Iceberg: Isle of the Dead, originally uploaded by Greenpeace Esperanza.

As a child in grade school, I recall seeing pictures that our teacher would share. We children were always thrilled by the shapes on our spheric globes. By the whiteness of the coldest continent Antarctica, and the floating ice caps of our North Pole.

Why did the top of the earth, as I would think of the North Pole, not be deemed a continent? It would be years later before I would understand the difference. But I do recall musing about those cold places and wondering what the fuss was about the icebergs. Why was is so cold at the top and the bottom of our planet? What was the point? I would ask myself countless questions like these.

Of course years later, I see the devastating changes in our planet and the impending threat to the wildlife. The ice caps are melting and our stores of fresh water are quickly disappearing. Our rain forests are dwindling and the lush continent of Africa is fast becoming a wasteland, a place of sorrow, whereas she used to be a dark, mysterious place full of romance, beauty, robust peoples and boasted a huge population of wildlife. A short time ago, these things were true.

Today while I was traveling through many photographs on Flickr, I input the word oceans in the search bar. I felt like a breath of fresh air. I found incredible photography from people who snapped their cameras, all over our blue planet. So many of the photos were breathtaking and astounding. Some, like this photo are profound.

So, I wonder, what are we going to do? Can we all put on the breaks, be humane, stop the fighting and the cruelty? Allow the domination to be dispelled? Please ask yourself what you can do to be a kind, helpful, responsible citizen of the world. What can you do to stop abusing our planet, wildlife and domestic pets, put an end to slaughterhouse terrors and end all war? Look favorably upon the person next to you? What can you do to make a difference?

Let’s take our world back. Let’s leave something for the younger generation. I remember our parents making this a better place for we children, but what about our children? Take a look at all of the photos of our planet. She is so beautiful. Don’t let her die.