How important is the ocean? Plants growing in the ocean produce half of the oxygen the entire world population needs to survive (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). Carbon dioxide released by the body is also absorbed by ocean waters (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). Medicines used to fight cancer and cure diseases are formulated using ingredients from the ocean (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). Not only does the ocean keep the world's populations healthy, it accounts for $128 billion of GDP, keeping the economy healthy (The Nature Conservancy, 2014). The ocean plays an important role in what makes Earth a place where humans can live and thrive. It's surprising that, despite the great importance of the oceans, people continue to destroy them, through a series of events that begin with a simple visit to a local sushi restaurant. Consumption of tuna is causing the destruction of the ocean due to the elimination of species and its effects on the food chain. Consumption of tuna leads to an increase in the demand for tuna. Demand for a product is defined by Reem Heakal as “the quantity (quantity) of a product or service desired by buyers” (ND, pgh. 1). When a person walks into a sushi restaurant and orders the bluefin tuna special, the chain reaction is set off. Buying a product is like sending a vote for the product to the company that controls the production or, for tuna, the killing of the product. However, with a product like tuna, a company cannot produce an infinite quantity of it, because tuna is a living creature. When a person eats tuna, the demand for tuna increases. When the demand for tuna increases, more tuna must be killed in order to meet the demand. Supply is the other side of the demand coin. Reem Heakal challenge...... middle of paper ......011/05/bluefin_tuna.htmlNational Geographic (2014) . Lots of fish in the sea? Not always. Retrieved from http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-overfishing/The Nature Conservancy (2014). Five reasons why we are all connected to the oceans. Retrieved from http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/oceanscoasts/explore/five-reasons-we-are-all-connected-to-oceans.xml Save our seas Foundation (2014). Threat 1: overfishing. Retrieved from http://saveourseas.com/threats/overfishing Valasquez-Manoff, M. (June 10, 2008). Nowhere to hide: the onslaught of fishing technology. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2008/0610/nowhere-to-hide-the-onslaught-of-fishing-technology Walsh, B. (2013, January 11). The Pacific bluefin tuna goes, goes…. Retrieved from http://science.time.com/2013/01/11/the-pacific-bluefin-tuna-is-almost-gone/