The Magic of Coral Reefs and How to Save Them
The mystery and necessity of reefs
We need reefs. They are the lifeblood of the ocean. Thousands of marine species around the globe depend on healthy reefs to thrive, but our reefs are disappearing. We can put a stop to that. Join us for our conversation with Jan Freiwald, executive director, and Matt Bullock, board member, of Reef Check, a nonprofit in California that has been sounding the alarm about the health of our reefs for decades. Jan and Matt teach us about the amazing complexity of reefs, why they’re so crucial for the health of the planet, what’s causing a massive decline in their health, and how each of us can become part of the solution. By becoming more aware of how our actions impact the system of life in the oceans we can make new choices every day that will restore our reefs and our oceans, and the life they hold. It’s time to change course so we can continue to share the Earth with these breathtaking creatures. Listen, learn, take action, and change the world.
Consider eating less seafood, due to the impact that commercial fishing has on ocean life. Over 150 million pounds of wildlife are killed and thrown overboard every single day, including dolphins, whales, sea turtles, sting rays, and many more, due to current commercial fishing practices. We can choose not to support this system until it has made some important changes.
Consider eating less animal products across the board. Animal agriculture is the largest contributor to global warming due to the massive amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide released as a result of raising billions of animals annually for slaughter. Other environmental impacts include the huge amount of resources (water, grain, feed) required to raise meat and dairy, deforestation to create cattle grazing land, toxic runoff from animal waste and pharmaceutical usage in factory farms, and for many other reasons, all of which impact our oceans.
Be mindful of the types of sunscreen you are using, and use only mineral-based sunscreens with zinc-oxide or titanium-oxide as the active ingredient.
Reduce and reuse as much as possible. Our waste is choking ocean life with plastic at the top of the list as far as single-use culprits. Avoiding plastic straws, plastic cutlery, plastic bags, and disposable coffee cups is a great first step when it comes to reusables.
Learn more about reefs, and share what you know with others
Resources
NOAA guide regarding the different types of sunscreen and their impact on our reefs
Article from ocean conservation organization Oceana about by-catch, and how commercial fishing is depleting ocean wildlife at an alarming rate
Reef Check’s global reef tracker, with data from over 12,000 reports on reefs around the globe
Livermore Laboratory’s article about the oldest living sea organism: a 4,000+ year-old black coral
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch guide to seafood for consumers who are looking to make more ocean-friendly seafood choices
No reefs, no ocean: Reef Check
How our reefs feed our oceans, and what we can do to save them