Last night the Christopher and Amber Marie Bently hosted an informative function for the Coral Reef Alliance.
Brian Huse, executive director of the Coral Reef Alliance, and Rick MacPherson, director of conservation programs, discussed the state of coral reefs and why they’re invaluable to our planet.
Coral reefs provide local coastline communities with natural shelter from storm damage, and bolster local economies through tourism. When not abused, they’re an important source of food, both locally and abroad. They’ve even become an important resource for the medical industry: coral can be used as a bone graft substitute, and reefs are providing doctors with new antibiotics that can save lives.
On the global scale, coral reefs are a vital part of the oceans’ delicate ecosystem: they serve as shelter and nursery for an astounding 25% of all marine life. This includes plankton, the irreplaceable foundation of the oceans’ entire food chain.
Sadly, coral reefs have become threatened by global warming, coastal development, and over-fishing. Even if you don’t live near a coral reef, your decisions can make a difference: conserve energy to cut down on global warming, don’t eat fish gathered from over-harvested seas, and try to purchase local organic products that cut down on the carbon footprint left by the food and transportation industries. And finally, spread awareness of this important issue: the survival of the coral reefs is important to our whole planet!
Learn more at the Coral Reef Alliance, and watch part of the coral reef discussion below: