stem the tide of climate change and its effects
on the sea while, at the same time, creating a more sustainable future
for humans and ecosystems alike.