Book excerpt: The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, and is essential for life on our planet – even for those of us who live nowhere near the sea! It provides us all with food and other materials that we need, regulates our climate and provides half of the oxygen we breathe. The ocean also offers us various means of transport and opportunities for recreation. People have long thought that the ocean was so wide and bountiful that it would go on supplying our needs forever, but this is not the case: human activities are causing significant damage to life in the ocean. People are often unaware of the problems created by this heavy reliance, as few of us have the opportunity to look beneath the surface of the sea and see the damage that our actions have caused. This is where the Ocean Challenge Badge comes in: let it take you on a journey to discover the ocean! It is packed with activities to help you learn about how the ocean works, the creatures that live in it, and just how important it is in our everyday lives. You will also discover how YOU can play a role in protecting our ocean for future generations. We hope you will be inspired to take the challenge and celebrate our ocean. So dive in and begin your aquatic discoveries!