The Power of Together
Virginia Beach, VA
2020, Junior, Art
Reflection
Reflection
This mixed-media piece was inspired by a NASA image of a phytoplankton bloom around the island of Gotland, Sweden. Phytoplankton are vital to both the marine ecosystem and humans. Through photosynthesis, these microscopic plants provide about 50% of the oxygen on earth and absorb about a third of our CO₂ emissions by transforming the dissolved carbon dioxide in the ocean into organic carbon. As they die, some sink to the ocean floor and are stored for thousands of years. Warming oceans and acidification have contributed to a decrease in the phytoplankton population and therefore to a decline in carbon burial. Mike Behrenfeld from Oregon State University says it well: “You look out in the ocean and you see water, but that water is just teeming with millions and millions of tiny organisms, and when you sum them up, they have a huge impact.” Although there are 7.8 billion people in the world, research shows that just 3.5% of the population can bring about political change. Like phytoplankton, we are both powerful and beautiful when we come together, as shown in my artwork. 2019 was a year of unprecedented public awareness for climate change; over four million people congregated for the September 20th climate strike. Public actions such as protests result in policy changes which will eventually help us cut carbon emissions, reduce acidification, and restore marine life. In the same way that millions of phytoplankton gather together and make an incredible impact, when we assemble, there is hope.