Danny Quintana, founder of Global High Seas Marine Preserve, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the oceans, and author of Space & Ocean Exploration: The Alternative to the Military-Industrial Complex, is an attorney, activist, writer, professional investor, public speaker and tennis player who has taken up the cause of preserving the vast fishing grounds around the world that are being depleted at an ever increasing rate. His books and articles published over the years cover a wide array of topics from immigration to overcoming adversity to on surviving in our high tech world.

All 435 U.S. congressional districts have either a defense contractor or a military installation. As of 2015, the United States has 730 military installations in 50 countries. The Department of Defense is the nation's largest employer. Defense industries are so intertwined with the economy that the United States can't just "cut" defense spending. That would create unemployment in thousands of communities. That is why we need an economically viable alternative to defense spending.

Space & Ocean Exploration: The Alternative to the Military-Industrial Complex I propose Congress redirect some of this defense spending toward space and ocean exploration. This will demilitarize the American economy and create millions of new jobs as well as entire new industries. Give the aerospace contractors exploration of the inner solar system. They are naturally suited to transition from "defense" to space exploration. Mars needs to be explored, terraformed and colonized. It is doable in our lifetime and, if civilization is to survive, it must be pursued.

Because of the costly failure of the Iraq War, we can no longer pursue space exploration alone. We will need to work with the Chinese, Russians, the European Union, India and Brazil as well as other countries to pull off this massive endeavor. The Iraq war broke the bank. Space and ocean exploration can fix our economic problems. Using the aerospace and navy contractors and congressional districts, explore the inner solar system and the ocean floor.

The only area on this small planet that has not been fully explored is the ocean floor. If U.S. Navy contractors can build nuclear submarines, they can build ocean-mining vessels and robots to explore the ocean bottom. Trust me, the ocean bottom is at least as interesting as the moon's behind.

We propose the creation of a Global High Seas Marine Preserve to close off the high seas to commercial fishing. The U.S. Navy working with navies of other countries can enforce wildlife zones in the oceans that will revive the fish stocks. The problem of the collapse of the fish stocks and plastic in the ocean cannot be solved with 10 U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups or by one nation. We need to work together with other nations. Ecosystems do not recognize national boundaries.

Despite the huge environmental problems facing our tiny planet, I am optimistic. Environmental problems can be solved. With governments, industry and non-profits all working together, we can and will change humanity's path from consumerism and conspicuous consumption to sustainability and co-existence with our Earth Mother. Young people understand environmental problems and are willing to make a difference. Be optimistic — the change begins with you.