The world ocean is a vital component of life on this planet, it regulates climate and provides us with food. Every unique ecosystem within its vast waters is a critical piece, from the shallow eel grass meadows to the deep sea bottoms, and when one fails they are all in danger. Right now one of the best-loved and most crucial ocean ecosystems is in great peril, the coral reef. High temperatures caused by global climate change among other harmful factors are causing the bleaching and death of these beautiful and essential organisms from the Red Sea to the Great Barrier Reef, no place is safe! The situation is dire, steps must be taken before all is lost!
Not too surprisingly the activities of humanity have been a key contributor to the coral reef’s present precarious position. The pollution we make both in the water and in the air is poisoning and burning these fragile creatures. All is not lost yet, because humanity is also beginning to provide some solutions to the problem. If you are someone who cares and wants to help preserve this precious ecosystem you can volunteer for environmental projects that will help stem the deadly tide of coral reef destruction!
If you are a diver there are many projects you can take part in that will help corals survive, but even when you are leading your daily life there are little things you can do that will make a big difference!
Conserve Water – The less water you use in your everyday life, the less runoff and polluted wastewater will be produced that will inevitably make its way back downstream into the ocean. Be mindful of how much water you really need to cook, bathe, and water your garden with, try not to let it go to waste!
Don’t Use Harmful Chemicals – Use natural, biodegradable soaps and detergents when washing up, doing your laundry, and bathing that won’t stay in the water table to eventually cause harm. Be aware that commercial plant fertilizers are very harmful to the marine environment when they enter it through runoff, so use natural materials like manure and compost to feed your garden.
Don’t Own A Saltwater Aquarium – It looks so beautiful having fancy marine fish and live corals in your living room, but all of those animals were stolen from the ocean, and usually by some very nefarious methods like fish doping! Thousands of corals are cut from their natural homes only to die in a neglected aquarium somewhere. Leave those creatures where they belong, living free in the sea!
We can all help save the corals!
