As we move into the 21st century we see a number of startling problems come to the forefront, one of which is ocean pollution. Modern "man" is causing havoc in the seas. And it may cost us our lives. Our current lifestyle includes excess and disregard for the natural world. However, we fail to realize that our lives depend on the oceans! The oceans are known as the "lungs" of the planet and without clean oceans, we will not have enough oxygen. Perhaps if we wake up soon, there still may be time to turn the devastation around. Included in the larger picture, are specific problems caused by humans. Oil spills cause massive destruction around the globe. Cruise ships dump waste, and toxic waste at that, in alarming amounts. Scientists find plastics everywhere around the world and animals are dying when they mistake these bits as food. All of these problems cause more destruction in our coral reefs which are home to thousands of species of plants and animals. If the reefs die, the oceans die. We must stop the madness immediately. If we don't get educated now, it may be too late for our offspring to enjoy the oceans and live out their lives. There are many doable solutions that we can put into place and laws we can require of oil tanker companies and cruise ship lines. The first step is to raise awareness. Then we must take action. With the 2000s comes new hope, new ideas, and new starts; however, if we do not do something about the growing problem of ocean pollution we may not see the next thousand years. Oil spills harm sea life, sea mammals, birds and the environment. The chemicals in the oil are toxic and dangerous. The exposure to the oil harms the skin and eyes and has internal effects due to inhalation and ingestion. The oil suffocates fish and coats the feathers and fur of sea mammals and birds. “"Right away, there are pelicans coated in oil and things you can see, but how it impacts the greater food webs can take a much longer time” (Koebler). Due the toxicity of the oil, depending on the type of oil and time exposure the effects of an oil spill can be fatal. Oil spills affect coral reef by slowing down production and development and it is possible for the entire colony to be terminated. The oil spill of 2012 in the Gulf of Mexico reported damages to sea life. “Coral and starfish at the reef showed "widespread signs of stress," including dead specimens, discoloration, and, in the case of the starfish, abnormal behavior” (Koebler). In the amount of time it takes to recover from an oil spill the sea life will have already been harmed. Oil spills such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 and the 2012 Gulf of Mexico spill, can take years to recover from.“By the end of the 1989 cleanup, more than 25,000 tons of oiled waste and several hundred thousand barrels of oil/liquid waste were collected and disposed of in landfills” (Saundry). Oil spills occur when people make mistakes due to carelessness, accidents involving storage facilities, barges, pipelines, natural disaster such as hurricanes, failure of equipment, and deliberate attacks. To recover from an oil spill it takes efforts from local, state, government, and volunteers to clean up the mess and rehabilitate the affected sea mammals and birds. The oil is cleaned up by various means depending on the severity. Skimmer boats are used to scoop up the oil on the surface. A boom may be used if the oil spills cause is a leaking tanker. Large sponges, and vacuum trucks may also be