You can’t get away from the sea, try as you might. We emerged from it, 70 percent of the world is covered by it and the health of the ocean ties in directly with our own.

Watermark, this week’s Ocean Night feature, endeavors – and succeeds – at addressing how water shapes our lives. Brilliant and beautiful, Watermark cuts to the chase:

Every living thing requires water. We humans interact with it in a myriad of ways, numerous times a day. But how often do we consider the complexity of that interaction? And, unless confronted by scarcity, when do we meditate on its ubiquity in creating, sustaining and enriching life?

Let these questions hover about your mind Thursday night at the Arcata Theatre Lounge. Doors at 6:30 p.m., film at 7 p.m. (Full details on the Lowdown.)

In other water visuals, and on the topic of being “confronted by scarcity,” these before/after drought photos should give you pause.

But that’s not all. More dire news comes to us straight from a draft version of an international collaborative look at climate change leaked last week. Mostly it says what we already know:

Global warming already is affecting “all continents and across the oceans,” and further pollution from heat-trapping gases will raise the likelihood of “severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems…

The key difference is the tone of the piece. As in, this is serious, people. It’s time to plan accordingly. Unfortunately, California is “woefully unprepared,” says our own state legislature. Maybe time to pay more attention to the Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Project? As is often the case, environmental and social justice issues overlap here – low-income residents stand to be disproportionately affected. 

At least our oysters are safe. For now. 

Yes, there’s much to despair about. We won’t leave you in the lurch, however, but will offer the salve of action in the form of Coastal Cleanup Day, Saturday, Sept. 20. Join hundreds of fellow community members in helping out. The beach needs you. Also, being near the ocean makes your brain smile. And in happy trash news, we should see less of it in the future, thanks to California finally passing legislation banning plastic bags – first in the nation! Don’t give up just yet.