[Ocean] It is the lungs of our earth, which provides a continuous life cycle for all of us.

by Defne ASLAN

Dedicated to the United Nations Third Ocean Conference #UNOC3*.

Whisper of the Ocean

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” — Robert Swan

[LMGlobal.Org] Life was brilliant when you used to wake up in the morning with the birds chirping and the waves of the ocean hitting the coast. It would please you, make you feel as if you are in your comfort zone, regardless of the current place you are accommodating. Because “home” is never only a concrete, building with cement and bricks. It is the feeling you get whenever you feel free and comfortable. And for human beings, it is common to get this feeling whenever you get in touch with nature.

And yet, we often forget that this longing, this need to feel alive beneath the sky, doesn’t belong to us alone. Birds, marine creatures, fish, and countless other beings share this silent desire: to exist, to breathe, to belong, to feel home.

But with every discarded cup, every drifting plastic bag, every drop of chemical waste we release into the ocean, we unravel the threads of their home. Not just by physically but spiritually as well, by making them forget about the memories which represent being home and safe.

Imagine getting across to someone you love and in return, they give you 199 million tons of gold as a gift. You would feel unstoppable, as if you are the luckiest person on earth, that you have power to do anything. And at the same time, you would want to share this wealth; to do good, to be kind. Do not worry, though; because humanity has given a gift. Not to a human being, but to one of the most precious companions of our Earth: our oceans. Nevertheless, it is not the gold that we offered them, it is 199 million tons of plastic. It is a gift wrapped in carelessness, drowning the lungs of our earth.

We convince ourselves that one small act won’t tip the scales. But just as a single step begins a lifetime of walking, one conscious choice can spark a tide of change and save our Earth from drowning.

The same hand that pollutes can also protect. And the smallest wave, if followed, can shape the entire shore.

We should always keep in mind that no one is too small to make a difference, Greta Thunberg says. And that underestimating ourselves and the consequences of our actions would be a huge mistake. Just as we often overlook the silent presence of animals, we convince ourselves that nothing we do could possibly affect the depths of the ocean. But, as the Natural Resources Defense Council emphasizes, the ocean holds far more than we realize. It is the lungs of our earth, which provides a continuous life cycle for all of us. And it is you who must reach out a hand not just in hope, but in responsibility. At first, you may feel like a lone drop in an endless sea. But remember: it is the drops that create the wave. And it is in our hands to hear the birds chirping again with the waves hitting the coast. But next time, we must pay attention to those waves; as now we know they are the whispers of the creatures living beneath the surface.

Always remind yourself that: “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius

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[*] After the first two Conferences in New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022), France and Costa Rica are jointly organizing the third United Nations Ocean Conference #UNOC3 in Nice, from 9 to 13 June 2025.

Disclosure 1: Defne Aslan is the Second-Place recipient in the Innovation Category of the 2025 J.U.C. Awards, and a high school student at Darüşşafaka High School in İstanbul, Türkiye.
Her award-winning submission is available via the following link: OxHygiene
2. For publishing this essay, her Consent Form is provided via her Mother S. Aslan.