One of the world’s most important natural wonders, corals — which are animals, not plants — can get sick, just like us, and plastic isn’t the only factor slowly leading to their extinction…  

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF CORAL REEFS

The most diverse of all marine ecosystems, corals are so much more than simply being a pretty sight. Although they occupy less than 0.1% of the world’s ocean surface, they are home to 25% of all marine life. Not only do they support enormous biodiversity, they are extremely valuable to humankind: corals provide food, generate income for the fishing and tourism industry, and protect coastlines from rising seas and tropical storms. The loss of coral reefs could threaten the livelihoods of 500 million people.

 

Just think about it: coral reefs in Hawaii alone are valued at more than US$ 33 billion for the US economy! Known as the ‘rainforests of the seas’, corals play a crucial role in regulating carbon dioxide levels and ocean pH, and provide scientists with a clear record of climatic events over the past million years.

 

 

WHY ARE CORAL REEFS CLOSE TO EXTINCTION?

Despite their importance, coral reefs are under attack on a number of fronts.This has led to the loss of around 50% of the world’s corals in the past 30 years alone. Here’s why:

 

• PLASTIC POLLUTION. Today, we are producing 20 times more plastic than in the 1960s. If we continue the current rate of plastic usage, we will have produced another 33 billion tonnes of plastic by 2050; a large portion of which will end up in oceans, where it will remain for centuries. Plastic makes corals sick in a variety of ways. Not only does it deprive them of light and oxygen, it also cuts their tissue and infects them with disease. Scientists have found that corals tangled in plastic are 90% morelikely to get a disease and die. While it’s no news that animals like whales and sharks get tangled up in fishing nets and plastic, until today, it wasn’t clear that plastic could actually affect disease outbreaks in the ocean.

 

• COSMETIC CHEMICALS. Chemicals like BP-2, which are found in over 380 different product lines of soaps, laundry detergents, cosmetics and body fragrances, and oxybenzone, commonly used as an additive in sunscreens, have the ability to bleach and kill corals, even at very low concentrations. Researchers found that these chemicals are potentially mutagenic to the corals by causing damage to their DNA, while also degrading corals' ability to adjust to climate change factors. Wastewater discharges usually release product residues into nearby ocean environments, but they can also enter the ocean every time you take a swim after you’ve used sunscreen. Given that this increasing pollution is posing a real risk to global coral reef preservation efforts, lawmakers in Hawaii have decided to ban the sale of sunscreens containing any chemicals linked to the destruction of corals.

 

• CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to the world’s coral reefs, as changes in sea level, temperature, frequency and intensity of tropical storms, as well as altered ocean circulation patterns, dramatically impact ecosystem function. This has led to corals losing their colourful algae, which provides about 90% of their energy.

 

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PRESERVE THIS NATURAL WONDER?

There is good news. Each and every person has the ability to make a difference through a few simple things and help save coral reefs from extinction:

• Volunteer in local beach or reef clean-ups
• Conserve water to reduce runoff and wastewater
• Use energy efficient light bulbs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Choose toxin-free beauty & personal care products and “reef friendly” sunscreens
• Reduce your plastic waste and choose OceanBound recycled plastic 

 

ViTA's approach? Take it out before it goes in! All of ViTA's plant-based formulas are toxin-free and packaged in the world’s first 100% OceanBound recycled plastic, collected from areas at-risk of polluting our oceans. By using non-toxic ink and labels that can easily be separated from the packaging, ViTA ensures all its packaging can be recycled and isn’t dumped into the oceans. Remember, without coral reefs, there are no tropical fish, sea turtles, or seahorses, so join the ViTA mission and do your part to keep our oceans healthy and beautiful!