Former NASA astronaut Ron Garan, who spent 178 days in space and traveled over 71 million miles, shared a profound realization after viewing Earth from space.

Experiencing the “overview effect,” Garan saw the planet’s fragile atmosphere and realized that humanity is “living a lie.” From space, he saw Earth not as a product of the economy but as a vibrant biosphere, teeming with life.

He was struck by how human-made systems treat everything—including the planet’s life-support systems—as subsumed under the global economy.

This perspective led Garan to advocate for environmental stewardship and prioritize the health of the planet over economic growth.

He now works to provide clean drinking water through his nonprofit and aims to drive global change.