Our interest in becoming more environmentally conscious mostly began after watching the documentary Chasing Coral.
We were both very moved and shocked by what we learned about coral bleaching happening in our oceans. We both couldn’t believe this was happening and that we, among so many others, had no idea. Why were the issues raised in the film, including that around half the world’s corals have been bleached, not headline news around the world – why was this not a bigger deal? We couldn’t believe the devastation that had happened and that we didn’t know.
We have both felt through our interest and following different environmental organisations and reading news stories, how little attention seems to be paid to the ocean.
The Netflix documentary, directed by Jeff Orlowski and produced by Larissa Rhodes, follows a dedicated team on their journey to capture the demise of coral reefs in various locations around the world. The documentary focuses on ‘bleaching events’, which are caused by increasing sea temperatures (among other things). The team place underwater cameras in different ocean locations and film the changes in the corals. At the end of the documentary, the change that is seen, is unbelievable and quite upsetting to see.
Many ecosystems rely heavily on coral reefs, and are believed to have the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem on the planet. Coral reefs are home to more than 25% of marine life. They protect coastlines, regulate storms, provide shelter and habitats for many sea creatures, and provide food, medicine and income for millions of people around the world. Not only are they spectacular to see, they are essential to a healthy world.
An example of a healthy coral reef and bleached coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef – the difference is staggering… This is what is happening in so many of our world’s oceans.
What can we do:
- Live sustainably – Conserving energy to reduce your carbon footprint. Following the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Switching to eco friendly appliances and brands. Trying to drive less and walk/use public transport more.
- Be a smart consumer – Buy seafood that is sustainable. Look out for food that has been responsibly sourced. Try to buy food with less non-recyclable materials.
- Spread the world – Everyone should know this is happening. Talk to your friends and family about it and encourage them to watch the documentary and to take action. Spread the word on social media.
We encourage anyone who hasn’t seen the documentary to go and watch it…NOW! You won’t regret it! 🙂
Lauren and Daniel
Websites of interest:
Playing Our Part 