Former NASA astronaut Ron Garan, who spent 178 days in space and traveled over 71 million miles, had a life-changing revelation after seeing Earth from orbit.
Experiencing the “overview effect,” he saw the planet’s fragile atmosphere and came to the conclusion that humanity is “living a lie.” From space, he no longer viewed Earth as just an economic entity, but as a vibrant, life-sustaining biosphere.
He was deeply moved by how human systems treat everything, including the planet’s life-support systems, as part of the global economy. This shifted his focus to advocating for environmental protection and prioritizing the planet’s well-being over economic growth.
Today, Garan works through his nonprofit to provide clean drinking water and push for global change.
